My Event Ratings

Overall score		60%
Would you do it again?		No
Details:
Scenery		80%
PB potential		60%
Atmosphere		40%
Organisation		40%
Value		20%
Beginner-friendliness		40%

In short: Great course but cheated of my marathons
In full: I was told at mile 16 I was 'on my own' and they wouldn't accept responsibility for me and wouldn't be guaranteed a medal (I was on 6:20 pace by then) I wasn't even last!! They wanted me off the course. I was turned back at mile 18 (ish). Where were the mile markers? I know people die in the hot conditions but I had trained hard for this and now I have a marathon medal but didn't run a marathon. I feel like a fraud.
Water was in short supply but since I didn't really suffer from the heat it didn't really affect me but I saw people struggling. They did try to get more water on the course.
The course in itself was enjoyable and I would have liked to have seen Gosford House......
Date of review: June 1, 2009

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Overall score		80%
Would you do it again?		No
Details:
Scenery		40%
PB potential		40%
Atmosphere		100%
Organisation		100%
Value		60%
Beginner-friendliness		100%

In short: My second GNR, a pb but not doing it again
In full: I had unfinished business with this one and I came back to finish it. That said, it was good, great atmosphere but you could really tell there were more runners this year. Took me 35 minutes to cross the start. The traffic at the end was hirrendous and it took us a whole hour to get out of the coach park (I hope you're reading this Nirvana) and then the driver ended up getting lost in South Shields. It took 3.5 houors to get back to our hotel in Darlington. It was 1am when we got home. The whole weekend is a feat of endurance and frankly the run seems like the easy bit! So, for us, that's it. We enjoyed it and would definitely recommend it but it's a very long hard weekend if you live in East Anglia!
Date of review: October 6, 2008

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

In short: Fun day out and enjoyable run
In full: Good start, long queues for loos though, great atmosphere. AND - ran out of Large t-shirts but have been promised that they will send one on!!! AT last NOVA acknowledge the 'bigger boned' runner (I'm not obsessed by t-shirts - I run races and they never fit). Thanks NOVA - at last.
Date of review: July 20, 2008

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

In short: DID ANYONE MENTION THE RAIN YET?
In full: OMG, it was carnage out there. Gave up on trying to clear my glasses. Cobbles a real test. THE ONE SIZE FITS ALL T-SHIRT is a LIE LIE LIE. Another one to add to my collection of race t-shirts that don't fit. COME ON BUPA - RUNNERS COME IN BIGGER SIZES THAN THAT!!!!!
Date of review: May 26, 2008

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

In short: FUN FUN FUN
In full: My hubbie ran it this year and loved it. I held the bags. Goody bag OK but WHY NO XL SHIRTS NOVA? RUNNERS COME IN ALL SHAPES AND SIZES YOU KNOW. Hubbie cannot show off his shirt - despite running a respectable 2:35 he was told all the XL shirts had already gone (as he asked 'what, had all the other fat people got to the finish before me?'
Date of review: October 2, 2007

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

In short: My first GNR but more fun to watch than run!
In full: Have always been entranced by the coverage on the tv and swore to do it one day. I did it finally. The start was ma-houss-ive and crowded and I couldn't see a thing, did'nt hear a gun. Had a real off day and by the time I was going past people watching weren't frankly that interested. Got cheese off with scallywags jumping on half empty water bottles too. Horrendous traffic at finish. Other than all that I had a great time but my hubby spectating had a great time and wants to do it next year... I'll hold the bag next year....
Oh and a big 'booooo' to my charity who couldn't be bothered to send me a t-shirt to run in
Date of review: October 2, 2006

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