My Event Ratings

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

In short: Great weather, route and PB potential. Pencilled in for next year.
In full: Having run three Great North West half-marathons previously I knew the northern section of the route which allowed for focusing on the running. The southern section, past the Tower and the Golden Mile, provided more spectators and interesting views such as party-goers recovering from the night before which helped pass the time!

Well organised with no real issues. Carried my own Lucozade Sport and gels to prepare for Ironman UK in August and was glad I did as traditional Lucozade is not for me. Otherwise plenty of water with friendly marshalls who provided some encouragement especially at the turn-around points.

Enjoyed the two-lap course as it allowed for keeping to a specific pace. It was not as flat as I thought with a few undulations but these just made the run more interesting. The two laps also allowed my family to see me more often rather than just start and finish - my six year old son enjoyed jogging alongside me a couple of times during the race. He also completed the final 50 metres with me and loved being applauded by the spectators near the finish!!

Only minor point for me was the lack of chip-timing as my PB would have been improved by a further 45 seconds. However, I do understand why it is not used on a race of this size. I should just be more positive and start further forward than I usually do!

Overall, a race I really enjoyed and, depending on my race calendar, one I will be doing again in the future.

Date of review: April 13, 2010

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