Fort Striders Run : Race Review

This is my long overdue review on the FS Run held last 09.12.10. So here it goes.

The Route

All the while I thought it will be similar to the Miles for Smiles run but some last minute revisions changes the whole thing. The much anticipated Heritage Park visit was axed from the map. The route became a lot flatter than the original but the none the less it is still a good route. There were some turns in the route that caused some merging of runners and a greater chance of cheating (yes, there were cheating as observed by some runners) More importantly, the distance is still accurate.  Thus, I'm giving it a 4 rating.

The Run.

The run went smoothly, I think the smiling marshalls did their job. Hydration is ample but not overflowing. The last water station was still serving water when I got pass it and the visibility of the ambulance is ok. Kilometer markers are again not enough and I think the last 1Km marker was innacurate. Because of the cheap registration, no timing chip or band was used. Rating, 3.5.

The Pre/Post Event

There were no amazing Post and Pre event for this but good thing it started on time. The distribution of  freebies was at least organized and acceptable. Thus, I'm giving it a 4.

The Kits and Freebies

This race has one of the cheapest registration to date. Taking this into consideration I expected a not so satisfying freebies and kits. I did not have the chance to taste the overflowing "taho" and when i tried to ask for another round of Pocari Sweat , the supply was already depleted. I got the "freebies" but it was lacking an energy bar. The singlet was, however, nice, smooth and has a great design. Rating, 3.5.

The Organizers.

Hats off to the organizers for putting up a fun, organized and cheap run. Marshals were smiling all the time. I just wished that they had been more watchful of the cheaters. But they should not be blamed for those shameful runners, the organizers did their job (from registration to the event), some "runners' or to be specific, "running club" just don't have the respect for the sport. Thus, Im giving the Organizers a 4 for their effort.

My Conclusion

In todays running scene where registration fees skyrocketed  to sometimes unreachable prices, the Fort Striders rose above it all and organized a  cheap but commendable running event. Yes, there were some areas for improvements and the event was tainted by some cheating issues but overall, the event is a success.

Overall Rating :