My Event Ratings

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

In short: GREAT is the word...
In full: Once again the BUPA series does not fail to impress. Great organisation, great crowds, great goody bag, great atmosphere. Could have had some more water/drinks at the start readily available considering the sponsors banners everywhere and the usual bands on the run were conspicuous by thier absence. I thought that there were less runners this year, I haven't seem the totals for 2011 v 2012 but it felt less well attended both by participants and spectators alike. On the whole it was a great experience, but don't take your eye off the ball BUPA, there are others who will take your crown if you'er not careful.
Date of review: September 5, 2012

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

In short: Hmmm...Could do better!!!
In full: Hi.

Enjoyed the run today however, where are the results? So frustrating that the website is down now, 8 hours after the race, as it was on the morning before the event!!!

PLUS... no toilets at the start??? What were the organisers thinking??? Competitors were fighting for loos at the railway station and annoying the staff at the local pubs, runners hydrate like mad before a race and need to peeeeeeeee!

PLUS PLUS...I received a mediocre goody bag for the steep entry price, please just include a couple of gels or energy bar which we can use fore our next training run run and you have happy runners, it's not difficult! We have enough water bottles (FGS) and how many long distance runners wear sweat bands??.

PLUS PLUS PLUS..There were too many vehicles on the route ignoring the closed signs causing safety issues for us runners, I saw many a car driving down roads that were supposedly closed.

PLUS PLUS PLUS PLUS The Public Address at the start was embarrassing (he he rather than cringy), the poor lord mayoress or whoever she was, sounded like a trapped wasp in a bottle! Why didn't someone step in? Pretty embarrassing for Barnsley don't you think? It was a Royston Vasey moment!!!!

Ah well,I guess you'll ask for advice on outside PA next time instead of using the first thing offered to you!

I hoped for so much more being a South Yorkshire resident, I really wanted this to work, a challenging 10K on my doorstep. Spot on...Hmmm???

I appreciate this was the first one, but was it organised by runners or opportunists?

I do feel short changed because there are so many better organised local events staged without the resources and manpower you have available, ones which operate for very little profit, within 25 miles of Barnsley.

You have an opportunity to make this a great annual event for local and runners from further afield but you need to listen and step up the the mark.


A very disappointed..

Steve.
Date of review: August 12, 2012

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Overall score		60%
Would you do it again?		Yes
Details:
Scenery		20%
PB potential		80%
Atmosphere		60%
Organisation		80%
Value		80%
Beginner-friendliness		40%

In short: A very flat race with tradition, great pb opportunity
In full: My first experience of the Grimsby 5 mile and I really emjoyed it. I have never raced over 5 miles before and I was very happy with my performance. Although I am not a club runner I was made to feel welcome by the other competitiors which were mostly affiliated. The event was well organised and there was ample car parking and toilet facilities. The course is flat and gives an excellent chance for runners like myself who are new and developing to challenge their pace in a race environment. Although the course scenery is very bleak and uninspiring it does make you focus on your running as there are no distractions. The t-shirt was good one, a very nice addition to my collection. One critisism though, I though that maybe the awards presentation could have been earlier, it was scheduled for 1pm, as the race started at 11am, it was too long a wait to hang about as I had to get back to Barnsley to watch Mr Murray. However I enjoyed it very much and look forward to next year where I hope to beat my time of 37:50. Thanks to all the organisers for a memorable experience.
Date of review: July 10, 2012

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

In short: Great organisation, Nice scenery, Excellent marshalling, Fab T-shirt!
In full: Positives: A nice course taking in the race course and town centre, pretty flat with only a short climb (done twice due to town centre lap) so good pb potential.

Good mix of athletes, elite/club and unnatached runners. I would recommend this race to new runners as a good starting point for entry into competition style races.

The military warm up at the racecourse prior to the start was hilarious and got my blood and body sufficiently warmed up for the race itself.

Organisation was good, with ample car parking, lots of toilets and the organisers gave lots of important announcements over a pa that I could actually hear for a change. Makes a big difference when you hear all the info you need. Take note other events! Info and ample toilets!

Nice hessian style goody bag and the t-shirt is a fab.

Negatives:
Not much going on pre and post race, certainly not enough to keep runners and entourage interested until the prize giving took place.

Goody bag stuffed with leaflets and not much else, a t-bag, a penguin and bottle of water! Hmm, could do better!

Conclusion:
Great race for the first timer and the experienced alike. The racecourse is a stunning venue for the location of the start/finish and the support from the local community was enthusiastic.

I shall be looking to do it again next year for another pb!


Date of review: May 17, 2012

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

In short: Good 2 lap race/Great marshalling/terrible goody bag!!!
In full: My first South Yorkshire Half Mararthon organised by Barnsley Athletic Club was overall a good experience with only a couple of disappointments. As an unafilliated runner it was good to pit myself against local club runners, to my surprise I did well. I managed a huge pb shaving 7 minutes plus of my best GNR time. Finsihing halfway through the field, I was very happy with my performance.

High points, the course was enjoyable with two laps of a reasonably undulating roads taking the competitors through villages and country lanes alike. The small-ish field (approx 380) was friendly and consisted of various levels of abiltiy accross many diferent age groups.

Low points: There were far too few toilets avaialble at the start, for me there was no time to queue to relieve myself before the start of the race, others were forced to pee in the trees! The traffic management on the whole was good and only on one occasion did my safety feel compromised by other road users!
I must however complain about the goody bag, it is bordering on embarrassing, a t-shirt and a money off voucher for Sweatshop, some asics basics (sweat band and a lip balm) and that was it!!! Surely with nearly 400 runners the organisers can attract some better sponsorhip to make this into something memorable, just a couple of gels and a bottle of energy drink would have made it more fun.
I am unsure, but I feel there may have been some official timing issues on the day. My race watch clocked me at 1h 47m 30s, however my official time on the barnsleyac website is 27s slower?? There is no reason I can think of for this which is obvious, did anyone else have any timing issues?

I would like to say a huge thank you to the marshalls and volunteers and local residents for being so encouraging and enthusiastic on what was a day of very mixed weather, sun, showers and we even had a couple of hail showers to contend with.

I will be runing again next year and hope that the small issues are ironed out and a much better goodie bag!!!!


Date of review: March 19, 2012

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