Latest Ratings
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2012 Bewl 15
 | | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Superb race, scenic, great organisation, well recommended.
In full: My 3rd time at this event and as always, it is superb. Organisation is almost perfect, the route of the race is varied, scenic and in the last 5 miles, challenging. First 10 miles are relatively flat around the lake and can be run quick as the tracks are quite wide.
Great support all the way round in terms of drinks stations, friendly Marshalls and other helpers.
Great to have access to changing, showers & toilets. Issues with water pressure beyond the control of the organisers and nothing to do with them. This should not be seen as a 'negative' to the whole event.
The range of cakes and drinks at the end is fantastic. My primary reason for coming back again and again to do this race. Of course, the fabulous scenery is a bonus. A pity the weather was a let down this year, which made the conditions underfoot sometimes difficult as it was quite muddy in places.
A great range of prizes and a well stuffed 'goodie bag' with a gold medal for the first 100 finishers a nice touch.
Great to have regular pre-race e-mail updates.
Toilet facilities will always be an issue whatever race you go to. It is just something that we all have to deal with and anticipate and plan for. I've done hundreds of races and they all have a lack of bogs. Shouldn't be a detraction to the event and seen as a negative aginst the organisers.
Many thanks to everyone involved in making this a fantastic race and the time given to make it happen. It deserves to be in the top 10 of races in the UK and i hope that it can continue with its success.
Put it in your calendar for next year! At £17 it is a bargain.
Date of review: July 3, 2012
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2012 Godalming Jubilee Run
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Great atmosphere, good, well marked course, almost faultless
In full: A new event and one that i hope will continue in the future. All credit to the race organisers and the various helpers in making this event happen.
The course was quite mixed with 3 hills, the second of which was quite a challenge. Mostly road/tarmac paths and a lovely, scenic stretch along the River. Definitely not PB material, but worth turning up to do as it is a rewarding run. Start and finish in the high street is a nice touch with lots of enthusiastic crowd support, although a little narrow for a fast start. Well marked course that required no thinking when running. Only minor point for the race organisers to consider for the future is perhaps more Marshalls at 9K area through the park, as there were a lot of people and small children. This could pose a risk. Otherwise, excellent!
Nice goody bag at the end, although have to agree with with the comment that said a medal or other momento would have been more appropriate as it was the Jubilee and an inaugral race. Cotton t-shirt only good for DIY. Also, £16 is a little steep for a 10k.
That said, i'll be back and will recommend to others.
Once again, many thanks to all those involved in organising the race.
Date of review: June 5, 2012
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2012 East Grinstead 10 Mile (part of the Go Mid Sussex Marathon Weekend)
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 40% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Dull, 2 laps course, bottleneck in places, good marshalling & route signage, good atmosphere
In full: This review is for the 10 miles race at Haywards Heath on Sunday: As a new event, this could have potential. Good organisation, great Marshalling & route signage. Nice facilities at beginning and end. However, as a 'seasoned' runner with many years experience, the route is very dull and uninspiring. Approx. 50/50 road and off road. Some of the road sections take the runners through urban estates! Very uncomfortable, as anyone could be out walking with dogs(as they did), children playing, cars, etc. and all in very built-up areas. Not good! The sections through the woods were Ok, but affected by the two 'bottlenecks' with out and back runners passing each other, and some at speed. I was one of those, and had to slow down in places to avoid possible collisions! Having to do a second lap of this course was quite de-motivating.
Having said all that, the Marshalling was superb and good to have some support in places en-route. Nice medal, but have to agree the 'goody-bag' wasn't really. It would be much better if organisers either put the time and money into better prizes or finishers momentos.
I wish the organisers well in the future if this event is to continue, but i strongly recommend a complete course change or at least take out the sections through the housing estates. There is some great countryside in and around the area.
Thanks to all the organisers, Marshalls and helpers for the event, particularly as it was foul weather.
Date of review: May 7, 2012
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2012 White Horse Half-Marathon
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Glorious weather, fast, scenic course, great organisation. A must-do race for all!
In full: Almost perfect! My first time at this race and i'll definitely be back and encourage others to do it. A small field of approx. 500 in a very rural, quiet location. A superb course as it is about 99% flat with only the very mildest of slight undulations in the latter part of the course. Very scenic as it passes through wonderful Oxfordshire countryside and quaint English Villages and with some of the Villagers out on the streets providing welcome vocal support & encouragement.
Good to have access to the Rugby club near the start for toilets and the HQ for changing, post-race relaxation, etc. Just a note - if you do this event then be aware that there is a long walk back to the Health Centre car park after the race(if you have parked there). Good for some as a oool down, but could be a trauma for others. Not a complaint, just an observation. Plenty of parking near HQ and finish area though.
This race is great value for money and must feature on every runner's race calendar as an event to do at least once in their running career. I've raced many events, on all terrains, distances, all weather and over many years. I rank this event as being right up there amongst the best and it deserves to be. Long may it continue, but book early.
Forget the over-rated, expensive and crowded other half-marathons, go for this event instead. It's good for serious, clubby runers and those doing their first half. The race results reflect that.
Thanks to all the event organisers and helpers. It was a great morning out, made more enjoyable by the fabulous weather. Just the right temperature & a mild breeze.
I'll be back!
Date of review: April 2, 2012
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2012 Bath Half-Marathon
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | No | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 40% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 40% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Great atmosphere, lovely city, fab crowd support, dull, NOT FLAT course
In full: 1st time at Bath Half and will be last. Main points summarised above. Too expensive, too crowded, even for the elite runners, of which i was one, and yes, too narrow and dangerous in some areas, as others have said.
Having said that, the 'runners village' was well stocked and everything in terms of organisation for getting around seemed quite good. Always gonna be diffcult to get perfect for an event of this size and in a major, busy city.
The course route is DEFINITELY NOT FLAT. I had to emphasise that, as reading other comments one would assume that it is flat and good PB potential. It isn't! I've races in many events and on all terrain and distances over many years. I know the difference in flat and undulating and hilly. Be warned! If you are a serious club runner or someone who really wants to achieve a good time, there are many other events out there that will offer you the chance to achieve your goal. And they are definitely flat and a fraction of the entry price for Bath Half.
Fab atmosphere and brilliant crowd support make this a really enjoyable event for the majority of non-competitive and charity runners.
Final issue: if you planning on doing the event, then plam to make a day or weekedn of it as trying to get out of the city using any form of transport that has to negotiate the course an absolute nightmare!! I used the park and ride. I finished the race in 80 mins. I didn't get out of the city until after 3pm. The Council refused to open parts of the course to allow buses, etc to cross, even though there were clearly no runners in sight on the course. Bad decision-making on their part caused a great deal of unnecessary delay and frustration, made worse by having to sit on a bus for almost an hour as the fantastic driver attempted to get out of the city. Yes, i could have walked, but would anyne really want to walk 2-3 miles all uphill after this event? Very few would.
Rant over.
Date of review: March 13, 2012
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2011 Duck Pond Waddle
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 40% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 100% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Great x-c running as it should be, great facilities, good organisation, great bargain!
In full: This is 'must do' race for any keen runner of whatever ability. Plenty of mud and testing hills to provide a challenge. At £7 for pre-race entry, this is a superb bargain considering the price of similar events. In addition the facilities at the Tennis Club are a welcome treat post-race as are the numerous race 'mementoes' of which there was a choice. Only one minor hiccup this year at about half-way into the race a race Marshall wasn't in place and some front runners were mis-directed. Otherwise very well marked, and enough drinks stations. Excellent.
Many thanks to all the race organisers, helpers and Marshalls for making this a great event. Long may it continue and hopefully become a RW top rated event.
Date of review: December 5, 2011
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2011 The Minstead Stinger
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 80% | | PB potential | | 80% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 80% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Lovely course, excellent marshalling, great event
In full: This is must-do race for any runner of whatever capacity. All off-road on easy tracks and only a few mildly challenging climbs. Very well marked and with lots of encouragement from very friendly marshalls, this is a race not to be missed on the calendar! Nice mini 'race village' adds to the sense of great organisation and thought. A nice goodie bag adds to the overall enjoyment of this race. I'll certainly be recommending it and will do it again. A very nice touch was that several marshalls had a list of entrants names and called these out as they passed by en-route. Very encouraging.
The only addition to complete this race would be some distance markers on the course. Not a major problem though as the course map is displayed at race HQ and is available on the website.
Many thanks to all those involved in the organisation for making this a wonderful morning out in a lovely part of the country. Long may this event continue.
Date of review: October 23, 2011
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2011 Queen Elizabeth Trail 11
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | Yes | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 100% | | PB potential | | 40% | | Atmosphere | | 80% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Superb venue, great scenery, nice cakes, route signage could be better
In full: This was the inaugral race and a great start of what could be a popular future event with a few tweaks of improvement. Very tough first 5 miles including running up Butser hill! More gentle 2nd half with a nice downhill to the finish. Fantastic scenery and multi-terrain. It would be a real hard challenge in the wet!
Very unseasonal hot, dry weather this year made the race even harder, particularly with only 1 water stop. I'm sure the organiser will improve this for the future if more unseasonal weather.
Perhaps better route signage would also improve the event and minimise frustration and anyone getting lost. Several key points were unmarked or had limited marking. In addition, maybe prizes aswell for ladies and/or age categories, particularly if the race grows in the future.
I'd definietly do this race again and will highly recommend it to others in the hope that it will become a successful, popular race. It deserves to be.
Many thanks to everyone involved in the organisation, the lovely cakes and refreshments and the marshalls. It's well worth a trip to do this race. What more can you ask for? Mark it in your calendar for next year.
Date of review: October 3, 2011
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2011 New Forest Half Marathon
| | Overall score | | 60% | | Would you do it again? | | No | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 60% | | Value | | 60% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 80% |
In short: Well marshalled event, nice medal, good route
In full: First time at this event. Having run many events on road and off-road i would say that the NF route is average. Not until the route gets out approx. 5 miles does it start to become reasonably scenic. The NF 10 on trails is far superior.
Fantastic supportive marshalls and a well marked route with plenty of drinks stations and supportive children. Good facilities, but agree that issue with toilets is not good. Also agree that 'goody' bag is not exactly filled with goodies. Mostly leaflets that just end up in recycle bins. Why do a lot of event organisers insist on this. Incredible waste when we are all supposed to be more environmentally friendly.
The route is gentle for the first half in the half marathon, but then the second half is all up and down with a reasonably flat/slight downhill to the finish.
Minor complaint; please can the organisers think seriously in the post-event analysis about the results. The results posted on the hall wall did not correlate with those during prize-giving. Not good! As this creates a huge disappointment to those affected by it. Also, waiting for almost an hour and half after finishing for the results is painful!!! This despite the race literature stating that this would be at approx. 11.30am. It was in fact nearly 1pm. Not good!! Hence why most winners were not around to collect their prizes. This needs to be reconsidered for the race in the future.
Rant over! Once again, thanks to the organisers and everyone else involved in the event. A long day for them all and very tiring.
Date of review: September 25, 2011
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2011 Lingfield Dry Hill 10
| | Overall score | | 80% | | Would you do it again? | | Maybe | | | | Details: | | Scenery | | 60% | | PB potential | | 60% | | Atmosphere | | 60% | | Organisation | | 100% | | Value | | 80% | | Beginner-friendliness | | 60% |
In short: Superb organisation, excellent marshalling, scenic run, lovely cakes
In full: First time at this race and i will recommend it. Very low key with only 48 finishers, which i understand could be related to change of course location from the Horse-racing venue. This is a real shame, as some of the entry money goes towards charity.
I've been racing for years in small and huge events and the Dry Hill 10 was by far one of the best organised and marshalled events that i've done. There was no hesitation in checking route directions or any confusion. Lots of friendly Marshalls made sure of that. A nice gift and prizes at the end together with a superb selection of home made cakes made the journey worth while. A role model for other event organisers to follow.
The course itself is 2 thirds on quiet country roads and the rest off-road on dry tracks through woods with a few ups and downs, but nothing too tough. It would be great for this event to continue and hopefully grow as it's a good event all round and would appeal to all abilities.
Many thanks to all the organisers, helpers and Marshalls. Much appreciated, as were the lovely cakes afterwards!
Date of review: September 8, 2011
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