Events

Overall score		80%
Would you do it again?		Yes
Details:
Scenery		60%
PB potential		80%
Atmosphere		80%
Organisation		60%
Value		80%
Beginner-friendliness		80%

In short: Thanks. Much, much better than previous years!
In full: This is my fourth time at this event and I'm pleased to say it was organized very well this year. The marshals were particularly good and very encouraging to all.

Three slight niggles. The "Start/Finish" banner was set up the wrong way round at the start and the "Finish" banner nowhere to be seen at the end. This is quite important to help you gauge whether it's worth sprinting for a better time.

Secondly, why does the Finish line have to be several hundred metres from the Start? Surely it would be better and easier to have them together and adjust the course accordingly?!

Thirdly, can't the council be persuaded to make the Pay and Display free?!
Date of review: September 16, 2012

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Overall score		100%
Would you do it again?		Yes
Details:
Scenery		80%
PB potential		80%
Atmosphere		60%
Organisation		80%
Value		100%
Beginner-friendliness		100%

In short: Superb!
In full: Very well organised right from the parking, all the way to the finish line. Plenty of marshalling - km markers seemed to be accurate, although I didn't use my Garmin, just by the timings.

Plenty of water stations and loads of room to run on a well thought out flat course. Roads closed, so traffic free, although most of the run was on the seafront and around the park. I would definitely do it again and would highly recommend to new runners.
Date of review: September 16, 2012

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Overall score		100%
Would you do it again?		Yes
Details:
Scenery		80%
PB potential		100%
Atmosphere		60%
Organisation		100%
Value		100%
Beginner-friendliness		100%

In short: SEEMS LIKE THE ORGANISERS HAVE LISTENED CAREFULLY TO ADVICE
In full: I very nearly did not enter this race due to a large number of reports but it seems to me that the organisers have responded well to the advice of RW readers. The free parking was well organised, the start was organised so you ran with people of equal ability, the course was flat and fast and there were more marshals on the course than you would find at the London Marathon! For the grassed areas any potholes were sprayed with bright pink paint, all local roads were closed, there were at least 3 water stations and we got a goody bag at the end. Well done to everyone involved and well done for listening to the RW reviewers.
Date of review: September 16, 2012

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Overall score		60%
Would you do it again?		Yes
Details:
Scenery		60%
PB potential		80%
Atmosphere		60%
Organisation		20%
Value		80%
Beginner-friendliness		40%

In short: Further than 10!
In full: Good race, very good cause. I was gutted at the end when my time was far longer than usual! But after reading the reviews I feel much better.

I wish races with such an important cause could get it right as running events are so popular now, even the wind didnt put over 1000 runners off!!
Date of review: September 13, 2011

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Overall score		60%
Would you do it again?		Yes
Details:
Scenery		80%
PB potential		80%
Atmosphere		60%
Organisation		40%
Value		80%
Beginner-friendliness		80%

In short: Despite the windy weather it would have been a 10k PB had it not been 7miles!!
In full: A local race for a very good cause, I will do it again for sure.

It was great to have chip timing. I would like to point out to some below who commented about only having a gun time and not chip that if they look on the results site and search for their number it actually gives both a "net" time (chip time) and a "finish" time (gun time). All races tend to go by gun time for finishing places so there seems to be no issue here.

The start/finish of the race was great, good marshalls and happy people giving out nice goody bags. Also a free drink voucher for the cafee (although I didn't notice this until I got home).

So here for the down side, I know everyone has already pointed out and I'm sure it wont happen next year, but the turning point was way off! I felt for the marshall who was in the wrong place, he obviously wasn't given enough instruction, there needed to be a cone in place before the race even started to make it clear. The leaders had to actually ask where the turn was - not realising they'd totally missed it.
So this caused the race to go through a narrow gate which was a bottleneck. Also people were turning anti-clockwise which was a problem as later we had to cross over all the runners on our way back to get onto the shingle, complete nightmare as lots of volume of runners and could so easily have run into each other!!

I have also heard that the bit around the lake was a problem for the leaders. Runner 1 and 2 ran too far out, runner 3 and 4 were following, runner 5 and 6 shouted to say they'd gone wrong way. Runner 5 and 6 took the correct course so they became the leaders!! The 3rd and 4th turned back so stayed in that position, but the leaders ended up in 5th and 6th position!! So more marshalls needed here. They must have been gutted.

Overall it was a bit of a shambles and I felt dissapointed not to have achieved a PB. But I'm glad so much was able to be raised for such a good cause and it was nice to have a well supported 7 mile training run.


Date of review: September 13, 2011

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Overall score		80%
Would you do it again?		Yes
Details:
Scenery		60%
PB potential		80%
Atmosphere		80%
Organisation		60%
Value		80%
Beginner-friendliness		80%

In short: Excellent charity race
In full: Ran this one without my Garmin. At least I now know why my time was much worse than a normal 10k time. A simple mistake by the marshalls but I forgive them - its a charity race for a worthwhile cause. Will be back again next year.
Medal is rubbish but I guess it means that more money goes direct to the charity - not a bad thing.
Date of review: September 12, 2011

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Overall score		60%
Would you do it again?		Yes
Details:
Scenery		60%
PB potential		60%
Atmosphere		80%
Organisation		40%
Value		80%
Beginner-friendliness		80%

In short: Some of the comments are a bit harsh!
In full: Lets get this into perspective! On the plus side we had easy parking which was free, chip timing, a goody bag and medal, two or three water stations, the roads closed off, friendly marshalls and on the whole great scenery. Yes a marshall was out of place which meant we ran too far, but at least we all did the same distance - see it as a training run and think how much easier your next 'proper' 10K will feel!!
Date of review: September 12, 2011

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Overall score		40%
Would you do it again?		Yes
Details:
Scenery		60%
PB potential		40%
Atmosphere		60%
Organisation		40%
Value		60%
Beginner-friendliness		40%

In short: My First 10k (11.2k!)
In full: This was my very first 10k,and it was made hard first by the wind but secondly by the fact we actually run 11.2k!!!Also the timings were from when the gun went off which meant the times were incorrect which wasnt a problem for me but serious runners and for those who were hoping for a PB then it is unfair.I managed the course and it was very hard for me as a new runner but saying all that I will do it again.
Thank you to the marshalls who cheered us on all the way they were friendly and cheerful.
Please can I ask that next year sure the course 10k.
Date of review: September 12, 2011

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Overall score		60%
Would you do it again?		Yes
Details:
Scenery		60%
PB potential		80%
Atmosphere		80%
Organisation		40%
Value		60%
Beginner-friendliness		80%

In short: Flat run but big mistakes each year - like 11.2k not 10k!
In full: A shame that over 1000 runners make the effort to run 10k (or should i say 11.2k) and no one can organise the important turnaround point! As this 11.2k race is down the road for me it is probably a race I will do every year as it is for charity.
Good mix of runners from very good to walking pace, but the shambles over the distance (1.2k over) meant that runners out had to go through single file gates and return runners had to wait for a gap or climb over a metal barrier. I do fear this debacle will cost the event a fair few runners - especially those who travel a fair distance, as this is the third year where there has been a disapointing, aspect (but this years was the worst, and most basic).
All that said - still enjoyed the day, and many thanks to all the volunteers and supporters who made the day a fun event. Good volunteers and great supporters! This race could be a great race instead of a good race. Hope for better next year.
Date of review: September 12, 2011

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Overall score		80%
Would you do it again?		Yes
Details:
Scenery		80%
PB potential		80%
Atmosphere		80%
Organisation		40%
Value		80%
Beginner-friendliness		80%

In short: Oooops!
In full: Yep, 11.2km on my garmin. I was in the leading group and maybe I could be partly to blame. I was a few meters behind the 2 leaders when we ran past the usual turning point (bench at the end of field 2). There was no marshall there so it was one of those horrible moments when I had to decide what to do. I couldn't be sure that they hadn't changed the course and maybe moved the finish to the start so we carried on to the next field through the small gate (which obviously sparked off alarm bells). Once we got to the end of the next field we realised we'd gone wrong and unfortunately everyone had followed us.

A schoolboy error on the part of the organisers. All it took was one marshall out of place which is a shame but this race should be taken for what it is. Yes it's a race, just not over 10k this year. We all ran the same distance and I reckon that near on 100% got a 11.2km PB today whilst raising a serious amount of money for a great charity. Well done all, particularly those first time 10k runners who have probably run the longest distance in their lives :-)
Date of review: September 11, 2011

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