Fairlands Valley Challenge Multi-Terrain Marathon (Now Incorporating UK Trail Running Championships)  Here's how RW members rated this race (110 votes). | 1 to 10 of 13 ratings | Page: 1 2 |
| The big picture 2011 (13 votes) | | Overall score | | 72% | | How many would do it again? | | 69% | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 78% | | PB potential | | 49% | | Atmosphere | | 71% | | Organisation | | 66% | | Value | | 77% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 65% |
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2011 race reviewed by: DOUGIE WALLER
 | | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 100% | | Value | | 100% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: A real treat
In full: I thoroughly enjoyed my day. I did the Ultra distance and along the way got chatting to a couple of runners who regalled a novice ultra runner with some great stories. The miles slipped by.
The organisation was brilliant, the course fairly easy to follow and just the right amount of testing terrain. All the feeding stations were well stocked and staffed by terrific people who endured all sorts of weather.
Thanks to all the people who made my day so enjoyable.
Date of review: July 30, 2011
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2011 race reviewed by: helly d
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
Date of review: July 23, 2011
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2011 race reviewed by: Tony Reeve
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 100% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 100% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: 26 miles of glorious mainly off road countryside. A pleasure
In full: I love these trail runs: The orienteering with just a few instructions on A4 & a map; Team spirit, as runners work together to fathom the route; and glorious countryside, across fields, through woods, hardly a road in sight.
Turns an endurane run into a pleasure.
I would definitely do this again
Date of review: July 23, 2011
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2011 race reviewed by: Michael Shipley
| | Overall score | | 40% | | Would you do it again? | | No | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 20% | | Atmosphere | | 40% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 40% |
In short: High hopes but it ultimately failed to deliver
In full: Having run in the Stevenage half marathon last year I had been very impressed with all aspects of the experience and professional organisation, as such, I had high hopes that this would be equally as good. Unfortunately the reality did not live up to my expectations. The 5 pages of 'detailed' instructions handed out before the race were ambiguous and open to interpretation to say the least. Parts of the course required you to run along narrow country lanes with cars whizzing past at the national speed limit, this appeared to be an unnecessary risk. The largely countryside course itself was scenic and challenging which was great, however, it could have been so much improved if there were simple course markers set up to point you in the right direction and negate the possibility of running 'bonus miles'!!! This course is new and does have the potential to be much better, I just hope that for next year this race is more about running rather than deciphering overly complicated and misleading course directions.
Date of review: July 19, 2011
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2011 race reviewed by: David Shipley 3
| | Overall score | | 40% | | Would you do it again? | | No | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 40% | | Atmosphere | | 40% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 40% |
In short: Lovely views helped with the forecast bad weather staying away for long periods. Instructions appeared detailed but when read in a large field, quickly became ambiguous. Inevitably, several miles were added which increased the frustration.
In full: Being an Ultramarathon beginner I had high hopes for this event. By the end I did not feel that it was the distance that got the better of me however. Whilst the course instructions appeared detailed, it became clear early on that there was plenty of room for interpretation when faced with tracks through fields, following hedgelines and the like. It would be easy to blame the runners that got lost that they wern't reading the instructions clearly. However whilst many finished without these apparent problems, I got the impression they already knew the course (at least partially) which obviously helped! Sections of the event were held on country lanes (60mph territory) which in the absence of paths had the potential for serious safety concerns. The volunteers were great with their well-stocked checkpoints making for welcome sights! As for suggestions, I think there is a strong need for course markers particularly between checkpoints. There was too much opportunity between them for getting lost. I think it would have only required minimal effort to put down posts, flags, ribbons tied to trees etc especially when the course was followed to write the instructions.
Date of review: July 18, 2011
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2011 race reviewed by: Alan Byrne 3
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 40% | | Atmosphere | | 100% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 100% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: A good fun run - getting lost is part of the enterainment!!
In full: Usually been more of a PB chaser myself but this changed my perspective a bit. I did the 12.3 mile option but undoubtedly did at least a half marathon after getting lost a few times, sometimes from following the people just in front but that made it more of an adventure. As someone else said it should be viewed as a run rather than a race so I will hopefully go for the 18 mile next year as I now know the 12 mile route! Great checkpoint food, friendly people and a burger at the end :)
Date of review: July 17, 2011
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2011 race reviewed by: SpeirsyMV40
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Good one again
In full: Nicely organised once again and the weather held off for the most part. Pesky cows got in the way on one part of the course obscuring the left turn - all part of the fun. Good belnd of paces and abilities with the 12, 18, marathon and ultra runners all mixing it up
Date of review: July 17, 2011
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2011 race reviewed by: Colin Braybrook
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 40% | | Atmosphere | | 100% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 100% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Race organisation was very good. It's a Challenge innit?
In full: Hassle-free parking; food and drink en route; food and drink afterwards. A choice of 4 distances.
It's a trail "race" (don't expect a PB though), so you need to find your own way with the detailed route description. You cannot really blame the organisers if you do not read the instructions. And don't rely on following other runners either. People's brains tend you melt a bit after 20+ miles so trying to concentrate on the route when tired is all part of the fun.
I tried the Ultra as the marathon route is getting familiar. I blew up a bit near the end. Never again, which I guess really means: maybe next year?
Thank you FVS again for organising this gem.
Date of review: July 17, 2011
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2011 race reviewed by: paul hull
| | Overall score | | 20% | | Would you do it again? | | No | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 40% | | Organisation | | 20% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 40% |
In short: If you like getting lost in unfamiliar surroundings with a less than useless map, four A4 pages of badly written directions this race is for you otherwise cross it off your marathon calendar
In full:
Date of review: July 17, 2011
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2011 race reviewed by: Gizzards Puke
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 40% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In full: Initial thoughts about the given directions were they were too wordy and would be confusing to read on the move. Once you got used to them they were really well written and accurate, maybe bullet points rather than paragraphs would be better.
A real ultra. No signs on the route (other than a couple of "beware runners in road" driver warning signs), so navigation required, just how it should be on an ultra marathon. Testing, lumpy (no huge hills) predominantly off road...superbly well thought out course. Thank you.
Too many pink hats and too few blue hats for momentos, but that's a small gripe. Barbeque at the end was (in my opinion) a masterstroke!
Thanks very much, if I can I'll be back next year.
Date of review: July 17, 2011
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