My Event Ratings

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

In short: Nice day out
In full: Very crowded at the start, and not sure what to make of that loop round town at the beginning - making us run through the narrow bits twice! Other than that good course. Just a banana and water bottle with the medal felt a bit "cheap" at the end considering the entry fee. I suppose all the income was for charity, and also, it is probably worth more to spend money on water bottles and portaloos along the way. I actually rather liked the greenway. Might consider doing the full next year, quite happily the half again.
Date of review: April 27, 2008

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

In short: Got much better towards the end
In full: The weather didn't help, of course. Overall a nice and scenic race. A few moans, though: lack of toilet facilites - the 15 minute delay was VERY welcome! First two miles rather crowded. What I really didn't understand was that they expected you to pay for tea/coffee at the finish. Don't mind the money, but how many people carry cash with them during a race??? Which was a bit of a bummer - would have loved a cuppa there and then... Other than that: friendly, good course, especially the last 4 miles downhill - and wonderful showers!
Date of review: March 16, 2008

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

In short: Did it again, it was great again - and the wind was as strong as ever...
In full: Had a distinct feeling of deja vu. One thing I had remembered about this race from last year was the strong head wind in the second half. Which was present again this year - probably even stronger. But apart from that: great organization, lovely scenery, friendly atmosphere. I'll be back - just to see what it would be like without the wind, if that ever happens...
Date of review: May 20, 2007

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

In short: Great route, great weather, friendly and fast
In full: Fantastic race! Helped by the glorious weather, any wind must have been in our backs, and it felt as if it was mostly downhill - though not sure it could have been. Great organization with being taken by coach to the start and good facilities in the leisure centre there. Even better to get back to tea, sarnies and pies together with wonderful post-race massage and a little running shop to give in to endorphin-rush spending spree. And yes, I got a PB as well...
Date of review: February 19, 2007

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

In short: Wet but good fun
In full: Relatively quiet race - the rain did not help. The supporters that were there were great. Extremely good organization, good food, decent goodie bag, T-shirt and medal, even a good band playing at the post-race party. Would definitely do it again.
Date of review: October 1, 2006

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

In short: Very wet, very hilly - forget PBs but enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!
In full: Probably the wettest race I have ever done. Certainly haven't as yet done a race where both the start and the finish involve sloshing though ankle-deep water... Then again - the weather can't be changed... The race is certainly very scenic and very friendly. An absolute killer for the first 4 miles - all uphill, and not exactly as a gentle slope. There were a few flat bits thereafter, but the first 4 miles had taken us high enough to then have it all downhill from about mile 6 to the finish, and that was very enjoyable. I had planned to do this as a "training run" rather than a proper race, and so it was fine and actually really good fun. A bit too tough for first-timers, I think - and also not exactly PB potential, but VERY enjoyable overall.
Date of review: July 2, 2006

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

In short: Good route, decent atmosphere in the later stages - too hot!!!
In full: Nice course, probably faster route than last year, more downhill stretches. However, since it was so hot, that was difficult to appreciate. Atmosphere a bit quiet in the early stages, but much better towards the end. A big thank you to all these people who got their hosepipes out, very welcome and refreshing showers! Points to improve on: there were absolutely no bands or any official "cheer leaders" along the course, which didn't really help the atmosphere. Also - not exactly sufficient toilet facilities. Since these were restricted to the relay changeovers, one would have needed to stand in a long queue to use them - not ideal. They could have come at shorter intervals. Again - thanks to pub owners and a few other private and public places for helping out in times of need...

Overall - it is an enjoyable race and I would definitely do it again. Although it is maybe the one day of the year where I would be quite happy not to have a scorching hot day...
Date of review: June 11, 2006

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

In short: Friendly, scenic, great organization.
In full: Very well organized race and a real bargain: goodie bag with medal, T-shirt, food and drink, free leg massage and free entry to the local swimming pool - perfect for quick "rehab". The start is not great - ugly industrial estate, rather run down toilets. However, that's the only minus - the course is beautiful, and the reception at the KGV playing fields was great. Could be quite a fast course - but yesterday fast times were not really on the agenda with a very strong headwind in the second half. Not really the organizers' fault, this one... Overall - would most definitely do it again!
Date of review: May 28, 2006

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

In short: Good fun, good weather, good everything!
In full: Very lucky with the weather, which helped. Very scenic route - although the hill from hell after 3.5 k. The pipers on top of the hill were very welcome. Good Highland atmosphere all round - with some Highland dancing, falconry, ferret racing etc to keep everybody entertained. As much as a contrast as one can get compared to London the week before...
More of a fun race rather than serious PB stuff, but very much recommended particularly for that reason.
It was my first time, but I've been told it's got smaller since the sponsors (previously BUPA) changed and the big names like Paula Radcliffe do not come anymore. Shame - it's a good race and deserves lots of attention...
Will definitely do it again!
Date of review: April 30, 2006

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

In short: Clearly commercial, chaotic organization, could be good with some major changes
In full: It's all been said before. Some other points: baggage area was hopeless. Nobody of the organizers knew where it was - I first got helpfully directed to the second floor of the terminal (no baggage area here), then into the wrong direction - and then some other runners told me where I could leave my bag.
How about some changing facilities for after the run? Could only be done in the public toilets, which was not ideal.
The whole run had a very commercial feel to it, and was clearly meant to advertise the Ocean Terminal. If you wanted a T-Shirt, you had to buy it! The discount vouchers sent out with the running number were nice enough, but again they were obviously meant to encourage people to spend more money - after having already paid a high starting fee.
Route - quite hard on the way out, but that was the wind. About half of the route was through industrial estates, which wasn't terribly scenic. To have the run start at 9 am on the Sunday when the clocks go forward - bad move, does not make for big spectator crowds. Apart from the finish there was not a lot of support - although the lovely race marshals were very supportive. But - at least the early start will make people from further away spend the night in Edinburgh - hey presto, even more money brought into the city!
Overall - pretty disappointing, have done quite a few smaller and bigger races before, and none of them offered so little for so much money. It could be a lot better - might do it again to see whether there has been an improvement, but that's only a maybe.
Date of review: March 26, 2006

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