My Event Ratings

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

In short: BLIMEY!
In full: Magnificent experience, tough as they come, especially with a gale force wind that had needles in it (well that's what if felt like). Mars bars, hot cross buns and tomato soup kept my spirits up. The elevation profile on my Garmin connect screen looks like the Himalayas. A must do once at least race. Can't sign off without mentioning the superb marshals, thank you so much.
Date of review: October 28, 2012

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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: Stunning.
In full: My first time, loved it, fairly challenging course, well organised, plenty of water/lucozade/jelly babies. At the finish you get medal/well above average goody bag/water/banana/tea/cakes/beer/music what's not to like! Printed results up on board within minutes. Recommended to all.
Date of review: July 1, 2012

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

In short: Every one should do one.
In full: First marathon, put in all the training, but found it fairly difficult to get in a settled rhythm, several bottle necks and rather too many inconsiderate runners who think it is ok just to dart across straight in front of you or stop completely. Later on had to get round loads of people walking three-a-breast. Discarded bottles needed serious concentration too, but hey 37,000 runners aint gonna be easy. My Garmin says i had over 3 minutes of not moving at all, and that i ran 26.7 miles not 26.2! The overall experience was magnificent and my minor gripes above are only because I had hoped to go under 4 hours and the logistics made that difficult. In hindsight you'd be better forgetting PB's and enjoying the atmosphere with a comfortable jaunt. Finish line grin and arm raising was great.
Date of review: April 24, 2012

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

In short: Challenging multi-terrain event which is very well organised.
In full: Lovely fresh sunny Sunday morning, fortunately there was only a light zephyr and it was not too muddy. Appears to be a weirdly anomolous course in as much as i'm sure there is much more uphill than downhill! You really have to earn your mince pie. The medal at the end is better than a useless cup or other non-use memento, and the goody bag was ok.
Took advantage of a post race massage and also won a tin of sweets in the raffle, so well worth the effort, lol.
It did appear to be ever so slightly long though, by about 1/3rd of a mile but that is not enough to get upset about.
A great work-out for the run up to Christmas, my garmin says i used 1,440 calories, so they are in the bank for future excesses, hehehe.
Date of review: December 12, 2010

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

In short: Redhill 23/10/10 10k mud,mud,glorious mud, and then add some more mud for fun.
In full: Friday night rain meant the course was very wet and soon churned into a quagmire. Was advised in pre-race info to wear old trainers as they would get ruined, big mistake! Wore a pair that have seen far too much action and hence had virtually no tread. This meant i was sliding around going uphill (of which there were plenty), downhill and even on the flat! Totally ballsed my chances of a respectable time but it did add to the fun (everyone elses that is, lol). Cameraderie was great and the military guys were spot on. I even beat one of the soldiers who was running (mind you he did have a ruddy great pack on, hehehe). Everyone should do at least one of these. Was an hours drive each way for me but was worth it. I'm wearing my "survivor" t-shirt with pride. Hope all the injured people i saw throughout the race were eventually ok, and very well done to all those that competed. Lastly, many thanks to the six physio guys and gals for my post race massage, worked wonders on my hill knotted calves and quads. :-)
Date of review: October 23, 2010

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

In short: (10k) Super setting. Tough climb up Bo Peep. My Garmin showed 12k not 10!
In full: Firle place is a great setting, the views North and South up top are stunning. Terrain was varied but manageable. It was so windy up on Firle Beacon i was sure my number was going to blow away!
As briefly mentioned in the summary, my Garmin measured the 10k as 11.95k, which was a bit of a shock when you've paced yourself for 10, was barely hanging on at the end, LOL.
The goody bag was ok, with drink and snack in it. Would slighty err towards the medal camp as i have a cupboard full of bags.
Must thank the Clif guy for all the Peanut Butter Energy Bar samples i snuck away, hehe.
Surprised by low turnout, but there were runs at Bexhill and East Grinstead on the same morning, so probably understandable.
If the few minor flaws mentioned here and elsewhere were ironed out it would become a 100% not to be missed event.
Date of review: September 30, 2010

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

In short: Pleasant Sunday morning run.
In full: Undulating course with hardly any flat bits, footing a concern in some parts, need to negotiate with care. Mostly soft going so great for those who are averse to road running. Chances of a PB slim, and you'll not be slim after the pre and post race goodies to consume!
Date of review: September 5, 2010

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

In short: Informal, friendly event, well marshalled.
In full: It was blisteringly hot and fortunately the organisers decided to put in a water station at 3.5 miles, where origanally there were none planned, good move. The course was very dry and in places quite severly rutted so concentration was required on your footing. Several sets of steps and bridges to contend with which broke up your rythm, but not as badly as the multitude of gates which necessitated stopping and starting to negotiate. The ambience around the natural harbour was great.
Very narrow in places it was sometimes difficult to pass slower runners, requires could etiquette to allow faster runners to pass as and when thay wish.
The race finished at a pub which was just to tempting on such a sunny day, a fine pint of Abbot ale followed 2 cups of water!
Date of review: May 23, 2010

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

In short: Ideal PB opportunity if the wind wasn't there!
In full: Very flat course (hurrah!). Ever so well supported, virtually the whole route was lined with friendly, encouraging supporters. My only organisational gripe is that the location wasn't very clearly signposted, especially the last couple of roundabouts.
Date of review: May 18, 2010

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

In short: Great introduction for my first 10k, that last hill is a killer though!
Date of review: April 25, 2010

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