My Event Ratings

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

In short: Always Special
In full: Still my favourite, and always will be.
It was a bit cold and wet this year but this didn't dampen the atmosphere and the supporters were out with enough energy to fuel a power station. If you ever do one race in your life, do this one.
Date of review: October 17, 2012

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

In full: Loved it!! Even better than last year, especially regarding the atmosphere.
I had no problem with the water pouches - not so keen on the shot blocks but that's just personal preference.
The course itself was reasonably flat all but for two hills, and the long stretch to Shoreham and back again is hard, but then every marathon has a psychologically touch stretch.
All in all, a very special race in which I secured a PB despite a very dicky tummy.

I do hope the rumours that they won't post out race packs next year isn't true - that'd be forcing everyone to stay in Brighton the night before which would be, quite simply, nuts. This race is set to get bigger and bigger and far outshines it's nearest UK competitor (Edinburgh) at every turn.
Date of review: April 18, 2012

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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		80%

In full: Altogether a well organised race with great PB potential. Getting more popular by the year though, so congested in places.
The atmosphere the whole way along was fantastic, the crowd were brilliant. If I had to ask for one thing to make it better, it'd be (possibly) one more water/lucozade stop, but what was on offer was more than adequate.
Would recommend this race to anyone - both experienced runners and those wanting to lose their half-marathon virginity.
Date of review: April 5, 2012

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

In full: This is my fourth Royal Parks and I did enjoy it. It does bottleneck slightly in places, but other than that I've no gripes. Good atmosphere, beautiful day, original medal.
Date of review: October 17, 2011

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

In full: Always my favourite run of the year - started in the orange zone this year which was a little devoid of atmosphere and a bit more serious(compared to the pink and white zones of my previous experiences). That said, it was nice not to be held up by countless fancy dress outfits and people overestimating their abilities this time!
The crowds are amazing. If you could bottle that feeling you get when you come over the Tyne Bridge and have the Red Arrows fly over you....you'd never need work again.

Date of review: September 22, 2011

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

In full: I did the British 10K this year with different expectations to the last few years and it made a big difference.
It's not a race, it's a fun run. You need to arrive at the start before 9am to have any hope of crossing the start line before 10am. You have to expect to weave past people who haven't a hope of running 1k, let alone 10k.
It's a shame, because the route is great and the atmosphere is fab - it's well supported, and on a fine July morning it really has potential to be up there with the Bupa 10,000.
On the upside, this year there was far more water than I've ever seen before so they've obviously paid attention to at least one of the longstanding complaints!
If only they'd organise starting pens, it might encourage the more serious runners to treat it like a race and less like a fun run.
I don't know how I managed to get my PB, pure bloody mindedness and being at the front probably, but I'm really not sure I'll be forking out £50 next year if they don't at least try and streamline the start.
Date of review: July 11, 2011

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Overall score		40%
Would you do it again?		No
Details:
Scenery		60%
PB potential		80%
Atmosphere		40%
Organisation		40%
Value		20%
Beginner-friendliness		40%

In short: Third Time Unlucky
In full: This was my third successive Edinburgh marathon and definitely my last.

The good points:
1/ Well marshalled
2/ Well stocked water stations & fuel stations
3/ Very good atmosphere through the major towns along the route

But....
I had the new experience of being injured having gone over on one of countless discarded bottles collecting in narrow parts of the route. After hobbling to the nearest help, which was a sweeper bus I encountered two very well meaning but clearly clueless people who had no idea what to do with me or my very swollen ankle.
After radio'ing through my runner number and eventually transporting me to the first aid tent just after the finish, (some two hours later), my emergency contact still hadn't been contacted (this was left to me, having to ask to borrow a first aider's mobile), and the first aid tent itself was rendered completely inaccessible by security, even after my husband could clearly see me being carted off in an ambulance they STILL wouldn't let him through to me!!

That aside - the atmosphere is nice in the more populated parts of the course but a lot of it is quite lonely - and as others have said, it's a coastal route, rather than exploring the beauty of Edinburgh.
This is not and never will be the UK's Number 2 marathon - I ran Brighton this year and from start to finish, Brighton leaves Edinburgh looking like the poor cousin of marathons.

It's a shame because it has potential. But year on year not only have Edinburgh failed to learn lessons, they continue to cut corners and rip off runners.
Date of review: May 24, 2011

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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		80%

In full: Pretty much what has been said by everyone else.

Good points....
Fantastic crowd support, nice route (aside from the road to hell but this is a marathon not a walk in the park!) very plentiful water and fuel stations. Good medal and goody bag

Not so good points...
As with most events, there could always be more loos before the start.
There was a huge amount of waste (re Powerade) and wonder if there could be smaller bottles next year?
Getting from the finishing funnel back to the street was a bit of a mission but that was my only real gripe.
I worry how the course would have been had all 15,000 runners turned up - it was quite crowded in parts as it was.
Overall it's a special race and one I'd highly recommend, certainly a nice alternative to London :-)
Date of review: April 13, 2011

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

In full: As others have said, the start was crowded and the support was quite scarce in places. It'd have been nice to see more of Liverpool city centre during the run but the parks were lovely, as was the run along the waterfront.
Although not my favourite race of all time it's given me a new PB and I have no major gripes, the goody bag was great and overall organisation was good.
Date of review: April 6, 2011

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

In full: Well organised, friendly, and fast.
A bit cold - if this was done in spring it'd be perfect, but at least it wasn't raining.
I'd recommend it to anyone.
Date of review: February 20, 2011

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