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The 16th Halstead & Essex Marathon is sponsored by:
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» 2009 Runners World feedback |
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26 May 2009 - 8:52 AM - by Nathan
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The GLC
The organisation was slick and professional
a.k.a "billy"
HRR do a great job organising this race and it shows in all the small details. Like people coming and topping your drink up at the finish and sensibly priced refreshments and goody bags with items you can actually eat.
The race puts many much larger races to shame by making every runner feel welcome with every marshal and helper just being smiley and friendly. Thanks
Gemma F
In short: EXCELLENT RACE!!!!
In full: What an excellent race! This was my first marathon and everything about it was brilliant! The support from the marshals was fantastic and the crowd really helped get me round. The weather was perfect-nice and sunny but not too hot either. I loved the fact that your race number had your name printed on it- it makes all the difference when the whole crowd is yelling out your name!
At the end we got a nice big shiny medal and a nice t-shirt where you can pick what size you wanted- unlike some events where there's one size for all which it always too big for the women!
PETER BURNS 8
Another well orchestrated event
The Egg
Organisation was like clockwork
Plodder49
Superb event. Other races could learn so much from Halstead
All in all a magnificent effort. Well done Halstead Road Runners. Long may you keep your totally well deserved place among the UK's very best races
ORB
So so much better than London....
Simon Morris 14
This is a wonderful race. An enthusiastic and welcoming team have put on a truly uplifting marathon
Jenny Chen
A brilliant race which just goes from strength to strength!!
Elephant Man
In short: Challenging but enjoyable. Well done HRR.
In full: The organisation from start to finish was spot on
Jimo
The organisation was top notch, second to none
Subrunner
Definitely the best marathon I have run
Peter Rogers 8
How can you better a perfect race
kim masson
the organisation was first rate and it is the organisers attention to detail that make this a special race
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» Runners World feedback (2007 race) |
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10 Jan 2008 - 4:23 PM - by Nathan
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Here's a selection of the feedback from last year's race (and why we're top-ten in Britain):-
In short: My number one race
In full: The Halstead marathon is just a race apart. It's seems to attract an incredibly friendly group of runners, as borne out by the runners world forum each year.
The organisers try to run the race for the benefit of the runners rather than ease of organisation.
Unique features like names on race number, meeting place for runners world forumites, and unofficial pace groups. The marshals, supporters and people manning the drink stations actually want to be there helping.
The course itself is without doubt a toughie that will push your fitness and determination. But, if you work hard a PB is possible.....I ran a PB in 2006, and then bettered is on Sunday.
It's the only race I've entered, at any distance, where the runners will actually help you along on those 'tough' moments.
The finish is very slick, collect your goody bag, get a massage and collect your luggage all without fuss. The medal this year is superb, and for me betters the classic design of the FLM medal.
I just wish the Halstead marathon ran more than once per year - it's just that good.
In short: My 30th Marathon, one of the most enjoyable
In full: Wonderful experience. Thought the hills would be a lot tougher, no complaints though. (Do all my training on the hills of North Wales). Had a great day.
In short: Organisation and atmosphere spot on!!!
In short: Fantastic local marathon
In full: Fantastic marshals. You guys rock. Great medal too. Having your own drinks/gels distributed out on the course a masterstroke. Will definitely be back.
In short: Good for first-timers (subject to weather conditions!)
In full: I got absolutely soaked, found the inclines quite challenging but really enjoyed my very first marathon thanks to the friendly marshals and supportive locals. Highly recommended!
In short: A quality event, lots of parking and great marshals. No shortage of support all the way round.
In full: The course was quite flat with stretches of slight uphill gradients. Mainly running on narrow roads that are nearly free of cars. Very well supported event with spectators and well marshalled drinks stations. I would recommend this race for anyone wanting to take part in a full marathon for the first time.
In short: By runners for runners *****5star!
In full: Great race, recommended. Very friendly.
Undulating 2-lapper, ran it all by myself. Only saw a handful of runners on my run, overtook a few near the start, and overtaken by one at the end, great marshals. Own drinks around course, great.
Little if any traffic, the Krypton factor field at the end was like being mugged! Especially with the Gladiator 'travelator' as well, flippin 'ell, was expecting signs in the field to say 'Minefield'.
A PB by 8mins, see you next year!!
In short: An excellent race by runners for runners.
In short: The ideal antidote to FLM!
In full: Everything you want from a rural marathon- lovely scenery, friendly marshals and enthusiastic spectators. Brilliantly organised with lots of thoughtful touches like a facility for personal drinks at water stations and names on running numbers. No huge hills but lots of challenging 'undulations'!! I'll be back...
In short: Very friendly!! Great for my first marathon - thanks!
In short: a fantastic race my number one marathon
In short: Top notch race, well worth 4 hour round trip by car.
In full: This race was the perfect post London pick-me-up race, run by runners for runners, with picturesque scenery at every corner, that was interspersed with enthusiastic supporters and marshals, fantastic drink stops(could pre-place own drinks) and well practised organisation at the start and finish I thoroughly enjoyed this race, setting a new PB by 26 minutes. The goody bag was the best ever received, with a super medal, t-shirt in any size and just the right food enclosed to re-fuel after 26.2 miles of hard work.
The only down side was the undulations seemed to get longer and steeper on the second lap of the two lap circuit, and the grass paddock at mile 25/26 was not my most enjoyable part, especially going around the hedge and seeing it was a climb as well!
But I would recommend this race to anybody who can run under 5 hours and who wants to get away from mad big city marathons and run as most runners do most weekends, (albeit a bit further) and enjoy there racing, and running, chatting and encouraging each other as they battle the marathon distance.
Would I do it again? Yes for sure.
In short: Fantastic Halstead marathon.
In full: 2nd year running this for me, again organisation, water stations and marshals were all spot on.
Glad to see the numbers of entrants on the up, it really is a fantastic marathon.
Can't praise the Halstead road running club enough for putting on such a great event, an all time favourite race for me by far!
See you all next year then?!
In short: Massive contrast to London & Paris
In full: Tempted to take a break from big city runs - this was great, just turn up, pay and off you go. Managed to finish just before the heavens opened so avoided getting too wet. Thought the grassy hill at 25miles was a bit cruel but otherwise tons of fun.
In short: First Class organisation
In full: A Brilliant race, good for first timers as it is well organised and supported; not flat though but the course description will tell you that. Please don't be put off by the undulating parts as they aren't as bad as you think. Halstead Road Runners do a brilliant job and make you feel good even when you don't feel it.
In short: Forget the big cities, this is one of the best marathons you can do.
In full: What a great event this is. The course is brilliant and the support from the marshals and the drink stations is the best you'll find.
In short: Extremely well-organised and scenic race
In short: excellent organisation and well marshalled. Enthusiastic spectators almost made you forget the rain!
In short: Great marshals and support throughout, great tee and medal. Thanks.
In full: Only 3 weeks after London I wasn't convinced I'd enjoy another marathon, but I was wrong. Great day. Water stations and marshals made it for me. Great support throughout the course. Well done everyone. Quick results on the web the same night. Magic!
In short: An excellent marathon
In full: My thanks to Halstead Road Runners for what was an extremely well organised race.
Pre-race: the information on the race website was very helpful. On the day: it was easy to park, the marshalling was excellent and the goody bag (including the t shirt) very good value for money. Also a good quality medal.
It's amazing that just three weeks after the over-subscribed (over-hyped?) FLM, fewer than 400 runners did this race.
The course is definitely undulating and the second lap can be a challenge.
The figure of eight circuit meant that spectators could see the runners on four occasions. The weather wasn't ideal for spectators, but it was just right for runners!
In short: a perfect marathon
In full: very friendly. Great course. I enjoyed the first lap and couldn't wait for the second to see if it really was that enjoyable. It was!
In short: Perfect weather (for runners). Perfect event (for runners). Perfect organisation
In full: This event stands out for all the good reasons:- an interestingly scenic and rewarding course and that includes the quirky off-road bit for the last mile; like-clockwork organisation throughout from good race HQ facilities, accurate mile markers, frequent water stations, countless marshals, friendly runners and enthusiastic support along route from the public; medal/t-shirt/goody bag makes this good value;
Thanks to Halstead Road Runners - see you next year.
In short: Excellent, will definitely be back
In full: Great scenery, atmosphere and organisation, although undulating there were plenty of downhill stretches for the legs to recover on which was a bonus, I'd choose this over London any day.
In short: Well organised, friendly marshals, lovely scenery and friendly runners.
In short: Superbly organised event and a PB to boot
In full: A great race run superbly organised. A big thank you to all of those involved in the race. Managed to keep going at 7.30 pace for the first 20 miles but fell away a bit over the last 6, although managed a new PB, so well pleased. Great support from those on the course and the marshals.
In short: It's a great race. Not very easy, but enjoyable enough to return year after year.
In short: extremely well organised and friendly event
In short: VERY VERY GOOD
In full: Well organised, very scenic. Not that undulating and is potentially a PB course. Good facilities good value.
In short: A great race and & new PB
In full: my 7th marathon and one of my better ones. A great course and great support from all the helpers. Well done guys!
In short: Brilliant! This was my first marathon and this was a really great experience, a well organised friendly race.
In full: Being my first I was rather slow but got in around 4:52ish the encouragement from the marshals, especially from the lady at the end, was great. Well worth doing
In short: A brilliantly organised wonderful course, simply the best, and a rolling course through scenery that drives you on. My favourite marathon
In short: As I've said before. A cross between a marathon and a village fete
In full: My third time of doing this marathon. I've just recovered from a long illness that knocked me for six at FLM, so this was a recovery and confidence builder race. Weather was runner friendly. Standard of stewardship excellent. Warm, cuddly race. Undulating, scenery. Polite clapping and gentle encouragement from bystanders, rather than shrieking and whooping. I will do this race till they put me in a zimmer frame - it has now become a calendar fixture. Well done organisers!
In short: Along quiet country lanes around some excellent countryside. It is undulating and rarely flat but extremely rewarding
In full: The organisers could not have done much different, the finish is a little anticlimactic as it's in the school car park but given the course is run in almost complete traffic free environment mentioning that is trivial in the extreme. Facilities really good and goody bag was very much unexpected. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU one and all
In short: Fantastically enthusiastic marshalling makes this a lovely day out.
In short: A fantastic race, gorgeous scenery, very well organised, friendly and enthusiastic marshals and a nice bunch of competitors to boot. Loved it!
In short: A "playfully" undulating two circuit loop of scenic Essex
In full: Well, it was a disaster for me personally, because I made a b*lls up of my pacing big time, but despite that I got tons of encouragement from other runners and from the marshals and spectators. The massage, the food spread at the end, the cool showers, and the general friendliness make this the sort of marathon I love, a world away from the horrors of FLM, for example.
In short: Superb organisation and lovely race
In full: OK my PB may be influencing this but even before the race I was impressed by everything about it.
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