My Last Bath Half?

Every year I am asked the question why do you do it? It being the Bath Half.
This year I entered thinking that it couldn't possibly be as bad as last years debacle.

To be fair it was as bad as the wind swept, rain drenched atrocity that was the 2008 Bath Half but then it was great either - which when this is the most expensive race of the year (yes even more expensive than the London Marathon) you are entitled to expect.

The weather was perfect. Cool and sunny. We arrived in plenty of time, parked up, even had time for a relaxed cup of tea. Then the start got delayed by thirty minutes - congestion on the course apparently. Seeing as we had driven half the course - which was entirely clear of traffic, parked or otherwise - we have to assume that the problem was either in the other section of the course of was some kind of knee jerk reaction to a minor issue.

So hydration/food plans thrown into disarray we now found ourselves starting in the hottest part of the day in what must have been the hottest day of the year so far.

Next the new staggered starts. I had a number indicating a green start position D. No idea where that was as it was impossible to get to. Maybe if you had a white start which was both easily accessible from The Rec as well as more spaced out, then perhaps you were OK. From where we were there was a countdown and a cheer. Then another countdown and another cheer. Then the same again. Wait..... Gradually we shuffled forwards and actually saw the start line.

The first four-five miles were spent overtaking/falling over people. The course was tight and jammed. So jammed that at some point around two miles my arm got knocked and my watch stopped. Now I was running blind. Then just as we were starting to spread out a bit the leader caught us up. We were bawled at by some obnoxious man in the lead car. There really was no need for the attitude that exuded through his megaphone. Once again we were all squashed together.

The second loop was more enjoyable. I had long since given up on any kind of time and finally we could actually use the width of the road. Ultimately, my time was 2:06 - pretty much where my planned marathon pace is so - but once again the whole experience left me feeling ripped off.

The organisers need to decide do they want an elite race or a mass participation race. If they want an elite race then either dramatically reduce the numbers and go back to starting everyone at the same time or start the elites off 45 minutes earlier. That way they will be well into their second loop before the hoi polloi start. Even if they want a mass participation race they still, in my opinion, need to drastically reduce the numers. The streets of BAth just can't cope with the current volume. At the end of the day we all pay the phenomenal entry fee so we are all entitled to being given the best chance on what is a flat fast course.

I know this will fall on deaf ears. There will always be thousands prepared to pay the fee knowing what it is like. Will I do it again..right now.. I honestly don't know.