I live close to Milton Keynes and have done this race before, so this is always a good event for me to include as part of my marathon training, and the 20 mile race that's available is a good training run for a spring marathon.

This year's race was different for me though as I was running the half marathon as a guide runner with Nick who is totally blind and aiming for a new PB (current PB 1:44:55). As a guide runner I was offered complimentary entry and had to email my details to the organiser before the event and then collect my race number from the info marquee on the day. I arrived at the marquee and was disappointed by the lack of organisation with lots of people arriving and signing up on the day, lots of paper and numbers being handed around with people rushing to get their number before the start. I gave my name and said that I was a guide runner and was first asked for an entry fee then my details couldn't be found on the entry list, despite emailing the organiser prior as requested.

Having finally got a number and chip, Nick and I made our way to the start and set off at 10:45. The support throughout the race from both marshals and locals was brilliant with lots of encouragement given. The course is quite twisty and windy with lots of turns along the redways but where there was no marshal it was suitably signposted so very little chance of getting lost.

The finish of the race is always a good one as the last 100/150m is packed with supporters willing you on to the finish line which is needed having made your way up Campbell Park hill at the mile 12 mark!!

Once finished you're then given a nice looking and chunky medal (big improvement on previous years!), bottle of water, banana and a space blanket. Previous years I'm pretty sure you've only got a semi-decent medal and a bottle of water, so a banana and blanket was a bonus!

My only negative is the admin charge that is added on to your entry fee, I don't understand why some organisers charge an admin fee when the entry fee itself isn't the cheapest anyway!