Latest Ratings
| 1 to 10 of 18 ratings | Page: 1 2 |
2011 Elmbridge 10K
 | | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 100% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Spot on organisation; flat course is ideal for speed merchants and first timers alike
In full: My second run of this event and second PB - just sneaked under 40 minutes this time around.
Organisation was spot on - easy to leave bags in the leisure centre and even the "no leaving the car park until 10.15" didn't cause a big problem by the time I'd changed and sat down for a bit.
Not the most scenic of courses, and the volume of cyclists and pushchairs on the tow path was a bit inconvenient, but didn't detract from the overall smooth running.
Well done to Elmbridge AC for an excellently run event.
Date of review: July 24, 2011
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2011 The Picnic
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 100% | | PB potential | | 20% | | Atmosphere | | 100% | | Organisation | | 100% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Sheer, unbridled madness
In full: Second time on the Picnic for me and it was just as hard as the first time - I'd completely forgotten how tough the Eiger Steps were.
Everything ran like clockwork with fab marshalls and clear signage - even the storm stopped just before the start.
You'd have to be crazy to even think about doing this, but luckily for us, Dr Rob loves putting on races for crazies.
Date of review: June 19, 2011
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2010 The NEW - H.E.A.R.T UK Dorney Lake Charity 10K @ Dorney Lake
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 100% | | Atmosphere | | 40% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Good race for going for a PB and / or in the build up to a spring marathon
In full: As others have said, this was not the most interesting or scenic of races, but I (for one) was there as it was my only warm up race for VLM 2010 and it enabled me to gauge progress.
Definitely PB potential (in my case 3 1/2 minutes)
The organisation seemed a bit chaotic and this was reflected in the delay to the start time which was OK as it wasn't too cold, but would have been a real problem if it had been windy / raining. Could have been helped my having more that a couple of people dealing with the handing out of the race numbers (why weren't they sent out in advance?)
I'm not an expert on the optimum ratio of toilets to runners, but the 5/6 toilets didn't really seem to be enough.
Would possibly it again, but only as a measure of progress vs this year - there are plenty of more attractive half marathons out there.
Date of review: March 16, 2010
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2010 Mud and Mayhem Duathlon
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 40% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: An Ultra of 2 halves
In full: This was my first Ultra and it was a good introduction.
Pluses: fantastic support (and cake!) at the checkpoints, interesting terrain for the off road section in the first part of the race
Minuses: pretty grim run along the tow path, map was difficult to follow (not helped by the rain!) so I ended up relying on my Garmin
Date of review: January 17, 2010
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2009 NSPCC Milton Keynes Half-Marathon
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 40% | | PB potential | | 100% | | Atmosphere | | 20% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Flat terrain, flat atmosphere
In full: I didn't encounter some of the marshalling problems mentioned previously so no complaints on the efficiency.
In terms of terrain, I must have been doing a different race to some people because this race was just about as flat as it gets without being on a track, so definitely PB potential.
The most striking thing was the total absence of any kind of atmosphere - hardly anyone lining the streets and the vast majority of those that were watching just stood and stared at everyone as they ran by.
For anyone who ran this as their first race, rest assured there are more enjoyable and atmospheric ones!
I haven't got a downer on Milton Keynes as a place but this race just seemed to sum up the town.
Date of review: July 26, 2009
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2009 The Picnic
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 100% | | PB potential | | 20% | | Atmosphere | | 100% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Brutal. Nothing else to say, just brutal
In full: Billed as the hardest marathon in Britain, it certainly lived up to its name. I'm sure that the views were the same (i.e. fantastic) on the second lap as they were on the first, but the pain meant I didn't see them!
Apart from a slight glitch with the signage in one place, the logistics were spot on, the marshalls were encouraging and the camaraderie amongst runners was unbelievable.
Just don't go into this one thinking it's just another trail marathon - it's not!
Date of review: June 21, 2009
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2008 GRIM 8
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Stretches of mud and cold water but not as grim as I thought it would bee
In full: A good fun race and well marshalled, but I thought it would be tougher (and grimmer) than it was in reality. Yes, the water was cold but the course was more like a standard cross country course with some big puddles and nets thrown in.
The really big puddles were great fun though, and I look forward to seeing the photos!
Date of review: December 7, 2008
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2008 Abingdon Marathon
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 100% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 100% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 100% |
In short: Fast course, great finish, well organised, excellent marshalling
In full: This course is as flat as they get short of running round a track for 26.2 miles - when the only comments on surprising inclines refer to the one coming out from under the subway, you know it's flat! As such, it has excellent PB potential - look on the thread for the evidence. Marshalling was top notch - no danger of getting lost or being run over. Was a bit less scenic in parts than I thought it would be, but through the villages and the tracks made for a good varied course. Only minor quibble was the proximity of the car park, but it really is a very minor one. Overall, spot on.
Date of review: October 21, 2008
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2008 North Downs Run 30K
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 100% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 100% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: I'll leave it to Tina Turner to describe this race!
In full: Simply the best, better than all the rest!
Wonderful route through the woods, amazing scenery (the poppies were a real wow factor), great organisation and outstanding marshalling.
Everything ran like clockwork and there were some excellent touches - jelly babies and sponges at the water stations, marking the tree routes, cakes at the end and so on and so on.
The vast majority of the route was amazing and because it went from fields to woods to a bit on the road to woods etc you were constantly wondering what was coming next. the only unpleasant part was the stretch alongside the main road but as you knew you were nearing the finish it wasn't all that bad.
I didn't actually find it as tough as the pre-race build up would have suggested but that just meant I could enjoy it all the more.
Many thanks to everyone involved in running this race.
Date of review: June 16, 2008
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2008 Halstead & Essex Marathon
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 100% | | Value | | 100% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Fantastically well organised and excellently marshalled
In full: Very picturesque run - the undulating course wouldn't have been so much of a problem if it hadn't been for the heat!
Organisation was impeccable, the marshalls encouraging (as were the spectators), the sponges were much needed and everything seemed to go like clockwork. Great to have the shakes at the end. The only reason for me putting a "maybe" against doing it again is that I live 2 hours away so it meant an early start and an uncomfortable drive back home.
Date of review: May 11, 2008
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