My Event Ratings

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

In short: Can't be beaten
In full: This race really is the best, a love affair that started for me in 1990 and is still going strong. No matter how many marathons I run elsewhere I'm always thinking of London. The organisation gets better every year, the support is superb all round the course these days - the days of mind numbing lonely miles around the isle of dogs are long gone. Everything went like clockwork from the expo to horseguards parade - I really couldn't find anything to fault the race this year. Thank you to everyone involved for staging such a special race.
Date of review: April 18, 2008

Report this rating to the moderator

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

In short: Windy but fun
In full: A great event with several testing hills, well organised with a great t-shirt and fantastic bacon rolls at the end! Could have done with an extra water station on the first lap but never mind - i'll be back.
Date of review: January 21, 2008

Report this rating to the moderator

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

In short: Well organised with a course designed for speed
In full: Did this last year and came back for more. A few improvements on last year too, the start area seemed better organised, the goody bags at the finish were well worth the entry fee - a definite improvement. Most races give you a medal or a t-shirt. With this you got both and a shoulder bag and a towel! This course is not the most inspiring but it's completely traffic free theres plenty of local support and it is so flat. It's a definite PB course - I was a little gutted as I was only 18 seconds off my PB.
Two minor niggles, last year water was given out in bottles, this year we got cups - bring the bottles back please! Also at 11 miles there was a sign saying water station ahead and it was at least half a mile down the course. When you are gasping at that stage it seemed like an eternity.
That said they are minor niggles and i'll definitely be back next year.
Date of review: October 14, 2007

Report this rating to the moderator

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

In short: Flat, fast course but hot
In full: My club stage this race so I'll try not to be too biased.
You won't find a flatter course than this anywhere, although I can understand that some might find the scenery boring. Personally I love running in vast open expanses like this. Plenty of marshals and good vocal support keep you going, although Whitecross Road (the long straight bit) gets a tiny bit tedious.
Sponges were most welcome, particularly on a warm day like this. Yes water bottles instead of cups would be nice - but they also cost more money. Nice medal made the run worthwhile. Well worth the six mile round trip!
Date of review: September 11, 2007

Report this rating to the moderator

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: Stunning views
In full: What a great event, stunning scenery with views to die for from the clifftops, well organised - quite hilly (we don't have them where I come from!). Well worth the 420 mile round trip. Will be doing this one again.
Date of review: September 4, 2007

Report this rating to the moderator

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: Fantastic as always
In full: Third in a row and already looking forward to next year, can't fault the organisation. It's one of those races that make you feel good.
Date of review: August 30, 2007

Report this rating to the moderator

Overall score		100%
Would you do it again?		No
Details:
Scenery		100%
PB potential		20%
Atmosphere		80%
Organisation		100%
Value		100%
Beginner-friendliness		80%

In short: Believe the hype!
In full: What a fantastic race, glorious scenery with fantastic view of the south downs, running through poppy fields, meadows, orchards, and very pretty villages. Superb marshalling and the course is a real killer but it is absolutely 100% worth it. Everybody should do this once!
Date of review: June 11, 2007

Report this rating to the moderator

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

In short: Good race let down by the start
In full: On the whole this is a good race but one or two tweaks could be made. The start was really crowded and could the organisers please make sure everyone is at least facing in the correct direction when the gun goes off next year. No 6 or 7 km markers, bit stingy at the water station - my paper cup was only about 1/4 full and a really grumpy and rude official at the start.
Other than that good value a nice course and a PB made good day out.
Date of review: May 15, 2007

Report this rating to the moderator

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

In short: Terrific, well organised race
In full: I can't fault this race. Who needs an overgrown fun run like the London Marathon when you can run this? It was so well organised, loads of helpful friendly marshalls, plentiful water stations, a really pretty course with loads of support on the way round and a nice medal at the end.
Special thanks to the girl guides at the last water station whose vocal support spurred me on when I really needed it!
Can't believe people are complaining about no goody bag, I run marathons because I enjoy running not because I want a carrier bag of leaflets and free samples at the end, a medal and and a banana is good enough for me.
And yes the greenway is tough at the end, but then so is the last five miles of most marathons and this was traffic free!
Thanks to the Rotary Club for putting on such a special race. See you next year!
Date of review: April 30, 2007

Report this rating to the moderator

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: On the whole a well organised race
In full: Yes there were a couple of minor problems - no attended baggage area as advertised and no chip to chip timing as advertised but these are minor quibbles for what is on the whole a well organised race, and at least there was no recurrence of last year's shambles in the finish funnel. The course would be better described as 'gently undulating' rather than flat, the only flat bit is round the lake otherwise it's more or less up and down the whole way. (For those complaining it's not flat - head to Cambridgeshire and run either Grunty Fen, East Cambs or the Great Eastern for a truly flat race).
It's also a surprisingly quick course considering the number of sharp 90 degree turns and has definite PB potential.
I'll be back next year, I like this race but next time could volunteers please think to take the tops off the bottles at water stations! It's hard enough drinking whilst trying for a PB let alone having to remove the top yourself too.
Date of review: March 13, 2007

Report this rating to the moderator