My Event Ratings

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

In short: Flat, well marshalled and great support at the finish
In full: A very well organised race, with plenty of marshalls on route, excellent traffic management and a good atmosphere at the stadium.

A T shirt and tea and biscuits at the end were most welcome.

Support was great at the stadium and in the villages, however lots of the course is along lanes, where there is only the odd spectator. The down side of having the start/finish at the track with a nice, warm indoors with tea and coffee etc is that most of the spectators/supporters will gather there rather than on the course.

It's a good course for PBs as it's generally flat. However, I agree that in places it is "awkward". There are some narrow paths and pinch points early on which makes overtaking difficult. Also towards the end through the town, there are a lot of twists and turns (and an underpass), which makes it difficult to maintain your rhythm. Then there is the incline back to the stadium and another twisting path to get back onto the track. If you have a target time, you need to have enough energy or time in the bank for those 'challenges' in the last few miles.

For me the scenery was pleasant enough, through villages around Abingdon. The business park is a bit dull, but the support at the water station is uplifting and if you're a PB-chaser, then its flat and traffic-free.

Thanks to all the marshalls and volunteers who stood out in the cold for hours, much appreciated.
Date of review: October 22, 2012

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

In short: Well organised, local 10k
In full: A friendly, low key 10k around suburbs of Camberley. Generally good organisation, with plenty of marshalls on course. Results were up online within a day or so (no chip timing). Only limited road closure at the start/finish, so need to run on pavements (up and down kerbs) and a few drivers pulling out of side roads to negotiate. The hose at the top of the hill was very welcome!
Overall a good value race, personally I prefer just have a medal and water at the end and no plastic bag filled with flyers and useless tat.

Only a couple of things for the organisers to think about improving next year: the first water station was set back a few metres and not worth the effort to deviate off course. Secondly, why start so late at 11am, why not start at 9.30am, when the traffic would be much quieter (and if there was another freak October heat wave next year, it would also be cooler!)?
Date of review: October 4, 2011

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

In short: Well organised, family event
In full: Undulating course on trails around Alice Holt Forest, the hill at the 4k and 9k is tough!
Well organised event with a 10k and 5k race and then 3k, 1k races and even a 60m dash for the kids. A bit pricey to enter, but well signposted and marshalled and good support at the start/end. Nice idea to give out filled water bottles at the end - a practical memento (along with the medal) and saving on cups.
Date of review: September 16, 2011

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

In short: As advertised: flat & fast
In full: My first time running this 10k, having seen it advertised as a fast course and seeking to improve on my 10k PB (which I achieved). A well organised race, the first 5k on open roads and the second 5k on the tow-path. Well signposted route and friendly marshalls. Mainly one for club runners, although the course is ideal for beginners. Plenty of parking by the Xcel leisure centre. Although it was an early start by starting at 9:00, it managed to avoid most of the heat and meant the tow-path wasn't too busy.
Date of review: July 25, 2011

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

In short: Friendly mid-week race
In full: Good organisation, a pretty tough course on the forest trails with lots of short, sharp hills. A nice descent at the end. Plenty of parking at the Lookout, a goody bag with a mars bar, a souvenir and water. Overall a good value race. Will be back next year
Date of review: June 16, 2011

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

In short: Yateley
In full: A great, evening race series. A firm favourite in my race diary. A lumpy first 2k and an incline at 9k, yet its quick course and good for PBs.

Event is well signposted, plenty of parking & toilets, well marked starting pens and plenty of marshalls. Well organised to give out numbers before the race.

There is normally some constructive feedback for race organisers, but I struggle to think of any with these races!

Thanks to Sandhurst and all the volunteers.
Date of review: June 2, 2011

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

In full: I thought this was a well organised race.
Good announcements at the start, there was a separate pen at the front for the faster runners.
Good marshalling, plenty of them and the route was well signposted. Water stations every 3 miles. A couple of sponge stations on each lap as well.
A scenic course with a few testing inclines in the first half of each lap and although the greenway is flat & fast, it was mentally tough - but thats the challenge!
No goody bag if you want that sort of thing. For me a medal, drink and a banana was just right.

A couple of points for improvements - if there is going to be just one water station with bottles, can it be later on the lap? Secondly moving the date of race back (compared with 2010), meant that most of the local B&Bs were only taking bookings for the whole weekend (into tourist season), when I only wanted a room on the Saturday night, this really added to the cost of the weekend. For that reason if the date is the same next year I doubt whether I will be back. Although I understand that the race probably attracts more people when it doesn't clash with that 26.2mile charity fun run around London.

Thanks to all the organisers and volunteers, another successful race!
Date of review: May 9, 2011

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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: Toasty
In full: Great organisation and a flat course. Plenty of toilets and parking.
The laps around the business park are not scenic, but its flat, good for supporters and the scenery is not what this race is about.

A great way to start the Easter weekend. Thanks to all the organisers and volunteers.
Date of review: April 26, 2011

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

In short: Well organised race with a much improved start
In full: The new start was a huge improvement on previous years, although it did mean a few more inclines to negotiate!
Personally I found the loops through the town a bit dull and preferred the second half of the course, through the villages. However there was a lot of support along the High Street.
Well organised bag-drop and a good number of toilets. Lots of free parking in the town nearby and plenty of pubs for carb reloading afterwards.
Medal, bottle of water and banana at the end, no pointless "goody" bags to increase costs.

Will be back next year. Thanks to all organisers and marshalls.
Date of review: March 21, 2011

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

In short: An undulating course on traffic free country lanes
In full: Getting the car parked at the start was very slow, with long traffic queues building up through the village, even though I arrived at 9.45 (for an 11am start).
Once the car was parked, the race was well organised. As always, quite a few people were over ambitious with their starting position, despite the clear signs.
A nice course on traffic free country lanes, very undulating however. Plenty of drinks stations and great support despite the bad weather.
Thanks to the marshalls who pushed my car out of the mud at the end!
Date of review: October 31, 2010

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