My Event Ratings

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

In short: A Special Race
In full: A nicely organised race, through stunningly beautiful scenery - what more could you want? The hilly/undulating nature of the course makes it a real challenge, perfect for getting stamina into the legs ready for a Spring marathon. If you can't enjoy running this event then, frankly, running probably isn't for you! Marshalls & spectators were friendly and encouraging, and the jelly babies & mars bar pieces at the drinks staions were very welcome. My only suggestion for improvement would be an extra drinks stop in the second half of the race - I hadn't taken a drink of my own, and was feeling very dehydrated by the time I reached the last station, which led to me having to stop and drink a few cups. But overall a really great race, and all being well one that will become a regular part of my running year.
Date of review: March 21, 2011

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

In short: Will I ever get the mud from underneath my toenails?
In full: My first time at this event, having run the half marathon a couple of times. Anyone who is at all familiar with the Wyre Forest will know that the hills are going to test you - and it's a fair expectation that you'll get pretty muddy as well. So no complaints that I spent much of the race unable to enjoy the stunningly beautiful scenery for fear of taking my eyes of the track and ending up in a heap, or worse still freezing to death in the river that the course follows for a couple of miles. It was terrific fun (even if you wonder why you bother halfway up some of the more aggressive inclines). As always, Amazing Feet RD did a great job with the organisation - marshalls were friendly and encouraging and the mars bar at the end was more than welcome. I look forward to (hopefully) slightly less muddy conditions at the Half in July!
Date of review: February 14, 2011

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

In short: Better than expected.....
In full: I enetered the Half Marathon with a little trepidation, after having heard lots of negative comments from fellow runners who had entered the event in previous years. However, I have to say that I enjoyed the event far more than I thought I would. Yes, the course winds through a few housing estates - but the course was still pleasant enough.... most town/city races take in a few places that aren't exactly easy on the eye so nothing different here. I must comment on the sewage works though.... things that aren't 'easy on the eye' I can cope with, but when they're not 'easy on the nose' as you try and get air into your lungs it's another matter! Start could be improved by organising people by expected finish time - although by the end of the first mile everyone seemed to have sorted themselves out, so again, no worse than many other events. Decent medal, with different medals for the different events which was a nice touch. Well organised baggage storage, lots of toilets, good marshalls and decent goody bag made it a good, value for money, event that I would happily take part in again in future years.
Date of review: September 7, 2010

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

In short: Battle the hills!
In full: I returned after my plod through the mud last year to a very different challenge. A spell of warm weather saw last year’s muddy tracks baked into a hard, uneven surface. This presented more of a problem to me than most, running as I was (against my better judgement) on a strapped up ankle, having not run for ten days previously. So my hopes of having a great run weren’t exactly high. The route is difficult and hilly, but the Wyre Forest is such a beautiful place to run that the difficultly of the course is irrelevant. If you are able to switch off from concerning yourself with times, and simply appreciate giving your body a damn good workout without in beautiful surroundings, without seeing a car for the duration of the run, then this is the race for you. My own run petered out into a painful stagger over the last 4 miles as my ankle became more of a problem on the (what seemed like) neverending climb to the finish line – but it wasn’t enough to put me off looking forward to my next run around this beautiful place.
Date of review: July 14, 2010

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

In short: Excellent event
In full: I think every regular runner who competed in this race knows that the distance wasn’t run over the full 13.1 miles – it was a good half mile short….. a pity, as I was having a great run and would have broken my pb by a good four or five minutes. However, putting that aside, I must state what a good event this was. The organisers had planned a route (with important roads closed) that took us around Wombourne a few times, along beautiful country lanes, through picturesque villages, and was undulating enough to be interesting without being hilly. Perfect running weather made the day complete. I will certainly be back next year – I can see this being an ‘enter early if you want to run’ event in future years as momentum builds. I really hope the organisers get to the bottom the ‘short route’ issue, and the event will undoubtedly go from strength to strength.
Date of review: July 14, 2010

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

In short: Challenging 2 lapper
In full: Sutton Coldfield 10k well a fairly well organised, low key event. Didn’t have a great time myself, as I really suffered in the heat and for the first time in my running career needed the attention of the kind first aiders after finishing. The race is run over two laps of the course used in Sutton Park for the regional & national relay championships, except run in the opposite direction. Therefore, I do wonder if the event will struggle to attract many club runners, who have the option of running this circuit several times each year already. For my money, the course is tougher run ‘backwards’ – long drag uphill between 0.5 and 3k really saps the legs – and of course you have the same to look forward to on the second lap. Not the cheapest of races either. Nice medal at the end, which combined with the traffic free environment would appeal to a lot of people. Perhaps extra water could have been put on given the heat, and I wasn’t keen on having to Velcro a timing chip around my ankle. All in all, I’d give it an ‘average’ rating…. Nothing that really shone, but nothing that greatly upset me either.
Date of review: July 14, 2010

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

In short: Worth the effort!
In full: It’s impossible not to enjoy being part of this great event. Okay, we mid-pack runners aren’t likely to run great times because of the sheer number of people running – but, hey, we all know that when we set the alarm for 2:30am on the day the ballot opens. Yes, there were a few issues at the blue start but they didn’t spoil what was a great day, and one that I hope to experience again in the near future. Generally, the organisation was spot on (you’d expect it after all these years) – but the race is what it is because of the fabulous crowds who really help 4:30 plodders like myself get through the painful last five miles. Shame, I guess, that most of the “sights” are towards the end of the race…. by that time you’re entirely focussed on keeping yourself moving and can’t appreciate them!! Hopefully I won’t be too many years before I get to have another go.
Date of review: July 14, 2010

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

In short: A great day
In full: Despite a delayed start for many (made more frustrating by what must surely be Birmingham’s Most Annoying Woman giving ‘encouragement’ over the PA system) and many runners not starting in their allocated pen which resulted in much weaving for the first couple of miles, a superb time was enjoyed by all. An interesting route that included sections around the city centre, suburbs and parkland was lined with enthusiastic support for the entire run. Plenty of water stations, bands and even a local church playing Chariots of Fire on it’s bells helped take everyone’s mind off tired legs. The course toughened in the final couple of miles with a challenging uphill section, before a final flat sprint to the finish line. An excellent medal formed part of a good quality goody bag that contained items ranging from a t-shirt to a sachet of anti-aging cream (were they trying to tell me something?)
Date of review: October 19, 2009

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

In short: A nice race
In full: A popular race with large field. Race starts on the edge of Lichfield, and it isn’t long before the course takes you out into some pleasant countryside where the course runs along some quiet country lanes. The first half of the course is largely downhill, with a few sapping climbs saved for the latter stages. The last couple of kilometres took us on a tour of a local housing estate, which though quiet enough for running seemed strangely out of sync with the rural nature of the majority of the course. Organisation at the start and finish was smooth with each runner receiving a good quality t-shirt, along with a free sports massage for those who were willing to wait. Unfortunately I was unable to partake myself (5 year old children not being blessed with much patience), but I thought it was an excellent idea nonetheless.
Date of review: October 19, 2009

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

In short: Save some for the hill!
In full: Well organised midweek race – definitely worth finishing work early! Organisers had everything well planned, and kept everyone up to date with starting information in the build up to the race. The fast runners were called to the start line before those of us who can’t maintain a sprint for 5 miles, which would have proved a great help to them as some of the paths were a little narrow in places. The weather wasn’t the greatest, but it would take more than the light drizzle that had everyone well soaked through by the end of the race to spoil a evening running around Cannock Chase. My only criticism would be that given the expanse of the Chase, it was something of a shame to find ourselves running along some paths more than once. A ‘too fast’ start combined with a real killer of a hill a mile or so before the end did for me on a night when I didn’t feel in the groove at all, but I’ll try again next year!
Date of review: October 19, 2009

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