I felt the race didn’t start off too well! There was a warm up around 10am which I really enjoyed but then we had to wait around 50 minutes in the start line! There wasn’t even an apology from the race organisers! When we finally got going I wasn’t feeling it, I was feeling hungry and I was starting to feel tired. The race didn’t start to almost 11.30, by that time it was sunny and warm. The race was advertised as a very flat course but I didn’t think it was all that flat as there seemed to be quite a few hills. There did seem to be a lot of water stations and there was quite a lot of crowd support. I didn’t think much to the goody bag, it was just a carrier bag with mostly leaflets!

Registration and pre-race communication was good. I was a little underwhelmed at the event village on the day. One stall selling coffee, the queue was longer than for the toilets! Obviously the delayed start couldn’t be helped, but communication was non existent. The lengthy delay rendered warm-ups, nutrition etc useless to be honest, and the fact the course was short just topped it off. Not impressed that the medal does not have the year on, and the ‘goody bag’ which should really be called a ‘baddy bag’ was very poor. Photos were an extortionate price! And with all the logos over them it was pot luck whether they were gonna be decent or not! Local support was amazing! And most of the marshals were too, apart from the ones just staring at their phones. When I got to the finish the person giving out medals had gone off chatting so I nearly ended up with no medal. Had to ask someone where to get the medal, go and interrupt her obviously important conversation to get it! Not massively impressed overall, and not sure I would do it next year.

Positives; Bag drop was very efficient. Great support from marshals and spectators. Flat course, great PB potential Plenty of water stations at good intervals. Not so great: 45 minutes delay to race (whilst I'm sure unavoidable) was poorly communicated. It is extremely annoying to get a PB but only because the course measured 300m short. Goody bag was the worst I've ever seen in any race, may as well not bothered at all. With several of the miles running through housing estates it isn't the most scenic of courses. Overall not one I'm likely to repeat.

A delayed start with very poor communication. We were left in the starting pens for over half an hour with no communication about what was happening, this was hugely frustrating . The crowd support was fantastic and there were plenty of water stops . Some of the marshals were just sat in chairs looking at their mobile phones, obviously paying no attention to the event. The course wasn't cleared of cars in time and some marshals weren't in place before the start of the race which left some of the volunteers manning the water stations highly concerned about the safety of runners. More water was needed at the finish line, I managed to get a bottle when I finished but some of my friends who finished later were left thirsty. The goody bags were the worst I have ever experienced. A single use plastic carrier bag filled with promotional leaflets, a frosties cereal bar (which I gave to my daughter) and some samples of some really horrible products - a very different goody bag to what we had received in previous years at this event. There wasn't even any bananas at the finish line! The medal wasn't up to usual GER standards and didn't even state the year on it, all pointing to cost saving in a enormous way. The photos were very expensive to buy and had so many logos over them that you couldn't even see they were good photos if you wanted to purchase them. All in all, very disappointing and doesn't compare with other half marathon events where the entry fee is a similar price.

Terrible start to a race, 50 minutes late with little to no explanation along the way. When finally allowed in to the starting pens there was zero updates. My carefully planned breakfast, warm up and toilet was completely out of the window due to the hugely delayed start. Good course in terms of potential for PB, brilliant support from the city all along the route. Great to have the pacers, Martin and his team mate for the 1:30 finish time, they were brilliant! Very disappointing that there was only water at the feed stations, fuel was needed when there’s such a delay in the start. Terrible good bags, really shouldn’t have bothered. Very average medal and ridiculously expensive race photos. Would have preferred no goody bag and free race photos which are normally available for free at most races. I’d only bother to race this again as it’s my most local 1/2 but if the next years is anything like this myself and many others would be put off for good!

Shambles at the start, delayed because they couldn't get the fun run clear in time & then further issues leading to 50 minutes of standing around having already warmed up. To top it off the course is probably short too, so I wouldn't be surprised if times ultimately don't count. As for the so called 'goody bag' it was basically a waste of a plastic bag as it had nothing worthwhile in it. A real shame because the crowd support was superb! I will add there was plenty of water on course

I previously ran the Great Eastern Run in 2017 and 2018 (I also entered in 2019 which was ultimately cancelled), which were brilliantly organised and great value for money. Unfortunately, this has not translated into the 2022 run. On the positive side, email communication before the day was great, the marshals were friendly and encouraging on the day, the crowd support was amazing, as was the route. Sadly, this has been somewhat dulled by a number of things. Firstly, the race was delayed by nearly an hour, with no communication as to why or how long the delay would be, whilst we all stood in the starting pens (at this point the effects of the pre-race warm-up completely gone). Secondly, the medal is extremely underwhelming compared with previous years - there is no date on the medal and they've put some random buildings on it which have no connection to Peterborough. Finally, the "goody bag" was a plastic carrier bag with a cereal bar and some leaflets in - no t-shirt or reusable rucksack like previous years, yet they have charged everyone the same amount of money for entry as previous years. I was so excited about the return of the Great Eastern Run this year, but the organisers have really let us down here. I just hope they acknowledge the feedback and frustrations to do a better job in 2023.

The delay to the 1/2 Marathon was poorly communicated. The only announcements I heard continually referred to ensuring the course was having to be made secure to prevent cars breaching the road closures. The course is pretty much identical to previous years so the Council must have been able to provide your company with their previous plans to give you a better idea as to where & the number of Marshal's needed to prevent course breaches. To me, this explanation simply led me to think it was all down poor organisation. Had the announcements about the start delay actually explained that the issue with the timing mats being to damaged by the Ambulance then the crowd would have been more sympathetic to the reason. Thankfully, the weather conditions prior to the start were favourable as there was no where to shelter had it rained. I am assuming the use of the start/finish area n Bishops Road was a direct result of the unavailability of the usual Embankment site due to the Construction Works. Hopefully, the start / finish area will be available in 2023. Although Anna's Hope is a worthy charity, it has held a monopoly as the preferred charity ever since the GER returned many years ago. There are so many other local worthy charities out there doing great still for Children, so in my view it is time for a change in 2023.

Steep price wise to get no t-shirt at the end. Pointless goody bag, not environmentally friendly. Lots of wastage at water stations. Poor communication about delayed start. No communication so just followed other runners to starting pens where tyere was a further wait. Warm up by Vivacity has not inspired me to get gym membership with them - looked like they didn't want to be there. Could have done better job with music to create a better atmosphere. Better signage for car park thar are open and accessible would be good. Nice route, great support from locals. Some good food stands at Embankment.

Hearing that the GER was back and being local I was looking forward to doing this race again. On the build up to the race information about the event was informative and let you know most things you needed to know. But that was as good as the information went. Roll on race day and only found out about the delays by other runners and no official announcements about why, how long, estimation on possible start time for the half. The race it’s self was good the start seemed easier to navigate and the addition of the park was a nice touch. But WHY WHY WHY have an out and back at the end and then still measure it wrong. So glad I missed out on a PB. Then like others have said a pointless finishes bag I’d of rather of walked off just with a medal than what you gave us. Highlights: Water Stations especially the one done by Thorney Running club as they cheered whooped and encouraged everyone who ran past them both times, baggage personnel who were amazing as were all the Marshall’s and spectators. Downsides: On day information, Course being short, pointless finishers bag, drink bottles to big and. Waste of fluids and plastic.