My Event Ratings

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

In short: Madness, but loved it!!!
In full: It's like a big kids playground. Loved it and will be back next year!
Date of review: October 12, 2010

Report this rating to the moderator

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: Love Dunstable Downs
In full: Gorgeous scenery, nice and challenging and lovely by the club. I enjoy this race and look forward to it each year.
Date of review: October 12, 2010

Report this rating to the moderator

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

In short: Great race, marshals were excellent and loving the hoody! Those hills though...
In full: I really enjoyed this race. Its a challenging course with the hills but it presents a real challenge and enough downhills to compensate.

The marshals were out in force and were really helpful and I love the hoody (beats the box of medals I have somewhere!)

Nice after race food and drink available, will definitely be back.
Date of review: March 28, 2010

Report this rating to the moderator

Overall score		60%
Would you do it again?		Maybe
Details:
Scenery		60%
PB potential		100%
Atmosphere		60%
Organisation		20%
Value		60%
Beginner-friendliness		60%

In short: What a shame - great PB potential (which I did), terrible organisation...
In full: I am only echoing the other runners so wont post lots of detail but basically I was so disappointed as I actually knocked 6.5 mins off my PB and its a good course.

The organisation really let it down - I expected more of Nike...

Terrible, terrible baggage facilities (at one point I thought it would take me longer to get my bag back than it took me to run a half marathon - in the end it was 70 mins)

Poor marshalling - guys, try to help us round rather than chat to each other, its only a couple of hours out of your life.

Bad start - poor signage, no idea where to get into the pen (we moved a barrier to achieve it), incomprehensible PA, and mix of distances all starting at the same time.

Refreshments - for a race with big ambition and a huge corporate sponsor, where were the sports drinks on the course and nothing to eat at the end. As I could not get to my bag for food or money I was so hungry after the run. Where were the granola bars, etc. that even smaller runs can manage to source?

Poor, poor, poor, MK / Nike.

I will probably be back as its a local course and it is a fast one too. But they HAVE to sort out the organisation for next year. Pull your socks up!
Date of review: March 7, 2010

Report this rating to the moderator

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

In short: Good event, really enjoyed it and the scenery was fab
In full: I enjoyed my first club run as a Bedford Harrier, you got extra special cheers all the way around - it was like having your family everywhere!

I thought the organisation went well, although a bit crowded indoors as it was cold. Queue was too long for refreshments afterward, but generally it was a well oiled, well marshalled event.

The hills were not as bad as I had been led to believe and I was less than a minute off my PB. The scenery was nice and the sun shone all but for 10 mins of the run.
Date of review: December 13, 2009

Report this rating to the moderator

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

In short: Great scenery and fab course - even with the mud and hills!
In full: i really enjoyed this course, it was challenging and very different from the usual road races I do. I enjoyed getting muddy but it was hard to run through!

That long hill you hit at 2k is a nightmare, and the knowledge you hit it again at 7k was not one I enjoyed too much! but actually was easier second time around.

I enjoyed the race, thought the mince pie and mulled wine tea were a nice touch and look forward to doing it again.
Date of review: November 30, 2009

Report this rating to the moderator

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

In short: Great scenery, and turned out to be a fast course
In full: For a race that was new to Cambridge and had only been allowed in the city at short notice this was well organised. Typical of a cancer research run it had a good communal atmosphere.

I was initially friustrated as due to the city / college route it had narrow sections and pedestrians / cyclists to navigate. But once it came back onto Jesus Green the rest of the course was flat and spaced out on grass. I posted my best time for about 3 years.

As usual it was well organised, maybe a bot more water on route would have been one extra needed.

Would definately do again - despite the cold early start!
Date of review: October 18, 2009

Report this rating to the moderator

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

In short: Well organised, great scenery, fast course - nice one!
In full: I really enjoyed this race. It was a warm up for the GNR for me so I was taking it easy, but still ran my fastest 10k time in about 2 years!

The route is a dream as its all self contained and away from roads. Its also where I often train, so was a novel experience to be racing there!

I thought the organisation was good, with great changing / locker facilities. Be good to see it get bigger as it has great potential.

I liked the mug as I have a drawer of discarded medals, but maybe a snack and a sports drink would be great options at the end?

Well done Bedford Harriers - I may even join now!
Date of review: September 14, 2009

Report this rating to the moderator

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

Date of review: June 21, 2009

Report this rating to the moderator

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

In short: Great course - thank god it was not raining like last year!
In full: I really enjoy this race. I ran the first one last year and even with the horrendous weather I could see the potential. This year, although mixed, the rain mainly stayed away and made for a great day. Very smooth organisation - thank you Mr Bedford - even the toilets had stewards and were sorted into areas to avoid queue arguments!

The starting pens worked will I think, although I agree sometimes people do over sell their speed. Afraid guys I was in Red and only posted a 60 min time, but I am injured still from the London Marathon, so I had an excuse! Weird to be on part of the course only weeks after the big one...

I think this event blows the inferior British 10k out of the water. I ran that one for the first 7 years it was organised, but the superior organisation of this one, plus the slightly better course mean I think there is no room for that one in my schedule any more. I don't live in London so would prefer this one any day if I am only going to do one a year.

Anyway - really recommended, fast flat course, great for beginners and not too crowded - back next year!
Date of review: May 25, 2009

Report this rating to the moderator