Frances Richards Hi everyone who took part in the half marathon and team relay today - you all did very well despite the hot conditions. I'm looking for any feedback on the team relay - it's the first year we've done this and wondered whether you enjoyed it and whether we should repeat it for next year? Also this year was the first time we provided full refreshments for the runners - there was nothing left so I presume it went down well but maybe you can give us some feedback. Thanks
Donna P Good idea for the refreshments after the race, my own club do the same for their events and always goes down well. Altho i idid the full half it is a good idea to get others involved and have to admit was a bit jealous at the changeover points when i had to keep going in that heat. Could we put in a request for last years weather - not great for you marashalls but so much better for us. Will be back next year but NOT if its a scorcher.
Lynne Ewen Superb Idea! Although I only knew about as I went to get changed. It would have been good if the people giving out the medals and bags told us about it otherwise I would have gone away grumpy, wondering why we didn't even get a mars bar!! :-) Many thanks to all the marshalls who sprayed us with water it was a good atmosphere this year. My time was not as good as last year but will be back as I loved the swim afterwards with my 2 year old
Stuart Marr I would like to thank the race committee and race marshals for their hard work in organising this event. Last year was my first time running this course and I totally forgot on how challenging the first 5 miles were :-0 good thing was that I was over 5 minutes quicker this year compared to last year despite the hot weather! The refreshments were great :-) I enjoyed the free swim afterwards :-) I look forward to running this course next year. I can't believe another year has past it goes by too quickly :-0 Thank you all :-)
Colin Thomson A huge thank you to everyone involved in organising and stewarding the race day. All stewards, water stations, entry desk people etc were fantastic. Good support along the route and was great getting squirted by little kids with water postols on such a hot day.
The sandwiches etc at the end was a great idea.
A good challenging course and very well organised. I'll be back.
Louise Waddell It's always a pleasure (apart from the running part) to enter the Stonehaven half. It's so well organised, the refreshments are great, and the atmosphere is brilliant. I particularly like the en route jelly babies, those things have more morale in them than any energy bar or gel! Thank you so much for such a great event again!
Fiona This was my first time running this race and I'm afraid I was a little disappointed about a couple of things. Most importantly, the first two water stations running out of water was absolutely appalling, especially given the weather was so warm. As someone else has already commented, the fact that there were refreshments available after the race could have been communicated a lot better. To me, everything seemed a bit disorganised at the finish line. However, the giant water pistols stationed around the course were a great help.
Sorry to be a bit negative!
Frances Richards Negative feedback helps us to make improvements in forthcoming years. Sorry you missed out on water at the first station I hope you got some from the mobile van instead. We actually have 5 water stations on this route whereas the rules say that for this distance of race we only really need to supply 2. We tried to communicate about the refreshments by telling as many people as possible but it was also detailed in the race information booklet and on the website. I think sometimes it would be useful for more runners to help out at races and in their organisation then maybe they won't take 2 bottles of water at a station, don't allow families into the finish area put the timing chip in the wrong place, put the number in the wrong place, leave litter on the ground, have half a dozen cakes..... We can give you many more such examples which mean sometimes that later runners suffer because of the selfishness of some earlier runners.
Andy Buchanan Hi, thanks to the organisers, volunteers etc. I had an excellent day out, and the refreshments were a welcome surprise. In contrast to what a couple of others have said, the availability of the refreshments was communicated to me at least 3 times - I must have looked like I needed them :-)
All in all I had an excellent time despite it being a bit warmer than I find ideal & I shall certainly be attending next year's event if I can swing it. Thanks.
Caroline Had a great day as part of the NEW team relay. The only downside was having to wait for almost an hour at my leg of the race. Looking forward to next year and trying to decide what to dress up as after our successful cheerleading outfits definately got noticed. Also enjoyed the bagpipes as I came into the finish, lifts your spirits.
Frances Richards Sorry can't do too much about the wait - hope you managed to cheer on plenty of the half marathon runners while you were waiting. At least it wasn't raining!
alan kennedy I am doing at least one half marathon a month this year raising awareness for www.wobblywilliams.com and this was def my toughest road race to date! The weather prob never helped but thought the water stations and stewards were great to keep us hydrated!! Tough course but great to jump in the pool at the end....Thanks!
Christine Cuthill What a great day! I have to say that I found it to be very well organised - the start, the stewards, the course and mile markers, the water stations, the finish and the refreshments at the end - much better than many other events, and a friendly bunch too!
And those wee cakes in the boxes, mmm mmm mmm.
Rhona Big thanks to all of the marshals, volunteers and organisers who, in my opinion, did an absolutely fabulous job for a winderful event.
The first waterstation ran out just as I reached it but I appreciated the mobile van a lot - good thinking given the circumstances. I also appreciate the extra water stations and the fact that the water was in bottles rather than cups - vastly preferable!
I was disappointed I didn't get any refreshments at the end - everything had run out by the time I came in at 2hr 15, including the electrolyte drinks at the finish which was a shame as I was looking forward to trying the Itsy cakes/sandwiches. Given the fact that the slower runners will have been out working away for over twice as long as the winners it was disappointing that there wasn't a scrap left for us when we eventually finished! And 2hrs 15 isn't that slow...right?! :P
My only point to make about the relay was the van taking the relay runners/finished marshals to the finish was most uncomfortable to have crawling behind you as it waited for a safe spot to overtake runners on the course - perhaps it would be wise to have it take a different route back?
I guess all my minor complaints boil down to the fact that I run too slowly so I guess I should speed up so I earn my sandwiches next year!
Frances Richards The race finish time is 2 hrs 45 mins so you were half an hour within that. Difficult to judge amounts for refreshments but as this is the first year we have provided we can certainly learn some lessons. Take the point about the bus - it should have gone a different way but the driver was trying to please the relay runners on board who wanted to cheer on their team! You still did really well in such difficult conditions for running.
Stuart Mutch Well fit can i say gutted i missed it, stuck affshore...
Peter Mackintosh As a first time half marathon runner, I thought that this race was really well organised. The pre-race registration was quick and easy, and everyone was organised at the start line quickly. The stewards gave plenty of encouragement, particularly over the last couple of miles. The first water station was understocked but after that it was fine, and the jelly babies were very welcome too. At about mile 5 there was even a van went past asking if anyone wanted water. Thanks to everyone who volunteered and helped make the event for the runners. Looking forward to next year.
Cheers, Peter
Euan This was my first time running in this race and can honestly say that I thought the organisation was first class, looking at some of the points raised I may have been fortunate enough to be quick enough to get plenty water on the course and refreshments at the end. I can see why the points have been raised but to the complainers I ask "have you got any idea what it takes to organise an event like this and given the chance would you help?". On the assumption your answers would be no on both counts ,why not volunteer or at least give some constructive critisism. If all your going to do is criticise you'll end up with no volunteers and NO RACE. I for one will definately be back despite these bloody never ending hills. See you next year and THANKS.
Malcolm Thanks to all who helped organise the race on Sunday, it is much appreciated. The refreshments after the race were very good this year and much required! Far too hot to be running, give me the wind and rain any day of the week! Struggled in the heat, counted down every mile, yet I hope to be back next year! The blog advertised, 'redwinerunner' is worth a look. The author captures all that is good and not so good about amateur running!Comments from 2011