My Event Ratings

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

In short: I just love this race!
In full: As said before, it was hot and the course is hilly but the Stokies make this race special. It is well organised-only very minor gripes were the slight chaos at finish for t-shirts etc and maybe a couple more water stations would be good but the latter maybe just something on a hot day and we were saved by the unoffical water stations set up by locals anyway. The finish on Potteries Way is so brilliant-the noise!! It's not a PB course, especially on a hot day but I'm not sure if I run it to get a PB! I don't know what it is I like about the race, it's an urban course and not especially picturesque and the hills do hurt but I just love it. I did it this year two weeks after Edinburgh, so I'll be be back next year with no mara in my legs and some hill training to get that bronze medal-they didn't have that incentive when I first ran it in 2005 and I think it's a nice touch. Well done to Don Shelley (thanks for the use of your mobile phone to find my family too!) and his team!
Date of review: June 16, 2009

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

In short: Great race!
In full: Really liked this race. Lots of relentless undulations on a warm, sunny (but beautiful) day, and an appearance of a monster blister from mile 9 (ouch) meant that I missed my desired 2:55 by a couple of minutes. I loved the scenic route. Organisation excellent, really nice marshalls and a great hoody as a memento. Some locals out for support and with jelly babies to hand. Two other things that made me smile: the photographer's "Smile if you can.." sign for the mile 15 photos and the kids in the last bit in the alleyway doing a very enthusiatic rendition of "2-4-6-8, who do we appreciate? You! And you....and you..!" Very good! :0)
Date of review: April 6, 2009

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