My Event Ratings

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

In short: Great race, shame about local support
In full: I will do this race again as it's quick and I'm getting quicker but each year I'm really disappointed with the local support. Traffic growls as they have to wait, locals stand and stare at you like you're mad. Age UK (Small) group were great at 9k and one woman by the ambulance was cheering us on. Even right at the finish, there wasn't much cheer. Either that or I was so far back everyone was exhausted.
For a Leeds race it should be better supported. The out & back route is good, and makes a great PB potential.
Too many plodders (like me) start at the front but this time I went right to the back & picked off the field. Worked well.
The t-shirt is poor. If Scarborough 10k can manage a tech t-shirt so can the Abbey Dash.
On the plus side, this year I found the "secret" loos.

Date of review: November 20, 2011

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

In short: Perfect end to the summer
In full: Signed up last minute & threw in a stay at posh Crown Spa Hotel. Scarborough is a gem and this race just added to that. Flat(ish) run from South Bay to North & back with some great support along the way. Sneak headwind which changed direction with me but nonetheless was a brilliant race. Just a few niggles like the queue at the end for the (fab) technical t-shirt and the announcements/warm up were hard to hear down below and we couldn't see what on earth the woman was doing behind the railings.
Nice round of applause for Scarborough's sadly departed legend Sir Jimmy Savile.
I will be beack next year. Well done organisers!
Date of review: November 13, 2011

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

In short: Shocking organisation. More like a sponsored walk from the start line.
In full: Thoroughly unimpressed. Took us an age to find a car park as Leeds was pretty much closed off, yet no signs for parking anywhere.

As we shuffled to the start line, there was a slight incline as you set off (and I mean SLIGHT) when I was met by a wall of walkers! Had to leap over a barrier and run on other side of road just to get past them. Unbelievable. No starting pens meant walkers were starting from front.

Roads were far too narrow for two way running. Weaving in and out of people, round cones, avoiding in coming runners.

Goody bag was pointless. A carrier with some fruit flakes and a chocolate biscuit? Don't bother.

Yes I know it's all for charity but at £26 a head and 11000+ runners they really should do better. Back to the Abbey Dash & Bradford 10k for me. Never again.
Date of review: July 4, 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		40%
Beginner-friendliness		60%

In short: Surprisingly enjoyable!
In full: Was dreading this race because of a recent injury but was a great success in the end. Great atmosphere, although having non runners mingling in Millennium Square was annoying - especially as they were using the loos with 15 minutes to go. Also left little room to stretch out before the race. Some kind of sectioning would help.
Hills weren't as bad as they'd been suggested. Yes the first 6 are all up hill and there's a down hill at 5.3ish which lulls you into a false sense of security but then at 6.5 it's a sweet downhill/flat all the way - except for the last 200 yard which are up hill, but the crowds were great and carried me all the way.
Great support, nice touch with the kids with sponges.
T shirt and medal nice, but don't bother with the crappy sweets to make up a bag - what's the point? I really don't care about a free pack of Starbursts.
I guess I'll be back for more!
Date of review: May 9, 2010

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

In short: Fast flat race. Enjoyed.
In full: Enjoyed this race, and got a steaming PB. It is flat, there are a few "inclines" which last a maybe a few hundred yards, nothing remotely near a hill if you're a true Yorkshireman/woman. Except for the one at the start which is just to warm you up. Easy...
Atmosphere was good, and marshals were nice and vocal. Thanks!
Not much to look at being a Bradford city centre race but it's fast so it would all be a blur anyway!
Date of review: March 21, 2010

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

In short: Nice and flat but not much atmosphere on the run.
In full: Pre race, atmosphere was good. Free drinks and warm up. Toilets queues were ridiculous but I went before the race anyway.
Too many people being overly ambitious with start time so a bit crowded at the start but soon thinned out.
Marshalls and local support was really poor. Only two marshalls made a feeble attempt at a clap and an encouraging comment. Those of us at the back need all the help we can get! Some runner's fmaily at the top of the last hill before the finish line were brilliant and helped me limp on with my injury. Thank you who ever you were!
Will be back next year but improvements should be made especially if they're thinking of upping it to 10,000.
Obvious bins for chips - didn't see it and went home with it attached still.
Goody bag? Steep entry fee and cheapo t shirt. Horrible cheap cotton one - Epilepsy Action do lovely thick cotton tshirts that don't bring you out in hives, surely a few pence more for a decent shirt.
Cars on the road by Yorkshire TV weren't such a good idea. I see they closed the road when the elites were coming back down, but not before when the thousands were running up it, with cars squeezing past at a not particularly slow speed.
Next time Nell feels too ill to come along, let me know; she lives in my village, I'll go and drag her along.
Has great potential but needs to re-evaluate a few thing so it doesn't get too big for it's boots.
Date of review: November 24, 2009

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

In short: A hilly mudfest but still managable for a beginner.
In full: The exit of the field wasn't as bad as predicted, but I was right at the back ;). However, the single track, after about a mile which was cobbled, slippy and near vertical was the worst, impossible to run, especially with people stopping to walk and no way of safely getting past. Lots of off road which was a little daunting for a boring road runner, but still managed it.
Most marshalls were great but very little (ie one person) local support was disappointing especially as I was running alone (I repeat, I was at the back!).
Date of review: August 30, 2009

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

Date of review: June 28, 2009

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