After the last minute cancellation of the 2016 Swindon Half Marathon, it seemed that my home town would be without an event this year. That was until a group of runners from Swindon got together and launched the New Swindon Half Marathon, pulling together a very well organised event in less than 10 months.

There were, understandably, a few teething problems, which I am sure will be looked at and improved for next year, but the response from most of the 2,700 runners has been very favourable on social media.

I was involved as a pacer for the Xempo race pacing team, pacing out 2hr 20m and loved being part of my home town event. As a pacer my registration was dealt with through Xempo, but speaking to running friends who signed up themselves, they all said it was a straight forward and easy process, with early bird discounts on offer if you were quick. Communication from the organising team was first class, plenty of information on social media and through email, right up until the evening before the race.

The pre race village was sited outside the Swindon Town football ground, and had a well marked out start funnel, baggage trucks (which would take bags to the finish in the town centre) information tent, food and drink stallls and retailers stalls, a stage was set up for annoucements and a pre race warm up session.

The course was a new one from previous years, keeping to the Town itself instead of leaving Swindon and going out into the surrounding downs as in previous years. Mostly flat other than a long steady and continual climb at about 11.5 miles, it appears that most people, apart from the town's drivers!!, prefered this route over the last one. Social media and local press outlets went into melt down during the time of the race, with complaints of gridlocked traffic around the course with many drivers venting their anger through abuse at runners and marshalls. Road closure signs were in place at least 2 and a half weeks prior to day, but it seems many missed them and were not aware of the event until getting stuck in tailbacks. Credit most be given here to the race organiser, who has already released a statement apologising for problems, and promising a review and action to improve things for 2018.

Starting in the car aprk of Swindon Town FC, the route cut across the Town's famous Magic Roundabout and snaked its way around the Town, passing the BMW mini plant, Oasis Leisure Centre (yes the one that Liam and Noel took the name from when forming their little band a few years back), the Outlet Shopping Centre, housed in the town's former GWR rail works, up into the Old Town part of Swindon before finishing with a welcome downhill final mile into the heart of town.

Apart from the afore mentioned traffic problems the course was well signed,with directions and mile markers, and marsahalled superbly. 4 aid stations were manned be happy (despite the rain) volunteers and gave out bottled water, High 5 gels and jelly babies to runners in need. Designated waste zones after the stations meant that the post race clear up was going to be a bit quicker. Maybe not the prettiest of routes, but a nice course to run, although on my watch and many others as well, it did come up a little short of the 13.1 miles.

I was pleasently surprised by the level of local support on the route, pockets of really noisy and encouraging residents were out to cheer the runners through, there were charity cheer points and a samba band at about 9 miles to add to the atmosphere.

One other area which may need a review for next year could be the finish zone, after the finish line it was a little cramped for space, and long queues were forming to get into a tent to collect the finishers goodie bags. The bags included a tech t shirt, medal, gel and Beanie hat with the race logo emboidered into it, I expect to see many of those around town over the coming, colder months!

The race was chip timed by the ever efficient DB Max Race Timing service, results being available online immediatly, and updated as the event was taking place.

In summary, considering the short time in which the organisors had to put togther the event, they have given the town an half marathon to be proud of again, Yes there will be a backlash from motorists over the coming days, but if all parties involved in putting this on again for 2018 take a good look at things, and how traffic management can be improved then I can see this event growing year on year.

I hope I can be lucky enough to pace more runners to PB's again in 2018.