Last weekend saw the running of the Bristol half Marathon, which included an entry from yours truly.  This is the second time I've run this event, (although I was entered last year I didn't run because of illness), and I've just looked at my finish time and place for the race. 

The Bristol Half is a bit of a Curate's Egg as far as running events are concerned, as it has some really good aspects about it along with some that just make you shrug your shoulders and wonder who exactly thought that was a good idea (in all likelihood it was a committee of some sort...).

 Things I liked about the race:
1) Good start time - 9:30 start means that you're not running when it could be hottest, and if travelling a long way home after the event (like me) you can get home at a sensible time
2) Plenty of drinks stations at regular intervals - in this respect the race cannot be faulted - I've been to other events where promised drinks were missing, stolen and under supplied, so having plenty of fluid to take on was excellent
3) Course - a mostly good course - it wasn't perfect, but then again its a city based run, not 25 laps of a track
4) Scenery - running under the Clifton Suspension Bridge and along the Avon Gorge was pretty good, and then back into the city was fine by me.
5) Support - loads of supporters along most of the route - thanks to you all.

 Things I didn't like:
1) No race number until 2 days before - good job I wasn't travelling to Bristol any earlier then
2) No Tshirts for men - although women got theirs - due to unforseen circumstances...?  Given that Reebok are one of the organisers, it seems rather odd.  And given the race entry had been filled in February, also quite baffling that they didn't get their act together.
3) Start organisation - now usually, there are blocks of runners organised by predicted finish time, faster runners at the front, slower ones at the back - this year the system seemed to have died, with people being allocated to the wrong time block, and some of the blocks being so wide as to make no sense.  Anyway, I just parked myself near to the back, and then had the motivation of being able to overtake people on the way round.
4) The Goody Bag - now usually you get a bag with a few useful things in it at the end of a race - particularly -as in this case - if the race has been on the expensive side.  At the end we got...a can of soup in a bag.  Thanks guys.  Really useful.

Given that I've more likes than dislikes listed I'll probably do the race again, and given that I ran at a comfortable pace rather than to get a fast time, I was pleased with my performance overall, and specially coming in at only 7,134th in a field of 15,000 with a time of 2:18:11.  Not even close to my best half marathon time (2:02) but one of the most enjoyable runs I have done.  And I have another shiney medal to add to my collection.

Oh and Steve Cram pulled out of the event this year.  Last time we ran together in the race in 2002, (ahem ) he beat me, so he was probably scared I'd get my revenge and wup his ass this time around