My Event Ratings

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

In short: Undulating, scenic rural course, with a great finish. Good for an autumnal half
In full: Great organisation for a first half marathon. The parking in town was fine (and for "quick" finishes, much better than waiting for the official car parks to open). The course heads out over a very rural route, with gentle uphills for the start, and then a pleasant speedy last 3 miles.

The goody bag was excellent, and the organisation for a virgin race was excellent.,

This is "pencilled in" for next OCtober already.
Date of review: October 4, 2009

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

In short: A tough course, made bearable by a great atmosphere. Very good!
In full: In spite of living in the area for the first 18 years of my life, I never realised that Stoke was just quite so hilly! What I did realise was that the friendliness of the locals was second-to-none. Together, these two things summarise the Potters Arf.

A great city centre start quickly spread the elites from the good amateurs and the good amateurs from the fun runners, and allowed a good race rythym. From then on, it's pretty much up (and up!) and down the whole way. Even the flat between miles 8-11 didn't feel flat! The final hill at Holden Bridge is an absolute killer, but the support through the centre to the finish is incredible.

This is definitely a hard half-marathon, and PB potential limited. However, it is a great challenge and very rewarding to get round. The support ALL of the way is brilliant and really helps.

The only negative is that I think one more water station would help, but that's a real minor negative.

The prizes at the end are excellent (goody bag, plate, T-Shirt & medal) and I would definitely do it again. If you only do one half marathon next year, this should be it.
Date of review: June 15, 2009

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

In short: Not all that inspiring, reasonably hilly
In full: Given the great scenic location, the choice of course route is actually pretty uninspiring and dull - up a track to the woods and then in the woods for 80% of the run, before a mile straight back. No support in the woods means that you feel the hill even more than you should.

A couple more negatives:
- it definitely needs more toilets - the queue beforehand was crazy;
- the start needs to be better addressed (why does everyone walk towards it then have to line up the other way, and what about anticipated-time markers?).

It has potential to be great, but this year it was only average.
Date of review: June 1, 2009

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

In short: Nice course - harder than it initially looked. Very well organised.
Date of review: March 16, 2009

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