My Event Ratings

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

In short: Shambolic organisation
In full: This was my first half marathon, so I chose to support a local race. I wish I hadn't. I was glad I had someone with me to mind my bag, as the baggage queue was hundreds of meters long and some folk missed the start of the race. Likewise for the toilet queues. The start itself was delayed but there were no announcements (someone came around with a mic to say there was a zumba warm-up, but it wasn't at the holding pens and most runners had already started by then anyway). One of water stations ran dry before the end of the race. Big cheers to the marshalls and the steel drum players along the Green Way, who really helped to cheer things up. My biggest complaint is that the placings are by gun time rather than chip time, so I am placed behind a lot of runners with slower times - that can't be right. I appreciate it was the first half marathon, but there have been four previous 10ks, so I expected better organisation.
Date of review: April 14, 2013

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

In short: 6.55k race was OK, but organisation could be better
In full: I opted for the 6.55k distance. Had considered the half kilomathon but, having read the comments, glad I didn't. The 6.55k started and finished where the main races ended - in a field by the White Water Centre - so at least I did not have the shuttle bus problem. The race pack had said there was no parking available, but we were able to park there, probably because there were only 20 runners, of a possible 2,500. Less than a Parkrun! There was a cafe in the White Water Centre for hot drinks and bacon or sausage baps but this wasn't advertised. Race started half an hour late, they said due to transport difficulties. As a result, I was running into the longer distance runners as I headed towards the finish line. The DJ at the start/finish was cheery. Most of the marshals were uncommunicative but they were probably bored with so few runners - I got a bit lonely running through woodland in my own company a lot of the time. There were a handfull of kids doing a shorter race and I felt sorry for them having so few people to cheer them on. A staggered start and finish for all the races at the same location would have created a better atmosphere and avoided the transport difficulties.

The distances are great for someone wanting an extra challenge but there are obvious organisational problems that need to be sorted before I'll commit to the 13.1k next year.
Date of review: October 30, 2012

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

In short: Be fast to get a goody bag!
In full: Very pleasant route around Victoria Park. Nice and flat and definite PB potential, though the figure of 8 course was a bit confusing, Some runners almost went astray despite helpful marshalls. However, I was disappointed that there weren't enough goody to go round - they had run out by the time those of us at the back finished, and no water at the finish line either. I know we don't just run for goody bags but for those of us with no chance of winning its's nice to have some momento of a race (and they were proper kit bags too, so worth having). A bit of a disappointing finish to an otherwise great race.
Date of review: April 7, 2012

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

In short: Smooth route and free brunch!
In full: Race HQ is in the Excel Centre, so plenty of loos, and car parking (though wished they'd warned us it was £10 for over 2 hours). There was a good aerobic warm-up beforehand - well done to the lady who led it. Part of the route was along the Royal Victoria dockside, which is very scenic, and it was virtually pancake flat. Lots of PBs as a result. No sign of the slippery metal bridges that reviewers in previous years have complained about, so I assume the route must have changed. One road to cross but the marshalls controlled the traffic well. Being two laps meant that we had to jump out the way for the race leader as he came around, but hopefully the slowcoaches at the back like me didn't slow him up too much! Would have been good if the two water stations had been better spaced out, but not a huge problem. Nice medal and goody bag with various choccy bars and diet coke. The free brunch was great - bacon, sausage, tomato and mushroom rolls, fruit, yoghurts and tea and coffee. Plenty for both runners and supporters. And the brunch meant that folks hung around for the award ceremony, which created a great atmosphere, especially with Steve Cram and one of our Olympic hopefuls, Conrad Williams, supporting the event. A good race all round.
Date of review: February 26, 2012

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

In short: Club-oriented race over a nice flat course
In full: This race was over the same course as the Pride 10k, which was held a few weeks before. My Garmin measured the course as slightly over the 10k but I assume it has been properly measured at some point, and GPS is never 100% accurate. The start of the race is over a km from the clun house and toilets and a few runners missed the start as a result. The course has one long straight then three laps, with a water station positioned so you pass it three times, which is helpful. This seemed to be largely a clun run (though there were plenty of unattached runners) and the event reflected this - smooth organisation but no bells and whistles i.e. no medal or goody bag but well marshalled and more water and a banana at the end.
Date of review: September 5, 2011

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

In short: Good value local race with great organisation
In full: This was my third Barking August Bank Holiday 5k and - due to renovation work in the local parks - this was the third different venue. The course, at the Eastbrookend Country Park in Dagenham, was mainly over gravel paths with some short grass. This made it slightly harder work for those lightweights like me who are used to running on pavement/tarmac (my excuse for my worse time so far!). But the organisation was good and spectators (and marshalls) were friendly which more than made up for aching limbs. No medals or goody bags (you wouldn't expect them for such a low entrance fee)but there was a water station and also refreshments available at the end in return for a contribution to the local children's hospice, Richard House.
Date of review: August 30, 2011

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

In short: Great race for beginners
In full: Well organised event. Warm and friendly atmosphere. Three-lap course meant that you got to plenty of support on the way round, but scenic parkland meant it didn't get boring. Stylish medal and great goody bag: really love the towel - wish more organisers would do this rather than giving T shirts that are never the right size. The cream cheese bagel at the end was a nice touch. I don't usually stick around for prize-givings (as I never win a prize!) but the speech by CJ from Eggheads regarding the event charity (the Albert Kennedy Trust) was really moving and I was pleased my participation helped to support such a worthy cause.
Date of review: August 24, 2011

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

In short: A beginner's trail run
In full: A new 10k around Fairlop Waters in Redbridge, Essex (at the Eastern end of the central line). The race took place at 5.00pm, at the end of a fun day to mark the build up to the Olympics. Numbers and timing chips were collected on the day, even for those who had registered in advance (I suppose this saves on postage). Luckily the field wasn't big (206 completed) so there wasn't too much queueing. Overall the atmosphere was good: the friendly crowd enjoyed the Zumba warm-up, with lots of spectators joining in too. The race began on a tarmac path but soon moved onto a stony grass track and then across a golf course (a bit disconcerting to run while golfers played around you). Running over the rough grass was a bit heavy going for a road runner like me and the hot weather with no shade didn't help. Could maybe have done with an extra water station rather than just a 5k. Disappointed that, despite the small number of completers, they had run out of small T shirts by the time I finished - surely there must be a way of avoiding this? Otherwise an OK but sparse cloth goody bag with a finishers medal, tin of Wellman drink and a tin of ladies shaving cream, and a sports drink and water as you crossed the line. A worthwhile and pleasant run through scenic parkland if you don't expect a PB.
Date of review: July 25, 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 short: Good value, friendly race
In full: My second year of running this race, and I would do it again. The good quality Adidas T shirt is worth the entrance fee alone, and the medal is one of the best I've got. I thought the organisation was fine. Plenty of parking and loos, both portable and in Bluewater shopping centre. There weren't any pace makers this year (certainly not for 65-70min runners like me!) but I didn't find them particularly helpful last year anyway. There were km markers for each km, but some were on the other side of the road or behind trees so could have been difficult to spot. There are some quite tough slopes on the route, so maybe not the best race for a complete beginner, but the atmoshpere was friendly with plenty of non-club runners. I agree that the 500ml bottles at 5k and about 7-8k were a bit wasteful but they were appreciated. The three bands on the route were very entertaining.
Date of review: June 6, 2011

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

In short: well-marshalled race
In full: The Witham Boxing Day 5 finally took place on 2 May. Race HQ was Witham Football Club. Plenty of loos (and loo paper!) for the size of the field. Tea and soft drinks, plus delicious homemade cake on sale cheaply at the bar. Attendees seemed to be mainly club runners from nearby Essex clubs, but the atmosphere was relaxed and friendly. The race began and ended in residential streets but was mostly on rural lanes. The roads were not closed, which I found a bit intimidating, but luckily on a Bank Holiday Monday there wasn't much traffic. I found the undulations none too gentle (I thought what goes up must come down?). But friendly marshalls were on hand along the way, giving words of encouragement even to stragglers like me, which kept me going. Water at the end of the race - it was quite warm so might have been nice to have some on the way (probably not an issue on Boxing Day). No medal but a nice technical T Shirt (lots of adverts on the back but I can live with that). Enjoyable day.
Date of review: May 2, 2011

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