My Event Ratings

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

In short: Really enjoyable race that helped me smash my PB!
In full: My first time at this race and I'll definitely be back next year. Very well organised, good marshalling throughout and some lovely countryside when you're out of Stafford town centre. As someone used to running up a lot of hills, I thought the undulations were pretty gentle and the race relief definitely helped me get my PB. Nice goody bag too.
Date of review: April 3, 2010

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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		60%

In short: Great race with a great improvement on last year too!
In full: Really impressed with the new route and the way the organisers had sorted out all the organisation problems at the start and finish from last year. Made me very proud to run in my adopted home city with lots of support, even during the early rain.
Only comments would be PLEASE link up with the railways to help people get to the city centre easily and support the key theme of the day - no trains from Redditch area all day! Also give all of your water stations signing like last year so people know when it's approaching - and give them tables too! Overall really enjoyed it and will be back next year, hopefully.
Date of review: October 11, 2009

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

In short: Hot, hilly and hard!
In full: Second year at this race for me, another really enjoyable run. Quite a challenge in such high temperatures and with 2 water stations fairly close together, but definitely worth the extra effort. That hill near the end...always far worse than i remember it too! Good organisation and helpful marshals added to the enjoyable atmosphere.
Date of review: June 28, 2009

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

In short: Beautiful and brilliant!
In full: My first time here and really enjoyed it. The weather was great, the countryside looked amazing and the marshals were very helpful. Given the hot weather, another water station near mid-way would have been a godsend, and filing people along the lane at the start would have made for a smoother getaway. Only tiny niggles though, this one is definitely on my race calendar now!
Date of review: June 14, 2009

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

In short: Brilliant!
In full: Still buzzing from this really enjoyable race. Fantastic organisation, the whole thing went like clockwork. Excellent route, nothing too challenging, great goodies at the end and a personal best into the bargain too. Fantastic!!
Date of review: December 14, 2008

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

In short: Loved the race itself - but the organisation before and after the race needs a lot of work for next year. I'll defo be back next year to see how the improvements have gone!
In full: I think my summary says it all! The race itself was really enjoyable. You're never going to get amazing scenery in a road race around Brum city centre but i think the city and it's inhabitants did itself proud. The crowds in the city centre were brilliant, especially the final furlong down broad street and the supporters in the residential parts (lots actually still in their pj's!) certainly made up for lower numbers by making all the right noises. The water stations were great, well stocked and well manned (although warning signs before each station would prevent some runners charging in-front of others to grab a drink).

In terms of the start, i have to say the organisation seemed fairly dire, but that might be that we were stuck in traffic for 1 and a half hours trying to get the stadium and actually had to dump our car at the side of the road so we wouldn't miss the start!!!! Too many traffic lights and not enough road closures to blame it would seem. Also agree with the comment that loudhailers (or more marshals at the start) would help things run far more smoothly and help runners nearer the back actually know what was going on.

The end of the race defo needs more signage once you'd finished so people move around the war memorial quicker and don't clump by the first official they see with silver blankets/water/timing chip buckets etc. Finally, please please please hire more shuttle buses next year!!! We had to wait in the freezing weather for over 40 minutes to get on a bus - not a great way to finish a really enjoyable race!

In a nutshell, great race itself, just sort out the start and finish. Very proud that my adopted city is now firmly on the running map.
Date of review: October 27, 2008

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

In short: A lovely sunny run round the park!
In full: A definite course improvement on last year made the course much more agreeable to run. Thank you organisers! Agree with previous comments about the U turns which does definitely slow you up but still got a good PB today. My only query is about the organisation at the end of the race - the Finish for the 5k was very deceiving for lots of first time runners who though they'd finished the 10km 200m before they had (with no marshalls to point them in the right direction). Also no water available at the finish when i ended - a confused looking marshall told me to go back to the start to get some which was not ideal, and i got the wrong size t-shirt. Small things and can easily be improved for next year.
Date of review: September 28, 2008

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

In short: A really enjoyable race. I spent the first 7km wondering why it had a real reputation for killer hills, and the last 3km realising the answer to that one! Still a great race and very well marshalled.
In full: I'll defo be back next year - a banana/energy drink at the end wouldn't go amiss though!
Date of review: July 6, 2008

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Overall score		60%
Would you do it again?		Maybe
Details:

In short: Very pretty location but organisation really lacking in some places - no clear start or finish, too many small signposts and not being allowed to leave the site until everyone has finished! Defo not one for a PB!
Date of review: May 12, 2008

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