My Event Ratings

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

In short: Errr where are the hills??!?!?
In full: Car park is about 200 metres from the start. Start was delayed around 15 mins which was good as I thought it started at 11am and not 10.30!!

This course has PB written all over it. Not one hill to note on the course which loops twice around the same circuit.

Had a initial problem with my time being recorded but all sorted now and happy with my 38:52 finish ( a new pb)

Goody bag could have had more in it!
Date of review: March 14, 2011

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

In short: Mud, Hills, Water and Pain!
In full: Ouch!

Enjoyed this race. The start was right next to the start line which is always good.

The start of the race is interesting, after 100 metres you hit the water, which was a little cold and shocked the legs. Shortly after you hit a big hill. The course was obvioulsy very muddy and nearly lost the shoe on a number of occasions but it beats road running every day of the week.

Did a lot more walking than I thought I would but still managed 30th place.

Nice medal, the only thing that needs sorting is the walk from the finish to the car park and perhaps the organisers should consider switching the finsh from the castle to the start area.

Oh yeah 6 miles, I don't think so!!!!

Will be going back for Icebreaker in Feb.
Date of review: October 24, 2010

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

In short: PB potential but shocking organisation
In full: Got to the start and did not have a clue what was going on. Got into the running pen (after having to climb a barrier). Not one sign to indicate which pen was which and runners were not seperated into the predicted finishing times. Poor! Fortunately I did not hit a bottleneck as was at the front.


Despite the farce at the start, the course had PB potenital written all over it, as it was very flat. In fact the only climbs of any significance came between miles 10.5 and mile 12.

One of the better goody bags at the end and a nice shiny locally made medal was enclosed.

Will be back but hopefully the issues with the start will be sorted.

Nice to see Mo Farah starting us off!
Date of review: October 24, 2010

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

In short: Quick
In full: Well organised race. No parking at the sports hall but town centre was only a 5 min walk.

Not as hilly as previously described and definite PB potential. Very fast final 5 miles.

Good marshalling and a half decent goody bag at the end with free water bottle (hurrah something useful!)

Finished in 1:31.51 smashing PB and will be back next year to go sub 1:30
Date of review: September 26, 2010

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

In short: Good Old Hills
In full: Well I've been in a lot of races recently with a lot of people claiming they were "hilly" Finally a race that warrants the label!

Race itself was 8.5 miles according to the Garmin and it was tough. Lots of hills and shoe-losing ground with a few stiles chucked in.

Marshalling was good and encouraging. Somehow managed a sprint finish with 300 metres to go, not sure where that came from as the legs were knackered at that point!

Love races like this and would definitely do it again.
Date of review: September 13, 2010

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

In short: What Hill?!
In full: Decent race and good organisation. 1st 2K starts off on a climb but not too bad. This is followed by a couple of 2K loops with narrow roads. On this part of the course you get 2 oppurtunities for water. You also get to lap people who are supposed to be on the right! Hmmm.

With the loop out of the way you make your way back home, with the well advertised hill around 7.5K in which lasts for around 1.5 K ish. To be fair its not the worst hill in the world and ive seen and done a lot worse (Cobra Classic) recently.

With the hill out of the way you get the chance for a downhill dash for the final 1.2K with the finish in Sanders Park. At the finish you get a medal and a bottle of water (hurrah, no dodgy T-Shirt!)

All in all quality race, the only suggestion would be, is to introduce a timing chip!



Date of review: July 11, 2010

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

In short: Beware of the final 5K!
In full: The first 5K was almost all downhill. So after reading the race reports on here regarding 2009, I knew what was coming next - 3 miles of hills!

The hills were tough, no doubt about it. To be fair though if you cane the first half you have potential for a pb.

Nice little goodie bag at the end consisting of a banana, pen, medal, sweets, higlighter (!?) and water.

The only improvement I could think of, would be the introduction of a timing chip but I suppose larger numbers would need to be attracted to justify it.

Will be back for 2011 hopefully...
Date of review: May 30, 2010

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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 short: Glorious weather and well organised.
In full: Very warm day.

Bit of a walk from the car park with little signage. If people think this is a hilly couse they must live in Holland. Definitely has pb potential. In fact mile 5 is completely downhill.

Nice little chocolate at the end, you also get a medal and t-shirt for your buck.

Will be returning to go sub 40 next year!
Date of review: May 16, 2010

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		80%
Beginner-friendliness		80%

In short: If you like Hills.....
In full: Ver hilly so forget your pb being smashed. in fact I was 5 mins off mine today which was down to a combo of returning from injury, hot weather and the killer hills. The final half a mile was down hill which was what the body was crying out for after a torturous 2.5K which included 2 sets of steps. It must be the first time I have walked in a 5K due to the steps.

Scenery was class, at the top of the hill you had panoramic views of Birmingham - what more do you want! Will be back the Rumble in July then on to Tough Guy.
Date of review: April 24, 2010

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

In short: Tough but no Tough Guy!
In full: Start was very congested and bottlenecks for the 1st 3 miles at least. Saw people walking after only 400 metres (surely you did some training?!?) A lot of mud and water. Saw a load of people going around the water but as i had paid for it, I though I would run straight through! After 5 miles, there was the oppurtunity to get some decent running in as the "puddles" were less frequent. Expecting the finish after 8 miles but was more like 9 ( according to the garmin 8,74!!!). Went into what i thought was the last corner only to see another loop before the finish! Demoralising was not the word i said at the time. Managed to finish in 1hr 12 so not too bad. did not realy want a T-Shirt but still, maybe a pices of mud attached to a ribbon would have been more apt...
Date of review: December 10, 2009

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