Events

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

In short: Bettter than previous years.
In full: Starting 5 & 10kms off at the same time obviously appeared to be a good idea until they saw how many people there were, but I think that will be changed next year. Different (and more accurate) course to when I last ran it, which was a less memorable and less hilly course.

A lot of people out starting new year's resolution intentions, and it was them that the race was really about, though there were some shift guys at the sharp-end of the 10km too (when they're laaping 5km runners in a 2-lap race you start to wonder!). I ran the 5km as a warm-up race for county championships, which I found useful - there were enoguh good 5 and 10k runners for it to be challenging, but it probably won't be your favourite race ever.
Date of review: April 11, 2007

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Overall score		80%
Would you do it again?		Yes
Details:
Scenery		80%
PB potential		40%
Atmosphere		80%
Organisation		60%
Value		100%
Beginner-friendliness		60%

In short: Well, I enjoyed it!
In full: Although I agree with many of the comments made, thanks must go to the organisers as it could have been much worse. I also think more people would have been disgruntled if they were unable to enter in time so the delay was right. Can't understand why people didn't go and sit in their warm cars like I did! Did people really believe they were going to run a PB? I'll definitely be back next year!
Date of review: January 8, 2007

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

In short: Poor Start, great finish
In full: The race has got too big too quickly, the start was ridiculous as too many runners were hearded up a waterlogged country land and the first 2km's consisted of stopping & starting. End of the race improved as the 5km runners finished and the 10km runners spread out.
Date of review: January 8, 2007

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

In short: my first race - i really enjoyed it!
Date of review: January 5, 2007

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

In short: Good considering the conditions and the bigger attendance, and hey, its for charity!
Date of review: January 4, 2007

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

In short: Done it every year but now Poole AC have become involved I felt it was a poor shadow of its former self.
In full: They should NOT have delayed the start for club runners just because it's part of a group of races their members qualify for. It was a cold, windy day and we were only told 10 mins before the start that there would be a half hour delay. Because we had arrived in a timely fashion we had no cash to take advantage of the refreshments, either for us or our brave not quite hardy supporters. Previous years have seen a clearly defined finish with time clock but there was a change to the course this year and we had no sight of the finish point at all, you simply couldn't see it until on top of it. I know it's muddy, it always is given its location and time but I don't think the change of course helped either. All in all it was very disappointing compared to previous years but the Mars Bar was nice!
Date of review: January 3, 2007

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

In short: Great race - would do it again - even in the rain!
Date of review: January 3, 2007

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

In short: On the whole a great race to do.
In full: My only negative comment would be the lack of toilet facilities. No where near enough even based on last years entries. I think the organisers and marshalls did a great job considering the numbers who turned up and the conditions following recent heavy rain. Perhaps next year organisers might consider taking entries from queueing vehicles - might have helped avoid or shorten the delay?
Date of review: January 2, 2007

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

In short: Good fun, lots of lovely mud.
In full: I feel that there is a lot of unjustified criticism. I feel that the previous years start and finish was better and vehicular access better. If the estate specify where the car parking has to be then the start needs to be moved into the field. Most of the events I do seem to have problems with crowded starts (Look at the major marathons!). I feel that competitors at this event have to remember that it is essentially a low key event to shake off the Xmas cobwebs and raise money for a worthwhile charity and from that point of view it is great that it attracted such a large number of entries and there was no question that putting off the start time was the correct decision. Happy New Year to everybody!
Date of review: January 2, 2007

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

In short: Nice race - easy route - poor parking
In full: Yes, getting in took a while, not helped by multiple roads converging onto a single marshall. People handing out race forms just after this helped to slow down the parking.

Once away the race was fine. finish was fine too, easy past the finish line, medal, water and mars bar all fine.

Would do again next year

would be nice to change it to a 10K and a 20K ?
Date of review: January 2, 2007

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