Latest Ratings
| 1 to 10 of 11 ratings | Page: 1 2 |
2010 Malvern Joggers 10K
 | | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 100% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 100% | | Value | | 100% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Even better than last year
In full: Already this race is virtually perfect. The revised course ironed out a couple of minor flaws and everything else - from organisation to marshalling to value - was as good as it could be.
Date of review: June 17, 2010
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2010 Fairford Festival 10K
| | Overall score | | 40% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 20% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In full: I last did this race five years ago and was disappointed by its decline. The course remains a good, varied route but the organisation was shabby. The main race was billed to start at 10am with the 3k following at 10.10 but instead the 3k began first, shortly before 10.10 (catching out some late entrants) and all the 10k runners were then kept waiting until the 3k was over (and no water for them at the finish - why?). A £12 entry fee for a 10k is a bit cheeky when all that runners were given at the finish was a bottle of water and one of those rubbishy medals that no one keeps. Please cut the entry fee or improve the organisation.
Date of review: June 10, 2010
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2010 Forest of Dean Trails Half-Marathon
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 20% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Good course, average facilities and poor value
In full: Liked the new course, a definite improvement on the old one. No early bottlenecks any more, and the start/finish were in the same field. However the entry fee felt like a bit of a rip off. There were way too few toilets, which led to people having to queue for half an hour or more, and quite a number missed the start as a result. Surely given the number of entrants the organisers should have planned that one better. They also weren't exactly generous at the end - no goody bag, just a bottle of pop, a boiled sweet and yet another medal for the back of the drawer. A T shirt would have been nice but they were on sale for another 8 quid - no thanks.
Date of review: March 28, 2010
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2009 Mizuno Liverpool Half-Marathon
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 100% |
In short: Definite improvement on the old course, but...
In full: Credit to the organisers for devising a varied and interesting route. Being able to park so close to the start was really handy although the cost did mount up for those who stuck around afterwards to explore what Albert Dock had to offer. I'm not 100% convinced the mile markers were accurate - the first mile was unusually slow for me yet later I apparently did a mile in well under 6 minutes!
Date of review: March 30, 2009
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2009 Ashby 20
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 100% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: If only all races were as well organised
In full: From now on this is the standard I will judge all long races by. Every conceivable need seemed to have been planned for - even a handily placed portaloo after a mile for those who were regretting not making a final pre-race visit. Just about the only improvement I could suggest is making sure the jelly babies were all my favourite sort (valuable time was lost trying to pick out the red ones!). The marshals were excellent and it was great to see Mick & Phil cheering everyone on.
Date of review: March 23, 2009
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2008 Malvern Half-Marathon
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 100% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Great support, iffy course
In full: Agree with earlier comments about the course. The first leg to Upton is fine but then it turns into a boring slog along mainly straight, busy roads. A more meandering route down minor roads would be preferable. Also I felt that the water stations could have been more evenly spaced - there was a long gap between the first and second one, and then the third one appeared only a mile later. However the main problem was the wind on the return leg towards Malvern and there was nothing anyone could do about that! Good support along the way, and especially at the finish. I'd do it again but only if they make the course a bit more interesting.
Date of review: June 23, 2008
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2008 Presteigne 10K
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 40% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Backwater event that deserves a bigger entry
In full: Small races like this are good for the soul -just a few dozen entrants and no hassle. The course was fine apart from maybe the drag back along the main road into town. It has definite PB potential for those quicker than me. The prune cake in the Memorial Hall afterwards was better than a medal!
Date of review: April 13, 2008
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2004 HSBC Cardiff 10K
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 20% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: 1 out of 10 for organisation
In full: Cardiff is a great venue for a city centre 10K and the stadium finish is special. That much is good and explains the high turnout, but the organisers are in danger of spoiling the event by bad planning. The race entry form said no entries on the day after 9.30am, but many people wouldn't have known that until they turned up to enter - on the day. I have never seen such a long queue and no wonder the start had to be delayed. Perhaps in future all entries will have to be in advance. Does the race have to start in Westgate Street? The sharp right at the end around the pedestrian barrier is a bad bottleneck which would be avoided by say starting a bit further back on the road outside the castle. I agree that the placing of cones was poor and so easily avoided, but my main gripe like most others was the phantom first water station. I was feeling the heat after only a K or so and it came as a nasty shock to have to wait until 6K for a squirt of liquid, especially as having done the race last year I was expecting to find a water station where advertised. Is there any good reason why it was moved from a point where the course passes twice? It's a shame to carp about what could be a stunning race but hopefully lessons will be learned - and maybe next year the organisers could make amends by laying on a spot of cloud cover and a nice cooling breeze!
Date of review: September 6, 2004
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2004 Bourton on the Water 10K
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 60% |
Date of review: August 24, 2004
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2004 Adidas Flora London Half-Marathon
| | Overall score | | 40% | | Would you do it again? | | No | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 40% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 20% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 60% |
In short: The novelty factor of the venue took about half a mile to wear off and from then on it had all the appeal of running up the M1. The race is a good concept but the venue needs a rethink.
Date of review: August 24, 2004
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