My Event Ratings

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

In short: A great race in a lovely part of the world.
In full: A largish entry for a small town half. Very good organisation. The course is in the main rural, scenic and very quiet. The first half is undulating with a couple of small but cheekier inclines. The second half is along the Tarka Trail which I presume follows the path of a disused railway with any inclines being extremely gentle. The organisers made a brilliant effort to create a real carnival atmosphere in the populated areas that gave the event a real buzz and didn't make you feel forgotten about-as can be the case with some quiet rural courses. Registration etc was free from fuss.

Date of review: March 11, 2010

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Overall score		100%
Would you do it again?		Yes
Details:
Scenery		100%
PB potential		20%
Atmosphere		80%
Organisation		80%
Value		100%
Beginner-friendliness		100%

In short: Fantastic
In full: My partner did the 21 mile version and despite her minimal experience in navigation, completed it with no major problems. I did the 31 mile route which had twice the ascent that the 21 mile had. This extra 3000 ft was crammed into the 10 miles that were not shared with the other run. There were sections here that definitely were not runnable. (How I laughed as the nettles stung the open wounds ripped in my legs by all the brambles!)The feed stations were excellent with friendly staff there to ply you with a seemingly endless supply of fruit, cakes and drinks. (You could easily eat your way through the entry fee!) The route description was easy to follow although some vagueries meant you needed to engage your brain throughout so this wasn't just a mindless plod. All in all, we both had an excellent day. Just one point though: I believe that people would have gladly paid a larger entry fee in order to get a tee shirt at the end.
Date of review: August 9, 2006

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

In short: PB potential...when the weather is dry!!
In full: This is a local race for me as I work on Cranwell. I was a little disappointed with the facilities at the start and finish considering the amenities that are available on the station. The start lacked shelter and somewhere for the early birds to congregate which wasn't amusing considering the bloody cold weather. The finish was a similar affair although the hot drink was most welcome. The marshalling was excellent and very enthusiastic!! The race had a good batch of slower runners, but I always find it heartbreaking when the organisers start packing the finish away before everyone is home. If you aren't prepared to wait for everyone then limit your entry to racing snakes!
Date of review: March 1, 2006

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

In short: A bit like the curate's steak...tough in places!
In full: This race had a good feel and was a really good workout. Forget the PB's though, there are some pretty tough inclines!. Nice area to run but this was marred slightly by the traffic noise through some areas. They apologised for a detour through a park (due to roadworks) but this actually was a very pleasant diversion. The staff hung on in the cold, keeping the finish intact for the slow runners, an excellent practice which some organisers fail to do. Definitely worth the trip.
Date of review: March 1, 2006

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

In short: Small and well organised
In full: A pleasant rural course mainly flat with PB potential. Well done to the race marshalls who did an excellent job. Typical Rugby club facilities. Bar, changing, bacon butties!!! etc. Safety pins were supplied with the numbers!! A helpful detail some races miss. The entry was full of racing snakes, with the last runners coming in at around 2:25 ish, but the prizegiving took place as the last runners were coming in, so no-one was left to feel like an 'also ran, coming in after everyone has packed away. Nice atmosphere. The only niggle was the lack of info on the web site. The AC is the link from runners world but it only contained an entry form with little info. A course description, start time and directions would have attracted more runners and helped to fill in that tail end!!
Date of review: September 26, 2005

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

In short: Uncomplicated organisation with good marshalling.
In full: A fairly flat course with definite PB potential. Organisation was uncomplicated,with an abundance of water stations. The absence of a 'clubby' feel makes it a good proposition for first timers. T-shirt was good quality though the design is an acquired taste!
Date of review: September 5, 2005

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