My Event Ratings

Overall score		20%
Would you do it again?		No
Details:
Scenery		40%
PB potential		40%
Atmosphere		60%
Organisation		40%
Value		20%
Beginner-friendliness		60%

In short: Putting it mildly; shambolic organisation
In full: Negative:
1) Parking: shambles - I paid £5 to park and was turned away and told to find another parking area. Because of this, I only just made the start. Also found out that people who didn't purchase tickets had got onto the car park.
2) Weather: horrendous. We all know this wasn't the organisers fault but maybe the event should have been cancelled because they just were not prepared to stage this event under such conditions.
3. Goodie bag - what a joke. After suffering from mild hypothermia and exhaustion at the end, how was a cereal bar going to help? Oh, and hand soap - what a joke?
4. Route - a lot of the route was under water which sometimes required long detours onto dangerously slippy, very muddy grass.
5. Route - flat? I don't think so. This was undulating and quite difficult towards the end with the steep bridges, and lots of twists and turns.
6. Where on earth was the finish line?
7. Start; freezing cold with nowhere to shelter.
8. Baggage trucks; took them 20 mins to find my bag at the end. I was shivering uncontrollably at this point and suffering from the mild stages of hypothermia. After feeling very dizzy and falling over I was fortunately spotted by a member of St Johns Ambulance who took me to the ambulance where I was wrapped in blankets. It was 45 mins before I regained any feeling in my hands and legs, and started to realise where I was. Numerous people had been rushed to the local hospital with full hypothermia. This is absolutely disgraceful. Organisers take note.
9. Finish: chaos – nowhere to change and get warm.
10 , 11, 12 ... I could go on all day. Let me tell you though, this chaos has seriously put me off wanting to run a marathon ever again.
Positives:
1) Crowds/ support - absolutely wonderful; I solute you for standing in the dreadful conditions all day.
2) water stations; excellent - plenty of water and energy drinks.
3) Atmosphere - great. exellent support and entertainment.
Date of review: May 2, 2012

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