Latest Ratings
| 11 to 20 of 22 ratings | Page: 1 2 3 |
2009 Eton Dorney Windsor Half-Marathon (Autumn)
 | | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 40% | | PB potential | | 100% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Very flat, very fast but alas very breezy
In full: Course around Olympic rowing lake. 4 laps which can mean you are lapping lots of people (or being lapped) which can mean it feels bit confusing.
course is flat as a pancake and very quick but a nasty head wind slowed things down. Drinks (water and lucosade) on every lap and at end. Chip timing but based on gun time. Mile markers were *very* accurate according my garmin.
Date of review: September 5, 2009
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2009 Wokingham Half-Marathon
| | 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: Well organised and decent course
In full: Hot and sunny. Set off quick and suffered a bit in last couple of miles. There were plenty of water stations. Pity it was plastic cups rather than bottles. If the race had been in Feb then this would not have been a problem.
Marshals were great and organisation was impressive.
Date of review: May 24, 2009
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2008 Abingdon Marathon
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 100% | | Atmosphere | | 100% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Sooo glad it is back
In full: Great race. Fast flat course. Excellent organisation. Lots of water stations. Plenty of hot water in showers. Goody bag. What more do you want? - someone to run it for you?! .. enter early next year.
Date of review: October 19, 2008
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2008 Sussex Beacon Half Marathon
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Good fast course and excellent support with big field
In full: Well organised although expensive half marathon. As it is for charity I do not begrudge the fee though. The course is largely flat along sea front with some minor deviation into town and towards end to add on miles. The weather was perfect today but if the wind was blowing it would be hard work.
My garmin recorded 13.2 as well but most course are over-distance. I ask those that are complaining would they rather it recorded 13.0 so not counted as pb or just over 13.1? Plus all GPS calculations have an error and most runners will not have kept to the racing line.
A good race for a first timer or for those preparing for spring marathons.The medal was fine and the goody bag a bit of waste of time. The sun was shining, so that may explain my positive report!
Date of review: February 17, 2008
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2007 Southend Half Marathon
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Flat(ish) fast course. Very well mashalled and great finish on track
In full: The course is farily flat with 2 minor hills. One of these is a 800m drag up before in the last mile. About 2 miles are along a gravel path that is fairly good condition but is not super quick. The rest of the course if fast with no major turns or problems. Literally hundreds of great marshals and police controlling the traffic. Wish more races were like this. Plenty of water and sponges. The onlyu issues was the heat and humidity but that what you expect in June so may be it is race for place more than pb. If this was an April race then it would be very fast.
Date of review: June 10, 2007
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2007 Shakespeare Marathon
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Well organised and scenic race
In full: Lots of water. Excellent marshalling. Added bonus of isotonic drink at 19 miles this year. I think the course is best described as undulating. There are 2 hills of note with a 14% downhill section. Some vocal crowd support in places. The greenway can be a a bit lonely on the 2nd lap (there is a 5 mile stretch along a chalk path that is a disused railway line). There are faster courses but this is scenic and attract a decent field
Date of review: April 29, 2007
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2007 adidas Breakfast Run 16
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 100% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Flat and fast. 2 lap ideal warm up for Spring marathon
In full: 2 lap course starting in central Kingston. Half the lap is along tow path next to Thames and is scenic and peaceful. Second half of lap is along open roads. This would not be so bad if it was not congested. The 8 miles runners are given a 25 min head start but many of the slower one are caught and passed. This does present a challenge as the faster 16 mile runners have to pass in the road. Also it is not ideal for the slower runners to have a swarm of runners barging pass them. One soultion is to give the 8 mile runners a 40 minute head start.
The marshalling is good and there are plenty of drink stations and more lucozade than you could ever wish for. The mug at the end is functional but I guess for some runners not a real momento of their efforts. Toilets appeared to be an issue as usual and perhaps there shoulf be more considering the size of the field. Good crowd support in Kingston town centre.
Plus as there are not many 16 mile race or courses as flat at this, you are almost guranteed a PB (the first time you run it!)
Date of review: April 1, 2007
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2007 Sussex Beacon Half Marathon
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Good course with big and field and well run, but expensive
In full: The course first takes a few detours around the lanes of Brighton with a few gentle rises. It then returns to the sea front. The course loops back on itself a few time giving the oppurtunity for runners to view each other enjoing the sea air.
Generally a well run race, from registration to finish line. The timings are chipped which is always an attraction. Race attracts ~3000 runners so this will be queues for baggage and toilets. So advice is to get there early (I am always amazed that some folk turn up 10 mins before start and then have to sprint about - nice warm up though). Semi-decent crowd support but I suspect those at the back of field will have complaints about pedestrians etc on the course.
Main issue for me is price. £22 is steep. You do get a medal and goody bag (sports drink, banana, chocolate and hyperglide gel).
Date of review: February 18, 2007
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2006 Bushy Park Time Trial 5K
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 100% | | Organisation | | 100% | | Value | | 100% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Amazing - a weekly free event. Great run in the park with friendly crowd
Date of review: November 18, 2006
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2006 Abingdon Marathon
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 100% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Well organised nice quick marathon
In full: Very well organised with lots of marshalls. A real bonus is that the marathon starts and end at running stadium. Hence there are lockers, showers and a bar!
The course is flat (a few minor slopes). The course loops through Abingdon a couple of times so it is spectator friendly. Can't say the same a few motorists who we complaing in the Town Centre that they were being held up. If the busiest streets in the UK on London roads can be closed for a marathon then I don't think it should really be an issue for motorists in the 'metropolis' of Abingdon to suffer some minor delays on a Sunday morinng. (I guess he was irate as he was delayed in picking up his copy of the Mail on Sunday from the newsagent 200 yards from his house). Rant over.
The course had definite PB potential. There are some frustrating twist and turns in the last 800 metres but apart from that it is a great course.
If you are looking for a UK autumn marathon, then your search ends here.
Date of review: October 22, 2006
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