My Event Ratings

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

In short: Good weather, bad weather and then good weather again
In full: Everything that can be said about FLM has been. Shame they are STILL doing one size only T shirts and I have no idea what i am going to do with a big technical running shirt. Shirt was also a bit to ADIDAS and not enough London Marathon.

I got a PB by nearly 8 minutes. Still doesn't make it a good course for a PB
Date of review: April 15, 2008

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

In short: Better weather than last year
In full: This is the fourth year I have entered this event and each year I use this race to judge how well i am doing. Each year I have got a PB. Excellent goody bag with a well designed T shirt although I would like the organised to note that not all runners come in extra large. Can it really be so difficult to organise different sizes?

The organisation was fantastic (again) with plenty of marshalls around the course to give directions, lots of ambulances (just in case) and water points and lucozade sports drinks given out as well.

the only thing missing is a decent sized crowd to cheer you on...
Date of review: March 9, 2008

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Overall score		60%
Would you do it again?		Yes
Details:
Scenery		60%
PB potential		20%
Atmosphere		40%
Organisation		40%
Value		60%
Beginner-friendliness		60%

In short: My idea of hell
In full: I hate this race... but each year I go back again. I spend the few weeks leading up to it wondering why I've entered again. It's only being going three years (so have I) but the organisation and sign posting have never been good. This year, lots of marshalls who were friendly and encouraging. The event seems to be geared around the half marathon and so the 10k starts and finishes in an odd place. The map that is issued before the event does not cover the course, although it does cover the Brands Hatch track. The course changed this year for the better.
It always feels a strange race to me because there are so few spectators and, although the organisers said there were 1000 starters, for large parts of the run I didn't have anyone withn 20m.
The same medals, T shirts and goody bags are given to the entrants for the 10k and half marathon so my wife (who entered the 10k) ended up with a T shirt commerating the Half marathon wich she didn't run and wuld be happier if she could have a medal and T shirt saying what she entered.
Date of review: February 10, 2008

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

In short: The hills!
In full: I did this event last year when I was introducing my wife to running. We went again this year and enjoyed it apart from the cold. Wonderful to hear the lions roaring before the start, but thankfully didn't see any on the way round. The are two hills - the first of which is run twice - and they are quite steep and long. Not likely to run a fast time as a novice but the hills do separate the runners. The paths are all wide enough to pass (and be passed) without getting in each others way.
The medals were lovely but the goody bag consisted of three separate items and no bag to keep them n. Not the best way of distributing items when runners are short of pockets.
Date of review: February 8, 2007

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

In short: Lots of slopes
In full: I've never run this before (or been to Nottingham) and was a little surprised by the gradients. I don't remember any of it being flat but it was an excellent course.
Organisation was good although I found the support a little thin on the ground. Marshalling was good, goody bags was good and a free massage was available to all (for a donation if you charitable donation if you chose).

Date of review: September 11, 2006

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

In short: Bad scenery, windy, fantastically well organised.
In full: The traffic in the surrounding roads was very heavy. Once into the car park the marshals made parking easy and gave clear directions. Plenty of toilets, both near the car park and down near the start.
Marshals were every where. Clear direction was given and the tannoy system was well used to keep everyone informed of how long to go before the start, the start process itself and the progress of the leaders while on the route. The course is flat and has little to look at; nothing to break up the wind either.

At the finish line, the championchips were removed with little fuss and picking up the goody bag was well organised. The bag was a little disappointing, a T shirt, medal, bottle of water and a lucozade drink.

Thoroughly enjoyed the event and will go back again next year to do it again.
Date of review: March 19, 2006

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Overall score		40%
Would you do it again?		No
Details:
Scenery		60%
PB potential		40%
Atmosphere		40%
Organisation		40%
Value		80%
Beginner-friendliness		60%

In short: Misleading advertising
In full: The start for the 5k was not well signposted and with 10 minutes before the start there was only one organiser at the start position. When we had previously asked a steward for directions to the start, we were vaguely pointed in the direction of the top of the hill -totally in the wrong direction.
The map that was issued for the half marathon showed the car racing circuit and did not show the route the race would take. As the race progressed it became obvious that not all of the race was going to be on the track as we headed up a nice steep hill that was surfaced with pebbles, dirt and broken tarmac. Apparently this is where the Rally goes!
Water came in flexible plastic cups - one of my pet hates - and I don't know anyone who can successfully drink from them while running.
On the good side, the car parking facilities were good and plentiful, the restaurant was surprisingly inexpensive and the toilet facilities were not portacabins.
Date of review: February 17, 2006

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

In short: Well organised race, friendly and helpful staff.
In full: This was my second marathon after the London and although it was tougher it was better as the roads were wide enough to allow me to run at my own pace. The whole course is undulating with a few steep hills. The scenery was supurb and the other runners were very friendly. Drinks stations were regular and alternated with lucozade sports drinks staations; energy bars were also available.
My only complaint of the organisation was that the Monster BBQ did not offer a vegetarian option.
Date of review: January 7, 2006

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