Saab Salomon Turbo X, Bordon  Here's how RW members rated this race (153 votes). | The big picture (153 votes) | | Overall score | | 93% | | How many would do it again? | | 95% | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 79% | | PB potential | | 33% | | Atmosphere | | 86% | | Organisation | | 84% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
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2012 race reviewed by: Lucky Moore
 | | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 20% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Let your inner child escape, get covered in mud, splash in some swamp water and have a jolly good laugh!
In full: This was the second muddy cross country race that I have done, personally I favor road races and am training for a half marathon but a friend of mine persuaded me to do it.
We have very different paces but I ran with her and we took it steady (which turned out to be a very good idea). As previous reviewers have said, the first couple of miles really lull you into a false sense of security. Nice scenic trails around farmers fields and woodland paths. There were a few places where the paths were narrow which caused some congestion, this would be my only real criticism (perhaps they could consider a staggered start).
We didn't have to wait too long before the first hilly climb and then the first watery pit! Again there was some congestion which made it hard to get through. The very sticky sand meant that if you stopped you sunk so everyone had to hang back to allow themselves a run up.
The atmosphere was great with people helping one another out of the sticky bits and marshals cheering us along the way.
The TurboX zone was something else. Loved it. Some of the hills were so steep that you had to put your hands down to scramble up, or slide down on your bum. Some of the bogs were so deep that I was virtually up to my armpits in squishy stinky mud (I am only 5 foot tall mind you).
We were really lucky with the weather it was cold but good for running and not frozen or raining. I would love to do this event again and would like to see if I could beat my time by running on my own.
I would certainly suggest that this is one for fitter runners as it really is a total body workout coupling 10 miles of running with hauling yourself out of mud.
The event info said no water stations but there were 2 and one at the end. The finishers t-shirt was a nice touch too, but a bit sad there wasn't a medal (can't have everything). Would like to know why the freebies in the goody bag were all labelled in French though.
All in all a great event which has inspired me to do more crazy, muddy, off road events!
Date of review: December 11, 2012
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2012 race reviewed by: Karlsp
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 40% | | Atmosphere | | 100% | | Organisation | | 100% | | Value | | 100% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 100% |
In short: Maddiest, muddiest, boggiest , sandiest, wettest Race of the Year !
In full: and we loved it...A true challenge and a real sense of achievement to complete this beast.
An energy bar/sweet would have been nice in the goodie bag, but apart from that top event...
Date of review: December 9, 2012
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2012 race reviewed by: Bogman
| | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 40% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Great fun as usual
In full: Please move this event back to November! Clashes with other important events and I know of a number of people who couldn't do it this year because of the date and that showed up in the number of entrants, I was actually running on my own with no one in sight for a the middle part of the race, so lost some of the usual atmosphere. Otherwise, loved it.
Date of review: December 9, 2012
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2011 race reviewed by: Matthew Puddephatt
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 40% | | Atmosphere | | 100% | | Organisation | | 100% | | Value | | 100% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
Date of review: January 9, 2012
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2011 race reviewed by: Bogman
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 40% | | Atmosphere | | 100% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: My 4th time, so something must be right!
In full: Let's get the moans out of the way first, 1/Too expensive,2/ need more marshalls, particularly for safety in the Turbo zone. 3/ Race was a little shorter than previous years, so even though I knocked 10 mins of my pb it was a bit meaningless. Otherwise, loved every minute of it, great atmosphere amongst the runners and most came over the line with a big smile on there face.
Date of review: November 22, 2011
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2011 race reviewed by: Steve Church 3
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 40% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: As always, a great morning out and about in the mud
In full: Third time I have entered this race and still love it. Great course, with plenty of testing surprises. Pleased to see a better t-shirt than Surrey Hills and bottled water rather than plastic cups, as has been the case at other recent 2:09 events. Good work Mike and his team.
Date of review: November 22, 2011
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2011 race reviewed by: Borders
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 20% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: For swamp lovers!
In full: An excellent race that combines 4 or 5 different types of mud, a loose sand covered hill. The parking is ideal right next to start/finish and registration.
Perhaps there wasn't enough toilets as the queue did get quite long.
I do dislike having to register on the day (pick up timing chip) - quite sure that this could be made easier (like sending the chip out with the number) again there were some long queues for this.
The front runnners were directed the wrong way quite early in the race - this really shouldn't happen and does need to addressed in the future.
Date of review: November 21, 2011
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2011 race reviewed by: Gilly1709
| | Overall score | | 40% | | Would you do it again? | | No | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 40% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Dissapointment
In full: I actually feel guilty about this review and I'm going to try and avoid a rant.
Long and short of it is that a few of us in one of the leading groups got directed the wrong way and at around mile 2 ended up doing the turbo zone.
I don't really know why I got annoyed - I only entered the race to have a laugh but after re-joining the race proper at the back on a single file "track" it completely took all of the enjoyment away. I'm just glad that the leading lady in our group did eventually get past enough people to win her race though it was a bit of a close call.
I'm sure the majority had a great day and I certainly wouldn't want to put anyone off doing this event but for me, I was looking forward to the event and came away caked in mud but rather annoyed and dissapointed.
Sorry!
Date of review: November 20, 2011
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2011 race reviewed by: Macca4000
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 40% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Establishing itself as a classic
In full: Great race, slick organisation, legendary Turbo X Zone, good banter. The May course is mildly more interesting than this one which lacks far reaching views, but thats not what its all about. Overall a real good laugh. Definitely one to try. Am still scrubbing mud from bits I havent felt for years..
Date of review: November 20, 2011
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2011 race reviewed by: Surfrunner
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 40% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Now I know what our ancestors must have felt like as they crawled out of the prehistoric swamps and tried to evolve into something akin to human! Loved it.
Date of review: November 20, 2011
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