My Event Ratings

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

In short: A proper Saturday morning jaunt
In full: Course. Flat on good ground, Up (A lot) and then back down again.
A good low key friendly run catering for all abilities. Village Hall with tea and cakes. You all know the sort
Date of review: November 9, 2012

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

In short: Tough
In full: Organisation at marathon start good as we had somewhere to sit around out of the sun. (I am led to believe the half start was a bit more open to the elements)
The climb then the 5k of mud from 3-8 miles sapped the energy and made the long drag from 19-24 soul destroying. In all fairness it wasn't meant to be easy.
I am a 3:40 (flat) to 4:00 (Off road but dry) marathon runner but had little change from 5hrs for this one
Direction tape in the right places i.e. just when you think you are going the wrong way it appears. Excellent marshalling and water supplies seemed to be unlimited as I have been to events before where there has been a don't drink it all we haven't got enough attitude.
Only disappointment was the medal. Granted, the race was a very reasonable price but with the Olympian tradition I was expecting something different, NOT expensive, just original.
Nice friendly village fete type atmosphere (Think Midsummer murders with no murders)
& Jonathan Edwards hanging around and chatting to all prior to the presentations.
Date of review: July 9, 2012

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

In short: Tough first half with a bit of recovery time for the final water crossings
In full: Every type of terrain you could squeeze into 7 (& a bit) miles. Nice touch with the hands & knees river section. Well marshalled & nice touch with hippo shaped biscuits & tea, coffees for a donation. Done dozens of off roaders & this is probably one of the best
Date of review: May 8, 2012

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

In short: A few minor improvements needed but otherwise a good event
In full: Positives. Flat course & not as boring as I thought due to the turn arounds & change of scenery being at approx every 5k. Goody bag reasonable as I have paid more & got less. As it's the seaside maybe a bag of chips at the end.

Negatives (And these are easily sorted)

An extra marshall or signage required in the first mile to ask people to keep left due to the quicker runners/wheelchairs coming back up the promenade between 4 & 7 miles. Granted this was pointed out at the turn but nothing previous.

IPODS - There are many arguments with this but with wheelchairs in the race they have got to be banned. Did see one chair flip over & was concerned this was due to ignorance from a runner not hearing the quite clear shout that a chair was approaching. Blind runners have runners with them & deaf runners normally have a bib so other participants are aware. Wearing an IPOD makes you deaf but also oblivious to what is going on around you

Other - I think marking atmosphere is a bit of an odd one. Organisers are not responsible for public support. Marshalls I encountered were friendly & supportive and it's much appreciated that they take a good chunk out of their weekends to help out

Date of review: March 13, 2012

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

In short: Possibly my favourite run
In full: Muddy, Boggy, Hilly.
Free, no number or time just pure running
Date of review: January 4, 2012

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

In short: Good race - A few tweeks required
In full: Nice flat course & off road section was nothing worse than a bit of gravel.
Granted it's a fairly new race but having more places than the advertised limit surely gave a clue to having more toilets. Navigation fairly obvious except at approx mile 18 which was the one place marshalling/signage was definetly needed but nothing was there (Except for trail of empty gels - Are they that difficult to carry to the next marshall!!!)
Date of review: December 20, 2011

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

In short: Very hard but keep coming back
In full: Extremely tough but I keep coming back. I think that says it all. Do enjoy the post race buffet
Date of review: August 8, 2011

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

In short: A nice summer evening workout
In full: Good climb at the start & a long drag up around halfway. Good support considering the rural route & well organised. A good testing half
Date of review: June 23, 2011

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

In short: Epic
In full: Stunning race. Could write a book on this so will keep it short.
Time didn't matter on this one, Getting round is an achievement in itself. Stunning scenery. Open moorland, wooded valleys, Ponies, cows, sheep, babbling brooks....Hills !!!! Ample water stations. Supporters fantastic, granted few and far between but mainly due to location.
Some may find my beginner friendliness rating high but you know what is coming up so if you do the training you'll love it - It will also make other events seem a lot easier
Date of review: June 6, 2011

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

In short: Faultless
In full: For Whitebrooks first race you would have thought they had been doing this for years. Stuck with the obvious basics with the organisation which cannot be said for some other events. Nice course,long,long climb. Proper village event atmosphere. Spoke to a couple of ladies who were doing their first half, hats off to that. Think they were happy to hear that any other halfs will not be anywhere near as tough. No advert for bag storage but it was a pretty obvious "Just leave it in the marquee" next to the BBQ & cakes!!!

For those thinking of next year it is all off road on very good footpaths & fireroads. 3.5m flatish. 1.5m up, 0.5 down (Mud track but well defined) followed by a short sharp uphill sting. Then do another lap
Date of review: May 23, 2011

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