My Event Ratings

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

In short: As already said, good PB potential but needs better organisation
In full: It was the first time I'd done this race and I managed to knock 3 mins off my previous 10K PB despite the wind and rain. The course is uninspiring but it is fast and flat, so if you're after a PB, this is a good race to try.

Organisation was poor, especially at the start - I went in the right place for my "expected time" and must have passed 100 runners in the first mile. With 6000 runners (a lot of whom were there for a "fun run") all wanting to start as if they were going to run under 40 mins, it was never going to work!

At least with the chip time, the 5 mins it took to get to the start line didn't matter. But if they plan to grow the race to 10000, they need to think about different coloured numbers for predicted times and make sure people start in the right place.

There weren't enough loos and getting from one area to another with all the barriers was difficult.

I'd do this again though just as a good measure of progress over a year, even though it's frightfully expensive for a 10K.
Date of review: November 26, 2009

Report this rating to the moderator

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

In short: Nice route, well-organised, a good Thursday night race
In full: The course is varied and it gets a bit narrow in places where you can get held up a bit if you're unlucky.

However, it's not very hilly, has some nice scenery and has good PB potential.

A good course if you're just getting used to running off-road.

If you liked this one, Idle AC organise one from the same place over a fairly similar course only in reverse (canal bit first) in August.
Date of review: May 28, 2009

Report this rating to the moderator

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

In short: A lot of climbing, lovely views, well-organised
In full: I thought the uphill bit was never going to end and it felt like we were going up for a lot more than coming back down! However, the scenery is fabulous when you finally get to the top (especially when it's gloriously sunny as it was this year).

A couple of tiny gripes:
- a few mile markers so you had a clue as to how far to go would be nice

- goody-bags for everyone not just entry numbers 1-250 would be better.

Would certainly do this one again - harder than your average trail race, not likely to get a PB but a really enjoyable event.
Date of review: May 28, 2009

Report this rating to the moderator

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

In short: Not a PB 10K but well worth the trip and for a great cause
In full: This race is organised to raise funds for a local cancer hospice and is excellent value at £8 for pre-entry.

The terrain is mostly tarmac and goes through all the parks in Keighley but there are some off road bits and some stone steps. Undulating with a couple of steep climbs too.

Very well-organised, friendly marshalls, locals out supporting. Most roads were closed or well-marshalled, even for those at the back.

This year's drier weather made it a lot easier to run than last year when it was very muddy in places.
Date of review: March 23, 2009

Report this rating to the moderator

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

In short: Lovely scenic route, but very muddy and not enough toilets
In full: The route is quite hilly but very pretty with enough flat and downhill to recover before the big hill for the final mile.

One big gripe - there were nothing like enough toilets - eight portaloos for 750 racers plus fun runners and spectators meant 20 minute queues when you should be warming up.
Date of review: October 6, 2008

Report this rating to the moderator

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

In short: Nice mix of terrain, not a PB 10K but worth the trip.
In full: Very well organised, started on time, good chipping system for the timing. Mile markers were definitely not in the right places, the first and fifth were well short unless I picked up my pace by over 3 minutes, which I very much doubt!
Date of review: August 31, 2008

Report this rating to the moderator

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

In short: Nice course, well-organised, great goody-bag
In full: The course is pleasant with some nice views of the Yorkshire countryside and mostly away from traffic. It starts very flat and then there a couple of hills just when your legs are getting tired.

Very well organised and marshalled and the Eco-bag, wallet and t-shirt were very nice prizes indeed.

It's not likely to be a PB 10K - the terrain varies a lot so it's hard to get into a rythmn but it's beginner friendly and highly recommended.
Date of review: August 5, 2008

Report this rating to the moderator

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

In short: Very well organised for a first event
In full: Good organisation, started on time, lots of friendly and encouraging marshalls, km markers all the way. Course is a bit more undulating than the description suggests. More than one water station would have been nice. I'd definitely do this one again.
Date of review: April 21, 2008

Report this rating to the moderator

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

In short: Hilly course on roads, park tracks and fields.
In full: Very well organised for an inaugral event.

When it says undulating it really does mean it - some fairly long hills and not much downhill until the last km.

Markers and water stations throughout the course and lots of marshalls so all road crossings were nice and safe.

There were some boggy bits, so use off-road trail trainers instead of your best road shoes!
Date of review: March 18, 2008

Report this rating to the moderator

Overall score		60%
Would you do it again?		Yes
Details:
Scenery		60%
PB potential		80%
Atmosphere		40%
Organisation		20%
Value		40%
Beginner-friendliness		60%

In short: No Km markers, only one water station at the end, late start.
In full: This was my first race but my husband runs so I've been to plenty of races in the past to judge it by.

The course was fine - only one proper hill and that was short. The rest was slightly undulating, nice wide tarmac track and no traffic.

The organisation was very poor:
There was no official start line, just a couple of cones.

The starter turned up 10 minutes late and it was cold so we were stood around for too long.

There were no measured markers on the course so you had no way of judging your speed (and I missed my target time by 28 seconds, so some markers would have been very useful).

There was only one water station at the end (not really necessary on a 5km but the details said water stations every mile).

There were no goody bags or spot prizes and for the very high £8.50 entry fee I expected something. Again, it said there would be in the details.

There was no children's entertainment at the site - again the details said there would be.

I would probably do this event again but the organisers really need to learn some lessens or this event will not become an annual favorite. They need to deliver all the things they promised (km markers, start on time, goody bags etc) or people will not pay £8.50.
Date of review: March 10, 2008

Report this rating to the moderator