Latest Ratings
| 11 to 20 of 31 ratings | Page: 1 2 3 4 |
2011 Quintiles Bracknell Half Marathon
 | | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 100% | | Value | | 100% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Well done Bracknell - you did it again
In full: Just a very well organised race, full of enthusiastic supporters, great marshalls. Always seems to run like clockwork. Plenty of undulations, possibly not a PB course, especially on the course out back by Warfield area - some nasty long hills.
Will be back next year.
Date of review: May 9, 2011
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2011 Whole Foods Market Kingston Breakfast Run 16
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 40% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Flat, fast & well organised - nice and simple
In full: A decent race overall. Good for Marathon training.
Pros: well organised, very flat route, loads of parking, starts on time, early start, nice goodies at finish, some good scenery & second lap much more room.
Cons: first lap quite busy, some dull scenery & paying for the bag drop seems cheeky :-(
Will be back next year.
Date of review: March 29, 2011
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2011 Asics Fleet Pre-London Half Marathon
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 100% | | Value | | 100% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: When does 2012 open for entries ?
In full: The new route is great, good fun to do the High Street twice & enjoy tonnes of support. Even on the more rural bits of the course, the support was excellent. Really great race overall, midly challenging. Very well marshalled and organised, ran like clockwork.
Definately will be back in 2012.
Date of review: March 21, 2011
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2011 Surrey Spitfire 20
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 40% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Didn't see Jeremy Clarkson !!!
In full: Very well organised run, quite fun running around the Top Gear test track taking the famous bends at somewhat slower speeds than the "Star in a reasonably priced car". Outside the track, the course was well marshalled and challenging enough with two short but nasty little climbs, expecially the one at 17 miles - just what my legs didn't want. If the weather was better, probably would have seen more spectators. Water station volunteers really enthusiastic and freindly, plenty of energy gels and Jelly Babies, even on the second lap. Good preparation for London or Edinburgh Marathons. Will be back next year.
GREAT MEDAL.
Date of review: March 14, 2011
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2010 Marlow Half Marathon
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 100% | | PB potential | | 20% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Just like Marmite - you'll either love it or hate it !!
In full: At least this year was dry !! The last 2 yrs were under 6 inches of water - should have used a canoe.
Great race again this year, marshalling and general organisation was excellent once again. Good T-shirt for finishing. Crowd support was good as usual.
Those hills don't get any easier, my calves were sore for three days after, just about managed an uncomfortable 5 miles Wednesday night following the race.
Definalely recommended to those of you with a high pain threshold.
Go for it :-)
Date of review: November 16, 2010
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2010 Windsor Half Marathon
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 100% | | PB potential | | 40% | | Atmosphere | | 100% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: One of the best races in the calendar, but ......
In full: This race is gloriously scenic in a superb location. The scenery is amazing and the support all round the course is really inspiring.
The hills are tough enough to deal with the ones who don't do enough training, but not too hard for those who get their training done. The Marshalls and drinks volunteers were excellent as usual (this is my 4th Windsor Half), so thanks for their help. Nice medal too.
Now, to the negatives. Car park is always a disaster (see my previous reviews), so recommend parking in town and walking the mile to the start-line. The lack of a goody-bag is bad, in particular for one of the most expensive races on the calendar. The bottle of water is a given, so apart from the good medal all you get is a FUN-SIZED Mars Bar - little bit rubbish to be honest.
VERDICT: Great race overall, just sort out the parking and spend some of the vast profit they make on a decent goody-bag and they'll have cracked it.
Recommended race.
Date of review: October 1, 2010
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2010 'Down Tow Up Flow' Thames Towpath Half Marathon
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 100% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 100% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 100% |
In short: Stunning scenery, great atmosphere, flat course with excellent organisation
In full: A thoroughly enjoyable race. The scenery along the whole route was very pretty and was helpful in distracting me from the pain. Despite being basically flat, the course isn't PB material really (unless it's your 1st Half). The majority of the towpath is either compacted gravel or grass which after 10 miles left me wilting for the last 3 miles. So, just go out enjoy the scenery and treat it as an enjoyable training run. It's approximately 10-15 mins slower than running it on road. The Marlow to Windsor route (next year) is also quicker (based on historical results)
Pros: Scenery, marshalling, atmosphere, flat course, good medal.
Cons: None really.
Date of review: July 28, 2010
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2010 adidas Breakfast Run 16
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 100% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: NO HILLS - Thank Goodness !!!
In full: Pretty dedent race overall. The course was just interesting enough (even on the second lap) and quite pretty in places, although some of the footpaths were abit tricky. The marshall's seemed more like paid workers than actual runners, so it would explain their apathy.
The atmosphere was lacking in the open parts of the course, just seemed to be lots of surprised old ladies popping out for a newspaper shocked by 5000 runners going by, the support near the finish line was great though.
PROS - Bad Drop was fantastic, start/finish area very well managed, started absolutely ON-TIME which was great.
CONS - No goody bag, the Mug was nice, but for 16miles of effort - only a mug !?!? A little bit tight really.
OVERALL - Don't expect too much - but a good solid well organised training run.
Date of review: April 14, 2010
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2010 Asics Fleet Pre-London Half Marathon
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: So glad I did this one instead of Reading !!
In full: Really enjoyed the race. Glad I opted for this one rather than the Reading Half. The Reading is SO DULL and too many people. This was just right, nice and flat with about the right number of people for the course. Great local support from the residents of the houses around the route. Finish area was particularly well organised with a large 'compound' for the runners to catch their breath in space before all the spectators could get in their way.
Pros: Great Marshalling, Excellent Support, Interesting Route, Really Good Atmosphere.
Cons: No Goodie Bag, Getting to the actual start-line was difficult and the Mile-Markers were hard to spot (too small and wrong colour)
Conclusion: The Pros far outweigh the Cons. Really enjoyed the race, will be back next year.
Date of review: March 24, 2010
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2010 Wokingham Half-Marathon
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: C Grade - could do better !!
In full: Overall, sorry to say, but an average race. The good points just outweigh the bad. I will be back again as it is a local race to me and it's a good quality field. There are some significant areas the organisers need to manage better and other areas that are very good. If the organisers can sort out the race's 'FRAYED EDGES' they'll have a truly great race on their hands. Read on if you're interested.
BAD POINTS:
1)The control at the start is awful. I spent 4 miles overtaking people who were directed to the sub 1hr:20 zone when they were clearly +2hr runners (not the runners fault).
2)The bag drop tent didn't seem very well managed at all.
3)The finish area was a right mess.People were all over the place & I had to go back for my medal because I missed the people handing them out.
4)No Goody-bag either, even a bottle of water and a Mars Bar (other Chocolate bars are available) would have been nice.
GOOD POINTS:
1)Fast flattish course.
2)Very well marshalled (on route).
3)Good local support.
4)Excellent medal.
5)Great water stations (plenty & in right place)
SEE YOU NEXT YEAR :-)
Date of review: March 3, 2010
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