Barns Green Half MarathonHere's how RW members rated this race (261 votes). | The big picture (261 votes) | | Overall score | | 87% | | How many would do it again? | | 94% | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 83% | | PB potential | | 63% | | Atmosphere | | 77% | | Organisation | | 81% | | Value | | 74% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 71% |
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2012 race reviewed by: Karl Banister 2
 | | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 100% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: brilliant organisation, great race
Date of review: November 1, 2012
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2012 race reviewed by: A_Smith runs
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Local closed road half marathon
In full: A well established half marathon with a very friendly feel. Course undulates which keeps it interesting but nothing too steep.
The good bits:
1 - I got a pb by 2 mins!
2 - the band at Christ's Hospital were great, a real lift.
3 - plenty of parking.
4 - great weather and nice countryside course with closed roads.
5 - really great marshals, nice that the route comes back through the start/finish area, great for supporters.
Not good bits:
a - disappointingly mine was one of the names that didn't make it into the race booklet which spoiled it as a keepsake of the day.
b - disappointed by how expensive the race photos were especially as there was very limited choice for me. I like to get a photo each time I pb, but there's no way I can justify £17.99 for one photo - especially when it only cost £18 to enter the race! Guess the big corporations need to charge that much for the army of photographers at the really big events but smacks of profiteering at a relatively small local race like this.
c - while I was was fine a couple of friends had a delay getting their official race chip time.
Date of review: October 18, 2012
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2012 race reviewed by: Jon Gould 3
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
Date of review: October 4, 2012
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2012 race reviewed by: Natasha Heasman
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | No | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 100% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 100% | | Value | | 100% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
Date of review: October 3, 2012
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2012 race reviewed by: Bumpby
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Great course, great atmosphere, great organisation
In full: The course was gentler than my previous halves (though certainly not flat) and so was good for maintaining a steady pace and ultimately a quick time. The race HQ was impressive with lots of stalls and people and a real feeling of village community, enhanced by the spectators and marshalls unfaltering encouragement on the course. I was unlucky to suffer from the chip timing failure, so my published time was a minute slower, but no fault of the race organisers. Passing the start/finish at 5M and running through the grounds of Christs hospital with all its pupils and Brass Band was just wonderful and really spurred me on. How about reversing the course so S/F pass is later and the school is at ~10M providing a much needed boost later in the race?
Date of review: October 3, 2012
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2012 race reviewed by: David Taylor 64
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
Date of review: October 2, 2012
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2012 race reviewed by: Andy Waters 3
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 100% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Great Race
In full: First time running this event, had a great time, the undulating course through country lanes made it interesting, particularly enjoyed running through the school grounds and also the run downhill past the start and finish near the half way point. Nice vibe before and after on the village green. So well done and thanks to the organisers and marshals, I will be back next year.
One small aside - Great to be given a race programme that included a list of all the runners, shame it only got up to surnames starting with P (so I was not in it !).
Date of review: October 2, 2012
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2012 race reviewed by: BoDuke
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 100% | | PB potential | | 40% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 100% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Brilliant crown and very good organisation - shame about the chip timing
In full: Very well organised race in classic English countryside. Great crowd for a small village and brilliantly friendly runners. Turn up run, have a burger. The run through the school was amazing, great marching band at mile three was a very nice touch. Used it as a training run, not a PB course, but the views were worth the pain. Only issue was the chip timing being a bit hit and miss, was the contractors issue though and not the race organisers.
Date of review: October 1, 2012
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2012 race reviewed by: Faithsdaddy
| | Overall score | | 40% | | Would you do it again? | | No | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 20% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: A good race spoilt
In full: Not only did our name not appear in the brochure in the list of participants but her chip time didn't record either so she'll never know whether she got the PB she was after and which she's worked hard for. Very disappointing from a highly rated half marathon.
Date of review: October 1, 2012
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2012 race reviewed by: The Dashing Blade
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: great race!
In full: this was my second time of running this race, missed last year. I enjoyed this one even more, probably because the rain stayed away! Lovely scenic, mildly challenging course. Friendly oficials, good parking facilities ( though it was a good job i brought spare running shoes and socks, as mine got soaked in the long grass, walking oveq to register) great buzz round the starting area, and a well organized start. All in all, a great effort by all involved, i will be back!
Date of review: October 1, 2012
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