My Event Ratings

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

In short: Best race of the year as always
In full: I always rave about this race so I won't repeat myself too much.

Fantastic event, brilliant for beginners to off road racing and the one race I will always aim to return to as long as I keep on running.

Well done to all at Staffs Moorlands.
Date of review: December 21, 2008

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

In short: A really excellent course
In full: I'd been told by clubmates that this course was dull, through industrial estates. They must have mixed it up with somewhere else, because the route is excellent, mostly over country roads and occasionally passing through interesting villages.

A challenging course - not really any part of the course is flat, but this added to the fun.

Definitely be back next year.
Date of review: November 23, 2008

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

In short: As always, the best race of the year
In full: Amazing.

(I've given this 5 for beginner friendliness; it wouldn't suit a beginner to running probably but it is brilliant for beginners to off road and fell running).
Date of review: December 18, 2006

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

In short: Great race as always, parking was farcical
In full: I agree with all of the postives posted previously, this is my third time in a row and every one has been superb.

On the negative side, the parking this year was a farce - by 8:15 the whole of the arena area was gridlocked and anyone not abandoning their car at the industrial estate would probably have missed the race. I don't know why cars weren't getting into the arena, but there was practically no movement from 8:15 through to 8:50.

Also, why do they persist in this ridiculous "no drinks rule"? I feel sorry for anyone who sees that and follows it.

PB potential severely limited by the bottleneck at the stadium exit (I counted about 2 minutes from my part of the pack towards the back).
Date of review: May 15, 2006

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

In short: Good friendly race in lovely surroundings
In full: (2006 race) Race run almost entirely on country lanes with a mile or two of canal at the end. Very well organised out in the field with good encouraging marshalls. A wide spread of abilities makes this an excellent race for the beginner.

Undulating course is a bit of a challenge - the first 3 miles are up a slight incline which can certainly take it out of you, but a fast second half.

An excellent start for this new race.
Date of review: April 3, 2006

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

In short: Best race of the year!
In full: I loved this race. PB Potential - absolutely zero as the hills as extremely sharp and up pretty slippy rocks, but who cares with the scenery and the great atmosphere.

Good for slower runners like me too, as I don't think many could run up those rocks so there were long stretches where you could get your running feet back.

Very well organised and the best race I've done all year.
Date of review: December 18, 2005

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

In short: Excellent
In full: This hills were not as bad as I'd feared (but then I cheated and walked up most of them!)

Lovely scenery, and some of the loveliest people on route. Great Marashalling and very friendly drinks stations.
Date of review: August 29, 2005

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

In short: Great race.
In full: Very well organised; turned up an hour before to register on the day and no problems.

The course is tough in that the first 2 and a bit miles are largely uphill - a bit relentless and then a very stiff section that lasts for about a quarter of a mile. The rest of the first circuit is a very welcome downhill, but then you face the trudge up again for the second circuit.

Despite the hills, still a good race for beginners, and plenty of finishers around the 80 minute mark.

Then lashings of tea and scones to follow in one of Harrogate's thousands of tea rooms.

Highly recommended.
Date of review: July 31, 2005

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

In short: Great race, spoiled by the officious stadium officials
In full: The course was a vast improvement on last year, with the twists and turns removed.

I loved the race. A PB for me.

But, the toilet provision was appalling for a stadium like that. The almost empty toilets on one side of the stadium were unsignposted - I was lucky to find them.

But the most disgusting aspect was the way bouncers were appointed to the doors of the computer fair on the indoor track, preventing runners from finding the huge toilets on the ground floor.

I assume this is the fault of the stadium and not the organisers, but I bet they don't pull this stunt for the half marathon.
Date of review: March 10, 2005

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Overall score		40%
Would you do it again?		No
Details:
Scenery		80%
PB potential		20%
Atmosphere		60%
Organisation		20%
Value		20%
Beginner-friendliness		40%

In short: Very poor organisation
In full: I'm glad I have seen the other ratings here; I was well on for a PB and for the first time ever in a race I did perfect negative splits. However, I was disappointed when I crossed the line in a near PW, with my garmin reading 6.5 miles. I put it down to taking a bad racing line(!) or a dodgy satellite.

Accidents happen and I didn't mind the 45 minute delay as such, but there was no explanation offered at all - there must have been a reason.

I ought to add that some of the marshalls were very encouraging (although there weren't many of them).

I will avoid this event in future.
Date of review: February 15, 2005

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