2009 race reviewed by: McNewbie
 | | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 100% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 100% | | Organisation | | 100% | | Value | | 100% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Fandabbydozy - An Unmissable Race :)
In full: This was my first trail race and it was ENORMOUS fun. I've done around 26 races and I can honestly say that I have never met friendlier, smilier, lovelier race marshalls! From the moment I got there, the atmosphere was brilliant, every person involved with the running of the race seemed to be having a great time, a real labour of love for them. Picking up chip and number on the day took seconds, no problems there. Parking was plentiful, a big help there. An amazing sight pre race was the display of spot prizes on offer (a cycling machine thingy and nintendo wii included, wow). The race itself was fantastically organised, quite an honour to have Dr Ron Hill start us off. I liked the option of the Fruitypot run for the kids, I saw a lot of happy smiley, be-medalled kiddies about! Oh, and the face-paint artist was also a lovely idea, and I don't mean just for the kids ;)
The course was beautiful, which helped make up for parts of the terrain being a challenge! The fun was near non-stop, the race marshalls were brilliant in their support, and having live music played for you mid-forest, left me speechless (a real achievement there!).
The goody bag is famous, and bloody rightly so, it is the heaviest I have ever got, full of lovely goodies, really makes this race a bargain (and did I mention the technical top too?!). The only hitch, if it can be called that for the runners, was the chip timing company letting the organisers down by not having the results ready straight away. This was an awful pain for the organisers, but for me as a runner, getting my result 24hrs later was not a problem at all, and it in no way affected my feelings about the race.
I most heartily recommend this race to everyone, but in doing so, I realise I better enter earlier next time because there is a limit of 300, and such a great race is bound to sell out fast, so maybe ignore all I have said in my review, let me get in first, I really want to be there again next year!! :)
Date of review: October 15, 2009
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