My Event Ratings

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

In short: Very fast course
In full: If you're looking for a PB - do this race. If you want a scenic course and bags of atmosphere - don't do it. Choice is as simple as that and race is either very good value or very poor value depending on your answer to those questions. Myself, I'll be back in 2008.
Date of review: February 7, 2007

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

In short: Well-organised, but very hilly!
In full: Didn't enjoy the "undulating" course much, but that might have had something to do with injury niggles! Friendly and well-organised race, though, and has a lot going for it despite the hills.
Date of review: October 1, 2006

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

In short: Choice of races now, so no excuse for not making the trip to North Wales!
In full: Did the 10k this year instead of marathon and it shares many of the same characteristics as the main race - very well organised, great value for money and plenty of uphill bits! Route was traffic-free, with second 5k tougher than the first half. Only minor gripe is that the first 1k marker was way out, which casts a slight doubt as to how far we actually ran (any excuse to get my time quicker!). Still a very good race, though, and the whole event deserves to become much bigger.
Date of review: September 27, 2006

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

In short: Good fun, shame about the freakish weather!
In full: Organisers were very unlucky - how often do you get a BBC weather warning in this part of world in early-September?!? Race was tough as a result and, due to heavy rain, off-road shoes were very much the order of the day. Gale-force winds were the bigger problem, however, and the previous reviewer wasn't exaggerating when he said you feared about being blown into the water at the end! Deserves more runners.
Date of review: September 7, 2006

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

In short: Get your PBs here!
In full: Did the August race in 2005 and enjoyed it so much I made sure my annual visit to South Wales coincided with one of these three 5ks again. Really quick flat course, even allowing for turn at halfway costing a few precious seconds. Providing you don't get a strong headwind on the way back, this has definite PB potential (shaved 13 secs off mine). Didn't know about the free beer and/or hot dogs, so I'll have to do it again in 2007!
Date of review: August 10, 2006

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

In short: Quick course
In full: Couple of hills, but they aren't very daunting and this is definitely a PB course. I come from the area originally, so can't comment on parking/signposting arrangement for out-of-towners, but from my point of view it was well organised. Plenty of cheeful marshalls and I always had ample running space apart from one very small stretch on a pavement. Will be back in 2006.
Date of review: November 14, 2005

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

In short: Great race - deserves more runners!
In full: It's a tough undulating course and, as I don't plan to run all that many marathons, that's the only reason I put "maybe" down as to whether I'd run it again. In many ways this was the best race I've ever run. Organisation was fantastic - road closed for first 3 miles or so until field thins out; endless supply of well-manned and well-positioned drink (and sponge) stations; clear mile markers; plenty of marshalls and police riders; good local support (pleased to see so many Welsh flags around the course); hot food afterwards (pasta and rice dishes); gold-plated medal. Deserves to become a big event.
Date of review: September 27, 2005

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

In short: Hard, but good fun.
In full: My first multi-terrain race, found it tough but I was a bit under the weather and that probably had more to do with it than the course. There's plenty of tarmac bits and, with conditions not wet, my normal road trainers proved well up to the task. Lack of distance markers was a blow, whilst the section with "steps" in it (which we were warned about beforehand) was lethal! However, it was a friendly race with a very picturesque final mile or so and I definitely plan to do it again - previous course knowledge is probably a help!
Date of review: September 5, 2005

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

In short: Nice way to spend a summer evening!
In full: Was staying with family in South Wales and thought I'd give this a try. Did the Swansea Bay 10k a couple of years back and actually enjoyed this mini-version of it better. Made a pleasant change for someone who lives nowhere near the coast nowadays and would definitely recommend it to anyone who lives within reasonable distance of the Swansea area. I think they do 3 summer 5ks over this course, and I reckon it would be a really good way to gauge your fitness by comparing times for all 3. Although there were mainly club runners on show, I reckon it's also a perfectly good course for beginners or "fun-runners" who want to keep in shape over the summer months.
Date of review: August 15, 2005

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

In short: Too hot again, but good day out.
In full: Struggled with the heat again and possibly could do with even earlier start time, given the weather of last 2 years. Disappointed with my time (I stopped to walk once), but again thought it was a very friendly race and well organised. Tremendous value for money compared to most other runs I've done - another decent t-shirt this year. Drink stations are well manned and in good positions with regard to the race. Also nice touch to hear your name read out on the tannoy when finishing on the athletics track!
Date of review: August 15, 2005

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