“Word of mouth - Excellent event. My favourite weekend of the year. ”

“Great aside from BORDER ISSUES - The AD Island Hash House Harriers had 3 full teams and a solo canyon runner this year entered into the race. 1 full team and the solo runner made it through intact. We were left the next morning trying to cobble together a second team with those who had made it through. Instructions to come the night before translated into ridiculous queues at the border, which were complicated by the Sharjah police enforcing their "dry" emirate rules. Maybe a different border crossing should be utilized...”

“Ultra-boys do not cry :) - I always appreciate the effort of people who want to organize a racing. I thank them for that they simply want. Because they do it for us - RUNNERS. Nobody is perfect. But each event should have its Own Rules and no just General Info. This is not guerrilla warfare but competition. A great place to run. Fantastic atmosphere during the competition, it has its own unique charm. Trifles will not spoil it.”

“Denied Access at Boarder - Hi - I was denied access to Oman at the boarder. When I pressed my case with the other boarder guards and police, the particular guard said that i called him "stupid". This was a flat out lie. Obviously, I did something which upset the guard, or was by association, linked to the car in front of me which was also turned away (for what reason I do not know). I know that I didn't do anything actually wrong, or the guard would not have made up such a lie. The race was a big disappointment.”

“Great route and well organised - First time doing event and really impressed. I did the solo canyon and was very well supported. Couple of things that bugged me slightly that could be worked on for future years: 1- problems at the border go without saying. Really needs to be resolved for next year. Some of the runners in the group I was part of it never made it across 2 - some cars show very little consideration for the runners and was nearly knocked off the road a number of times. Need to remind everyone that this is a running race and that runners have priority on the road at all times. Some very ignorant drivers that blocked road on switchback and at handover points. Something should be done to limit number of cars ”

“another corker - Fantastic job by John and the team as always. Not even the border police could put a negative on the event for me. We're there medals this year? If so I must have missed them but the mug more than makes up! Looking forward to next year.”

“Would have been great to get through the border - Yes, I'm one of those who queued for hours at the border on Thursday night and did not make it through in time for the start. Yes, this was mainly down to the amateur processes and people at border although as race organisers I would hope you have some influence on this. Will try again next year although suspect that may mean a start on Thursday morning. Please do what you can to help influence the relevant authorities.”

“Great event, thank you - I thoroughly enjoyed my first 50k run. This event is hard to beat; such a wonderful combination of challenge, stunning landscape, teamwork and fun. Even four hours at the border didn't detract from this well organised, high quality event. My sincere thanks to John and all the Wadi Bih team.”

“Awesome event, with awesome scenery - Awesome all the way through, the one complaint i do have is some of the support drivers, a couple were speeding and flicking up dust, honking at runners to move even though its a running event, and no looking out for runners. Other than that event was awesome will definitely come back.”

“A well organised event - Great course, support and value. Worth doing as a solo or team to see another part of Oman/ UAE.”

“Fantastic course, amazing scenery, a great day out - I've done the Wadi Bih 72km solo race twice now. I really enjoyed the race this year and the extra aid stations for the solo runners are a great addition. The staff manning them were great, quick to ask what refreshments I needed and generally friendly and encouraging. Salomon are a very appropriate new sponsor. The t-shirts are decent and so are the medals. There were a few crazy drivers but overall it seemed less congested than last year and I found myself running alone down parts of the wadi which was really nice for some time. There was also a lot of support from team runners and other solos. This is a fantastic race and a shame to be overshadowed by border issues for some people. Go early and enjoy some extra downtime in this beautiful area. ”

“LOVED IT - Thank you for running such a fabulous adventure run. Our team had so much fun and ran a little bit along the way :)”

“Just Gets Better - Took the leap and took on the Solo Canyon Run. We had no issue getting through the border crossing on Thursday afternoon, although we were held up by the car in front who had their wine and other contra band confiscated. As a solo canyon runner start was well briefed, the aid stations were welcoming, was a bit of a downer/anti climax at the turn point with no one to cheer or take photo (good position for a time lapse camera). The run back down was tough especially with so many cars trying to push through and tworads the end the speed of vehicles made it a tad dusty ( just gotta run faster next year). the support and encouragement from the relay teams was great especially over the last few k's..... All in all this is a must do event. ”

“Sporting highlight, challenging but fantastic fun - Great event and beautiful setting. I rally enjoyed the race. A shame about the border delays. It was not a pleasant experience and created a lot of stress pre race. The delay was a major issue for those needing an early nights rest before the event. This needs to be avoided next year somehow. It has been suggested by some to wait and cross the morning of the race next year. It's a good idea unless it gets so jammed with everyone having the same idea and again face major delays. The border issue needs to be sorted well in advance.”

“50km Solo Canyon was brilliant - My brother and i did the 50km Solo Canyon - we both loved it - it was one of the best and most memorable running/outdoor experiences we've had. Can't thank you enough!”

“Great! - Except for border crossing time and taking a wrong turn after CP1 because the sign was tiny and stuck on a rock on the ground, all good! Oh and the food after was.. acceptable But the support stations had great dates”

“Beautiful Race - Stunning scenery, well organised, lovely medal, mug and t-shirt. Epic race - can't wait to come back. ”

“Desert classic - Suggestions: 1) Premier rep at border crossing 2) Email / SMS updates of approximate border crossing wait times 3) Marshalls should be present on the course to ensure: a) Strict control of vehicular access (There were large numbers of 'unofficial' vehicles on the course) b) Many drivers did not respect the course regulations and were speeding, overtaking and driving alongside their team runners. I witnessed a number of incidents where runners were almost knocked over (myself included) c) Baton exchanges were not taking place at designated check points (and often multiple exchanges over one leg)”

“Amazing challenge and brilliant event - This was so different from your usual marathon and such a lovely team event. I would highly recomend this to everyone and it was impeccably organised. The only two points i would raise are 1 - the signage at the start was very unclear and know allot of people took a wrong turn and 2- the accuracy of information in terms of terrain. As i'm sure you've taken into account after all the notes on FB, the last two stages were way off. But anyway, a mountain is a mountain :-) Thanks again and cant wait for next year!!”

“Wonderful day out running up the Hajar Moutains - This is a challenging route up the Wadi Bih. A picture perfect running course that allows one to run in a team relay a total of 72km from the sea up to the top of the mountain and back again. Support vehicles driving too fast along the route and throwing up some dust are usually the only problem, but most drivers drive carefully and respect the runners. Maybe a more clear information to first timers should be given with regards to Wadi rules. Apart from that an absolutely fantastic event with a lot of fun.”

“Great team event with fantastic scenary - Loved the race and friends you make during and after the race. I thought the traffic supporting the runners was not as bad as last year despite the increased number of teams and runners. The border issue has to be sorted out as it spoils the event. Could some of the money be used to pay Shajah police to hire extra staff on the Thursday evening thus enabling quicker processing at the border? You could also introduce age categories eg 200 year + per team, 45 + for solo runners. International based prizes would be useful. Winning a MMI voucher is not very useful if you live outside UAE. The Golden Tulip Hotel is not aging well and needs some enhancements. ”

“Fantastic - Main gripe is the border but don't suppose much can be done about that - just need to arrive earlier I assume :)”

“Great race, awful border - The race was awesome as usual. No need to mention that spending more than 3 hours to cross the border and to be able to sleep only from 4am...was a big disaster (I saw people leaving) and makes me wonder if I would participate next year (most probably not if I don't get confirmation that this would not happen). We also found confusing to find 1 flag from Adventure.ae on the left side of the track where the instructions said 'at approx. 950m from CP1 turn sharp left' and another flag few hundreds of meters after (probably the entry to one of their camps!!) We lost 15min there!! :(( Another point to improve would be the meal at the end of the race... wadi adventure race is way better and it is simple! salad, chicken, pasta and fruits. Overall I still love the race! the concept, the ambiance, the place (although would consider moving to another wadi if border formalities do not improve, there are many beautiful wadis in UAE), the after race, and the weekend in Diba. ”

“A traditional race that shouldnt be lost - Apart from the chaos of the border crossing which was not the fault of the organisers, it was a great event. As a solo runner for the 72km a few more refreshment stops would have been good as I was badly de-hydrated at the end. Also a marshall for the fuirst 2 checkpoints would be good as the solo runners missed the turning adding another 500m to an already long run.”

“Great event but need to fix the border crossing - The Solo Canyon 50k for this year was a great addition! We got the challenge of the canyon and the mountain without the drudgery of the pavement running at the end. The aid stations for the solo runners were well supported and a good addition to the event. The only real negative about this event is the border crossing. We managed to cross quickly, even at 11pm, because we had reservations at the Golden Tulip. Those who didn't were waiting 2-3 hours, which is unacceptable given the amount of documentation and information supplied in advance to supposedly make the crossing easier. Also, and I'm sure this is just a minor technological glitch, please fix the communications process so we get only one email on a topic, not two. Getting one from the regular system and another one from Mail Chimp got a little annoying after a while. On a safety note, I think more needs to be done to educate the drivers of the support vehicles about proper driving up and down the road. Aside from the many times cars went past us at high speeds, one car even hit another one that was parked. With over 200 cars out there at once, people need to be reminded and instructed to be safe, drive slowly when passing the runners, and be patient with all the other teams and cars during the run.”

“A great event! - Wadi Bih 50K canyon was my first ultra marathon. I loved it, every single moment of the race! Even though the supporting cars create confusion and stress at some point, I just couldn't have raced withouth the cheering from the people in those cars, the food and water supplies that were carried by the drivers. Thank you for creating this event. ”

“Mess at border puts ? on future event of this size - The mess at the border has to put a ? on the event in future. Is there not a location inside the UAE which could serve a similar purpose? I believe the organisers did all they possibly could and still it was a train crash. The only alternative is to seek two heavyweight local sponsors from Fujirah and Dibba Oman who will have the wasta to get the police resourcing sorted out. Good luck anyway. ”

“A well organized and enjoyable event - The border crossing...”

“Amazing experience! - To cross the border is not a good experience, take long time and we push the limits of our patience! But once the site, the experience is so extraordinary. Well done to the organizers! I met so many nice and kind people. Thanks for this great event! ”

“Great event - Great event - volunteers were wonderful, at the end and during the event. Cannot thank you enough for that, which is a HUGE part of any race. After race party was good. Food was fine. Possible improvements: Fewer emails. While it is great to have ALL the information, perhaps consolidate the race emails. It was hard to keep up with them all. / The border issues? Obviously, you know what has to happen there. / Offer trophies for the winners. / Offer prizes that are not country specific - it's tough for those who have won something to make use of them if they don't live in the UAE. / If you want to control the cars more, start to implement time penalties for infractions that the marshals see. (And this one is not for you, but the Golden Tulip is not worth the price.) Overall, thanks very much for a great event.”

“UAE Border was complete chaos - Afraid the Border was complete chaos.... never made it over..”

“Can't rate run as could't make it to run - Pre-event organisation very good. I can only rate this so have left everything else blank. Got to border at 10:30pm (from Abu Dhabi), queued for 4 hours till 2:30am and moved 30m. Estimated 20mins check per car, at least 30 cars (70m queue) in front so it was clear we would get zero sleep and had already lost 2 people from our team so had no choice but to pull out. Very angry and frustrated but understand its not directly the organiser's fault. My only gripe is to why the event isn't run on the Saturday morning (I assume this is governed by local authorities). Saturday start would allow participants to cross over border gradually throughout Friday rather than a mass exodus from work on Thursday evening and arriving at the same time, hence exacerbating border problems. Will only sign up again if its moved to a Saturday slot. Approximately 2000 AED wasted on this event when taking all logistics (fuel, provisions, entry etc) into account.”

“Amazing unique UAE experience - This was my first Wadi Bih....and inshallah it won't be my last! The stunning course, the efficient organisation, the wonderful spirit within and between the teams, the sense of achievement all contributed to an unforgettable experience. Clearly the border police on Thursday had been drinking too much Red Bull....the organisers did what they could to ease matters, but one note for next year is to spell out strongly in pre-race communications that people should not attempt to carry alcohol - there were guilty offenders ahead of me, and they slowed down the process. I know you asked people not to park their cars between check-points, but particularly on the steep part of the course it was congested and chaotic, exacerbated by cars blocking the flow of traffic. But none of that detracts from an incredible experience. Congratulations and thanks to everyone involved, organisers and competitors alike. Where can I find the results??”

“Fantastic - as always - This was my 10th Wadi Bih, I always enjoy it as a fun team event and respect that for others it is a serious competition, or massive solo challenge. The scenery is beautiful, with the awesome mountain and great views. Cannot fault the organisation which I know a lot of hard work went into. A shame the border crossing was also a challenge - not the fault of the organisers who did all they could to help a smooth crossing and did warn us. I hope to be back for no. 11 next year :-) Thanks to all organisers and volunteers ”

“Good tough challenge - Ran this first in 2004. I have run this as a team event 4/5 times and ran it solo the last two years, big thank-you to all who make this possible , events like this do not just happen, thanks for all the support and encouragement from everyone, the only problem I had was the near 3 and a half hour wait at the border which is out of your control. Once again thanks to all and Inshallah I will be back again next year !”

“Words can't describe this magnificant event! - I had to wait for 4 hours at the border. I know it's not the fault of the organizers. But I overheard the border police talking and they weren't happy either. It seems that they received the lists from the Golden Tulip and had to act upon it. Perhaps a talk with a few practical suggestions to facilitate next year's event. To the event itself. A million thanks to the 2 lovely persons whom I found still waiting at the registration booth at 1:00am after crossing the border. They must have slept very little if at all cos they were there the next morning. Such dedication. I had a bit difficulty getting to CP4. It would have been a great help if the road was marked more clearly especially that it was still dark. Also if the CPs were numbered. Otherwise, the course is absolutely gorgeous. The support stations are great and the persons manning them are so kind and supportive. A great boost to the morale. My thanks to all the team cars who cheered and motivated me along the way. Such gentle and loving people. God bless them. My gratitude and special thanks goes to the last support car who accompanied me step by step until I reached CP4 (was the last with a terrible timing). They and the ones who waited patiently for me to cross the finish line are just amazing people. My sincere apologies for making them wait for me that long. May God bless them. The route is challenging yet breathtaking. I'll definitely be back with better training.”

“Life changing - It was a great experience race, on ly problem was going inside boundary of oman.”

“1st time solo better than sitting in the car - Not including the border crossing, the event and running of it was great, the support stations couldn't do enough to help the solo runners and with a wide selection of food and energy drinks made stopping at them a treat. Thank you to the team runners for their support from their cars or as they passed by it was a boost to the morale.”

“Fantastic - Great team event, some challenges, amazing views and well organised”

“A great day in the wadi! - Another fantastic Wadi Bih Run. The additional aid stations for the solo runners were much appreciated, and the workers manning the stations were great! My only suggestion is to have a lead vehicle (or bike like last year) from the start to the wadi for the solo runners. It was a bit annoying to run an extra 1km after missing the unmarked left turn at the 2km point.”

“Best UAE Event - Warning about alcohol for border crossing would have been useful. Food at olden Tulip was terrible. Otherwise a really great event!”

“Great event! - Thanks to organisers, I think this was a great event and I'd love to do it again! The issues at the boarder were outside your control and I think as much as possible was done to make it a smooth crossing, hopefully next year the police will be more cooperative!”

“The best mountain run in the UAE/Oman - Fantastic organization once again. The hiccups at the border post had absolutely nothing to do with the organisers and they can't be held responsible for this. The run was fantastic. Did the solo canyon and this is a welcome addition. Thank you to the team for providing another excellent day out.”

“Excellent, unique...madness! - This is a unique and excellent event which, given the difficult circusmtances, is extremely well organised. The atmosphere is exciting competitive but also fun and friendly. This year it was marred by the unfortunate new rules imposed by the border control causing absolute chaos and a huge delay for anyone staying overnight on thursday hoping to get sleep for an early start. This is no fault of the organisers but was extremely frustrating.”

“Wonderful event - Try to optimize as much as possible the border check point to reduce the waiting time (2 hours).”

“Incredibly amazing event! - The only 1 thing is work on is the border checkpoint ... unacceptable! we waited more than 2 hours...”