My Event Ratings

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

In short: Superb organisation
Date of review: February 15, 2010

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

In short: Super fast course, friendly, though need to ensure it def is 10K!
In full: Really enjoyed my first running of this race.

Girlfriend and I got superb times. She - a PB by over 2 mins and me best time this year by 2 and a half mins and only 50 seconds short of PB achieved when 1 stone lighter in 2006!

Was superbly organised and while the conditions were far from favourable they seemed to spur runners on rather than hinder.

Just a shame i did a short lap twice due to ineffective marshallng by grassy area - so can prob add 30 seconds to my finish time.

Will be back next year!
Date of review: November 30, 2009

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Overall score		20%
Would you do it again?		No
Details:
Scenery		60%
PB potential		60%
Atmosphere		40%
Organisation		20%
Value		20%
Beginner-friendliness		20%

In short: Energised sports - avoid
In full: My email to these clowns

First of all I have no problem at all with the chip timing not working. This is something beyond your control and unfortunate.

However everything else was in your control. I believe you should be offering to refund at least 50% of the entry fee to all runners as a gesture of goodwill - not only for the chip timing but the generally woeful organisation. I'd like to make the following points: -

1. First of all the organisation and course itself was totally unsuitable for 1500 runners. The infrastructure in place was that I would suggest suitable for 800 runners. Maybe this is where the suggestions of 'profiterring' come from.

2. Placing a water station at 3K and not 5K as advised is stupid and potentially dangerous on a warmer day

3. 10 toilets. Are you having a laugh? Do the maths

4. Whilst the royal mail strike was beyond your control - having enough people to process 1500 runners collecting numbers and/or chips was. Did you not react to this acordingly and draft more people in

5. No information provided at start about delay. I was fortunate in that I managed to deposit my bag before the 9.15am due start. But was left shivvering in cold with no idea when it would start. Why was there no proper PA system. If you wish to be taken seriously this is a basic requirement

6. No signage on Kew Road to advise of a race taking place. Caution runners signs are manadtory. I don;t expect road closures but I expect precautions

7. Provide at least 50m funnel beyond the finish line to collect chips and provide water/bags etc. This is basic stuff for anyone who has been anywhere near a race before!

All in all it seemed to be a race organised with no focus on the basics. I have never seen such chaos before. I will stick with races organised by running clubs in the future as they are what they should be. Not for profit venutures run by runners for runners.

By the way it insults eveyones intelligence to suggest that you could have accomodated more runners by accepting entries on the day!! You couldn't provide for the needs of the people who paid in advance. Also £14 is not a cheap entry fee. I would call this about average!!
Date of review: November 10, 2009

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