My Event Ratings

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

In short: Amazing muddy run!
In full: I did the slog for the first time last year and instantly it became a favourite. I would travel from abroad to come back to this race.

Organisation is fantastic, crowds are brilliant, the course just makes you grin like an idiot the whole way round and the 2 minute silence prior to the race is a great moment for all to remember those lost.

Slight shame that there is no longer a race t-shirt in the goodie bag and my only tiny tiny fault is that the goodie bag seemed far less quality this year than before.

Also, have to laugh at those who entered the slog and did their best to avoid all the mud, not really sure of the point since the slog is known for the mud. Just get in and enjoy yourself!

All in all a fantastic run (despite losing my shoe!So glad I found it again!)
Date of review: November 15, 2011

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

In short: I've never enjoyed a race so much!
In full: First time runner and had an amazing time.

I can't believe how much I enjoyed the cold wet mud but it was so enjoyable thanks to the FANTASTIC support all the way round the course from the spectators and the marshalls. Organisation was excellent as well as a great race bag at the end.

Leave it to the Bristolians to show others how it should be done!
Date of review: November 15, 2010

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

In short: Fast, lovely course but the finish was a bit of a joke along with the 'goodie bag'
In full: Cardiff was my 3rd half (Paris and Bristol being the other two) and it was a good one (with just a few negatives). Couldn't have asked for better weather!

Good bits
1. Nice flat course allowing you to get a good pace
2. Scenic - really enjoyed the Bay area and coming back towards the city centre.
3. Quite well organised and the text with your race times at the end was impressive.

Bad bits.
1. Making us run past the finish? What a joke. A lot of us started picking up pace when we saw the finish and then realised that we had to continue on past it before turning round to come back. Really hard on those who put everything in to that last stretch.

2. Congested in places, especially around the park and I think that is due to a lot of people who were in the wrong timing sections. I was in the sub 2 hour and quite a lot of people in this group started walking after just a mile or two. Along with some people who were just ambling along chatting away 2 or 3 abreast on narrow sections, forcing other runners out onto the mud/into the road to get past them.

3) Dodging pedestrians - quite a few people almost collided with pedestrians when they were walking across in front of everyone. What is that about?

4) Couldn't hear a word of the PA system because of the music they kept playing but not that big of a deal as the screen showed us when people had started. But would be harder for the people unable to see it!

5)Mile markers..or lack of. Normally the mile markers jump out at me to torment me but I only saw 4,5, 9 and 13. Not sure if not seeing them actually helped me more than anything but I think a lot of people appreciate them.

5)Race bag at the end. What a joke. For the price you expect a bit more than a flannel (where is the t-shirt they mentioned before?) and a couple of nut bars. I can't even eat nuts so that was a bit of a waste. The medal was very nice though, as always.

6)Crowd..while there were a lot of people out and about I have to say the supporters were a bit on the quiet side! I say this coming from the Bristol half marathon where EVERYONE was cheering and clapping regardless and it was amazing. In Cardiff there were a few sporadic cheers and claps (mostly for people they knew) so it wasn't quite what I was expecting. Bristol definately had the best atmosphere of any run I've done to date.

All in all though a good half marathon which I would do again. Would be even better if they maybe adressed the position of the finish line and provided a better goodie bag.
Date of review: October 18, 2010

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