My Event Ratings

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

In short: An enjoyable race but not a really special one
In full: Overall a good race, but with a few issues that make it less than brilliant. The last two water stations were getting low on water and runners were having to wait for bottles to come out of the wrappers onto the tables - I finished in 2hrs so not very good. Marshalling fairly good although not the most cheery bunch. Several places where the course is only separated from fast moving traffic by cones, hence many running on the pavement to avoid.

Goody bag very rubbish apart from the t-shirt. No water, even though there were bottles given out at the stations, only some starburst sweets and a load of flyers.

Not a racing high light but I would do it again if nothing better comes along on the same day.

Oh, and it is not so much hilly, as a very long pull up to about 6 miles, after that a long down, then dead flat, so not a PB course, but a decent route.
Date of review: May 9, 2010

Report this rating to the moderator

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

In short: What a fantastic day.....
In full: ... really enjoyed the whole crowds atmosphere etc. Disappointed not to PB but just could not get going due to crowds. Despite that would do it all again next year if I get a place.
Date of review: April 27, 2010

Report this rating to the moderator

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

In short: Well organised, very family friendly venue, no loo queues!
In full: Really like this races, for the second year running. Son liked the funrun as did I. On the downside it has to be mile markers, there should be some. Not an inspiring route but good pb potential. Nice family friendly venue for everyone including spectators.

I liked the Lord Mayor, he told me he thought the medium t-shirt would be too big and insisted I had the small! He'd get my vote, regardless of the tattoo!
Date of review: April 18, 2010

Report this rating to the moderator

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

In short: Well organised, lots of hills, chaotic car park
In full: This route around the south of Hudds is hilly, if you aren't going up you'll be going down so be prepared for a possible PW, its hard going. This year there seemed to be a lot more "back of the pack" runners, which is good to see.
The one down side of the otherwise excellent organisation and friendly marshalling is the chaos that results after the race in the car park, where speedier runners are exiting by the same route that runners are still trying to finish the race. Stay around for a drink in the bar otherwise you'll be stuck in the car a while.
Date of review: March 29, 2010

Report this rating to the moderator

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

In short: Fun friendly easy course
In full: A flat route on a fairly scenic course - two parks and a three miles stretch along the Mersey into a headwind with great views. I thought the organisation was ok but minor things such as the 1M marker, the second water station was too short, the finish wasn't marked and the finish area was very very small and crowded. Also someone I know did not get a t-shirt when she finished, and that is just not on. Enjoyed wandering around Liverpool afterwards.
Date of review: March 29, 2010

Report this rating to the moderator

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

In short: Great distance race but scenery a bit dull
In full: I thought the race was ideal for marathon training. I would like to run more Kilmathons in more scenic places as 16 miles is a great distance and the KM signage is good practice for marathon pacing.

On the down side this was not the most scenic of runs. It was well marshalled and organised from a runners point of view.
From a traffic and road point of view I would have been well hacked off if I lived in Alveston as the roads appeared to be completely gridlocked as I ran the last couple of miles and there was probably at least 50 minutes worth of runners still to come past.

Toilets at the start a bit of a joke with the organisers trying to persuade those still in the queue that getting into pens was more important than going to the loo. It made them look a bit amateurish to be suggesting this and then there were runners using the sides of houses/gardens instead but at least it left the portaloo queues free for the girls.
Room for improvement but overall a good race.
Date of review: March 27, 2010

Report this rating to the moderator

Overall score		80%
Would you do it again?		Maybe
Details:
Scenery		100%
PB potential		20%
Atmosphere		60%
Organisation		60%
Value		80%
Beginner-friendliness		40%

In short: How can a circular race be uphill the whole way?
In full: Nicely organised, tough course with never ending hills. Also it was very icy on all the roads but the marshalls made a good job of stopping traffic. The scarf matches the Holmfirth 15 hat, I just need some gloves now!
Date of review: January 31, 2010

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		80%

In short: A well-organised route and a friendly atmosphere
In full: This was a great race on a cold but sunny day. The first hill was tough, especially when it went around a corner and up again. The second one not quite so bad, just a bit of a haul. The marshalls were really friendly and supportive. The goody bag and t-shirt were good except for the dead maggots in a plastic glove. Well I hope they were dead but I threw them out in case they woke up in the warm car. God only knows what that was about; weird!
Date of review: December 13, 2009

Report this rating to the moderator

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

In short: Undulating but not too hard going - well organised
In full: Thanks to the blokes at 5 and 10 miles shouting out the times from a stop watch. I didn't have enough breath to say than you but it was appreciated.
Date of review: November 29, 2009

Report this rating to the moderator

Overall score		80%
Would you do it again?		Yes
Details:
Scenery		60%
PB potential		60%
Atmosphere		40%
Organisation		60%
Value		60%
Beginner-friendliness		20%

In short: A challenging course and a fairly well organised race.
In full: I enjoyed the race - the course was hilly enough to be challenging but not hilly enough to force me to give up and walk. There were some parts of the race on a fairly busy main road with no pavements so care was needed. The marshalls were quite good and some were friendly, helpful and supportive although quite a few of them could not even be bothered to cheer or clap - in one case she could not even be bothered to stop the traffic for me. There was quite an elity club feel to this - by the time I got back in 2 hours and 23 minutes (a huge personal best for me)the marshalls were tapping their fingers as they obviously just wanted to get on with the prizes. This is really a race for club members and fast people, so avoid it if you want any other sort of feel-good factor out of the achievement of running 15 miles. When I got inside the race results pages 1-3 were up on the wall already which is impressive but as I was on page 4 it was less so as they had obviously lost interest in everyone who finished after page 3 so I had to wait for it to go on the website.
Also according to the map on the Harriers website the race goes through the centre of Holmfirth (well thats how me and several others read it) yet it actually went up the back of the co-op instead. Fortunately the cheer squad realised in time and got to the main road before I went past. Perhaps the organisers should update their website or amend their route map before next year?
In spite of my reservations I would do it again because I am still on a high after the huge achievement of running the whole distance!
Date of review: October 27, 2009

Report this rating to the moderator