My Event Ratings

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

In short: well worth doing if you like hills
In full: well marshalled, good communications, good local car parking, decent l/s tshirt, good facilities at the comm. centre, plenty of water stations, very challenging course with some very steep 14% downhill sprints, excellent turnout - race full, race announcer personally welcomed us back over the finish line and to top it all a beautiful day made it extra special.

i was told this course was horrid and extremely hard so i kept alot in reserve which paid off

managed 1hr 44mins which im over the moon at - my PB is 1:41 so it wasnt as horrible as i had anticiapted
Date of review: February 10, 2008

Report this rating to the moderator

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

In short: tough, hilly, enjoyable, satisfying
In full: 2nd time ive done this and felt pleased with myself having done it. tough hills excellent CV work, excellent goody bag. didnt like the trail at the end though
Date of review: November 15, 2007

Report this rating to the moderator

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

In short: decent course but a lot of problems to be ironed out
In full: no tshirts - we expected them - we should have got them full stop - i do have many from previous races but half marathon tshirts are a badge of achievement for the gym days - sad i know but hey.

it would be good advertisement for next years race if nothingelse.

toilets - not enough and no loo roll - they knew 5000+ people would be there - no excuse at all.

lack of water - nuff said - absolutely vital - especially for the slower runners who are puffing and panting at the back - in the gutter for seconds is ** inexcusable **

timing chip problems - amateur

parking provisions - poor IMO

on the plus side :

i liked the course
well marshalled and safe

so in closing - i will 'get over it'but dont think i will run it again
Date of review: March 27, 2007

Report this rating to the moderator

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

In short: 400 mile round trip to do it - my first Great run of the year
In full: wasnt well signposted around the area for the non-local who doesnt know where holyrood park is, good job there was plenty of fluorescent kit about to follow. seemed pandemonium in dynamic earth - again no signposts where to get my tshirt from, then to find the start of the race was a test again no signposts - come on guys we aint mindreaders. MORE SIGNPOSTS REQ - once at the start the organisation was tops - very good. race was excellent a very testing hill with strong winds to contend with. beautiful scenery but it was heads down to move through the wind - over with a bit too quickly for me - i would have preferredd this to be another 10k - perhaps twice around - as its along way to go for a 5k and being short distance probably put a few people off. tshirt is very good and longsleeved also good - medal is very nice - dont know what happened to the guys who didnt get one mine was in the bag and i didnt check it til i got home other wise i would have been well miffed!! will i do it again? probably not as i had a 400 mile round trip and an overnight stay to sort which really bumps up the cost!! looking forward to the 10k and marathon in may though
Date of review: January 20, 2007

Report this rating to the moderator

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

In short: you need to do hill training sessions before you try this
In full: the first 4 miles were hard, very hard.
the back 3 miles were also hard with some steep bits to contend with.
well marshalled, decent xmas pud which will take a month of running to work off.

decent number of runners involved
Date of review: December 19, 2006

Report this rating to the moderator

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

In short: a pleasure to do, will definitely be back next year
In full: enjoyed the warmup laps of the stadium to start, the marshalls where very good and numerous - local drivers were a little impatient though. not pb material due to the hills which felt like they went on and on and on - notable highs was seeing Tony A at one of the marshall points - having him cheer me on was uplifting - and also seeing the 9 mile marker..... Tshirt was good quality - only criticism , dare i say it, was too much in the goody bag - bugs and balloons, cable tie, zip?.. i would stick tshirt, drink and cereal bar - save time on packaging. 10/10 for organization and a big pat on the back of all the marshalls - each one clapped me on and said welldone keep it up - well done stockport well indeed - see you next year
Date of review: December 10, 2006

Report this rating to the moderator

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

In short: If you only do one race a year this is the one to do
In full: Well marshalled, free pre and post race massage - first ive ever been offered. good parking facilities , toilet and changing on hand , bar facilities, running shop for those last minute must haves, food available - this race had absolutely everything you need - other races will seem boring compared to this.

a definite PB course - not entirely flat but fast.

get your entry in early for this next year, too good to miss.
Date of review: November 26, 2006

Report this rating to the moderator

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

In short: easy to find, well signposted, motorway access, well marshalled, plenty of clean toilets,good spectator numbers, terrain was a little trecherous though, did my PB so well chuffed, easy get away too.
Date of review: September 24, 2006

Report this rating to the moderator

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

In short: 1st 10k race, hilly but not demoralising, fast downhill finish which allow you to put your foot down and knock a couple of seconds off your time
In full: good y bag had a pair of ron hill running socks RRP £7 cheers. parking was a challege as i was on the last minute ,but found the jubilee multi storey which was free til 1:30pm will remember that for next time. lunch in the centre was expensive -i'll put butties up next time
Date of review: September 18, 2006

Report this rating to the moderator

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

In short: easy to get to, good parking and facilities, will do again
In full: arrived at 9:57 with the runners all lined up, numbers attached and the horn was being tested.... i thought blooming eck im late .. i thought kick off was 10:30am... looked for registration and there was 1 sign pointing right but not a sole there? so i lined up at the back with £5 in my hand and off i went.... little did i know this was the 2.5K fun run 10am..... so having completed the 2.5k i registered for the 5k, easy when you know where to go.... needs to be another sign directing people to the top corner office in the building - i was expecting someone to sat outside waiting take my cash... anyway 2.5K warm up out of the way and warm i was i set with the big boys who turned up at 10:15am raring to... the race was very good - it had everything hills , straights , steps, long grass and holes in it which twisted my ankle in rrrghh, gates, more steps and finished off with straight road run to the final grassy knoll where registration took place... it actually worked out very well - the ryder7.5K - as i have a 10k next week so it was a good taster... great value, very friendly affair - medals to be had next year apparently
Date of review: September 10, 2006

Report this rating to the moderator