“An experience to keep you running - Flawless organisation supported by impeccable communication, brilliant venue and fantastic atmosphere. Such a great experience. For a newbie runner it's the perfect race to get them hooked on running. I enjoyed every minute of the race. Can't wait the 2015 RAK Half Marathon. Thanks for this wonderful experience.”

“Great event - Please offer massage in the medical tent after the race, I would pay extra with my event entry! I had some very sore muscles that would have greatly benefitted from 5 minutes of a therapists trained hands. ”

“Good event - In light of the fact that nearly all the runners are not resident in RAK (and therefore have to travel from Dubai, or further) it would be helpful if the start time was pushed back to, say, 9am.”

“A great race and most likely I will run it again! - The course was wonderful and overall the experience was great. What would be wonderful to see next time is more energy drinks and energy gels at support station, and better organization at the start (there was a 20 minute delay to the race). ”

“Late start was not cool. - Overall it was a great race and course!”

“Great experience from all points of view - Many thanks to the sponsors, organizers and volunteers. I enjoyed everything about the race and the weekend in RAK. Someone at a race in November told me about the event, and I registered right away as a way to see another part of the UAE (I'd just moved here) and of course do more running. I especially appreciated the communication leading up to the event.”

“Great event Memory of life time. - Wounderfull experience of Life i love to be there again again wishing very best of luck and regards to organizers and all people for making such a wonderfull event. i love you RAK marathon,See you Insaallah next year”

“Best Logistical Planning yet!! - Race Pack collection was a little messy, however in the end they worked hard to get it delivered to me!!Thank you. So convenient and stress free parking next to race village. So much space and ease of movement. I also loved the colourful arches marking each km. Loved it!! ”

“Great organisation. - The pre event communications were great. Water stations were excellent, well stocked and with enough assistants. Marshalling of the route also good. All in all, I would recommend this race to other first time half marathon runners (like me) and seasoned runners.”

“Almost perfect - I ran RAK this year for the first time and I loved! Just 2 comments: First one, you already know, is about the delay in start time. Apart of the delay, I would like to say thanks for the apologize email, was very nice receive this kind of explanation. Second: I think you can consider have one or two support points with this energetic bars or gels like powergel. Apart of this, everything was perfect, and I would like to thanks for help me with my personal best. Regards Fernando Correa”

“Grerat course and superb organization - Great event that I will definitely come back to. Pity that the start was not on time, but I guess some stuff you just can't control sometimes, especially Police in UAE. Awesome idea with gantry at each km, helped a lot to get through!”

“Very good race - As probably mentioned by many people, the delayed start was very annoying. Otherwise a very good race & track as always. Thanks and well done.”

“Enjoyed it very much. - Organisation was very good, loved the inflatable km markers.”

“Splendid RAK Half Marathon - It was an awe-inspiring running event that I have ever joined. It was a perfect place for everything and a very well-organized event. It is my great pleasure and honor to participate this event, and that I made it to the finish strong still with a smile and thumbs up. Running is a motivation for us all to persist in life, and regardless of speed and distance; we are all winners as we have crossed the finish. To the sponsors and organizers; my appreciation and respect! ”

“Loved it! - The only not perfect point was the delay in the start, rhe rest was great, very well organised! ”

“First half marathon and I feel good :) - Overall the event was very well organised and the medal for completing the race was awesome and a nice touch giving the date. Lots of spectators although these did die out so wasn't as good an atmosphere for the slower runners at the end. Only comment I would make is that the energy drinks were very limited and I heard that the event ran out of medals towards the end. Would happily recommend this race to friends wishing to partake in the future.”

“Great race - I liked the idea of having such a world class race without these masses like in Berlin or Den Haag. So everything in the starting area was very relaxed and there was plenty of space on the course. I loved the inflatable kilometer markers, they were really impossible to miss. And what a great commentary by Tim Hutchings, i really enjoyed this.”

“Very well organized time after time! i am looking - Very well organized time after time! i am looking forward to 2015! keep up the good work Nathan.”

“Well organised HM. - Overall a great experience comjng out to RAK to run a HM. atmosphere is good and event is well subscribed. There could be a better food catering after race tho, otherwise great! ”

“A must in everyone's race calender - As usual I had a great time but would note the following to assist in future: - support stations would benefit from gels/energy bars every so often to save us having to carry our own; - Whilst understandable in the circumstances, the extra 20 minute wait at the start was very uncomfortable; - for me there is a little too much pre-event communication; - Whilst again understandable, the event givaways do not match other similar races. - why not a 10k race as well for those not able to do a full HM”

“Not bad - Except the delay in commencement and shortage of complimentary for the runners who completed their run after 2hr 15min, the whole event was above average. I also heard people complaining on non availability of water at certain points and the apologies from the volunteers ”

“Very well organised Race...see you next year! - Apart from the start being delayed, I was extremely impressed. Very well organized and friendly. A suggestion would be that the photographers' clothing should be more visible, perhaps "official photographer" in large, bold print on his shirt. The SMS timings that came through on our phone at each point in the race were delayed in receiving them.”

“01:38:58 - Whery good race,organization was perfect... late start :(”

“Great running event - This is a well organized and run annual event which enjoys great participation from runners and spectators. This year's edition, apart from late start hick-up, was not exception. A minor problem was that gatorade was quite difficult to get at drinking stations. Perhaps next year the supply of energy drinks should be a bit better.”

“Well organized - It was fun and fulfilling. ”

“Great race, great atmosphere! - The start delay was an issue, which I know you have already addressed and I do understand the Middle Eastern 'timing'. However, it did cause some issues for me, post race, as I had other plans. There was also a drinks station around the 7-8km mark which ran out of drinks. Not a good thing when people have planned their fluid intake. Thanks, Meg”

“Great Job - Late start, but you have already explained that as beyond your control”

“A truly great event! - Despite an initial mix up with registration I thought this run was extremely well organised. The delay at the start was outside their control and handled well. There was a great atmosphere from start to finish and having the relay teams supporting the half marathon runners at the relay stations makes this a very special event. And the weather was perfect, as if it had been mail ordered! Well done RAK! ”

“The best marathons that i participated. - Rak half marathons is the best marathons events that i participated thats why i will join again and again for this event.”

“Great race, great organization - Despite the late start, the RAK hm confirms again to be a well organized and fast race. A big thank you as well to all the volunteers. Well done.”

“Fun race! - Great Had a lot of fun!!”

“Very good event with great updates via sms - LOve this event , great course for PB's ”

“Look forward to 2015! - Well done!”

“Great race!! - Awesome event - good atmosphere at the start and during the race. Only complaint was slower runners didn't get medals as there seemed to be a shortage - this didn't affect me personally, but it affected friends and many people were disappointed with this as a half marathon is a big achievement for everyone to complete. ”

“Late Start was only downside - The only downside to the day was the delayed start. Its understandable that we needed to wait for the Sheikh to be there - but saying that we were delayed because they needed to clear the course was wrong. Honesty is always the best policy. ”

“An event that always produces Personal Best forall - Overall it was a good and well organized event. An event that motivates good runners for better performance, an event that motivates non-runners to join the run. This year it was good except the late start. I understand the late start but still it has made a dent on some of the runners timing including me. ”

“Great event, will be back next year for my PB - Great event and an enjoyable experience. Would like to see more done to encourage more roadside spectator support, perhaps music / bandstands and other forms of family entertainment set up around the quieter parts of the course.”

“Very well managed event besides small start delay - The logistics of the event were very good. From water stations, restrooms, relaxing area, parking, etc. I will definitely run it again”

“Best race in the UAE - The attention to detail is amazing. Well done to everyone involved, especially Nathan and his team, but also to all the volunteers and workers and, of course, the runners. It simply wasn't all that important that it started late. If we'd have started without the sponsor, we could have all said goodbye to the RAK half next year. It wasn't important that I didn't get a pair of plastic crocs which I wasn't expecting anyway - actually I'm glad that a worker has them! The race is a bargain. Thank yoo”

“Very good organized race, good athmosphere - Very nice international event. Lounges are really nice.”

“Great event overall - - All very good, start delay but that was ok - it happens, if it gets any bigger will need more parking. ”

“Great event - Could have been better if you could have avoided the start delay”

“Cracker - Loved it as always, great race, great organization. Keep up the good work ”

“Really RAK was the fastest marathon I have done - It was indeed a great pleasure to participate the world's fastest RAK Marathon on Friday 14 February 2014. I really enjoyed it and got my PB. I don't have any compliant accept the even giveaways because I believe it has to be reached to the deserved person. Thank you!!! - Santosh Kumar - 050-4810313”

“Extremely well organised event - Organisation was great (although started about 20 mins late). Great km signs, great support stations. Not the most interesting route. Pre-event communication was excellent and timing services spot on. Well done to all involved.”

“Awesome and amazing experience! - Will definitely do it again!”

“Excellent organization - It was my first Half Marathon and I'm happy that this happened at RAK. Thank you all for all your efforts in organizing a great event. Looking forward to meeting you next year.”

“A brilliant event well organised, and fun. - Well done to all who helped to make this years Rak Half another memorable event. Greatly appreciated Nathan's post race mail regarding the start delay, and quite understand the importance for this as I am sure everyone else does. A great event thank you. See you next year.”

“Fun race; hope to come back next year! - Fun race, well organised but shame about the delayed start and the lack of information at the time as to why there was a delay. Also a shame that there were insufficient "give away" bags - particularly from the rotana...”

“Race is good but registration fee expensive - I enjoy a lot RAK Marathon but i have noticed is getting overpriced. Most of us do an effort to reach there that day, incurring in a lot of expenses. Most of our friends a group of people participating believe that the race is becoming more commercial and business oriented expending a lot in marketing etc at the expense of higher registration fee. If the fee continue increasing definitely we will opt for other options, as the calendar is flooded with other races. ”

“The best running event in the UAE... - ...even considering the high bar set by the organisers of the Creek and Abu Dhabi Half Marathons this is an outstanding event. It's well organised, easy to get to and easy to get home afterwards. The course is as fast as the they claim and for me it's a must-do event each year. It's also a great advertisement for RAK.”

“The Best Half Marathon Course - No doubt Rak Half Marathon is the best and the fastest in the world. All credit goes to the RAK Government and the Race committee especially Mr. Nathan Clayton. Its true "LIVE THE EXPERIENCE" with RAK Half Marathon”

“Great Event, very enjoyable - Great Event, very enjoyable. Got a bit cold waiting around at the start but once we were off the course was good and quick (if a little boring scenery wise). Will be taking part again next year!”

“Excellent event - Excellent event”

“Well organised, perfect conditions - Lovely event in a wonderful part of the world. Well supported and very enjoyable run for all levels.”

“Great fast race at great time in the season! - Enjoy RAK when conditions are good! Flat and fast and well organised - shame this year about the delayed start but appreciated the apology email and that not really any of the organisers could have done anything. I will return next year hoping for another PB!!”

“Potential to improve - I thought the race course was flat but monotonous - it is a shame the race does not benefit from RAK's corniche and beaches. The pre-communication was good but a bit excessive and repetitive. Still very much appreciate all the effort that was put into making this an international event though! ”

“It's all worth it - travel, traffic & hotel stay. - The event was almost perfect - lots of hydration points with water and power drinks, the medal, the right then and there certificate, the baggage counter, the program and even the wall climbing from Adventure HQ, the race course, the marshalls.. almost perfect. But there's no such thing as perfect, all of us who ran the marathon would want to have the saucony give aways, it's better if they only gave 1 pair each runner (only) and the race started like 15 mins late.. and it's a bit hot already:)”

“Saucony staff attitude stank a mile! - Every thing from the pre-race comms to the during the race facilities were top notch. The delayed start was a bummer. Post race instructions for cerificate collection could have been better. The attitude of the people manning the Saucony stall was pathetic. Fair enough the they ran out of give aways after a while - which initself is not ideal given that they should be better prepared knowing the number of runners- what was shocking was their attitude. They treated people like common criminals!”

“Fastest course! - Course allows for fast times. No glitches pre event, the delayed start was the only one during the event. Bonus for Athlete's village with cafe and shower facilities. Sponsors even handed out shower kit! Even weather was fantastic!”

“Overall a good and well planned event - I was very disappointed by the delayed start to this race, I feel it impacted on my performance as by the time the race eventually started I was very cold and had cooled down from my warm up, the preserves/ adrenaline had also begun to subside. The course is a good one however some of the road surfaces were in bad condition too. The vent itself was very well planned and organised though and still enjoyable.”

“Another well run event. - Great event, enough said.”

“I love this marathon event!!! - Love it and will come back to beat my PB.”

“Communication throughout was really good - Pity about the late start, wastage of water at water points so much - any possibility of having smaller water containers? ”

“It was good overall - Unfortunately the late start messed up the race a bit.”

“Excellent as usual - Weather was fantastic. Organization was great. There was a delay in starting at the beginning for the first time, but we received an email later explaining this.”

“Fantastic Event - The RAK half marathon is one of the big highlights of the UAE running season. So well organized with so much attention to detail, e.g. delivery of race packs, buses to RAK, the cleanest toilets with no queues, plenty of parking space right by the start/finish area. I loved the medal. Well done, guys. A superb event. Looking forward to next year's already.”

“I wish to join this event yearly... - The event was very memorable to me coz, Its my 1st 21K and it happens on my 42nd birthday...i will treasure it forever...thank you guys... ”

“Overall good experience - Only problem was the late start this year ”

“Very good - Really enjoyed it, wish the start time was at 7 no matter who and why is late! Everything was great Thank you for your efforts Sami ”

“Fastest half marathon indeed - Rak marathon was my worst run ever...i had to stop over 5 times in between 16-18km..i have to sit on the pavement and check the foot blisters ive got.. during the run was not my kill mode..i was killed by many runners a lot of times...hahahha but overall,,..it was a good run...it was a good route, good weather..it was fun RAK half marathon next year!!”

“Great race - Great course and well organised!”

“AMAZING! - Ok so the start was a little delayed - who cares! The atmosphere was incredible, the course was lovely, well sign posted, well marshaled and over all a fantastic day out! Huge thanks to the organisers, if I am in the UAE next year I will definitely be back.”

“Shame it was delayed at start. Otherwise faultless - Another great race. I beat my PB by over 90 seconds (getting nearer the 1.30.00 now only 35 seconds off it)... Will be back next year”

“Best race in UAE - Despite the frustrating delay at the start, this was another highly enjoyable event. Well done to all involved, excellent work.”

“Great Event - Very well organize event..”

“The route - The event was well organised. The only thing I didn't like was seeing the route on the other side of the road and knowing how far there was still to go to get there. ”

“A great event! Keep it coming..... - I think the start finish area can be managed a little better. Also 1st time runners should start at the back of the field the 1st 2kms were a little tricky..... A great event look forward to 2015!”

“My first Half Marathon, thanks RAK. - Late start probably the only negative, otherwise very enjoyable.”

“Great race, but the delayed start was not good. - The race organisation was great all the way up to the start line where we had to wait 25mins to start. For me this is not acceptable even if you are waiting for his Highness to start the race. I would be interested to know how the professional athletes felt about the delayed start. You pride yourselves on being one of the fastest half marathons in the world and in my opinion if you want to keep that reputation then you need to make sure that you start race on time. ”

“Goof flat course, well conducted. - Well conducted. Plenty of parking lots right at the start, well organised race village. Toilets all along. Excellent coverage by the media and by emails. Race pack delivery at your door. looking forward for the next year.”

“Good race spoiled - There has been huge improvements in terms of the planning and organisation of the race. Everything was good until the start was delayed. From the various comms, it is clear that it is expected that the runners must respect the sponsors and key supporters, but the runners themselves are not respected. This is a two way street and this might impact future participation by many runners.”

“Best half marathon for walkers in the UAE - I keep coming back to RAK because I enjoy it. Since the beginning RAK was very supportive for walkers and first timers who often take more than 2 and a half hours. Because of the half hour delay this time, there were no marshals post 18 k point, the road was open to traffic and walkers had to jump sideways to avoid being hit, there were no medals at finish line, and showers were locked! The supervisor checking the showers kindly agreed to let us into the spotless clean showers. See you in 2015. ”

“Very pleasant day - I spent the night before the race at the wolden Astoria hotel, one of the hotels I found im the RAK marathon website. They were not aware at all of the race,no early breakfast arranged and mostly they didn't even know about the shuttle to the race in the morning. I loved the run but I was disappointed with the hotel organization”

“An event very organized - I value the information given before and after the envent. Results via text message, very good.”

“Good event and organization - Thank you very much for this great and competitive event i hope next year will be more successful.”

“Delayed start rant - The 25 minute delayed start for a world-class event is unacceptable, it seriously impacted warm-up and race start routines.”

“I hope I can run this race every year! - After running the Stan-Chart (Mumbai) Marathon last month, the audience seemed almost inexistent in this beautiful, sleepy town. But the lack of cheering was more than compensated for with perfect event management - effortless registration, timely race-kit delivery, lively commentary (more so when there was a delay in the start of the race), cheerful boys and girls handing out refreshments along the course, super-fast issue of timing certificates et al. And red give-away towels were awesome!”

“Nice challenge - Very nice race, great village/facilities and plenty of parking. Really handy to get race pack by courier! Good drink stations, only 1 was out of water by the time I went past, but they were more than close enough together. The markers were easy to focus on from a distance. Not sure if it was because I was slow to finish, but a banana/sports drink at end would have been great. Thanks to all the marshalls on the course and the instant certificate. And a nice different medal! Will be back. ”

“Loved the route - One of the top top 1/2 marathons i ever participated in.. ”

“Overall a nice race and positive experience - I was pleasantly surprised with the race and enjoyed the experience. Would run again in the future. ”

“Spectators got gifts? - One of my main stresses is that non runners receive rewards that are due to athletes. Regards to medals, RAK got it right! Other products were seen being carried away by workers, walking past me as I was running in, ”

“Great run - RAK marathon is great event!!! Looking forward the 2015 one :)”

“Excellent organisation - My first half marathon ever - really enjoyed the race - so we'll organise and a nice flat course !!”

“Excellent - Toilets at start were good, all working and with paper! Bus from/to The Cove hotel did not work for me. I was told a bus would be at the hotel at 5:30 to take me to the start - I didn't see a bus and took a hotel limo instead. At the finish, I couldn't find a bus that was labeled The Cove Hotel to take me back, so I took a taxi. My bus tickets were unused.”

“An unforgettable experience - Looking forward for the next event...”

“The event are Will organize - I suggest that banana and chocolate are also availlable during the race. ”

“Great event, but waiting at the start was a pain - - shuttles from our hotel left at 5 and 5:30 am, which were both way too early. Took a cab at 6 am and still had plenty of time - got the SMSes with my split times late (got 5K split time at the 15km mark etc) - love the instant time certificates and the magnets - could add a bit more to the goody bag - 25 min. delay at start was annoying for runners. Also don't like the fact that we were told at the time that it was due to "clearing traffic on the road," which we now know was not the reason.”

“Some give aways is not distributed properly - Before we reach the finish line we saw a lot of people with saucony box with ( slipper) ..( not participants) ..Then when we reached the finish the event. no more saucony box for us....( so bad) ”

“Great race for new PB - In the long waiting for the start I started to feel like going to the toilet but could not leave the preferred section anymore. Maybe a toilet section for the preferred runners would be great, or to allow them to use the facilities of the elite runners. ”

“RAK half mary rocks! - I loved the simple perks like being handed a towel after the race. :)”

“Very good - The medal design could be improved. The race results could be displayed with more subcategory's. Race photos can definitely be better. Other than that great organizing on the ground, keep up the good work. Pre race info superb. Will be back next year.”

“Enjoyed participating - Would be nice if the course was along the waterfront, as the route is pretty boring scenery wise. You always remember a course with beautiful scenery”

“The run was fantastic. - We really enjoyed the event and we are looking forward for next year...”

“Was great, wld def run it again - For team relays, they were blocking water stations. The delay was a bit annoying, other than that all good :)”

“Would do it again for sure! - Great organisation pre-race, liked the support stations and random cheering along the way. Always wish for more supporters towards the end of the course when it is hardest! The chip timing service is great and the medal rocked, plus was my only Valentines pressie, so thanks! ”

“A TOUGH BUT WORTH WHILE RACE - MORE NUTRITION ON THE WATER STATIONS. OVERALL A GOOD RUN WITH HUGE POTENTIAL”

“Excellent - I thought the RAK Half Marathon was very well organized from the moment I signed up until the event itself. I really appreciated all of the emails leading up to the event that provided very thorough information about the race. The race package was impressive as well. Of course, the only negative comment I have is that I was slightly disappointed by the late start. Otherwise, it was a fantastic day and I will definitely take part next year!”

“Value for money. - Delayed start. Body cooled down. Went to pee in between the race. Lost valuable 2 minutes. Gutted. ”

“Perfect marathon with perfect organisation. - The facilities were very good. The cafe and the other activities was very helpful to gain information and stuff my stomach as well :P the rest area was really VERY appreciatable. the track was not perfect because there were cracks on the road but acceptable as no place is perfect. the water stations at every 2.5km was helpful to all the athletes to complete the race and police at almost every checkpoint was great as if any accidents happen. over all everything was perfect.”

“A once-in-a-lifetime thing - Beautiful course, beautiful weather, and extremely well-organised. I had some trouble acquiring my race pack before the race as I had registered last-minute and the race organiser, Nathan, personally addressed it to my Mum (who lives in Dubai). The service overall was extremely well-organised, surprisingly so. A few minutes after crossing the line, I told my mum I wanted to run it again.”

“Great race, fast course, well organised! - 4minute PR, so I'm very happy. I would definitely run this race again. Fast course, very conducive to good times. Lovely weather for running. The only downside, the 25min delay of the start, resulting in the race finish tsking place in warmer weather...a.minor complaint. Overall, very happy with the race.”

“Great yearly atractive race - Miss on starting but reason for the delay is understandable.”

“Great experience, would definitely do it again - Nice route, well-organised event and everything ran very smoothly. ”

“Well organised race and enjoyable. - No toilets on the way around course or if they were not marked clearly.”

“Perfect weather, great people around ,very nice - The only negative for me ,it was at the water station when the people giving you a bottle and holding it by the top ...I didn't take water because of that ... They need to hold the bottom of the water I didn't want to get sick because of dirty hands that's all !! Overall a superb event!! Thank you ”

“Very well organiased - Everything was really really good, super organised and the communication was brilliant. The only very small thing that I didnt like was SOME of the people handing out water were holding the top of the water bottles and I found that gross.. but this was easy to avoid. Thank you very much for the brilliantly organised event.”

“Great event. Well organised. Thanks - Really we'll run event. I don't have anything bad to say. ”

“Fantastically organised event..best I've attended. - Overall, it was a great experience. A massive thanks to all the organisers.”

“Outstanding event as usual - The RAK Half Marathon remains by far the best organized event I have participated in over the 7 years I have been in the region. From the pre-event pack; to the parking arrangements; facilities; and through to the certificate printing it runs extremely smoothly. Despite the slight delay at the start this year, it remains a most professional event and is a credit to the organizers. The event is definitely about quality and not quantity - unlike the Dubai Marathon!”

“Always a fantastic event! - RAK is great for a weekend get away from Abu Dhabi and being able to do this race with friends and then spend a weekend on the beach is perfect! It's a pity about the delay at the start this year 20 minutes really does make a big difference but it was a great race anyway! We'll done organisers!”

“Well known and popular event - It lived up to its expectations. well organized and good fun. The text messages of split times and the km markers set up as bridges was an excellent idea and very motivating.,”

“Great race, great atmosphere. - The only complaint I have is the late start. I understand the reasons why but it was cold! Otherwise a great well organised and fun event. ”

“It was an awesome event and well organised - Well done guys, it was another successful event.”

“A challenging race for me - The ambiance this time was really warm. The speaker was really entertaning us and encouraging us so well. People at the water stations were so smily and encouring us. I loved it.”

“Fantastic race - Great event, brilliant views, will try again!”

“Such a great race atmosphere !!!! Love it !!! - Fabulous race once again !!! Shame the ruler of rak was late !!! Even still with this blip that is not uncommon in the uae - would still do it again and again !!!love the heart medal ! ”

“Event to remember - My first half marathon and won't be my last. Great introduction, friendly people, well signed, easy to register and get all the information. Down fall in that all the workers were lining up to get give aways from sponsors so competitors couldn't and then missed out. Very emotional event for me and one I will always remember.”

“Good first half marathon - Can't really fault anything - although not sure about the photo stream that I have paid for (info sadly lacking on that). Also, not worth paying for pre-race bus from hotel as left so early that didn't get it.”

“Good - Should have started on time. Waiting for 25 minutes is not done.”

“Great! - Loved it once again but you guys need to have the finish line better organized when people cross it. There's too many people hanging around and it gets crowded.”

“Absolutely well prepared this past event - I just want to thank's firstly to the Ruler of Ras-alkaimah of his fullest support of this event , and secondly to the organizers of this event, and thirdly to the traffic police they were doing very well in services, and the volunters they were guiding us the race roads and of course the sponsors once again thank you all, hopefully this coming event you will be there for more and advantages support for the next upcoming fastest road race events, God' bless us all your good deeds,,”

“Well organized. - You are good as you are now. Keep it up. ”

“Great race experience - I loved the race, perfect crowd. Just at the end, the outside people taking away all the fruits and water and other freebies for the runners was a bit unorganized and sad. Rest all was fantastic. Probably one last suggestion, if the photographs could have been better.”

“Excellent - Required more of mobile toilets every 5kms,for ladies in particular.”

“Excellent race - I would like to see the overall results ranked by the net chip time and not gross time.”

“I love RAK!!!! - I love RAK, its by far the best race I enter. It was my first ever event and each year I set a PB. Keep up the great work.”

“Great and fun day - It is one of the well organized sports and would love to be there every year. always disappointed on the t-shirt. I always order my right size and it always come the wrong size and this year even I end up with a ladies t-shirt. it is very disappointing and I love to have one t-shirt that will fit for me from RAK Marathon. jut to keep for my memory of RAK Marathon. will hope next year I may get my right size... Musthafa”

“Timing/Result - This may not be the RAK organisers, but I found that the ranking of the result by the "Gross" (as opposed to the Chip time) to be slightly misleading, as some people took close to 5 minutes to cross the start line. Perhaps the ranking should be done by chip/net time for more accuracy.”

“Great race. - Start line was a mess, no ones fault but not good for the runners SMS timing a nice touch but delivered very late so pointless Route is good but the long loop was a little annoying :) ”

“First time at RAK Marathon - It was a great run and I would rate it above other marathons in the region. See you next year! ”

“A very flat course so PB is very achievable - Start was delayed bit too long, I do understand why. Would be nice to change the course in the future to keep it interesting!”

“Great event - With a very clearly signed and marked course and excellent staff !”

“Enjoyable Run - Was an enjoyable run despite the delay at the start”

“Enjoyed - Waiting for the start wasn't nice, all the warm-up was lost. ”

“Great event - Timings can be provided at the 5 k gates ”

“Fantastic experience, well organised and fun too. - I was fairly nervous about my first event, but the continuous stream of information that came from the race organisers, together with the information in the race pack put my mind at rest completely. The only negative comment I would have is the timing of the race bus that collected us from our hotel. I have no idea why it was necessary to collect us 2 hours before the race when we were only 5 km from the start line. Other than this, I had a great time and thoroughly enjoyed the event. ”

“Great course, fast times, awesome atmosphere. - A really great event with such a huge diversity of participants from all over the planet. Very well organised from start to finish with the very real possibility of setting a new personal best time. Overall I thoroughly enjoyed myself and will be coming back in 2015.”

“Fantastic - Everything was great apart from the delayed start as started to get a little cold whilst waiting and the temperature got a little high for the last part of my jog. This did not spoil my experience though - and I could not fault anything else. I thought the whole event was organized very well.”

“Great event - One of the best events I've run - much improved over the years. Definitely liked all the loos around the course! Congrats”

“Great Organisation, Fast Course, Slow Time - There last bit was my fault.”

“Nice weather and well organized event - It was well organized event and I enjoyed good facilities provided at event location such as sufficient toilet as well as lovely shower facility with hot water. I will obviously paticipate next year!”

“Excellent Event - Just the delayed start was a bit of a hassle otherwise excellent event.”

“A well organised event! - Great run, great weather and all round great event!”

“Excellent Event - It is always an Excellent Event, except the delayed start this year...”

“Great race on perfect day - Pity about the delayed start, rather cold by then.”

“Fantastic! - Great event and excellent organization. Lots of giveaways making it excellent value for money. My one criticism would be that some of the marshals didn't know how far away or where the next toilets were and these weren't very well sign-posted. Otherwise, great job on everything! ”

“Overall, a very good event - Only disappointment was no medal but this was quickly acknowledged and rectified.”

“Well organised - Since I am a slow runner, the medals were over by the time I crossed the finished line. There were some volunteers who were pacifying many runners who did not receive the medals and took our bib numbers. I wasn't really expecting anything out of it, but was pleasantly surprised to receive an email in 2 days confirming that I will receive mine in a few days. That is very nice of you. All communications around the event were perfect. Great job and I will certainly participate going forward.”

“Good would have been great but for start delay - As always a great event unfortunately slighly spolit this year by the delay at the start.”

“Well Done! - Overall, I was very satisfied but few suggestion will be better to opt for the next race. 1 - Need more entertainments for Families and Kids specially after driving early morning from all around UAE. 2 - Need Cold Sponges or something similar to avoid the heat at the Water/Aid Stations... 3 - With such big event I believe the Quality of the Gateways can be far better. ”

“My First Marathon! - This was my 1st half marathon and I thought it was brilliantly organised from the minute I applied online until I crossed over the finish line. The only negative thing I have to say is about the wait at the starting line, but I totally understand why. Keep up the great work!”

“Good Job ! - Keep up the good work. Thoroughly enjoyed...was a great family outing”

“Great event overall - Loved the event great set up and loved the every kilometer banners helped get over the line faster. ”

“Excellent event and will enter 2015 - I feel the overall organization of the event was great. The communication via email and Facebook page was excellent and continues to be even post race. This is certainly an event that i will look forward to for next year and will recommend to friends. ”

“One of the best in the region - You guys have come a very, very long way since the first running. Great to see the improvement. Keep it up!”

“A Great Race - I took part in the RAK Half Marathon and the event exceeded my expectations, very well organised and professionally run. I look forward to participating next year!”

“Fantastic - Except for the start - that had runners line up too long before the race, even if it would have started on time, the race was wonderfully organized. The 24 minute delay wasn't the organizers' fault. More sports drinks should have been on offer at the water stations.”

“Well organized. Satisfied - To improve on hotel accomodation references and prices agreements due to the event. thanks”

“I keep on running in this event because it's great - The start this year was a bit late but the overall experience is great and this is why I run this half marathon almost every year.”

“Fantastic event organisation!!! - We didn't get a Rotana box, which was a bit disappointing. Otherwise, a fantastic event and flawless organisation!!! ”

“Great and wonderful experience - Its one of the most organized race event I have joined. The only dissappointing thing is distribution of medals. They just ran out?! I think, it was poorly distributed. The rest was awesome and would love to come back. I hope they start on time though... :)”

“Would run again - Well organized event, shame about the delayed start. Everything else went very well. Nice touch with the food and drinks straight after the finish line. PB so happy with the course!”

“Superb race - I liked the kilometer signage. It was big and you could increase your pace to run faster. The only thing I didn't like was the bottles of water that was handed out. Have you ever considered using plastic sachets? It's more convenient and runners can run with it in their hands. Carrying bottles are a bit tardy and it was quite an eyesore to see all those plastic bottles along the side of the road. It was great race. Thank you very much! I will definitely do it again next year.”

“On time gunstart :) - Dont be late next time on the gunstart... but overall I had so much fun and I enjoyed a lot. More power see you next year!!!!”

“Good race , nice event , the streets little broke - Thank you for all the s Esfort”

“A friend told me about the event - AS this was my first ever half marathon I was a little slow (over 3 hours). Due to this fact by the time I crossed the finish line there were no medals left, although to be fair to the organisers they have alreadt emailed with an apology, explanation and promise to forward one on to me. There were also no event giveaways left, this was not a great issue, I am just letting you know why I only rated the giveawys at 50%. The pack before the run was good though. Many thanks. See you next year.”

“Another great race done - Well organized race. Two comments: 1. providing the energy drink (Gatorode) in wide mouthed cups was not OK. Drinking from such a cup while running is quite difficult. 2. Some runners who finished late did not get any medals!! There were no medals left!! There were some runners who were UNREGISTERED and received medals!!! You have to stop them or arrange for extra supply of medals for the REGISTERED runners.”

“As always a great run - This is a great run though I drive from Dubai early morning. I have always enjoyed this run, the simplicity of this event. The track, the support all is great. Saw some good stuff given away this time, but most taken away by non runners. The run was delayed this time but I did not mind as it was waiting for HH arrival, and the most part I admired was HH waiting there on the stage even when people who take over two hours to arrive. i looked forward to my next RAK run. Thank you.”

“Well Organised - Enjoyable Route - The RAK Half Marathon was very well organised. The route was really nice and I liked how each 1km was clearly marked. The water stations were situated at the right places also. Will definitely be doing this one again!”

“In one word: awesome! - Cant wait to participate in next years event. ”

“RAK run - The event was well participated however the event lacked genuine well setup event village & any interesting route, the course does not take the runner through the best part of RAK City like the beach or any interesting landmarks. ”

“Well organized event! - Thank you for organizing this great event !”

“Extremely well organized. - This is one HM I plan to run yearly due to the fabulous organization, great course and location.”

“Well organised event. A pleasure to participate. - Great event! Love running this race!”

“Poor - An expensive race to enter that I did not end up running in due to the failure of delivering my race pack to a v simple address in Dubai! I was not ableto do a3 hr round trip to collect the pack the eve before-ridiculous that it could notbe collected the morning of the race!? Despite emailing the help desk I received no response! I would like a full refund.unable to fully rate the race as I did not participate...”

“Excellent - Overall, an excellent event. I was impressed with the communications beforehand, the excellent 'goodie bag' and the facilities on the day were great too (loved the Costa stand!). Pity the start was delayed, but I do understand that this would have been a difficult situation probably beyond the control of the event organisers.”

“A fun race and great organisation. - Well organised. Just needed a water station at the start that was easy to find! Other than that, a superb event. ”

“Simply superb - I really enjoyed it, It was a very well organised one. I congratulate the organizing team for their wonderful efforts.”

“Excellent arrangements but ... - Everything was perfect. But only 3 negative .... 1) the race started late 2) I am slow runner and at around 18 or 19 km mark i saw the traffic coming behind me. THEY STARTED THE TRAFFIC BEFORE ALL THE RACERS WERE DONE. 3) No medal . Although i am sure they will send me the same through courier, but not having a medal at the finish line is a bummer.”

“Well organized race with great atmosphere - Very little to be critical as this was a superb race. It was well organized, had great communication (pre and post race and during the race), km markers on every km was awesome, 5 timing stations, good water stations and I could go on. One suggestion for next year - implement race bunnies for different time goals. These are well received in Dubai and Abu Dhabi races.”

“Well organised event - Very well organised and there is no doubt it is a fast course if not a very interesting one! Shame about the late start but communication was great. Overall a great event and loved the medal.”

“The perfect HM for a beginner runner to try. - This was my first HM and I came in among the last 5 to complete. I was impressed by the way the organizers handled everything. Course was beautiful, marshals were encouraging and despite being the last, we were not intimidated to hurry & finish. Were escorted by the RAK police who did a great job. The organizers even followed up with emails to explain any shortcomings and made it good to us. Really happy with the organizers attitude towards us participants. Great job RAK HM organizers!”

“Well organized!!!! - This is an event which show speed, discipline and organization. ”

“See below - The 25 min wait at the start was not good and the heat was building by the end of the race due to starting late. Also for the more elderly Veterans it would be nice to have a V60 and V65 Category as I would like to know where I finished realtive to people of a similar age category.”

“Great race overall! - This was my second RAK Half Marathon and it was quite enjoyable. Only negative comments I'd make is about the late start to the race, which was explained by the organizers (Thumbs up). The medal, atmosphere and overall organization were spot on otherwise, already looking forward to next year's race and hopefully yet another PB! :) ”

“Great event! - Completely prefered this to the Dubai Marathon (10k) as there were not only less people but also serious runners. The organization was steller and the marshels well informed. I am excited for next year!”

“Very well organised race - Great event as usual. Too bad about the delay at the start, but the course/race is very well organised with good signage and sufficient water stations. Really enjoyed the race. Also thank you for sending the email explaining the delay - appreciated that. Looking forward to next year's race.”

“A reliably enjoyable event. All in all a great job - Wish the roads were in better condition particularly up past the golf course. ”

“Enjoyable, as always - Always an enjoyable day out at the RAK 1/2 marathon. Organisation excellent - thanks :-)”

“A successful and enjoyable event and race - Well done on a successful event again! I'm happy to say that once again I have improved my time (by 8 minutes!) and finished in 2:14:06, just shy of the average ladies time. I really enjoyed seeing the top runners standing on the corners at the end, cheering on us "average" folk - my favourite part of running is the support that a runner receives at any point in the race, from anyone standing around - and this race always has great spectators. Keep it up :)”

“Maybe a change of the route - Overall a great event as always. About the delayed start I guess not much could have been done...though that did cool my muscles down a lot and I struggled because of it. A huge improvement on the amount of water stations compared to last year to thanks for that. ”

“Same every year - Lets get some additional snacks for the runners next time. Probably a nice breakfast like the other 21km events in Dubai :) Also, try to change the route as well. Same route every year for the last 3 years a ran.”

“Awesome event - Great event, I hv enjoyed...”

“Good race for beating ones time - Improve the route pls. Include breakfast like other races”

“RAK and roll - Keep on doing this event. Just dont delay my race pack and please start the race on time. Summary!! good event!”

“I love rak marathon - Keep it up There is always a scope to improve but you are still the best ”

“Great Run - Had fun, and got a new PB for a half marathon. The delayed start did not hinder me too much.. just a bit cold..”

“JOB WELL DONE - Great Experience, Good race course, well organized”

“Overall happy - I had a great experience, shame about the start but it wasn't the end of the world for me (I thought the post race explanation was interesting…highlighting the lack of punctuality at the same time saying how important this race is!) Compared to other races I've done I thought the price and giveaways were great. My only feedback was there's a lot of waste with the water bottles as most people need only a few sips so end up throwing a lot away.”

“Excellent - 1st half marathon and will definitely be back as long as I reside in UAE. Organisation was excellent. Brilliant convenient bus service! Beautiful medal, support stations well organised. Great t shirt. Nice to be waved off my a Sheikh also!!”

“Still a Highlight of the UAE running calendar - So the start delay was a bit of disaster, but that's been addressed by the organisers and the explanation was much appreciated. With the great atmosphere and carnaval feel to this event, it was definitely one to look forward to and a focal point for our running club. If a delay was envisaged again, could I suggest not calling runners forward into the starting pen unil the green light has been given? Just a thought.”

“The Best - Nathan and his team as always provide an exceptional event, this year was brilliant and I love the Valentine medal...thanks guys your the best”

“A pleasurable run - Excellent track, with good support services. Make it open to more people, lots of people missed out due to limited registration. Split timings were reaching by sms extremely late, much after run got over. Support stations can be better stocked with munchies. Get sponsors to sponsor munchies.”

“RAKtastic - Another excellent half marathon. Aside from the delayed start (which I totally appreciate was outwith the control of the organisers) it remains the best organised and supported half marathon in the UAE. Plenty of drinks stations and marshalls who gave up their time to help out. The only thing I would change is the route - that 11k to 19k and seeing everyone coming down the other side (and thinking that's 40 mins away for me) is slightly disheartening. Well done on a great event!”

“Well Organized Event - I was one of the people who did not recieve a medal on the day which was my major complaint about the event. I had previously run the 10K in Dubai a few weeks earlier and the organization and course were 10 times that of the Dubai event.”

“It was a satisfying event and hope to attend more - Will attend many more of it in future.”

“Great fun, great event - Well organised and set out - suitable for half maras novices as well as the serious competitive types.”

“Awesome! - Delayed start was frustrating, but understand there was nothing that could be done. I really liked the race, great effort at the organising. Maybe next year if it wasn't on Valentines Day I would definitely do it again!”

“It was a great experience. - It was a great experience.”

“Well organised and enjoyable! - It is an enjoyable event I have done before and will do again. Well organized and well done to all involved. Not great that we had to stand around and wait for an extra 20 minutes to start the race though. An post race breakfast would be a nice idea since many people travel far and would like a bite after the long race.”

“Nice race, but delay caused a flu - You do not queue people on the start line when you need to delay. I understand the reason for delay. I'd prefer to know that it's going to be 30 min later (not "5 more minutes" every 5 minutes) still with my clothes. I'm struggling with flu right now, because of that delay in cold air”

“Chip times count more! - My main complaint is about placing and gross timing, if I am not an elite runner and it takes me 5 minutes to get to the start line because there are 2000 runners ahead of me then for mass start participants chip time should be the determining factor, not international athletic rules which don't apply to non-competitive runners. The other complaint I have is the results service I cannot see my position for my age group. If not for these, I would graded all the event high.”

“Puts RAK on the International sporting map - Having done the RAK Half marathon for the last few years I have seen the event improve each year. From the moment I registered to the point of going home after the race the experience was seamless with everything taken care of. I am proud to be a resident of RAK. Well done See you next year.”

“Fantastic course, too bad it started late. - Communication during the delay would have been appreciated so that proper nutrition and bathroom breaks could have been managed, despite the delay.”

“A fast, flat and enjoyable event - Loved the Valentines Day medal. ”

“Great Organisation & pre/post event comms r awesom - Great event for establishing PB's and each year these are excelled. Always fantastic communications & well organised. The turn out is great and everyone seems to enkoy the event with lots of smiles to be seen. Great for spectator participation also with positive turn-outs. The support stations are well placed and the marchalls do an awesome job. Even the authorities are well represented & seem to want to join in the race. Only down-side compared to other events, the goody bag could be better.”

“Fantastic half marathon, great atmosphere. - Always love the RAK half marathon, very well organised and a lot of fun. Thank you for a great day and see you next year. ”

“At a perfect time of the Year for one to make a pb - I have participated in RAK Half from its inception. Have missed a few due to injuries, but always a favourate one. When you run the course, you do not feel lonely. ”

“Overall - really great experience for my 1st half! - Of course the delay at the start of the race was annoying, but I felt that the commentator kept us informed and I appreciated the subsequent email apology. I was a bit surprised by the lack of post race giveaways - or more accurately, that those giveaways seemed to have been claimed by non-racers!! I was desperate for flip flops when I finished, but they'd all been claimed by the time I went to the tent. Seeing non-racers walking around with boxes of flip-flops just exacerbated the frustration!”

“Good, well organized - I know people complained about late start but I think they forget we live in UAE :) Overall good experience”

“Overall, very good event! - My first RAK Half Marathon, very impressed with the level of service and organisation and communication. Had plenty of emails prior to the event explaining pretty much everything I needed to know. The only criticism I have is the day before the race I had a few issues I needed clearing up, so thought I would call someone at the event. Do you think I could find a phone number?! Spent ages on Google and trawling through my emails and the website and still found nothing! A helpline would be nice! ”

“A very good event - Only delayed start a problem. We, the runners, are expected to be there by 6.30 but the event does not start until 7.20. Its not fair!!! Otherwise an excellent event and on the whole very well organised”

“Overall not too bad - The event was pretty well organised and run there was a lack of anything but water available at the services/support stations and the course is a little dull. but overall an ok event and I may well take part again.”

“Great race! - Only UAE residents can see their detailed splits on the results page. Can't this be available for everyone?”

“Late start not acceptable - The water stations were excellent as were the kilometer signage. A lovely lady even helped remove my champion chip at the end. The finish was well orchestrated. A good effort but you can't promote being an international race and then keep runners waiting to start for almost half an hour!! That was a big let down but everything else was great!”

“PB created on this event. AWESOME - Start off was late by 25 mins. It was quite cold day especially most of us done the warm up then was waiting, muscles cooled down and injury will happens during the race. Anyhow, I understand the situation is out of hands. Medals were running out especially those finished later. Some of friends were not given / provided, but was informed that email has been sent to the people on delivering the medal. Good effort. This event will be my yearly event. ”

“Superb! - Very professional run - a few too many emails but if that is my biggest gripe then a great race.”

“Good job.looking for more - Liked this better than dubai marathon. Good job guys. Cheers”

“RAK Half Marathon 2014 - I enjoed my 4 years with this event running 21 km.. I love this event and I get more healthy than before. Always I try to get new time race..and I only every year enter this event because it really different make me happy, even my muscles pain I enjoed to run again for next and next years.... I loved towel that they give to us..nice gift with supporting us in message muscles after race... Big love and hugs for all..thanks”

“Vendors should be for participants not laborers - By the time my wife and I finished the race (under 2:30) all the vendors, specifically Saucony that had been gifting shoes, had ran out of supply and we saw hundreds of local laborers, that had nothing to do with the event, walking around with saucony shoe boxes! Future vendor giveaways should be given priority to registered event participants! Then anyone else if supply lasts...”

“Best organised event in UAE - Best organised event I have been to in UAE. Loved it. Great race to beat your personal best.”

“It was simply AWESOME - looking forward to 2015 - Yes the delays were annoying but the overall experience was great. The pack arrived on time. Pasta party was good. The course is the best. Loads of signage and water stations. Smiley and friendly staff. Results delivered in minutes. Giveaways The fridge magnate was a real plus in 13. But other than that, giveaways were very good. Will be better if they were managed centrally. I have seen labourers walking away with the red box gift and i didnt get one. Great value for mny. It was simply AWESOME.”

“Gr8 course, more attention to finer details needed - Neither of the friends that I went with got finishers medals. I realise that you will post them, but NOT to have that medal presented at the finish line and realise that all of the pain was worth it, is devastating, especially as it's the first half marathon that either of them have run. Certainly not encouraging, or professional RAK, given the number of people who didn't even start and I will be making this very clear to any beginner runner who is considering running in your event next year”

“Great and fun loving event that every body enjoyed - My first half marathon for RAK and i would say it really great and would really say its one of the fastest popular event and also the cheerful crowd have seen all the route and also not forgetting the wonderful volunteers who helping @ water stations & not the least the medical team , marshalls and finally not forgetting the Bus Chaperone and the driver who made us comfortable all the way from Dubai to RAK and back. Would really recommend this event to my friends thanks for the lovely event.”

“A well organised event! - Thank you for one more year of great running and giving us an opportunity to participate in notably one of the best organised event in this region. Great support overall and look forward for the event in many more years to come.”

“All good except for the start - That 25 minute delay for the start was really annoying. I mean VERY annoying and unprofessional!”

“Great event and will certainly run again - I had a great time at the event and will certainly do again in 2015. A couple of suggestions if I may for a couple of the sponsors? It would have been nice to have a water station pre race. For the energy drink stations I only noticed 1 of them around the 18k mark? by this time I could certainly needed an energy drink! but to serve in a plastic cup was a little awkward when running.. I think I wore more then I drank :) Other than that a really fab day”

“Average - The race obviously has a big support with over 15 pre-race emails sent and extensive advertising in magazines/radio. I was honestly expecting something out of this world but the delayed start, coupled with a rather monotonous course (considering the exceptional waterfront area in RAK) left me disappointed. Would sign up again for a more scenic course if made available by the authorities. Thanks nevertheless for your efforts and logistics!”

“Great Event Love to Run RAK Half Marathon Again - One of the best organized race I have run, it was a great event on a perfect day for run. Clear communication of the race event, race pack, race day, buses, hydration, start and end, timing certificate everything was well planned. Loved to see lots of volunteer cheering at every water station. Many thanks to organizers, marshals, volunteers and race director to organize such an amazing event. I would love to Run RAK Half Marathon next year. ”

“Will definately come back next year - Dont worry about the 15 min late start. Thats what happens.”

“Good, but a couple of points... - Good overall, finish area could have been better organised. Could have provided time splits at the km markers with overall position in race.”

“Great medical support at finish - 1.No water at 7.5km (re your earlier comment that only 4 runners missed out, my friend was on this station and 100+ runners went without) 2.No snack at finish (friends saw a family take away 3 bags of bananas after 2hrs) 3. runners comments: fridge magnet time memento & tons of sponsor freebies was the icing on the cake. Saw none except the towel which was a nice gesture. Can’t these be given out at the certificate caravan? 4. Aimed at Elite and slower runners an inconvenience. MC gave up! ”

“Awesome race - keep going - Very nice event - well organised.”

“Great race! - Great race, thank you. My only complaint is I would have liked a support station with fruit.”

“Good Event - A good event. Shame it didnt start on time. I understand the politics of why - but really starting on time is the most important element of events such as this where you need to sort your bathroom / hydration / climate out. ”

“Excellent - I love this event. Pre and post race services were excellent. The support stations, km markers, marshals, signs etc were perfect, and it was great to be surrounded by inspirational runners, be they world class internationals, the best runners in the UAE or the many, many people who so clearly run because they love it. Fantastic. Thanks to all involved for making it so enjoyable.”

“Excellent Race! - The start was well organised and we were well supported along the route. Excellent atmosphere too!”

“Excellent overall - Overall excellent as it was last year except three comments. 1. Great number of waters stations enroute but would be nice to have water at start point. 2. With the higher number of woman, is there a way to control who can access the start/finish seating as it was full of men who clearly were there only to gawk at women. Maybe giving runners passes that they hand out in order to restrict access. 3. At finish line food/water station, again many people in area taking food/drinks who did not run ”

“I lived the experience - One of the best organised race events with the best race transport, best baggage and certificate counter and best drinks and toilet facilities and best after race drinks and fruits.god bless ras al khaimah and god bless rak half marathon for ever and ever.as long as i am alive and am staying in uae i will keep comming for the rak half marathon”

“Good - Good”

“Fantastic. as usual - Can't say how much I love this race. The flat course, the inflatable km markers, the water stations each 2.5 km, and seeing the top runners on the other side of the road when you are between km 11 and 13, it's just one adrenaline boost after the other. OK, we started late. But based on the number of guys that had a PB, I can say our muscles didn't really have time to cool down”

“Excellent - Everything was great - except my performance!”

“Create location - easy in and out and parking. - Great location for a race. A bit remote from population centers, but that made it nice for race traffic in and out and parking. Couldn't have asked for better weather. Great backdrop of the Hajar Mtns with the sun rising over them to start the race. Plenty of water stations and nice long straight-aways with few turns, but enough to break up the run mentally. I'll be back - looking forward to continue bringing down my PB there!!!”

“Fantastic... - Great race, well managed; will run again”

“Fantastic Event and Great run on a beautiful day! - Great shirt and race pack! Medal design was nice given the special date. Course was a bit sandy and rocky at one intersection, could be uncomfortable and slippery for some. Great use of the balloons to mark each 1km. Police were very supportive. Support stations tables could be a bit stretched further out apart from each other. Maybe add more music boost stations and more cameras around each km, not only film the elite. Also improve SMS sending timing. Would definitely come back next year! ”

“Good but short on medals - How can they ran out of medals? they know how many people exactly participated, they should have ordered extra for contingency. and when they ran out of medals, they were not even apologetic. try feeling that after 3 hours of running”

“Best route Signage - Nice route, excellent signage. Support stations must improve, that waste of plastic bottle wasn't good to see. Also, please think about the event giveaways, I mean, alcohol vouchers, really? you're supposed to promote good health, think about it ! Overall enjoyed the morning, thank you.”

“Amazing Race, I'll be back! - This was my first Half Marathon and I wasn't to sure what to expect. This event is amazingly well prepared and organized. I really enjoyed it and finished in a time I am very much satisfied with. To comment on my rating above, the 4 stars for the Start/Finish Organization is because of the delayed start which has been clearly explained in an apology email. Truly well communicated and very much appreciated. The 3 stars for the medal is because I find it a bit cheap. Thanks RAK Marathon!”

“Not happy with the start time - It was tough running under sunlight, professional athletes would finish around 1 hr so it is not a problem for them.I took 2 hrs 9 plus mts and it was tough to run under broad sun light. Had muscle cramps after 15 kmts as it was hot. I have seen many marathons starting at 6am, which is the ideal time to start. it would be more comfortable and encouraging for more people to participate if you could pre pone the start time. Leave this apart rest everything was so nice and perfect as usual,congrat”

“Partial rating - I wasn't able to run due to injury and was disappointed because everything about the pre-race build up suggested that this would be an excellent event. Communication was clear re course, start point, parking. Delivery of race pack to my desk at work was extremely impressive. The only slight disappointment was that i followed the race online, and the updates stopped after the 10km timing mat point. This seemed to be just after the elites had finished. Overall, i'm keen to race in 2015”

“I was not a fast runner so it wasn't geared for me - The organisation prior was good it was easy to sign up & kept us very up to date. but the race was geared for runners. This is the first time I have done something like this. I was not very fast, things were being torn down by the time I got to them the last few water stations were barely manned. I had to get my own water at the last station, cameras were being taken down when I got to them. I didn't get a medal when I finished. Also the finish was not well marked and I stopped before the castle”

“Excellent event, well supported. - Very well supported and atmospheric event, just a shame about the delayed start (although I do appreciate that it cannot start without the main sponsor - the sheikh!) Plus I achieved a new personal best.”

“Great run. Will do it again in 2015 - Runners failed to get give aways as these had been given to non runners. Not very important but maybe I didnt understand the purpose of the give aways. Maybe organisers could also enter into arrangements with hotels for accomodation rates etc to get a "full package" from premieronline making it easier.”

“Worlds Fastest Half Marathon - Race Start was delayed. Its very difficult to wait in the chill climate. This could be avoided. All other arrangements are good and satisfied. Willing to participate in the next year.”

“Excellent Event - Brilliant event as usual. Thanks for the e-mail explaining the reason for the delayed start”

“RELAX ... WE GOT TO RUN AND HAVE FUN! - Many interesting comments about start. Hey, it is what it is.... Great run on a beautiful, cool day in the UAE. What could be better? Improved my time from last year by 8 minutes and had another chance to see friends and spend time with family. Family from USA even got to follow me and see me finish. Thanks RAK and I look forward to standing in the COMPETITIVE runner zone next year!”

“All good apart from the start - This was a very well organised event really only let down by one thing, the delayed start which lots of other people will no doubt have commented on. The race commentator id his best to keep everyone informed and entertained while we waited but it is far from ideal and after the delay at the start of the Dubai creek half you thought "oh no, here we go again, can they never start a race on time in the Middle East?" But after that the race was excellent!”

“Fantastically organised half! - It was my second time doing this event and it is definitely the best half marathon. Love the scenery, the course and the slick organisation. Will be back again next year. ”

“Can't wait for next year! - The 7K water station had no water! This was fairly early on in the race...this should never happen. Other than that, it was a great event (aside from the late start).”

“Great race, will join again next year! - Thank you very much for the event organisation as it was a great event, very well organised and a good race to run.”

“Perfect conditions for a great race - As a non competitive runner, the delayed start only added to the excitement as I got to chat to other runners. Thank you for a fabulous event and I will be back next year.”

“Almost perfect! - The awesome parts - Good parking facilities -Lovely spectator area (really festive) -Scenic course -Markers after every KM was very helpful -Water stations after every 2.5 Kms were a life saver for a first timer like me -The medical staff were very friendly and helpful (know it since i needed medical assistance at the end of the race!) However, a friend who ran with me didn't get a medal, after reading your response to other comments i trust this would be rectified! TRULY A WORLD CLASS EVENT!”

“Can't change some things, would not change others - Can't, and would not change the improved cooler weather- better to have a delayed start too cold than too hot! Give an accurate and legitimate reason outright. The reason I had heard was due to police still securing the course- if it was known outright for the start that the reason for the delay was that the primary sponsor and reason the race exists was late (for any reason); it would have been more acceptable reason for many to understand that you "should not" start without HH.”

“Well done on another great HM - I thought the event was extremely well managed, and I really enjoyed the race...helped by setting a PB for the 2nd year in a row:-). A delay of 25 minutes is hardly earth shattering, especially as conditions were perfect for running. Looking forward to setting a new PB next year”

“Amazing!! - The second water station ran out of water when i reached there. Other than that, it was a fantastic event! Amazing, well organized, nice route! I will definitely participate again next year!”

“Lovely route, well organised, pity about the delay - There's nothing to be done about the late start. I think someone needs to have a conversation asking the sponsor if he'd like to attend. If so, then he needs to be there early. The route was lovely; seeing the mist rolling off the Hajar mountains, the flamingos and herons flapping off the mangroves. RAK has great natural beauty. Having a marker every kilometre is brilliant and really helped, the number of water stations was great but lacked energy options.”

“Good. - I dont have any photos. ”

“The marathon was very tiring but was great! - The marathon started late so my hunger was prolonged and affected my race time but twas great to finish the run eventhough my race time did not improve. I also like thw fct that water and energy drink were available every 2.5 km”

“Always a good race - I always enjoy this race. it is really well organised, parking is good, route is enjoyable (although surface of the road is iffy in places) and the atmosphere is great. I would really like a little more areas with music (like at the 15k mark) maybe every 5k ? Lovely medal this year. a lot more police on the road this year (or it felt so) but still not a lot of medics on the course ? The only thing I would say is that is is a very expensive race for the relay race runners. ”

“Late start was not well communicated - The late start was not well communicated. Standing in the cold waiting for a race to start without being well informed as to why it is delayed can be frustrating. If His Highness was late then convey this to the race participants. Water table assistants........though their support is appreciated because they are volunteers, some of them were standing in the middle of the road and could have easily been bumped over.”

“Fantastic - Once again a well organised race. Nice touch on the medals.”

“Great day - The bag drop organisation was outstanding especially when compared to Dubai marathon event. RAK had 1 small bag store that worked so efficiently and was well placed for pre and post race. There was no waiting and I felt confident leaving my bags there.”

“Its hard to maintain a good reputation - I have never missed RAK half since 2012. Year after year RAK has consistently delivered a top class event. And i have been promoting this event among my friends in Qatar. But something is not quite perfect this year at least to me personally. The 25 min delay is totally UNACCEPTABLE for whatever reasons. Then i got an XL T-Shirt where i requested for XS. I was also only given 3 pins for my bib. They used to serve Gatorade in Bottle now in polystyrene cup? And the extra large Saucony sandal ”

“Brilliant event . Great Organization - First class organization and the attendance of the ruler of RAK was truly appreciated. Kudos to him, such an important person making the effort to support the event was fantastic. So what if the start was delayed - as far as I can tell it didn't cause any issues - with so many PB's who can argue! Water stops were great this year, only run in the UAE that have that perfected. Thanks to all the smiley faces that kept us going. You did a great job. C u next year. THANK YOU ”

“Excellence at its best! - The only glitch was the late start. Not the organizers fault. Everything else was just awesome. Starting from the delivery of the race packs by the smiley UPS workers. Going through the updates by emails and facebook. The route was great. Marking every km was a very nice gesture. Quite motivating. A huge thanks to all the road Marshalls and the water stations. Getting immediate results printed and by SMS was marvelous. Loved the medal. Definitely the best valentine ever. Great race village. ”

“Premier online....star of the day! - I wouldnt have raced if it wasnt for premier online! I lost my chip and found out that just a day before the event, one day to go, everyone is busy, press conference happening and there was that one person to reply to my emails and actually give me a solution that worked! Going to the race, walking slowly towards the baggage drop off area, I really didnt expect a chip with my name on it, but I did, the envelope was there and ready for me to pick up, this act alone made this the best race ever! ”

“Bloody brilliant! - Thank you Thank you Thank you! My very first half marathon and it was a huge achievement for me. I recently lost 90 lbs and this half was one of my major goals. As soon as I finished I began thinking how I can improve my training to be better for next time. Everyone was lovely. .. All the people who worked it. Even when you ran out of Medals (yeah, I was slow but don't care!) the man took our bib numbers to send us one and was really apologetic. I'm so excited about next year! Thanks!”

“Enjoyed the event great weather - Event has changed a lot since I last ran it in 2009. I enjoyed this time much more, despite the 20 minute delayed start which on a warmer day could have been a big problem. Liked the showers provide by Rotana at the end. ”

“Well oganised as usual - Well done to Nathan & his team. A big thank you to all the volunteers on the day & before the race. It takes a lot of hard work by a lot of people & we appreciate that. Love the arches for km markers - gives you something to aim for. The water point markers were well placed too. The water points were fantastic & the helpers were really friendly. Thank you again for your hard work. Will be back. ”

“Great Race - Well done Nathan and your team, great race, great orginasation very well marked drinks stations, the Km markers are great, please keep these. the 2nd best race in the UAE after the Donut 10. ”

“Medals - This is the first time I have taken part in a 1/2 marathon and really enjoyed it right until the end. I finished near the end and was exctremely disappointed they had run out of medals. For a first timer, going over the finish line and receiving a medal was to be a highlight. Unfortunately, I felt very let down that there was no medal. This took the shine off the event for me. Thanks, Elizabeth”

“The UAE's best road race - A brilliantly organised experience from start to finish. The communication ahead of the event is outstanding and the organisation on race day is superb. The course is also as quick as you can get...thanks for giving me the opportunity to smash my PB!!!”

“Well Organised Half Marathon as Always - Delay for cribbing could not helped it was not under anybody's control but we had fun waiting and clapping to keep us warm and singing. But the commentator was great he made up with his smart comments and was great Thanks to all marshalls Have a special feeling towards RAK Half Marathon since it is my first ever half marathon 2 yrs and will always remain special thank you guys making it such a wonderful experience for runners like us ”

“Great event... - - A very well organized event... I would say the best Half Marathon in UAE I participated in - The delay of the race start is becoming a trend :( A bit frustrating for runners lined up to start - The sms race results didn't work as planned. It was delayed by a couple of hours”

“Good event with some nice touches - Enjoyed this event and got a PB. The buses from AD and even Dubai were a great idea - saved a long drive or overnight stay. Also the fridge magnet time memento and towel. Liked the distance arches - great motivation to give a little bit extra. Would definitely do again.”

“The best organised race in UAE - This event is always brilliantly organised and a joy to participate in. My only minor quibble this year was the delay at the start. Other than that, it was flawless. ”

“Great atmospher, particularly for the 1st timers - We trust the Sponsors feel the attendance was as per expectation, because its a great event to participate in. Long may it continue.”

“Nice organized race - Nice organized race, good communication before and during the race, nice course and perfect surroundings. I will come back next year :-)”

“Fantastic event, thoroughly enjoyed it! - The organisation was great. Race packs delivered well on time. I didn't get my bus tickets in my race pack, but this was promptly resolved and I got them within 2 days. 2 areas for improvement: Premier timing sent text messages when you crossed the 5, 10, 15, 20km that indicated the time, but there is a big delay in the time I finished to the time I received these texts (3 hrs!). Give aways by sponsors were finished already when I finished the race in 2hrs15... given to non-runners too.”

“Great race, but 25 minutes late to start! - I have completed this race 4 times now and will continue to do so. It is normally well organised and is fast and I like the special start for runners with quick times. However, the race started 25 minutes late yesterday and this impacted the race for some runners including myself by losing our body temperatures waiting so long in the cold and timing all our energy drinks incorrectly. 10 minutes is acceptable, but not 25.”

“Great day - Very impressed with the event, this was brilliantly organised, fantastic atmosphere and everyone was very friendly. Although my legs are in pain today, I really enjoyed the race and would certainly take part next year. ”

“Very Good Show - Over all very well organised however the start was appalling to say the least especially for such a high profile event such as the RAK half Marathon”

“Excellent race - Overwhelming amount of info through emails and texts!”

“Complaint. - 1) 4 people who had driven down from Dubai / Sharjah who didn't register received medals. I haven't received mine as yet though I participated. 2) I saw a labourer who walked with 8 boxes of Sacony Sandals. We participated and didn't receive even one. 3) After completing the race I asked a youngsters at support station who was standing next to cartons of Gatorade for one. He & friends replied "This is for us to take home" & they asked me to try else where. Compared to last year - BAD!”

“Brilliant - apart from the delay. - I love this race and have run it for many years, but a half hour delay is really not good enough. Better not to have such a VIP starting party and have the race go off on time. Other than that, the organisation was superb and I applaud the enthusiasm behind this event: it's great. Best race in the UAE. ”

“Start Delay - Delaying the start for over 30 minutes is unacceptable. The general feeling amongst the runners around me was that the course was ready but we were awaiting the arrival of the official start party. So as organisers there's not a lot you can do to improve this. Apart from this it was a fantastically well organised event. Well done!”

“Overall fun! - There was a bit of confusion for the start of the team relay. The only trouble with this is the last 6km stretch meant hotter weather for runners. Perhaps the race could start even earlier in the day? 6:30am for elite runners, 6:45 for teams/everyone else? ”

“Start time delay - The start time delay by 30 minutes was not conducive to those who made arrangements for friends/family to synch up with the updates. Also, it got warm as the day progressed. Overall though, the course was spectacular and very well organized.”

“RAK - The home of Sub-hour 1/2's Shines in 2014 - Awesome work from Nathan and the team....again....weather, course etc perfect. Delay in start was a shame...given everything was in place....and wide concensus of GPS wearers seemed to point to 22.2km by many types of watches...perhaps you timed us on less! It deserves the status as a world class and top event - and the event PR and communication this year was just fantastic. Really huge well done. Thank you”

“Great event - RAK HM is always a great race but I have few suggestions for future races: 1- 25 minutes delay at the start isn't healthy for runners, after our warm up (bodies cool down), breakfast time... etc.. , please try to reduce the delays next year 2- I finished my race at 1:40:56, but my start was a struggle (up and down the pavement and zigzag right and left to overtake everyone ) because all the slower runners were ahead of me. Elite, Privileged and Mass categories aren't enough for 2000+ runners.”

“High class event, superbly organised - My first time racing in this event, and I sincerely hope not the last. I really feel the organisers left no stone unturned to make this an excellent experience....pre-race communications, marshalling, drinks, give-aways. The medal is excellent (wonder what the moaners would have preferred), and the blow-up km markers (visible from way off) were a neat touch. Clearly a huge amount of work went into this, and the organisers should be congratulated.”

“Badly Organised - 1. The event started late by 25 Minutes 2. The Sun almost up by the time we hit the course 3. this impacted strongly on my racing performance 4.I Have been attending this since last 2 years this year was badly organized 5. The SMS comes 2 hrs after the race is finished”

“Good race - Only the negative thing was the excesive delay for the start.”

“Best organization - Best race in UAE - Why Late? - This is my favourite race of the year. Organization is great and they have always the runners in mind. Communications and every detail is almost perfect. Only 2 points this year: - Why we started almost 20 min late? This should be avoided in a race with this level of organization. - More music along the course, this year I didn-t see that many people around the hospital area. A bit of music in several locations would be appreciated. Overall, it was a great experience and I will be back next yea”

“Yet another great RAK Half Marathon - As always, a great event, both course and organization wise. Only comment for improvement would be the 25+ min wait for the race to start - maybe outside the organisers' control? Also, the medal will draw some interesting comments :)”

“Great Run - Wow, great stuff the RAK Half Marathon. Everything was simply awesome. Right from the timely, well-written, well-explained emails to the race pack, to the organising. I love it. The only issue is that instead of starting at 7:00 AM, it started at 7:25. I drank fluids for a 7:00 start. And so during the race, I had to stop to pee. ”

“A good day - Today was a great day for the RAK marathon. The weather was perfect, the course was great, the organisation as always is excellent. My one and only gripe was the water stations. They were perfectly placed but the giving away of the bottles without the tops was frustrating as I'd like to not drink all the water immediately and running with the top off is not good. I really liked the medal was a nice addition for valentines!”

“Amazing race & well organised! - Well done to Nathan and his superb team. The day was perfect. Too bad about the delayed start, however we know it was unavoidable, just unfortunate. Great job team and look forward to it next year!”

“Fab! - Fantastic event, a huge thank you to everyone concerned!”

“A fast and cool trot - My second run at RAK and new PR. Parking, WC, etc fine. Start delayed a bit too long but not organizers fault. Run well marshaled. Water stations well manned but could be spread a bit further at each location to avoid congestion ( thanks volunteers!). Finish area could be spread farther to avoid congestion is only comment. Banana at finish very welcome! ”

“Late Start - Late start, don't know why plus Isostar isotonic drink is better than Gatorade under the sun, imo.”

“Great event, atmosphere, course, and organisation - Another great event. Will definitely do this again. Pity about the long waiting time in the cold to start, but I understand the safety aspect. Thanks for a great start to the weekend.”

“Best Event Organisation in The UAE - No complaints whatsoever here, great event and extremely well organised. The signage and km markers were particularly good and the towel at the end was a nice touch. Thanks guys, excellent job, you should be very proud of yourselves.”

“Nice race around the mangrove of Ras Al Khaimah - Good track and good organization. The only issue was the significant delay at the start...”

“RAK holds its spot as number one. Well done! - Really great event. So well organised and executed. Loved the medal too. ”

“Fantastic event ! - From start to finish could not fault it. Loved the accuracy of the course, the t shirt, the finishers medal, finishers hand towel. Loved the blow up km markers.that was excellent. You could see them in the distance, very motivating ! Rak s a super event flat fast course. Fantastic number pick up. It was my 3rd time doing this event and it only get better n better and tons of sponsor freebies was the icing on the cake. Well done Nathan Clayton and team. DBRC had 4pbs today wohooo”

“I like rak, i will be back - Plastic protection should be provided since its quite cold on that morning”

“Almost perfect - Everything was great, except for a few things that are easy fix, and I hope the event organizers will give these points a thought: * delay at start * not enough water at 7.5km * NO MEDAL!!! - I was told they ran out?? * no banana, no Gatorade after finish line * people walking backwards toward the finish line (by the area where the chips were being removed). I was pushed over and almost fell on the metal barrier A BIG thanks to all the marshalls as they were cheering us ALL THE WAY! ”

“Very well organised race. Great atmosphere. - Thank you to the organisers and all the volunteers, a great race and well supported along the route. I understand the delayed start was out of your control, it's just one of those things living where we do! Well done on a fantastic morning!”

“Solid organization and course - Despite the delay at the start, it was well organized race. I don't have much experience of racing in this region (3rd race overall). Abu Dhabi and this one are far ahead of Dubai Marathon, to my opinion in organizational sense. Although it is fair to say the size of Dubai race is incomparable. Keep up the good work, I hope it will be improved even more in near future. Good luck”

“Great event! - See you next year :)”

“Excellent event! - The event was excellent; however, the late start was disappointing.”

“Great event!!! - I enjoyed the event, a very good one indeed...”

“Great race, great atmosphere - Too bad about the delayed start ”

“Great race, great organisation! - Can't complain about anything! ”

“Another great RAK Half - Another great RAK Half, but surprisingly let down a little by: - "Live" event timing being published anything but Live (very long lag) - Delayed start That said, in context, a great event - will definitely return”

“Superb Event, marred by lack of enough Medals - Had to go home without a Medal, disappointing. ”

“Overall fantastic organization - Great stuff, no hassle in parking which was my biggest worry.........exhausted now, but will do it again for sure.”

“Great event that is very well organized - I cannot think of anything not done very well”