A bit of feedback for the organisers...

Have just realised I was promised a milk shake and banana too and didn't see any sight of these either!!!!!

"...There was a leaflet drop in the area over the summer and letters to addresses within the local area affected by the route were sent out in September along with communication through the local paper..."

We live on the route and can categorically state that we did not receive any leaflet or letter. Nor was it in any of the local papers delivered to us (not all residents get all 3 local papers). A neighbour from up the road also received no notification and didn't realise it was happening until we told him. He then double checked the paper to see if there was any mention of it, but found nothing.

The signs on lamp-posts were far too detailed for passing motorists to read quickly, and unfortunately blended in with all the other various signs along the roads at the moment warning of impending gas/water works in the area.

Driving around on Monday, there were still some pedestrian barriers left along the route.

Please keep us more informed next time - we want to support you in this event!

John,

I hope that you do get your meeting and will be very interested in the outcome.  There seems to have been so many areas where this event fell short that I believe if the organisers want to build up the good will and therefore participants for next year that they should start handing out free places for 2009.  This way they could show us that they have listened and are capable of getting it right.

Will be watching to see how your meeting goes.

Matt

I have read the Organisers' response to the 100s of comments stacking up.

Whilst it is encouraging to see them respond (how could they not, faced with such a terrible rating from so many customers), some of their answers are sadly simply untrue.

e.g. the response about removing bands on safety grounds is nonsense. The BANDS removed THEMSELVES on these grounds - just read the blogs written by them.

Go to Runners World.co.uk and see what people who run 1/2 marathons every month say about this event.

The sad truth is that the organisers were hugely underprepared, and should not have been in a position to offer a race like this with such inexperience. Very willing people, but just not up to the job.

I have run in races all over the UK, sometime in appalling conditions. (anyone who ran in the Stevenage 1/2 Marathon in 2004 will know what I mean! - now THAT was rain). Yet even there, the organisation was well managed, by a local running club who did their homework and engaged with knowledgeable people and the local community.

Sorry organisers- there is a responsibility that comes with taking over £250k off people, and you guys simply didn't live up to it.