My Event Ratings

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

In short: Well organized scenic race with loads and loads of water!
In full: I really enjoyed this race. Scenic - you get a decent look around the old and scenic part of Stratford, some very attractive villages, some great views of the countryside and a riverside finish. Although the marathon is billed as two laps it is more two loops than two laps as the second loop only overlaps with the first one for maybe 7 – 8 miles in total. There is one notable hill on each lap but it comes earlier on than it could do, at 18 mile point on second loop i.e. before things start getting surreal. Lots of support in the villages from the locals, loads and loads of cheery marshalls, roads were either empty of traffic or had enough space coned off to have space to run without worrying about cars, and water everywhere! Seemed like a drinks station every 2 miles or less, all with easily squeezed 330ml bottles – not a cup in sight – perfect! Only slight niggle on the route was a couple of sharp switchbacks in the last couple of miles which interrupt the rhythm a bit. Medal and banana at the end, no goody bag or T shirt - you could buy a T shirts which, given that the aim of the event is to support local charities and the entry fee is relatively low, I guess is understandable. Thanks Stratford and everyone involved in putting the event on for a memorable day.
Date of review: May 3, 2013

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

In short: Fast, flat and fun
In full: The more time has elapsed since the race, the more I realise how much I enjoyed it. Its size (800-1000) runners is a refreshing change from the craziness and crowded nature of the big city affairs; equally it's big enough so that you feel like you are part of a special event, you are always running with somebody else and everyone is there for the duration (unlike many marathons which are run alongside the half, and most participants finish at 13.1 miles).

Great venue - easy to get to, plenty of room to keep warm before the start and to recover and get showered afterwards.

Course has a bit of everything (apart from hills), so country lanes, secluded footpaths, ancient town centre, Thames-side back streets, busier roads and a surprisingly pristine industrial estate. Oh - and the infamous subway. The last bit though is extra hard - a windy bit around the park (or was that just hard because it was at the end of the race) - although the stadium finish made up for it.

Atmosphere was great! Lots and lots of support and encouragement from marshalls and others throughout the course. Marshalls were brilliant, friendly, supportive and great at controlling the traffic. And it felt as though there was a real camaraderie (spoken and unspoken) amongst the runners.

Previously, I felt that there are too many marathons out there to want to come back and do the same one again, but Abingdon has changed my mind. Here's hoping to be back next year! Thanks to everyone involved in putting on such a quality event - a top day out.
Date of review: October 26, 2011

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

In short: Top race - great organisation, loads of support, scenic and gret value for money
In full: Great race, not to be missed. Organisation on the day was spot-on, from the moment I came off the M4. Parking, PA system, baggage tent, toilets, start pens, mile markers, the setting (and fantastic crowd support) at the finish, showers, results up before I got out of the finish area - quality all round. Marshalls were full of support (thanks guys - appreciated it) as were the good people of Chippenham, including the ones stuck in their cars waiting for a gap in the flow of runners. I hadn't anticipated the climb at around mile 11 - payback time for starting off too fast! Great T shirt, especially considering the entry fee (inc no charge for online entry). The only thing that maybe could improve things was water ie bottles rather than cups - but then weighing up the amount of plastic left behind maybe not. Thanks to everyone involved for putting on such a quality event - I hope to be back next year!
Date of review: September 13, 2009

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

In short: Fast and beautiful course, recommended
In full: I last ran this in 2004 and was concerned that the doubling in size since then would make things congested. In fact, apart from right at the start, all was well; the road closure in the runner’s direction meant we had loads of room. Apart from the distance issue (an honest mistake – which everyone makes once in a while) the organisation was faultless. There was plenty of support at the start and finish, there were cheerful folk at the water stations and a friendly bunch in the club house. The weather and the fabulous scenery all helped to make this a great day out – as did the camaraderie amongst the runners and my spot prize! Thanks to everyone involved in putting on this race; I’m hoping I won’t leave it so long next time to return (especially as this year if I take off the 0.3 extra miles I would have had a PB - just like I did here in 2004!)
Car park was £1.50 for 4 hours – is that such a big deal?

Date of review: March 4, 2009

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Overall score		60%
Would you do it again?		No
Details:
Scenery		60%
PB potential		60%
Atmosphere		40%
Organisation		40%
Value		60%
Beginner-friendliness		60%

In short: Disappointing – I expected more from 2:09 Events
In full: I was expecting this to be a really slick operation but there were some aspects of the race which I think could have been organised a lot better.
Chip collection – a bit of a scrum, no indication as to which desk was the right one for your number, which slowed things right down.
Start – no indication of how far forward to start based on predicted finish time. I was lucky I guessed about right.
Water station – the first one had one guy on his own trying to get all the water out as fast as he could; is one person enough for a water station on a hot day?
All points that I would have thought were pretty elementary for race organisers and ones which I have seen work very efficiently elsewhere. It does make me wonder what the organisation of 2:09 tours is like.

Shame there was no clock at the end.

Otherwise, signing was ok, route was ok (though not as flat as I had expected – maybe the heat made the nearly flat bits feel more hilly than they were). Best point was the support of the locals (and the patience of the drivers we were holding up) – thank you all.


Date of review: May 11, 2008

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

In short: Incredible - Everyone should do this at least once.
In full: I first ran London in 2003 on a Gold Bond place and have to say it was one of the best days of my life (yes, alongside getting married, becoming a proud father and all the other highlights that life has to offer). After 5 long years of being rejected in the ballot it was time for another go – and it was worth the wait. Worth all the early morning runs, the evening runs in the dark, the long cold wet ones on Saturday morning – the buzz of being part of such a massive and special event plus the phenomenal crowd support makes it a day I will never forget. Paris may have the sights and an amazing start but for atmosphere it lags far behind London. Organisation too is like clockwork – I still don’t understand how they manage to pull it all together so efficiently.

PB potential? Pen 3 on blue start wasn’t that congested – busy but not impossible - and the crowds meant I couldn’t go off to fast, ie meant it was easier to keep going at the end – which I think is what resulted in my PB. That and having my name on my top – its an incredible feeling to have hundreds of complete strangers (who for a brief moment become your best friends) cheering for you specifically. Anyway, it wouldn’t be the event it is if you didn’t have 34999 companions to run with.

Thanks to everyone who made it such an amazing day – the organisers, the drinks station guys, everyone at start and finish, all the crowds on the route and all you other runners who make the day what it is. See you next year?

And for anyone else still thinking about it - register. NOW! I can 100% guarantee you won't regret it.

Date of review: April 25, 2008

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

In short: Great potential but the race can't cope with the numbers
In full: The commentator told us all at the start that the numbers had grown 5 fold since 2000 and that this year there were 15000 runners. Great news for charities of course. But when the Park and Rides can't cope and the start won't physically hold all the runners then I think the organisers have to ask themselves if they have increased numbers too fast.

Half the runners at the white start couldn't get into the pens before the gun went off - and then had to filter in alongside the slower runners in pens further back - which completely defeated the point of starting pens and everyone starting in the right order. I predicted 1.35 on my entry form so was surprised after 2 miles to catch up with the RW 9 minute miler!

Queues at Park and Ride were massive - I don't think the regular Saturday service is enough when you have this many people all needing to get into town at the same time. Borrow buses and drivers from Bristol P&R if it doesn't run in Bristol on Sunday?

Once things got going and the runners thinned out it was excellent. I liked the two lap route, marshalls were great, lots of support from crowds, music pounding out of windows, plenty of drinks and a fab finishing straight. I didn't experience the problems at the finish that others have mentioned so can't comment on that.

I guess the real reason this race is so in demand is the great PB potential. I managed one despite the slow start - and that means I'm thinking about coming back next year for more. Hopefully the organisers can look at ways to accommodate these kinds of numbers - or reduce the size of the event. Bigger isn't always better!


Date of review: March 16, 2008

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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: Beautiful scenery made the hills much easier to take
In full: Perfect conditions, sunny and mild, fabulous scenery and not as hilly as I was expecting at all. Anyway, what goes up must come down - plenty of downhill as well to take a breather before the next undulation. Enough runners to give it a buzz, but few enough that you can run at your own pace. Good value considering medal, T shirt, drink and bun all included - and good facilities for changing etc. Friendly marshalls. Nice touch having the results on screen at the finish.


Highly recommended; thanks to the organisers for a top event. See you next year!
Date of review: November 25, 2007

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