Worst runs in Britain - please!

Shazmo

2wheels, I did Greater Manchester Marathon this year and last.

The bad publicity in 2012 was mostly to do with the baggage reclaim (shambolic) and this was made worse by the terrible weather. I was lucky and got my bag back immediately.

This year everything seemed to run like clockwork and the baggage reclaim was spot on. Yes a handful of people had issues with their times not being recorded properly, but I've had that happen at other events. The route was good ok, with decent crowd support - I would recommend it.

Runnin man

2wheels wrote (see)
Is it that bad? Assuming that I don't get in London I was planning on doing this next April, the impression that I had (perhaps wrongly) got was that the first year the problems were made far worse due to the rain and this year was much better?

Rain is never a problem, but the year 1 baggage fiasco was a disgrace, they were left in the open on a field under water, Year 2 the times were all over the place and they only really got corrected if you mailed in to do so yourself and It was many more than a handful. Also in last year's run the amount of cheating was extreme, people were simply using the toilets to enter one side of the road only to return the other way completely missing out large sections. Complete shambles

cougie

How ironic is that - people cheating to get better times and the times being messed up anyway ?

Nayan

Ive signed up for Greater Manchester next year. Read the bad reviews and was relieved to see they took it all on board for the one just gone.

Runnin man

Nayan wrote (see)

Ive signed up for Greater Manchester next year. Read the bad reviews and was relieved to see they took it all on board for the one just gone.

Did they? not so as you'd notice

Nayan

ahh misread. Hmm they do let you defer for a year. MIght end up doing that for the 2014 one if I'm still not convinced...

How exactly did the times get corrected? did they just change the time to whatever you said your garmin or whatever said?

Stevie G

Sussex Runner NLR wrote (see)

Just shows the knob heads who enter races like that. People who judge a race on how good the "goody bag" was like a six year old at a birthday party. Like I said. They deserve what they get.

Along these lines, I always wonder about those who only do races with medals.

Yes it's nice to get some little trinket or other, but to purposely ignore all the many good races without one seems madness.

No XC or 5k club events for starters, and i'm sure we can all name plenty of races that don't do medals.

Then what about events that claim to dish a medal, only for you to find it's a "momento"

Wilkie

I've had some useful-ish mementos (slate coaster, coffee mug, wine decanter, shoe bag, water bottle - not all from the same race).

I've never found a use for a medal, and most get thrown away (as did the paperweight with two runners etched within it).

Nayan

mementos are so so important. I'm sure Id forget I was in a race without them. I'm especially fond of those t-shirts that remind me that I finished a 5k

Dr Robert

Wine decanter? That's perverse.

Now, uses for a medal... discus, door stop, wind chime, ligature, bling, paperweight... see? Really useful.

Any nominations for dullest race?

Dr Robert

The male and female winners of the Ashtead 10k this year will each get a bottle of my home-made cider, vintage 2012. And a pat on the back. Possibly also flowers from my back garden.

Dr Robert

Oh no... it's a local race over rough ground - winners are doing well to break 40 minutes. It's already full, with only 250 runners. Tea, cake and bacon butties, a slate coaster this year instead of a medal and with the HQ at the local scout hall. Proper local!

2wheels

Piers wrote (see)

I'm assuming that none of these races have an official race permit.

EA should put pressure on local councils not to accept a race that hasn't got a race permit from, in England, England Athletics or other suitable organisation.

 

Shazmo wrote (see)

2wheels, I did Greater Manchester Marathon this year and last.
The bad publicity in 2012 was mostly to do with the baggage reclaim (shambolic) and this was made worse by the terrible weather. I was lucky and got my bag back immediately.
This year everything seemed to run like clockwork and the baggage reclaim was spot on. Yes a handful of people had issues with their times not being recorded properly, but I've had that happen at other events. The route was good ok, with decent crowd support - I would recommend it.

Cheers, that was my impression though Runnin man's comments do concern me. Oh well maybe I'll get lucky in the ballot for London and won't need to find an alternative for April!

seren nos

a handful of people.........wasn't it that anyone who shared a surname with anyone else had theres cocked up....it was hundres of people 

Wilkie

Dr Robert wrote (see)

Wine decanter? That's perverse.

 

It was the Marathon du Medoc, and there was also a bottle of wine  

[Deleted User]

Bottle of wine & wine decanter - sign me up!

Worst race - Huntingdon10k a few years back, where the organizers got the winner wrong and then said over the loudspeaker 'oh it doesn't matter who won, it's only a charity race anyway!'

[Deleted User]

By the way, DrRobert - read your Saxon Shore ultra race report - absolutely shocking!!!  They are putting people at risk - I really wish there was a governing body for reporting them to, so not every Dom Dick & Harry can 'organise' one and cash in on ultras' increasing popularity - utterly disgraceful.

Dr Robert

Tx - but not my race report (100 miles? You must be kidding!) It was some other nutter.

I have been lucky - or careful - with my races, and have yet to enter a bad one: A quick check on RW for their ratings in past years is enough. Why run in a crap race when there are so many brilliant ones out there?

My niece Sophie from Texas was desperate to run in the British 10k this summer. I showed her the ratings, and persuaded her to run in the Surrey Badger on the same day (rating 92%) instead. Easy choice, great race (Events to Live).

Why isn't the British 10k rated on RW? I think that it was, but all ratings and comments seem to have vanished. Funny that...

Millsy

The British 10k probably pay to advertise in the magazine so they probably had a quiet word and the reviews somehow disappeared.

[Deleted User]

You cynics! I can't believe you think our wonderful forum hosts would do something so underhanded 

Most of this year's reviews are here;

http://www.runnersworld.co.uk/events/ratingsall.asp?en=76100&year=2013&ugn=12232&sp=&v=2

18% would do it again 

Dr Robert

Chimpster - you are a sleuth. 31 ratings. I may have been looking in the wrong place - soz.

Note that you can only rate a race a minimum of 20% (not 0%) - so an 39% overall score would actually translate into about... er... 19%.

Millsy

I also think they take the "Probablys" into consideration when compling the would you do it again score.

[Deleted User]

Norman Conquest 100, same genius behind the Thames Gateway, should not be allowed to put on any more events - just dangerous!! I thought he may have learnt his lesson after the NormanConquest but obviously not.  Also has the cheek to put up the prices in 2014!!! No thank you.

Piers

RGL, surely the Ultra community is quite a small one, or am I wrong.?

I would have thought a crap Ultra organiser would lose entrants very quickly.

[Deleted User]

I would imagine so too, i think the Thames Gateway 100 only had about 15 or so entries, if word gets around I am sure it will be even less next year!!  They put on shorter events too (50 milers) that seem to be a bit better organised but hopefully the 100 mile feedback will get around.

Shazmo

2Wheels & Nayan, from what I saw on forums and FB page etc there were a few of the 5000+ finishers at Manchester this year who had issues with their times not being recorded correctly. The organisers made a statement asking those affected to email the timings company directly, which makes sense as any corrections could get lost in translation between the runner, organiser and timing company. I didn't see 100s of complaints on these sites and I'm not privy to this exact numbers (doubt anyone else is either). Yes, in 2012 the bags system failed. This year the baggage system was great. I didn't see any cheating going on - I was busy running. I found the event to be well orgainsed, I would recommend the race.



No, I don't work for Greater Manchester Marathon, I'm just trying to paint a fair picture based on my own and anecdotal evidence.



PS, an acquaintance of mine also ran the ran the Manchester (I didn't find out till after the event) and she had a positive experience too.

Dr Robert

Sounds fair enough. It's those races that become worse every year (or at least don't even try to improve) that should be lambasted!