My Event Ratings

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

In short: Punishing run, rewarding to finish!
In full: Coming back on a high from the Mud Runner Oblivion May 8th I entered The Grim II. First time I've indulged in the Grim series.

Very pleased that it was a tough run and the trails were nice, esp the bit through the forest! The motocross circuit was sapping, kinda like running round a big dipper. Very fun and varied- felt like I was going to lose control as I barrelled down the steepest decline section but managed to stay upright!

Very hilly (not much flat) which was great and quite a fast course (in that there were no mud pits or water). Reckon they could've thrown in a couple more obstacles although the net was a fun little break.

In terms of the organisation- no major complaints. I arrived over an hour before the race and ended up driving round the course in my Civic with no Marshalls about to point me anywhere. A bit of off-roading was actually fun, and eventually parked the car somewhere. They need more portaloos however; Mud Runner had a urinal truck brought in that took a lot of the flack.

Overall it was a great challenge as a dry trail 10k; legs were screaming at me and I was breathing heavily throughout- battled though it to land in at 49:30 which was v pleasing, felt a lot longer!

Give it a go if you reckon you can handle some quality hill and incline action!

ps.. scored the PB potential at 100% since you base your PB on the course itself, not the distance.
Date of review: May 16, 2011

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

In short: Great fun and very challenging!
In full: With all the dry weather recently I was slightly concerned it wouldn't be very muddy, but the organisers did a superb job creating loads of soggy mud pits and squidgy areas (also allowing us runners to further churn it up).

Great varied terrain with no shortage of uphill/downhill and the obstacles were fun too! Love running through the forest trails, very picturesque.

Overall very well organised- entry/exit/parking really easy, lots of loos and a urinal truck, course well marked, not too congested (the wave system worked pretty well (was in wave 1 and the fast wave 2 peeps only caught up about 5 mins from the end).

Gave it the top rating for PB since you set your PB at completing the Oblivion course! Aiming to beat my 1:10 next year...

Very fun day, punished it and well done to the organisers! Bring on the Classic in Oct!
Date of review: May 9, 2011

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

In short: One to pump your fist to as you cross the line!
In full: Having gradually and unintentionally built up running distances over the past 8 months, this was a first attempt at the half-marathon distance and found it (ultimately) extremely fulfilling!

I love trail running; the Spartan Race (3 miles with obstacles) lit the flame and found myself subsequently ploughing through the MudRunner Classic (6-7 miles), Hellrunner (Down South/In the Middle (10-12 miles)) and now this.

Quite a fast course in terms of trail running with no water, mud or other natural obstacles. A nice load of hills though, and I agree with the other comments that I wouldn't describe them wholly as 'gentle gradients'; the inclines weren't massively severe (only saw a 1 or 2 people reduced to a walk (where I was)) but they were very long with the occasional steep bit.

Nice twisty dry trails through the forest and enjoyed the support from the spectators- even clocked a few high fives on the way!

Went for the Asics as opposed to the muddy trail runners, fine for the course and weather conditions.

Came in at 1hr 40 which was pleasing with the legs not quite but almost as punished as Hellrunner: Hell in the Middle (which was 11 miles but crazily hilly with water/bogs/mud). This was faster and an enjoyably different race (1:52 for Hell in the Middle). Would recommend a bit of hill training for beginners or runners used to flat races.

Must say it was very well organised with everything from arrival to the race to the exit running very smoothly. A few more portaloos wouldn't go amiss however :-)

One area of improvement I'd suggest would be better chip stats. Would love to have a reading for times crossing the start line/halfway point added.

Overall it was a great morning and found the distance provoked many undulations of the mental spectrum. Would certainly do it again!

Next one's the MudRunner Oblivion in May, bring it on!
Date of review: March 28, 2011

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