My Event Ratings

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

In short: Thanks for all the work that went into this: race organiser, marshals & first aiders
Date of review: March 3, 2008

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

In short: What was in the goody bags?
In full: No goody bags; lucozade or jelly babies for me either.
It's simply not good enough when the race is organised / promoted professionally. We entered into a contract when we signed up and the race organisers failed to deliver the full product for many of us. I think it's time these large event organisers were held to account - if they don't deliver then they should compensate, just like anyone else trading with the public has to.
First there was the London Marathon running out of water, then the fiasco of the so-called "professional parking" at the Great South. I'm tired of being ripped off, especially when so many amateur race organisers do a brilliant job alongside their day jobs.
Date of review: March 3, 2008

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

In short: See you all next year!!!
In full: Love this race - thank you so much to the excellent marshals, Race Director, organisers, St John Ambulance, spectators and the school for having us...
Date of review: November 13, 2007

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

In short: Another great year - thanks to everyone who helped
Date of review: November 5, 2007

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Overall score		40%
Would you do it again?		No
Details:
Scenery		80%
PB potential		80%
Atmosphere		60%
Organisation		40%
Value		40%
Beginner-friendliness		80%

In short: Pomp is total pants!
In full: The GSR is where it all started for me - my first big and my first long race. For the past few years it's been a highlight of the racing year. Big race, big atmosphere and I've really enjoyed making a weekend of it - boosting the local economy with a hotel stay; eating out and doing some shopping in town and Gun Wharf.

I had my misgivings when they increased the entries. My concern was the event was going the way of the GNR - all about the profit not the quality of the experience or encouraging people into the sport. The parking charge was evidence of this trend in my eyes (although as a latecomer I didn't have to pay). The GB could have been more generous with more imagination in approaching sponsors.

Actually the race itself was well managed. The wave system seemed to work this year and I found toilets without queues and lovely ladies cleaning between users.

The real problem was the traffic management. It was awful - 2 hours sat in my car trying to clear Portsmouth!!! An hour trying to get to the race start from j12 M275.

I'm not sure if it's the police or city council's fault, but Portsmouth clearly could not cope with the volume of traffic and that was pretty obvious when one of the two agreed to the increase in numbers. (Westonbirt arboretum could show them how it's done, they managed a huge volume of traffic very efficiently when I went a week ago).

I've done this race 5 times now and am unsure if I'll be back again unless the numbers are reduced and the date is brought forward - the weather was so much better when it was at the start of October.

Portsmouth is a great city but I'm beginning to wonder if it's time the race went elsewhere (with better transport). The experience has put me off coming back to the city for quite some time - surely not what the city council wanted.

I thank the people fo Portsmouth for their patience yesterday in having so much traffic chaos descend on them.


Date of review: October 29, 2007

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

In short: As good as the Sodbury Slog - but less of a laundry bill!!!
In full: First time I've tried this and it was a big dilemma whether to do this or two other tried and testeds (Swansea & Cirencester)... I was a bit worried at the start by how fit the rest of the field looked, but the marshals couldn't have made me more welcome as a slower runner. It was well organised, had delicious cakes and a great challenging course - I love foresty trails and undulations! Stourhead provided entertainment for my folks whilst I ran, so this was made for an excellent day out... well done Yeovil Running Club - think I'll be back next year!
Date of review: September 24, 2007

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

In short: If only they were all like this...
Date of review: September 19, 2007

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