My Event Ratings

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

In short: Highly enjoyable run, as always
In full: Much the same as last year except we had better weather conditions this time (not as hot and slight drizzle). However I didn't bother timing myself and just focused on enjoying the run instead.

Did someone say they had changed the course, it definitely seemed easier than previous years? Glad that the water station was moved to the halfway point as well.

I love that this is part of the festival and the "town crier" starting the race was a particularly nice touch.

One of my favourites and one to do every year. Why more people from Swindon weren't there is beyond me.
Date of review: June 2, 2008

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

In short: Highly enjoyable run, as always
In full: Much the same as last year except we had better weather conditions this time (not as hot and slight drizzle). However I didn't bother timing myself and just focused on enjoying the run instead.

Did someone say they had changed the course, it definitely seemed easier than previous years? Glad that the water station was moved to the halfway point as well.

I love that this is part of the festival and the "town crier" starting the race was a particularly nice touch.

One of my favourites and one to do every year. Why more people from Swindon weren't there is beyond me.
Date of review: June 2, 2008

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

In short: Very well organised race, spoilt only by a low turnout
In full: Comments much the same as last year. Very well organised, scenic race with lovely cakes. Well done PVRC.

Didn't have my best ever run but was 4 minutes faster than last year so that is something to smile about.

Disappointed that the turnout was so low but that is someone else's loss really.
Date of review: May 25, 2008

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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: Mentally testing, but a great day out
In full: Very flat course, but not really a PB race because running two laps of an airfield is mentally very tough.

Well organised and supported, I was very pleased with the generous applause I got at the end. Thanks to all of you.

Had a great day out with family and friends there to support. Having the kids races makes this a top day out, but I think the three legged race at the end was dragging it out a bit too much. If I'd have been marshalling I don't think I'd have been too happy.

Great idea having a beer tent there, if I hadn't had to drive home I'd definitely have visited it!

Good value for money but a t-shirt would have been nice - being at the airfield surely someone could come up with an imaginative design?

See you again next year.
Date of review: May 12, 2008

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

In short: Very pleasant run, love the t-shirt!
In full: Very pleasant run this, but quite a challenging course so not really PB territory. In any case far too congested at the start and most of the way round to run at optimum pace.

It didn't help either that it was the first warm day of the year, and many of us were struggling in the heat (I know I was!) but nothing the organisers could do about that. Having said that, a water station at 4k and another at 8k would probably have been better. I was gasping for a drink at the end, and not just the alcoholic variety!

Very pleasant and friendly event, well marshalled and supported, plus the t-shirt was one of the best designs I've seen. Excellent value for moeny and if I'm not recovering from FLM will be back next year.
Date of review: April 28, 2008

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

In short: Good local race
In full: One of my favourite local races. Nice friendly crowd, and good to see so many familiar faces. Managed to beat last year's time, so happy with that. And a t-shirt to wear at the gym later!

All in all I struggle to understand why more runners don't do these kind of events. Yes you have to pay a few quid, but it's a day out as much as anything. Having my photo taken with other members of the Swindon Harriers for Swindon web made the day for me.

I'd also like to say thank you to the marshall who checked I was ok at the end - I was fine, just exhausted after staggering up that hill!

Definitely one for the race calendar every year.


Date of review: April 21, 2008

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

In short: Yet more proof that smaller races are better than the big city ones
In full: My second time at the White Horse half and I dare say I shall be here many more times in the future!

Missed out on a PB, but probably because I had a fairly high-mileage week prior to it (more concerned with weight loss and general fitness than times at the moment). On a good day this is as close to PB material as you will get. The only thing that could make it easier might be an energy station at 7 or 8 miles?

Really well marshalled and nice of a few locals to come out and cheer us on - thank you. A good one for family and friends to spectate at as well.

Absolute bargain at £8 and a nice mug to remember the day by. Again, proof that if small local clubs can stage events successfully and keep the price more than reasonable, then the big city race organisers shouldn't be ripping us off time and again.

The only reason I don't give it 100% for beginner friendliness is that it was a very fast field, and as we were leaving there were just a few hardy souls coming in at over 2 1/2 hours, so some first timers might feel intimidated.

Otherwise an excellent event and one for the race diary every year.
Date of review: April 7, 2008

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

In short: I really can't understand why this event didn't sell out..
In full: Having done this event last year as part of my training for FLM, I was eager to do it again, and got my entry in early this year. As entries were limited to 300, I didn't want to miss out.

However, when I turned up to race HQ yesterday I was staggered to discover that there were only 250 pre-entries.

I cannot for the life of me understand why more people don't do this event. I can only assume that they don't enter because they won't get a PB here. How terribly sad.

The hills in this race are fairly horrendous - the one at mile 8 reduced me to a staggering, hyperventilating wreck - but isn't the wonderful scenery, friendly atmosphere from race officials, runners and spectators alike, and the superlative organisation worth more than merely getting a good time?!?!

Events like this are the reason I run. There was just so much to like about this race, and other organisers should learn from it.

Agree with all the comments on here about the organisation and atmosphere, but I thought that particularly nice touches were the little labels on your race info pack and baggage label, and having the goodie bags prepared with your race no on so you didn't miss out and got the right size polo shirt (again a great memento and infinitely better than a cheap t-shirt that fades and stains).

There was even a little compliment slip in there saying we hope you enjoyed the race and inviting feedback on this website. Wonderful.

Note to runners world: in the "would you do it again" section maybe you should add the option "when can I sign up for next year" because this event certainly falls into that category.
Date of review: March 31, 2008

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

In short: Flat but boring for the most part
In full: Pretty flat course but the boring first few miles knocked the stuffing out of me.

Scenery after that was ok but winds were strong today which didn't help. Also there was a section where you had to stick to the path and couldn't run on the road which meant having to overtake on the grass - not ideal.

Plenty of drink stations which was good and the marshalls were very cheerful and supportive. Good mix of runners and nice of a few locals to come out and cheer us on.

Would have liked a bit more for my money than a medal and a mars bar at the end, and this was too far to come for me (only came this year because I was offered a lift) so probably won't do it again, but this is no reflection on the organisation.
Date of review: March 22, 2008

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

In short: Would love to do it again, but not at that price
In full: To be fair this race has a lot going for it. Good PB potential (I was a few minutes slower than last year, but not too unhappy with my time bearing in mind I hadn't run for two weeks due to injury) and terrific crowd support, despite the inclement weather. Decent goodie bag and medal, and I was pleased to see we got a nice t-shirt this year as well.

You can't blame the organisers for the rain or the late start, but someone should have known the runners village would turn into a quagmire if it did rain.

My main beef is with the price of the event and the attitude of the organisers. I didn't enter because £30 is extortionate and I don't see how the organisers can possibly justify charging more than the entry fee for FLM.

I was offered (and took) the race no of a friend who couldn't run and checked the organisers' policy on refunds and transferring race numbers. I was shocked to discover that not only is there no possibility of a refund, but transferring of race numbers is strictly prohibited and anyone doing it will be disqualified. In other words, "we've got your money, if you can't run, tough."

The organisers seriously need to buck their ideas up. Very often there are perfectly good reasons why people can't run. I don't see what harm it can do to give your race no to someone else, all it requires from the organisers is a small amount of administration. If other organisers can do it, surely these people can.

If the organisers wish to disqualify me for taking someone else's number, let them. I'd like to see them come round to my house and ask for the t-shirt and the medal back though.

As I say, would love to do it again next year, but only if the organisers stop ripping people off and treat them fairly.


Date of review: March 18, 2008

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