My Event Ratings

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

In short: Big City Big Race
In full: Bristol is not a city that I'm over familiar with and it is clearly bigger than I realised. It also clearly wants people like me to think of it as bigger than I did, and this race is an excellent example of it raising its profile with an ambition.

The crowds were great - a little sparse away from the main part of the city as one would expect, but very vocal where they were.

The drinks volunteers were great - huge thanks for slick organisation and enthusiasm there.

The route is nice - a little twsity and turny - more to showcase the city and creat spectator friendly viewing perhaps than for the sake of the runners in the second half. I enjoyed it never the less and it added to the atmosphere if not the quickness towards the end.

No problem with arrival of the race pack for me, although the signage could have been a little clearer on race day.

Overall a good day out, although I may choose a slightly cheaper "runners race" next year over the extra cost associated with what afterall was a big event, not just a running race.
Date of review: September 14, 2008

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

In short: Fast & Flat
In full: Does what it says on the tin. Nice 10 m ile race. Well organised on a fast flat course in the shadow of a nuclear power station!
Date of review: August 31, 2008

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

In short: My local race, so maybe I'm biased...
In full: ...but then again, maybe that makes me more critical? Not the flatest of races, and the safety barriers can slow you down. Multiple laps makes for excellent spectating and support though, and good racing. Superb event extras with stands, police & fire engines & bouncy slide all there for the kids!
Date of review: June 2, 2008

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

In short: Grey & cold, but quick
In full: Nearly didn't get out of bed for this, feeling rough with the remains of a cold. Made the trip to be met by wind, rain and cold. Started the race and it was al forgotten as the excelent organisation, friendly marshalls, and course which lends itself to fast times all played their part.
51 seconds faster than last year even feeling bad, so a PB to take home along with a new sports bag.
Date of review: February 3, 2008

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

In short: Don't mention the hills!
In full: Scenic race in parts, with lovely views from the top of the hills - ok, so you have to go up them first, but hey, it all adds to the challenge.
Not a PB course, unless its your first one, but a good race well organised over a good route excellently marshalled, with a great atmosphere.
Date of review: October 26, 2007

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

In short: Flat & fast... ...mostly
In full: Great race well organised once the parking had been sorted - would have been panicking if I hadn't got a codriver to park the car for me.

Flat course, not super scenic, but its a city race so what do you expect - and actually for a city race I thought it was pretty good.

I say flat, but that last mile was a sting in the tale, and this combined with the twists and turns , and those cobbles ( nobody mentioned the cobbles before hand!!) makes it imperative that you have something left for the end.
Date of review: October 14, 2007

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

In short: Glorious sunshine and wondeful views...
In full: ...the day before. Seriously, if everyone on race day could have seen what I saw when I went for a run up to the roundabout the day before they would have been gobsmacked.

As it was , the race day weather just added to the character of a sporting test of a run, which everyone seemed to enjoy. Such a shame we all dashed off to our cars in the field and then onwards to hot showers, but not even the organiser's unbounded enthusiasm could hold back the rain.

A huge thank you to the marshals - I think I said as much to all, (although it nay have just been a grunt towards the end!)

Perfect timing with the Hay festival - never been to that before either, so had a thoroughly enjoyable weekend (until I had to pack the tent away of course, but thats another story...)
Date of review: May 27, 2007

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

In short: April showers In May
In full: If only FLM had had this weather (at least up until shortly after I finished, at which point it started to really rain properly!) Certianly can't blame the heat for a time a little slower than I had hoped for, so it migth be the fact that the route is not as flat as its made out to be, or the fact that I'm just tired after a long week!

Parking was a nightmare - but again my own late arrival didsn't help that.

Great atmosphere at the start, and good to catch up with nervous pre-race chat.

Friendly marshals and water station volunteers (thank you again for your efforts) made for a good atmosp[here during the race. Traffic control in the latter stages through the town was poor though - I was pretty much on my own, so I wonder waht it was like when the large numbers started to come through?

Goody bag had plenty to drink in it, and just when I thought medals were going out of fashion at races (I've not long started back again) a nice shiney gong has made it home for the kids to wear around the house!

Will probably do the race again - and all in all, after a visit to Startford to see the triathletes in action in the torrential rain, I'm glad I did the run rather than the swim/bike/run option today!
Date of review: May 13, 2007

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

In short: Great Day Out For All The Family - And Sooooo Many Prizes!!
In full: Set up for a friendly family day out running and playing, by a friendly family centred organising team. Bargain BBQ. Bouncy castle and stalls for the kids, plus fun runs of different distances on the field for children too - with certificates for all of them and medals for winners.
Main even extremely well organised and marshalled. Trophies for just about every age group and alcoholic prozes too (and not just the raffle!)
New team trophies for this year.
All round great day out :-)
Date of review: May 6, 2007

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

In short: Excellent "Big Race" feel in town - mixed with quiet country lances - and housing estates.
In full: The whole town centre atmosphere was excellent- the organisers had clearly put a lot of effort in to the Market Square start /finish area.
Water stations very well staffed, and marshals were excellent and encouraging.

Course itself was a little more "sporting" than I previoulsy thought, and in my count back of the last mile I think there must have been 18 twists and turns, and 6 curbs - not good for trying to kick to the finish if you have dodgy knees or ankles.

Scenery, whilst not stunning, was nice in places.

Well organised at the finish too - no sooner had I crossed the line than I had a water, a banana, and an appropriately sized t-shirt in my hands!
Date of review: March 25, 2007

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