Latest Ratings
| 1 to 10 of 11 ratings | Page: 1 2 |
2013 Brighton Marathon 2013
 | | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 40% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 100% | | Organisation | | 100% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 100% |
In short: Ok race, nothing to get excited about
In full: I'll be honest and say don't really think the race is worth the entry fee.
Don't get me wrong I felt the organisation of it was excellent. Picking up your number the day before ran like clockwork, as did everything in the park before the race, water stations brilliant, well marshalled, and excellent water stations.
However I felt it was a really grim, un-scenic course for most of the race. Didn't find it easy to get going as the roads were quite narrow at the start meaning it was quite difficult to get past people. The baggage collection at the end for me was rather chaotic not what you really want after finishing a marathon.
In parts a great marathon and if it was around £30 it be worth it however at £55 felt it was a bit of a rip off.
Date of review: May 20, 2013
|
2013 North Dorset Village Marathon
| | 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: Great race but with challenging hills
In full: Really enjoyed this marathon despite the hills!
Thought it was very well organised, though could perhaps improve it with more bottles at the drink stations, paper cups especially on a hot day are a bit inadequate.
Despite this thoroughly enjoyed this race. It's a beautiful course but challenging. Very well organised, good photographers and helpful marshals. For £20 entry fee, you cant go wrong. Highly recommended.
Date of review: May 20, 2013
|
2012 New Forest Marathon
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 100% |
In short: Terrible weather, but a PB potential marathon
In full: Set a new personal best by nearly a minutes so well chuffed with that.
It was well organised - easy to get there, ample parking (though a walk to the start!), and a quick course. It wasn't easy in the weather but it was well marshalled and you are certainly not going to get lost.
A few grumbles though - there didn't seem to be any food/refreshements for the runners after the race and considering the conditions a tea/coffee would have been ideal (I would have happily paid). I perhaps missed such a facility but it wasn't obvious.
The end was quite tough having to step over little speed bumps and was quite twisty - not what you want after 26.2 miles! Perhaps start the course a bit further back meaning you get the straight finish at the end?
Could have done with the jelly bean point further back in the race - at 22 miles, I didn't think it was the best position for it!
All in all though a good race - if you want to get a new pb this is certainly a potential one.
Date of review: September 28, 2012
|
2012 Bacchus Marathon
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 100% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 100% | | Value | | 100% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Superb well organised race
In full: Thoroughly enjoyed this race despite the very hot conditions. Thought the course was picturesque, and all the marshals, and those at the drink stations were fantastic giving you encouragement and being really supportive.
Whilst the cost may appear a bit steep it's well organised,, plenty of water and other refreshments, a good atmosphere and a nice meal at the end to help you recover.
One of the best marathons i've done in terms of organisation. Would highly recommend this to anyone, and thoroughly pleased I did it.
Date of review: September 28, 2012
|
2012 Bexhill Seafront Half- Marathon
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Fantastic Race
In full: The cost of £32 to enter this race did seem a bit steep at first. However the race organisers did answer within 24 hours to a pre race enquiry and had a clear and easy website - which as I didn't receive my pre-race info via e-mail was not a problem as I could easily access the document on the website.
What was pleasing about this race was the opportunity to register the night before. Registration was quick and easy.
Onto the race - a decent attendance but best of all was the chip timing! The course is difficult though all on road however some really tough hills in it especially at the end which was cruel after running 26 (and we had already run up it once so we all knew it was there!).
The marshals were fantastic as were those manning the water stations. Really encouraging group of people. Thank you! The advantage of doing the marathon is you are given bottles of water rather than the flimsy plastic cups and on a hot day this was useful.
Decent medal, and nice t-shirt. I would definitley do it again. You may get a PB here but you'll have to have trained hard.
Great training for those planning on doing on other tough road marathons such as Great Langdale and Snowdonia.
In conclusion - a tough but enjoyable race. Well organised in a nice area. This race will, I am sure, become very popular over the next few years.
Date of review: April 2, 2012
|
2012 The Steyning Stinger Marathon
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 100% | | PB potential | | 40% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 100% | | Value | | 100% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Superb well organised race
In full: Fantastically well organised.
Confirmation received through the post within a week of entering.
Car parking well run and organised.
Adequate changing facilities.
Very quick regristation.
Onto the course - tough, challenging, muddy. It's not easy especially in such shocking weather conditions. I guess with nice weather on the day and a dry course this would be amazing - however we were not so lucky with incessent rain and strong winds for most of the race.
Despite being cold, wet and muddy at the end. I loved it. Loved the fact the heroes of the day - the marshalls and those on the water stations were so cheerful and offered encouragement throughout the race.
Free breakfast at the end and hot drink was needed. Free photos too from Sussex photography one of the best race photographers around.
Disappointing no medal after the gruelling run but I don't have a mug to show off my marathon accomplishments so shouldn't complain!
Highly recommend to all runners but expect a tough challenge and if the weather is bad - wrap up warm!
Date of review: March 5, 2012
|
2012 Cotswold Marathon
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 40% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 40% |
In short: A decent but slightly challenging course
In full: Completed this and have to say it was fairly enjoyable.
Came home in just under 4 hours which was pleasing. This course is fairly challenging one tough hill with a few other much smaller ones. However this race is only limited to 200 runners and so a lot of time on your own which obviously involves added determination to get round.
Easy registration, well marshalled course with well manned drink stations. One thing you always get with beyond the limitations organised events is well stocked drinks stations.
Course was fairly picturesque but have done nicer ones however can't complain!
Strange band policy so that they know whether you have completed a lap - not too sure why they can't do chip timing? Perhaps it's too expensive?
Personal Best's are achievable but think you have to have trained properly.
Good small race. Would recommend.
Date of review: February 19, 2012
|
2012 Gloucester Marathon – Epney
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Decent race
In full: My 13th marathon and all in all a decent race.
I didn't think the pre-race stuff was that well organised. Virtually no information on the website regarding this race, and had to e-mail the organiser to ask about my race number, course details etc... The pre race lecture from the organisers was a bit over the top in my opinion...
Onto the race well a lot of us didn't hear the call for the race about to start so was taken by surprise when the hooter went... The first part of the race was pretty boring before we headed out to Elmore and Longney to do three laps. This part was quite scenic and had some tough hills in.
Came in 13 minutes outside my pb - with more training over christmas could have gone close to setting a new pb but a sub 4 hour marathon was pleasing.
Plenty of marshals around the course - many very supportive. Drink stations well manned and well stocked. Decent medal. Would recommend but I do feel there are better marathons out there by a considerable distance.
Date of review: January 23, 2012
|
2011 mbna Chester Marathon
| | Overall score | | 100% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 100% | | Atmosphere | | 100% | | Organisation | | 100% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 100% |
In short: Well organised, great support, great course
In full: Marathon number 11 done and this is up with Dublin as one of my favourites. The race isn't cheap but for your money you get a very well organised race both before, during, and after, a pretty scenic race, great support from many hundreds of spectators along the course, a decent medal, goody bag, and t-shirt! I really enjoyed this perhaps because I set a new personal best by 11 minutes but I could highly recommend this race again. It was the little things that made a huge difference such as having your name on the front of your bib number. This meant especially in the final stages you got great support to spur you on. Well done to the organisers.
Date of review: October 15, 2011
|
2011 The Farnham Pilgrim Marathon
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 100% | | PB potential | | 40% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 40% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 20% |
In short: Decent race, but improvements are needed
In full: This was my 10th marathon and have really taken to the smaller marathons, and can see this one increasing in popularity. On the one hand it's well organised with entering the race and registering on the day simple and quick. My gripe is with the marshals. Some were not really interested in the race and were more interested reading newspapers or playing on their phones. What makes the smaller marathons good is the enthusaism and encouragement of the marshals. This on the whole was severly lacking. Another thing the baggage area was a fiasco meaning at the end who had to rummage to find your bags which had been dumped in a heap. By far the worst orgainisation I have ever seen on a marathon! It's a tough course, but lots of viewing areas for family and friends. I recommend this course to anyone - just hope the organisers can tweek the course to make it even better. Expect the course to be a challenge though!
Date of review: September 19, 2011
|
| |
denotes Subscriber-only content | 
