My Event Ratings

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

In short: Horrific 1st K
In full: As others have said the 1st k is horrible; a bottle neck to get out of the plaza followed by a steep corner and then horrible concrete bollards over the bridge all made for a very difficult start but once the route opened up there was plenty of opportunity to pass people as the roads were closed.
The scenery is not the best, although you do pass some famous landmarks that would be great for anyone who hasn't visited the area before.
The support from the marshalls was good, as was the atmosphere at the start line and there were plenty of supporters (where possible) lining the course.
I also thought the goody bag wasn't great; I asked for a small t and got what must be a mens medium as its massive and my boyfriend got a sweat band while I got some ear plugs, not sure what thats all about.
Even with the bad start I managed a PB and came in under my target time so I've come away pleased.

Date of review: September 10, 2012

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

In short: I quite enjoyed the tunnel...
In full: As everyone else has mentioned, lots of mud and puddles along with quite hot sunshine for the majority made my time a little slower than I was aiming for but the marshals were supportive, the route's good for beginners (this was my first half) and the finish is great. My only complaint would be that the showers are a bit far from the finish as some people were clearly struggling to get there with injuries but this is obviously a location issue and not necessarily the fault of the organisers
Date of review: July 9, 2012

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

In short: Glorious Scenery
In full: As others have said the first 3 or 4k is mostly uphill, tight tracks and bottlenecks or stopping to climb over styes but don't let that put you off! The scenery is stunning, the atmosphere was great and the organisation was brilliant. I far prefer this type of run to road races and getting a pb is secondary for me, which is handy because there's virtually no chance with this one, so I enjoyed it very much.
Date of review: May 24, 2012

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Overall score		80%
Would you do it again?		Yes
Details:
Scenery		20%
PB potential		100%
Atmosphere		60%
Organisation		80%
Value		80%
Beginner-friendliness		40%

In short: My local race
In full: I thought it'd be rude not to run take part as this race starts opposite my house. It was my first race and I found the atmosphere quite unfriendly and intimidating, I think this is due to the fact that the course is so flat that most of the runners are serious competitors looking for a new pb. The scenery is dire but the marshalls were good and it was well organised. The course is very flat and very quick so perfect for pb chasers
Date of review: May 16, 2012

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

In short: Great race
In full: I loved the fact that this was mostly a trail run, although the bottle neck at footbridge was a bit of a problem and obviously impacted on a lot of people's pb's, but is that really what running is all about? The hill didn't bother me either; it was very steep but short so manageable for a novice like myself. The astmosphere was great, the marshalls were very supportive (despite the ipod situation which we received an email about after the event and is down to the UKAA, not the race organisers themselves), the goody bag at the end was brill and it was very well organised.
Date of review: May 16, 2012

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

In short: Beware of the Hills!
In full: This is definitely not a flat/undulating race, the 3 hills towards the end are killers!
Having said that the weather was great, the marshalls were fab, it was well organised and very friendly so I'd definitely do it again
Date of review: May 16, 2012

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