My Forum

First the positives. Fantastic course, a little bit hilly but I didn't mind because I love running in the countryside. I've run the GNR and Reading half and usually around mile 8 I get fed up of and wonder why I am running. I didn't get this feeling until after mile 11, when the course headed back into Warwick. I even managed to ignore the sleet that was falling. I also set a PB despite the hills.

Now the negatives. This is the first half marathon where the warm down consists of pushing the cars of your fellow runners, out of the muddy field that was supposed to be a car park. I must have pushed 10 cars and my arms are now aching more than my legs. It's not want you want to do after running a hilly half. Luckily the security staff were fantastic and didn't lose patience pushing the cars out. Secondly it took an hour to get into the castle and as I was staying in the Hilton up the road, I could and should have left my car in their car park and walked to the castle. It would have been twice as quick. Given the castle has only one entrance in and out and a car park shared with their paying customers, its hardly surprising that these problems arose. Organisers take note. Please implement a park and ride system, as they do in Reading. That way nobody will get stuck in the mud or miss the race.

Another minor gripe, the medal does not have the name of the event, either inscribed on it, or on the ribbon. Given that my local 10k inscribes the name their race, surely BHF can do this as well.

Other than that the marshals were fantastic. Standing out in the sleet for 3 hrs can't be fun but they always had an encouraging word. Specators were thin on the ground, given the nature of the course but those that were there were fantastic.

I would recommend this half but organisers please put a park and ride system in for next year.