My Event Ratings

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

In short: I love this race
In full: With the hills, you'd maybe be hard pressed to get a PB here, but its definitely an excellent run, with a varied enough route to keep things interesting - paced just right so that even though there are some evil hills in there, it never really feels like a tremendous struggle.
Two minor gripes: it was difficult to get to the right point in the starting pen as we were only able to get in from the back - so getting to the right place meant pushing past lots of people who were going for a slower time and not entirely happy about moving. Also, the finishing clock was quite a way in front of the finishing line, so unless you were wearing your watch, you didn't have a proper idea of what time you'd done until you checked the results online later. A 13 mile marker would have been nice, too.
I'll definitely be back next year, though!
Date of review: October 22, 2007

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

In short: Worth getting out there for
In full: Well marshalled and organised - although I might have felt differently if I'd have had to have parked in the 'South' car park a 2 mile walk away! Would have been nice if a personal time (ie from crossing start to crossing finish) could have been provided as well as an official time (gun to finish), since everyone had a chip, but I managed a PB anyway (despite the hills), so its only a minor gripe. Would have prefered a medal / teeshirt to a bag, though.
Date of review: December 11, 2006

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

In short: Fantastic
In full: A really good race, I'll be back next year.

The organisation was a bit of a shambles as the start of the race was delayed due to tailbacks on the road into the camp. I can understand why they did that but at the same time it was very frustrating to those of us who got there on time. The run itself was good - if you went into it with the right frame of mind it was a great laugh. Other runners were friendly, but then theres nothing like waist deep mud to bring people together!

The goodie bag had a great teeshirt but a foul drink, and no real food (just a nasty energy gel), but I did manage to get a ladies large shirt so well pleased. Fun all round.
Date of review: November 12, 2006

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

In short: Excellent!
In full: A really enjoyable event! The course was hilly, but bearable, and started out onto a big dual carriageway which avoided any immediate log jams as people found their pace.
It was a nice course - the only grumble I could come up with would be the very narrow path going past the water which didn't allow for any overtaking. Thankfully the worst hills were at the start - although there was one nasty one near the end. Even with the hills its a fast course, though.
Good support from marshals and public; especially the cheerleaders around the half way mark!
Fantastic goody bag comprising of a nice teeshirt (ladies fit and standard available), a goodish medal, banana, water, orange juice and a Twix.
Will be signing up for this in 2007 as soon as applications open.
Date of review: October 22, 2006

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

In short: Sorry - this was nothing special!
In full: Can't understand what went wrong with the starting pens. We walked past them around 10am, and they were open at the side - but when we came back around 10.40 (when you were told you should go to the pens) the side entrances had been closed off. Luckily, we sqeezed in through a gap, but lots of other people were stuck unable to get forward enough because the pens were full so no one could move.
The race went through some very boring estates, with clumps of locals either looking at you like you were mad, or madly cheering their friends and ignoring everyone else (although there were a few noticable exceptions). In fairness, though, the support for the last few 100 yards was very good, and I liked having the clock plainly visible.
As mentioned, the goody bag sucked. Rather have paid less and not got the 'bag', just the medal - they were selling event tees for a £5 - couldn't they have put one of those in too? Ah well.

Can't see me doing it next year, but I'll come back in 2008 maybe.
Date of review: October 15, 2006

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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: Really good first race
In full: My first race, and I was really impressed. The marshalls were very cheerful, and there was lots of water and sponges, which really helped. I liked the medal, and will run it again next year.
Date of review: September 10, 2006

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