My Event Ratings

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

In short: A very friendly and well organised event.
In full: I began running in May and this was my first half marathon which I knew I was going to be slow at. As all the club runners arrived my heart sank and I looked desperately for a fellow newbie. There were none!
Within metres of the start I was at the back, but the benefit of this was the company of a lovely marshal on a bike and he kept me company for the following three hours...(yes, I told you I was a newbie).
All the marshals were lovely - friendly and encouraging, even though I was keeping them out in the cold a good twenty minutes after the last runner.
It was easy to pick up my chip and the people handing them out were really friendly.
The route was flat (apart from two brief inclines up from the promenade) and quiet (especially at the back!).
The route comprised of two laps of Daedalus airfield and I shall be quite happy never to see that again. It was eerie and ghost townish with all those long abandoned MOD buildings. The best part of the course was definintely the clear view of the Isle of Wight and all the yachts sailing between there and Southampton. It was a shame this was so brief a view between miles 10 and 11.
I would have liked more water, but I noticed most people carried their own with them.
I was the last over the line and it felt good as they could say everyone had finished - and they could all pack up and go home!
The goodie bag (reusable canvas with the 25th anniversary logo on) was great - especially the homemade cherry cake that was exactly what I needed after finishing!
It was well organised and friendly - I will be back next year when I will try not to come in last (I will have done a few more halves and a full marathon by then).
I would recommend it to newbies because it was very friendly all round, but be warned it was a little disheartening being lapped by the elite runners on their second lap of Daedalus whilst I was still on my first! Don't let that put you off, as you might have my new buddy on the bike to keep you company!
Date of review: November 22, 2010

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