This will now always be a special event for me after I won the 20 mile race! So, I feel bad criticising anything at an inaugural event, so this is all about making it better and hopefully is a constructive review. I'll therefore say what needs improving!

1. Water stations every 5 miles is not ok. Runners after a PB or wanting to test themselves don't want to carry their own water. Using Covid as an excuse for minimising water stations is also not ok. Either have them every 3 miles (at least), or don't have them at all and insist on people taking their own water. Every 5 miles was a poor compromise. Also, water needs to be given in bottles so you don't choke and spill the water in cheap plastic cups (which were only filled one third full). The bins imediately after the water stations were no good either. They need to be 500 - 700 metres down the course so you have time to drink, take your nutrition, drink again and then throw the cup (or preferably, bottle!) away. I held on to my plastic cup from the 5 mile station to the 10 mile loop point because there was NO bin along the course for me to dispose of it. Not great! Bottles of water please, every 3 miles. This one change would be BRILLIANT for runners!

2. Ditch the toepath part of the route and you'll have people flocking to this event! It was terrible - single track next to a canal meant overtaking was difficult with many people just stopping and standing on the grass verges - not great. Also, lots of fruit fallen on the toepath, uneven surfaces and I dread to think what this would have been like in adverse weather conditions, particularly for clusters of people running together at similar speeds.

3. Cash prizes for the winners! (Only half joking - many races of a similar size would give out cash prizes for age group winners as well as the top 3 men and women. 

4. As others have said, have photographers in a couple of key locations and snap everybody as they run through them. No finish line photos is disappointing.

5. Trophies (especially compared to the ones shown at Bedford 20) were disappointing in quality.

6. If you're going to have a lead bike, keep it there for the whole race, not just the first lap!

7. Some people I had to yell back on to the course who had taken a wrong turn not far from the 10 mile mark where there was an inlet on the canal to navigate round. They had turned off to the right! This was the bit before you run up and over a metal bridge?

8. Some of the signs needed placing earlier than they actually were, and more clear in places too. Veered back on to the route in the same place twice due to poor signage. Once with others, once alone.

What was great?

T-shirts and medals are cool (don't need the extra dangly keyring bit though - invest in more water stations!).

The vast majority of the route was beautiful and flat.

Communication was good pre-race.

Marshalling generally very good.

Event village was fine too.

Overall, a smashing inaugural event and I would possibly do this event again!