My Event Ratings

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

In short: Local Hills & Heat
In full: As others have mentioned already - a great first HM for Basingstoke, great encouragement & support all the way through. A big thanks to all volunteers and spectators alike. As this is my local HM (took a long time coming) I'm proud of what was done! I'll also add that the post race massage was fantastic (for donations only). As it was so family friendly I'd like to see some kids races arranged within the park which should be easily done. Otherwise I'd echo what was said already re. the larger water bottles should have been on the last station but what's the chances of getting this heatwave next year ? :-)
Date of review: October 2, 2011

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

In short: My second but not last time....
In full: Ran (??) this race the second time after a few years break. Still a brilliant race albeit with more runners than the last time making the tracks a challenge to pass other runners. Conditions challenging with the slippery terrain & managing to take a wrong turn on two occasions (good excuse for a one minute slower time than my previous attempt!). Otherwise brilliant support from other runners, marshalls and spectators. I thank you all & will see you all again (maybe not for the picnic - the people that complete that are something else!).
Date of review: June 19, 2011

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Overall score		80%
Would you do it again?		Yes
Details:
Scenery		60%
PB potential		20%
Atmosphere		60%
Organisation		40%
Value		80%
Beginner-friendliness		80%

In short: My fifth hell down south....and the coldest yet
In full: I've run this race in all conditions but today was the coldest by far. Initially felt the lack of water took away some of the fun but not so with the slippery trails & hills. Always enjoy the event - todays highlights were the goody bags, also for the kids race which my son loved, the convenience VIP parking, smaller field of runners so less bottlenecks (due to the multi day/waves). The lowlights were the toilets and agree with other comments on those poor people suffering with cold standing waiting to get their bags back. Lucky there was no icy wind blowing. Overall a good atmosphere though the early part of the race seemed subdued with marshalls & spectators quieter than normal (mabe as the marshals had worked the same race the previous day?). Better in the latter stages though. Having participated in a number of races at Longmoor I understand the basic conditions so expect no more - maybe the same should be made clearer to first timers. Sad to hear of runners suffering on the course & no marshalls nearby. Hope it was nothing serious as this is meant to be a challenging but fun event for all. A big thanks to the guy on the Buff store who gave my son a buff for free (really made my sons day) & the physios who gave him a post race massage (he's only 5 y/o!) after the little devils run :-) Will be back next year and may try some of the other HR events. Hopefully the organisers will take the feedback on board for next years race.
Date of review: November 28, 2010

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Would you do it again?		Yes
Details:
Scenery		100%
PB potential		20%
Atmosphere		80%
Organisation		80%
Value		60%
Beginner-friendliness		60%

In short: Quad busting challenge
In full: My first attempt at this one. Thought I knew what to expect but after a killer third leg I was reduced to walking the hills in the fourth! However, it was a well organised event and glorious route. Will be back to try again. Compared to others it was hard to fault anything from quality t-shirt to marshals to drink stations & gels etc.
Date of review: June 15, 2010

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Overall score		100%
Would you do it again?		Yes
Details:
Scenery		80%
PB potential		20%
Atmosphere		80%
Organisation		80%
Value		40%
Beginner-friendliness		80%

In short: Fouth time & best yet
In full: My fourth hellrunner and the best yet in terms of organisation & conditions i.e. v. wwt, muddy but warm & sunny. A great day enjoyed just as much by my son in the little devils fun run. Overtaking & beating Gordon Ramsey was a nice touch (thanks Gordon!) but the real stars were the bogs, lake & numerous 'water features'. Not sure if I'm getting faster or the course is getting shorter/easier but this was a fast time for me in not the fastest conditions. Shouldn't be complaining though I guess. The only negative this year was the variable sizing of t-shirts (normally take a medium and a large fitted me like a rugby shirt! Took three attempts to find one that was big enough).
Date of review: November 15, 2009

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Overall score		80%
Would you do it again?		Yes
Details:
Scenery		80%
PB potential		20%
Atmosphere		80%
Organisation		60%
Value		40%
Beginner-friendliness		60%

In short: Third time - best conditions yet & will be back for more
In full: This is the third time in succession I've run this and have always found it enjoyable. It's pretty tough but go with an open mind and get used to getting your breath back at the bottle necks and you'll enjoy it. If you want a good time then get as near to the front as possible as passing expends a fair amount of energy on the narrow course. Conditions were probably perfect this year with enough rain in the preceeding weeks to fill the bog and lake but dry enough to make the sandy hills easier going. Which probably explained my 6 minutes knocked off last years time and put me just outside the 90 minute mark. Chip timing was questionable with one minute knocked off mine and a friends timing - so add a minute to that great time you looked to have got in the official results :-) Parking was better than last year (slightly) but lucky it wasn't too wet on the day. I made a quick exit this year to avoid any queues and it worked for me. Goody bag was OK & plenty of free shakes & shower gels at the end. T-shirt was good but where was the Hellrunner water bottle that you used to get?? Overall a good, jovial atmosphere & great support at the bog & lake. I wish they'd make the course a few miles longer (measured 9.9 miles on a friends Garmin) but I'm sure to be back next year to do it all again.
Date of review: November 17, 2008

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

In short: Not too bad, marshalls encouraging but spoiled by my poor form
In full: Suffered a little on this one due to illness recently so a little disappointed. Would have liked to see a profile of the course beforehand but apart from the last three miles a quick, though uninspiring course. My son ran the fun run but they ran out of t-shirts before he finished so more than a little disappointed with that. Might do it again but only as a last resort.
Date of review: October 6, 2008

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

In short: Great organisation and family frienlier than many races
In full: This was my fourth in a row and I normally struggle to meet the fast potential of the course, possibly due to the exposed position and the previous inclement weather. This year was the opposite though and I ran a relaxed race to finish in 1-39 and knock over 3 minutes from my previous PB here. So I was happy. The family enjoy this event as well. The ability to get out of the weather in the paddock, the food stalls, music over the tannoy and ability to always be in touch with runners make this, for our family, friendlier than other races. So despite the sometimes crowded track and monotonous scenery, it's still enjoyable. I look on it as a different race & challenge to others I run. As much a mental as a physical challenge. Being able to see all of the runners stretching ahead of you, the inclines and long stetches of track over the last few miles can prove very hard. So I can understand this event may not be for all runners but the atmosphere is very good and plenty of encouragement from one another & marshalls etc. It is also a very good value race - it would be nice to get sized T-Shirts (organisers take note, charge a few pounds more and ask for sizes on the entry form) but at £15 it's still generous. Compare that with the £30 Reading HM the week before with no more in the goody bag and no T-Shirt of any size!
Date of review: March 10, 2008

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

In short: Better organised than last year but always poor value, and running out of medals & drinks!!
In full: This was my fourth Reading half. Overall the start was better than previous events helped by the colour coded numbering - not perfect but far better than usual. Support was good though many people seemed to want to watch without actually supporting which is a shame. Water stations were treachorous being located in the narrow areas, not removing the tops off of the water and runners dumping half empty, or less, bottles & pouches in the middle of the road - thanks for that guys! Very little attempt anywhere at the event to control the litter which is a shame. However, my wife overheard that only 11000 or so of the 17000 entered actually ran, so with the news of slower runners not getting drinks, medals or goodie bags, how on earth would they cope if the full compliment had turned up! My sincere sympathy to all those who didn't receive drinks or medals etc. & I hope you make your feelings known to the organisers. However, this was the busiest Reading half I had experienced with a multitude of runners all the way around me to the end (it's usually thinned out by miles 9+). So it's possible there were more than 11000 & I'm not sure I'd want to run with a larger field than this on this sometimes narrow course. Once again, the race is very expensive for what you receive in the goody bag. I normally buy the T-shirt as it's a quality item with a good design but this years one was awful - so that saved me £15! Organisers take note, please try and make this event better value for money in future as it always seems that you are making huge profits from the runners! Will likely be back next year, but only as it's a local event for me.
Date of review: March 2, 2008

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

In short: Don't underestimate this scenic & challenging run!
In full: My second attempt after the 'mudbath' in 2007. Hadn't done as much preparation as last year and struggled after getting to the top of Butser on what should have been an easier course. Still gloriously tough though (in my opinion) with superb organisation and a generous medal, T-shirt & all you can eat cake at the finish. Enjoyed it despite the struggle and disappointment. Will be back for more next year I'm sure. Congrats to all those who took part and assisted on race day - a lesson on how good a race can be organised.
Date of review: February 29, 2008

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