My Event Ratings

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

In short: Absolutely top notch race, can't find a fault with it.
Date of review: October 3, 2011

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

In short: Superb marshalling, over-flowing goodie-bag, good course, great atmosphere. Free bananas at the end too!
Date of review: December 10, 2006

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

In short: Superb organisation, nice course, shame it was so hot
In full: Best thing about the race was probably the detail of organisation gone into the race and the wonderful spirit / encouragement that the race marshals showed at every point.

The course is as flat as you can hope to get for a full marathon in the UK, absolutely minimal traffic in most places, although it seemed to be headwind for about 85% of the course?

Could possibly have done with the marathon starting a couple of hours earlier to avoid the hottest part of the day, and boy did it seem hot. I think the results reflected that to some degree.

I was hoping for an energy drink station in the later stages of the race. My mistake for not checking and taking my own. I was minorly disappointed that the medal only said "road race" and not "marathon". Is the “Marathon” distance of 26.2 miles these days not considered worthy of mention?

The cruellest part of the race must have been using every last ounce of energy to reach Sherwood fields bridge, only to be told that we have another half mile to go around the block to finish. A half-mile that I walked 100% of because I had nothing left. Would be nice if next year that part could be avoided (stick a bit extra on the start instead please!!!).

Minor gripes aside, a superb day out. I’ll be back next year!

Date of review: September 11, 2006

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

In short: Great race, definate PB potential, shame about the goody bag.
In full: Minor bottle-neck leaving stadium, unavoidable unless you abandon Don Valley as a venue, and I'd prefer to keep the 30 second bottle-neck delay than lose the Stadium Atmosphere.

Car-Parking was fine for me. Got there for 8:15, parked within two minutes, at the end of the race, out of the car park in about 15 minutes.

Hills are barely worth mentioning, much flatter than anyone who knows Sheffield would expect the course to be.

Adequate number of drinking stations. As others have said, bottles would be nicer than cups, but I imagine it would have cost the organisers four times as much, and presumably they'd have had to cut back elsewhere then (such as the money going to charity).

Marshals were helpful, friendly and seemed to understand what was going on, what was required of them etc.

Scenery is pretty poor on the journey from the stadium to town and back, but with a majority of the race being spent around town, I didn't mind too much. Factor in the great support and atmosphere on Ecclesall Road, and I can happily put up with a tour of old industrial Sheffield.

Got myself a PB and the seven other people I spoke to after the race all got PB's too. Guess that illustrates that it's not a tough course.

Completely missed mile markers 5, 7, 8 and 9. It could be down to my attention wandering, or poor sign placement. That said, the "Half Way" sign and clock, on Ecclesall Road was most helpful...I ended up with an eight minute negative split thanks to that :)

Superb Stadium finish, great to have such an ample drinks station meters after the finish line too. Especially with a variety of drinks.

Shame about the goody bag. Perhaps we should call them "advert bag" in future :(
Date of review: May 15, 2006

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

In short: Good race, great atmosphere, good facilities
In full: The only down-side to this race if that the course is 3 laps, so you're covering the same ground multiple times. That said, it does allow you to have a good idea of whats ahead, and after 1/3 of the race you have a rough idea what your finish time will be.
Date of review: April 10, 2006

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Overall score		60%
Would you do it again?		No
Details:
Scenery		60%
PB potential		20%
Atmosphere		40%
Organisation		60%
Value		60%
Beginner-friendliness		20%

In short: Undulating?? Ha!
Date of review: February 26, 2006

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

In short: Great atmosphere, especially along Ecclesall Road with the band playing!
Date of review: May 9, 2005

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

In short: Ran the Half, got a PB, going for the full one next year. Toughest part of the course is the hill starting at mile 8 and ending at mile 9.
Date of review: September 16, 2004

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