This is my second consecutive year of doing the Round Sheffield Run. I do love this race but it seems to have slightly become a victim of its own success and I hope the organisers learn a few lessons for next year.
Pros
- This race has a wonderful friendly atmosphere
- Gorgeous scenic route
- Friendly marshals
- Fabulous medal
- I love the concept of this as a staged race, it makes it a bit interesting and unusual
- Water, crisps and a cereal bar at the end and no plastic bags used. Brilliant.
Cons
- This year the website crashed when entries opened and they ended up having to run a ballot system.
- Because of the numbers, the queue to collect your electronic “dibber” was huge. They need more people on that next year.
- There aren’t enough toilets at the start and none on the route. There were a couple of the drink stations where you could have had a couple of portaloos. Please have them next year! This is a long race for no loos on the route.
- Aid stations weren’t great this year, with only water, bananas and jelly babies. A different sweet option would be nice for those of us who can’t stand bananas or jelly babies! Last year one of the stands had something different.
I do wonder whether for the water stations this race could start to go down the route many other have and reduce the number of water bottles used and ask runners to take a cup.
Overall this is a great race but it needs some tweaks for next year from the outset.