My Event Ratings

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

In short: Excellent as always. Just 1 gripe - which sadistic individual put that underpass into the route at around 24 miles - very cruel! sub-2:54 of 8 months of just 20mpw - can't complain (although my calf muscles are!)
Date of review: October 19, 2008

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

In short: Another well-organised race. Chip timing this year was a big improvement.
Date of review: June 15, 2008

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

In short: PB PB PB - not much more to say ... apart from 1st MV40. Didn't realise until looking at the results after, was running with 2nd and 3rd MV40 until I started to push at 11 miles - good job I did!
Date of review: February 10, 2008

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

In short: Awesome- first ever road win!
In full: Concur with other comments - excellent water provision, missed mile marker 8 too, slight concern over 10k start - had to weave in and out of 10k back markers for first mile or so. Would suggest setting the half off 5 mins after 10k, not 1 min - would allow field to spread a bit (even 2-3 would be better than 1). Otherwise well signed, and good encouragment from the marshalls.

Followed approx 10mtr behind the race leader (who finished 3rd) from around 1-6 miles. Just couldn't get on terms with him until the slight climb at 6 miles. Suddenly he came back to me quickly and whilst in the middle of trying to put away my empty gel wrapper suddenly found myself in the lead - first time ever in a road race. To turn the corner off the spine road and be behind the lead car was awesome. Gave me a great incentive to push on hard over the next couple of miles. Biggest buzz though was from all the runners going in the opposite direction applauding and encouraging around mile 8 - so generous when they knew how far they had to go - thanks - it was almos overwhelming. Getting tired around 10 miles - still in front no idea how far, and the course always seemed to be going up!! Dug in through 11, knowing that there was some downhill towards 12 (5'49") - counting the time down in 400m laps left. Mile 13 in 5:45 - looked back as I turned onto the grass at the Leisure Centre. Stunned - won it! Thanks Cricklade.
Date of review: October 7, 2007

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

In short: If only they could fix the weather ......
In full: 6th o/all, 1st MV40 but pretty disappointed with the time. Don't like running in the heat and we must have had the sunniest spell of the day. Add to that the strong headwind in places (was it my imagination or was the wind always at it's worst going uphill?). Anyway thanks to all involved - good event. Next year? not sure, would consider it, but a bit of a trek from Maidenhead. Thanks to the 5th placed runner for keeping me going (apologies again for denying you a cup at the 9-mile water station). Only small criticism - given the weather, sponges at 9 miles wouldn't have gone a miss. Otherwise great little event. Thoughts on the beer? Bit surprised, but hopefully no complaints in about 20 mins time!
Date of review: September 2, 2007

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

In short: Well organised, nice warm showers in the leisure centre afterwards, one of the few races this year when the prizes have actually been presented on schedule. Well done.
In full: ... err, just 1 little gripe though - pedestrian crossing over road that crosses the Phoenix trail - a lorry (fuel tanker?) was stopped - 3 runners in front went through, marshall waved lorry on. Thankfully driver thought twice and braked sharply to let me through otherwise I might have been the 1st MV40 to the hospital rather than 4th MV40 at the finish!
Date of review: June 24, 2007

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

In short: Excellent organisation as usual, just not my day.
In full: Bad couple of weeks coming into this + hot-n-hilly = worst 10k time for a couple of years. One slight complaint - lead bike taking the wrong route - may have only added 10-15 secs or so, but convinced me that I was having a bad race when I got to the 2k split - didn't help psychologically. Still, came away with a Berks silver - just 9 secs off gold and what would have been a clean sweep for the series. To be honest though, bike or no bike, if I couldn't break 36min then I didn't deserve it. Only ran 5 sec/ml quicker than my average pace for FLM.
Date of review: June 10, 2007

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

In short: Good support, actually liked the laps, definitely would do this again.
Date of review: March 18, 2007

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

In short: Great race - only real gripe is the mile markers.
In full: PB'd here last year - disappointed to miss that by 11 secs this time. Good organisation and encouragement from the marshalls.

Not too sure about some of the gripes I've read - I heard announcements on the day saying they'd sort out medals, I also found water, free hot drink, and a stall selling snacks at the end. Excellent shower / changing facilities. IMHO I don't think you can expect organisers to provide energy drinks for a half. The body can store enough glycogen for 18-20 miles depending on how well you're trained so unless there's a big sponsor wanting to supply / pay for this then it would end up going on the entry fee.

Only gripe I'd agree with is mile markers towards the end. I allegedly set a 10-mile PB, then took 6:27 for mile 12, despite running the other 12.1 at an average 5:44/ml - something definitely not right there. Bit of a kick in the proverbials when I thought 1:15 was still on the cards at mile 11, but at the end of the day it probably didn't alter a lot - I just wasn't quick enough.
Date of review: February 19, 2007

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

In short: Good atmosphere, 3 loops good for spectators. Couple of unattentive marshalls caused some concerns, and a bit of a mess on the U13 results at first, but all sorted in the end. Would give it another go family commitments allowing.
Date of review: January 2, 2007

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