British 10k London Run - 8th July 2012

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Comments

  • I just entered a 10k near me (for August), running through a country estate (with deer park), includes a medal etc, all for £10 image

  • This race is a shambles, price is sky high, and they can't be bothered to organise wave starts, if you want to be at the front and try a fast time, you have to get there 90' before race start, this year it was started late whilst some pointless singer was giving a concert and we fried in the blistering heat. They didn't even give a goodie bag. The t-shirts were advertised as technical, and there was nothing technical about them, and there is a horrendous logo which will make me stop wearing mine, I don't mind using charity logos, but this one is some sort media company, which I never heard of, if they are as skilled as the people who designed the logo, then I guess all the rubish organisation explains itself.

    bottom line is: want to spend a lot of money to run the worse race you have ever done in terms of set up and organisation, go for this one

    I could go on and on about what needs to improve, and they never do, but I won't , please check the race's facebook page, you will see hundreds if not thousands of people describing their experiences

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  • I don't normally review races but I feel that a review of this race is mandatory. There were so, so many issues I feel it's easier to bullet point them.

    1. Race pack never arrived in time

    2. They said to collect race number in London on Saturday...I live in Rugby, Warwickshire & wasn't in London till Saturday evening. There was nothing on the site for people like me - aparantly this was because they didn't want everyone turning up on Sunday to collect them, even though it was their fault the packs weren't sent out until 5 days before the race

    3. Collected number at bag drop off even though I had no bag. There were 2 people manning a stand that was surrounded by people collecting numbers. They had ran out of forms for us to complete with personal details and also ran out of safety pins - first race that's ever happened at!

    4. There were NO signs saying which way to go once number was collected. I was later told there were marshals saying which way to go, but I didn't see ANY people in hi vis vests on the mall. So I followed the huge crowd...to be told later this was the wrong way! How were we to know?

    5. Crowd finished up at the start line, as it doubled back on itself and caused huge, huge crowds and lots of pushing and shoving trying to work our way down a small pavement alongside the mass of runners in the fences to try and get to the end. This led to queue jumping galore.

    6. We were kept waiting in the pen for an absolute age. People had warmed up and then cooled down, and water was abandoned before reaching the pen so people were getting hydrated as at 10am it was already 25 degrees nearly.

    Oh, and the music at the start to 'motivate' us was shocking...Everybody Hurts by REM and Pavarotti? I don't think so somehow!

    7. There was a pointless singer that nobody could hear as the speakers were shocking and she continued with her act even though the event was running behind schedule, the runners were getting tetchy and getting dehyrdrated.

    8. The race started in waves, but I could only see about 3 waves start before everyone was allowed a free for all. I was about half way down the mass of runners and crossed the line 45 minutes after the due start time, heaven help those near the end.

    9.During the race I have never, ever seen so many water bottles which was brilliant - about the only saving grace of this race.  But...there were 2 people manning each table of water and people had to undo boxes of water to get their own. I have seen water stations much, much better managed at other events, with scouts etc helping to hand out water. There was none of this.

    10. Finish...what finish? It was barely noticeable! And once you crossed the finish there were people wandering around like zombies giving water out which, was great, but that was it! There were no officials to ask what to do, no finishing pen, nothing. I thought we got a medal but couldn't see anyone handing them out. It turned out we had to walk a 20 minute walk back to the baggage drop (I had no bags to collect!) to collect our medal! There were no toilets at the end and nobody had a clue what to do or where to go...not even those who appeared to be working the event.

    11. On the plus side...the medal is the best one I've ever had to date so I'm really pleased with it.

    12. Race pack arrived on saturday after I had left for London. So on my return home I opened it to find 6 safety pins - fab idea, shame I didn't receive them on time! I also received my 2 training technical t-shirts. But I was rather confused...everyone was wearing red blue and white t-shirts that looked so, so lovely...you can imagine my disappointment when I received 2 plain white t-shirts that were not technical in the slightest with a really rubbish logo of a desinging company in the top corner. I asked why

  • And was told that they had ran out of the coloured material! How?

    13. The worst thing about the race? The organiser!

    I was so so disapointed and let down I called him and asked what had gone wrong. In his view...nothing! I explained all the points above...well, tried to. But he had an answer for everything and his view was the right view. The water stations supoposedly had 40 people per station...I saw 2 people per table. And he said they couldn't physically hand water to everyone and he has ran marathons all over the world (good for him!) and this is how the operate...really?

    He also said there were marhsalls along the Mall at 7am to guide people to the start. I advised they weren't there at 9am...so he asked for photographic evidence! Can you believe it? He also said that 4 runners went the wrong way down the Mall and that caused thousands of others to follow them and do the same...I very much doubt that!

    I tried to suggest improvements but he just wouldn't listen. He constantly spoke over me, shouted at me, told me I was wrong and wouldn't listen or let me speak at all.  Unfortunately I lost my temper and called him something I shouldn't have done and regret this (I didn't swear!) so sorry Mike...but this meant I never got chance to ask where the £50 went as he hung up on me! But I bet I know the answer...a decent portion of it must have gone into his pocket!

    He was the most arrogant, rudest man I have ever had the displeasure of meeting so I will never ever, ever be doing this race ever, ever again! What a horrible, horrible man...and I'm still waiting for a 'sorry'!

  • Vicky

    So sorry you had a bad experience of this race, but unfortunately.you're not alone, in either a poor race experience, or a poor/hideous experience trying to deal with the "organiser".

    On either this forum or a parallel thread there was a suggestion to complain to the body that provides the organiser's approval to hold the event - I think it was Westminster Council.

    That might be a good route to seek some form of resolution.

  • Andy, yes I suggested it.

    I have never actually run this race so I've no real business contacting anyone myself but I think it needs to be done by disgruntled former participants such as you, Vicky.

    I've no idea what the actual department is you'd need to contact but I'd suggest this page might be a good starting point with "Advertising and Trading" selected:

    http://transact.westminster.gov.uk/smc/SMCPage2.cfm?categoryid=62

    Obviously WCC's website isn't really set up for this type of complaint but I'm sure it would find its way to the right person. Either that or you could write to them. Either way include the comments you have made above.

    There's nothing I'd like to see more than to have this tw*t have this race taken away from him and any profits that go with it, so good luck if you decide to go for it.

  • Thanks Guys. I'll be sending them an email tonight.

    I've also taken the liberty of emailing all the sponsors of the race as I think it's only fair that they know what they're putting their money into as it will reflect badly on them also.

    I would therefore like to implore every single disgruntled participant of this race's history to email their reasons for complaining to Mishcon de Reya, Projection Motion Media & Maritime Media Services.

  • good luck  - let us know how you get on image

  • agree with Screamapillar - good luck Vicky.

    To quote "Airplane" - "good luck, we're all counting on you.."

  • Already had 1 reply from one of the sponsors saying they weren't aware of this and are going to speak to him at their next meeting! image

  • That's great news Vicky image 

  • XX1XX1 ✭✭✭

     

    Vicky Murphy 2 wrote (see)

    Already had 1 reply from one of the sponsors saying they weren't aware of this and are going to speak to him at their next meeting! image

    That's great news image

  • MillsyMillsy ✭✭✭
    Very good news.

    It may be worth pointing the sponsors in the direction of their Facebook page as there are loads of disgruntled customers on there.
  • Wasn't there a website a few years ago ?



    The British 10k complaints dot com or something ?
  •  

    I have run this event several times over the past. This year took the biscuit. I was out of the country until the night before the race and got a few emails about runners not getting their race packs but assuring them that the last ones were "in the post". Sure enough, when I arrived home, no race pack. I couldn't find any contact details for the race organisers on the website so reluctantly did not run as I didn't intend to spend hours before the race queuing for a replacement pack. £50 down the drain. When I politely emailed an address I found in my inbox from previous events the fun started. Mike O'Reilly the event organisers offered no apology and no hint of a refund. Instead he told me I could have come the day before or before the race to queue for a replacement number. Due to my circumstances I said ths was unacceptable to me as the application form clearly states that packs will be sent to runners adresses. I reiterated my request for a refund as this was their mistake. Same reply. I expressed my disappointment and said I would write to running mags and tell friends about my experience. The next bit is astonishing. He told me I have made a "threat to the race" and if he didn't receive an apology and a written undertaking not to deter runners from entering I would be subject to legal action!!!

     

    Since when has an honest review of a product or service been subject to censorship by the provider. What happened to free speech. I am not actively deterring anyone from entering, merely offering an honest review. If that saves others from my experience so be it.

     

    Good luck to anyone who doesn't praise a product or race in the future.

     

    Will I run the London 10k again. Not likely! As for you guys. The choice is yours.

     

     

    A complaint to the westminster special events team might have an impact:

    info@westminster.gov.uk

     

     
  • Vicky - great news about the responses already image

    Brett - the more I read about the organiser of this race the more annoying it is that he should behave in the manner that he does.  Definitely follow up on this, and maybe take the same route Vicky has.  A groundswell of negative opinion against this event and it's organiser could turn out to be beneficial.

  • Its had complaints for years - and still it goes on regardless - selling out.
  • WilkieWilkie ✭✭✭

    Every year it seems someone starts a thread about this event.

    People who've done it before post about what a shambles it is, link to previous threads on the very same subject and so on.

    People who've just entered for the first time get defensive and accuse complainers of being negative.

    New people enter anyway, because they want to believe it will be fabulous, then come back and say what a terrible event it was, how rude and unhelpful the organiser was when they complained or asked for information, refunds, etc., etc.,

    Then it all starts again the following year!

  • Just RunJust Run ✭✭✭

    I suppose this event could be likened to buying a Tottenham season ticket. image Now wheres the entry form.....

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