“Very well run eventand enjoyable event - T-Shirt this year was average.”

“Best ever amongst all UAE events - It's one of the best well organized HM in this part of the world. Everything is so perfectly organized and delivered - no more words to explain. This was my first experience in RAK HM and I have decided to run every year.”

“Great experience for my first half marathon - Only complain was with the bus service from hotel to race”

“This is the best organized Half marathon for me. - During the last 900 meters, you should put markings like '900 meters left' '800 meters left' 700 meters left'.....till '100 meters left'. This helps the runner to know the last distance and also excites him to finish hard and fast.”

“One Great Event - Over all event was good!”

“Better support station - I reached the end having had only access to water. Every time I reached a support station I would get a cup thinking it had juice or energy drink but nothing. Also a piece of orange or anything to give some strength would have been every much helpful”

“Best event in UAE - See you next year - Great event as usual. Photo service was the best and fastest I've ever seen. Difficult to improve this event, organizers are great and thank you to all volunteers too. Maybe have some more Isotonic drinks and gels in the support stations. New start/course was good idea. Very well organized parking too. Please invite DSC Marathon/10k runners next year to show them how to run a professional event.”

“My favourite fast half. - Great fun and, as always, exceptionally well organised.”

“Well organized and great experienced. - Thanks for the organizers, sponsors runners and everybody involved the unforgettable experience..”

“Great event but could do with a more scenic route - Perhaps a more scenic route around RAK!”

“Second time around - An excellent event all round. I will be doing the run again and hoping for a better time. Suggestions for improvement: Countdown markers for the final 1km, (I didn't realise I was as close as I was to finish, I might have pushed myself more). Finish line wasn't as visible as the 1km markers. Having to cross the path of runners still on the course after the finish was not great.”

“World Class Event - This is the best half marathon I have ever participated in! Well done, Premier! The distances were well-marked. The route was clear. The aid stations were well-manned and more than sufficient to support hydration and other needs throughout the race. The race packs were excellent The only negative I experienced was the difficulty at getting ice from medical personnel at the end of the race. I could not find the right location, and ultimately just left to get ice and rest at my hotel.”

“Really well organised. Fun Event - Very happy this year with the half. I know you guys were let down last min with the race packs so was a huge rush to get the packs to everyone. But I think through social media you worked above and beyond to get the packs delivered. I think the medal design was not as nice this year. And someone commented the white center piece came off after 5 mins due to the glue failing. I would recommend with medal design just try and keep it simple with one piece of metal designed well going forward.”

“Enjoyable running experience - Very timely update on the result and photos! nice”

“One of the best! - I've joined dozens of half-marathon races in North America and a few in Europe but I must say, this half-marathon ranks way up there! Shower stalls complete with shower kits at the finish line? No hassle race package pickup as they deliver it right to your door? Airport-security type scanning of checked bags? Bottle belt-free running since there is ample water stations along the route? Real-time SMS updates every 5 kms? Come on! And there are more boxes to tick! Count me in next year!”

“A well organised event - Well done to the organisers and volunteers who all added to the overall enjoyment of the event.”

“A great event, fitness a bit lacking! - Great value for money - including photos for you to download, for free. Great support too.”

“Great Event ... - Great Event! Excellent water and Energy drink stations and services. Medal quality has to be improved coz... athletes are going to preserve it for life long ”

“I enjoyed very good organization keep going - I heard few comments I would like to suggest that there is very big gap between the categories like 55 then veterans like my Age it would appreciated if for next year you can add there gategories 50/55/60/65 plus it well only in courage more participants we are not worry about money price but our effort recognition.we have our running club always we give recondition to old the people as we think it sets good example to younger runner .like to hear your commitment.thank you”

“An event that loves it's participants. - A well organised event with a big field of runners.”

“Well organised,fun waving at friends running too - I thought that the pre-race information was excellent, the video of the course was helpful. The only thing was my race pack did not have any safety pins in and I did not realise until the night before. On the morning there were no spare safety pins, the man I spoke to, who I understand was clearly quite busy handing out other packs, was not very helpful - merely stating he had run out and then ignoring me when I asked what I should do next. ”

“Overall great, bus/hotel transport poor. - Well organised event, great course; great support at aid stations. Bus transport to Waldorf Astoria very poor! I spent 60min outside locked bus waiting for driver to turn up, then 40 minutes sitting inside waiting for driver to start driving. I was not alone.”

“Awesome Race. - Well done it was a great race. The only thing i would suggest would be ice cold sponges. They are so refreshing. ”

“Extremely well organised - Fantastic organisation, starting with the communication prior to the event, the event day itself (parking big thumps up, also signage, start, finish, the village) and the after race service (pictures), this event went flawless. Would definitely reccommend everyone to participate. ”

“Excellent atmosphere,great event for my first HM - Really loved the drive till RAK in early morning hours; the event was conducted very professionally. I absolutely loved the enthusisiam of the people/helpers at the support stands when I spotted the local/UAE ladies encouraging us! Overall a very memorable event for my first half marathon!”

“Great event! - Set a high standard of half-marathon organization”

“Well organized - Well Organized ”

“Just keeps on getting better and better! - By far one of the best races in the country, and it goes from strength to strength every year. Love the new course and the race village. Please keep up the good work Nathan and Rami, this race is going places. ”

“Runners high - It was not ideal passing by the start/finish line at 15kms and then looping back around for 6kms to finish. Did not enjoy that part. The support stations were well stocked with staff and water. Especially liked the enthusiastic volunteer at the 12.5km station chanting and dancing. Great support from fellow runners as well. ”

“Pretty close to perfect! Thank you RAK! - I think the RAK Half is as close to perfection as possible. I really would have to struggle to find a fault in anything. Maybe some gels and isotonic drinks? But truly world class event, fantastic organization. Big thanks to everyone who makes it happen, including to the volunteers and to RAK. We always make a long family weekend out of it and keep on coming back every year! Next year, I'll get my PB though... (missed it by 12 seconds this year!) ”

“Excellent organization, Awesome experience - Thank you to all the organizers, volunteers, Police and Local Authority for an excellent experience. Really great experience.”

“Fantastic race start could be better - Starting should be based off of expected run times. Not random bib numbers. Too many slow people were in my way. Would be nice to have pacers run the course to help runners meet their timing goals. Cheers. ”

“My first half marathon! Incredible experience - Would definitely do it again. Well-organized and well-run operation. Route was relatively lovely. Enjoyed the entire experience overall. Thank you for a fabulous introduction to running ”

“AWESOME EXCELLENT OUTSTANDING ORGANISATION - IF POSSIBLE PLEASE GIVE A SMALL TROPHIES TO ALL FINISHERS.”

“It's just okay - All the good points has been said.. Just eant to share sime points to share to have a better RakHalf2018.. * photos - most of the pictures of those not so early runners seems boring because no more other runners around them.its better to position the photographers in post where the output will be more vibrant and lively. It would be nice if there will photo after crossing the finish line background of the finish line arc * medal - i envy the previous years' medals ”

“Always been an awesome race event! - RAK Half Marathon never fails to impress us every year. Keep it up!”

“Fabulous event - The course, signage, aid stations, volunteers were excellent. More music along the route to keep the runners motivated would be awesome for 2018. Great work Team RAK Half.”

“Awesome - Everything is great, very well organize and it was fun filled family gathering as well.”

“Awesome! - The most organize running event I have participated. Good job! We enjoyed the event. Only negative comment for me is you didn't have option to change the size of the tshirt. Other than that, two thumbs up! ”

“My first half marathon run - RAK - A great race and perfectly organised in every way, from the start to finish. The best, though, lets admit it. Great route and a friendly staff support..water points, directions, and cheering!! and a banana and snickers bar at the end. My only point is, at the end, a 500m to go sign would be an advantage. Wonderful experience... Thank you RAK marathon :)”

“Always a well run, friendly event - Previous course better. Athlete's village seemed better, as was the parking in the mall in previous years . Not enough male toilets (mall better for that also). No certificate printing this year = disappointing. Having said that, it was the same fun, friendly, relaxed and very well-run event as always - I keep coming back for more! Brilliant that there was a world record! It is chalk and cheese compare to the Dubai marathon event which is always badly run, impersonal and too busy.”

“Very good - The t shirt was not Saucony as expected and quality was far away...”

“Good Event - Excellently organised and this time there was no hard copy of certificates and the low quality of medals is to look forward. The Race Village was also looked so dull. Hope all this will be overcome in the next edition. Overall it is a stupendously organised event which I would like to participate.”

“A world leader - A great tribute to the organizing committee. Thanks to all the volunteers. The mug should see me through my retirement The only down side was the KM markers were too far apart! :-)”

“It was an awesome experience - Very memorable run for me... since its my first time and ill definitely join for 2018.”

“One of the best in the UAE - Excellent run. Had 4 first time half-marathoners running with me, and they all loved every minute of it. Great value for money and the marshals were outstanding. A couple of areas of potential improvement: 1) the finish was a little "messy" 2) shouldn't the timing be based on net as opposed to gross? Superb event though, and strongly competes with the DCS Half as the best in the region. Will be back and looking forward to next year already - great job organisers! ”

“Once again, a very pleasant event. - The weak point is the transportation. We didn't found our bus (number 3) at the end of the race and were not ready to wait and search for long so, we had to ride a taxi to come back to the hotel in Al Hamra.”

“An event the UAE can be proud of. - For the 3rd time a world record is set at the RAK half marathon. But at this event whether you are an elite, a club runners or just doing it as a bucket list job you are made to feel special. That's why more members of my running club take part in this event than in any other event in the UAE. It's number one on the race calendar As always the attention to detail was strong starting with the excellent marshaling of the car parking. Many thanks. ”

“First HM - This was my first HM and had a wonderful experience. Premier service was very good be it pre communication or post communication for results and photo! Event organisation was good and water station every two km was nice! This was very encouraging to me to participate in future HMs! ”

“Wow event. - I am very happy to participate in this event.It is well planned & nicely organised event.”

“Perfect - The race and verything was excelent! Keep it up!”

“Always a pleasure participating in it !! - The new route is interesting but seeing the finish line at 17k mark is kind of depressing. A great event to end the season with wonderful support from marshalls & support staff.”

“One of the Best Organized Races - Its been one of the best races I have attended, all the arrangements before and en route as well as support services were excellent”

“Excellent arrangments.. - Well organized, very professional compared to other races organized in UAE”

“Overall a great experience - It was a first time for me to run half-marathon and I find the event highly organized & systematic! I was very much impressed with the real-time update I got thru sms of my running stats! Awesome! I was quite disappointed that the finisher's goodie bag didn't come with a finisher's tee. I used to run in Singapore while I was residing there & most, if not all, running events give away finishers tee for long runs ( i.e. 10k, 21k, 42k). Hoping this can be considered next time around. ”

“Excellent event, brilliant organisation. - I have raced this event around 5 times and it keeps getting better and better. The parking was better this year, the start finish line was better organised. All round it was great. Well done.”

“Excellent - All was great except the transportation. I used bus service from Dubai which took 2.5 hrs to reach the destination. On return, it was ok though.”

“Excellent !!!!!! - Excellent !!!!!!”

“Marshals were heaven sent! - I particularly loved the marshals stationed around the 7km marker... they were cheering us on like they meant it and it made me smile amidst the pain. Thank you!”

“Very well-run race - I really enjoyed this event again this year. The only comment I have is that it was confusing in the finish chute to have a timing mat about 50 feet from the actual finish. I thought it was the finish line and stopped! At least put signage to educate runners to keep running until the 2nd timing mat. It was very confusing. Thanks for all your efforts.”

“Fantastic and highly recommend - My first experience and I will be back next year. The only thing I found was the water on the last few KM and on the finish there was nothing (I realize I was after the 2.30 mark. Also crossing through where some racers had finished could be better coordinated. Can't wait to come back next year! ”

“Pleasure as always - New race village location was an improvement from my point of view and enjoyed the amended route. ”

“Great race. Thanks to organisers. - A very enjoyable day all round. ”

“Very good event yet bus service can be improved - Hi, thanks for this great event! Only one point I would like to mention that could be improved for next year: the return bus service to the hotel. It was not very clear if we had to go back where the bus initially dropped us at the event parking. 2 buses were available to go back to Hiton RAK, I had to suggest myself we make one full and leave first, while the 2nd bus could wait for the remaining passengers. Drivers apparently did not have any passengers list with them. BR Alain”

“1st Half Marathon. Great Experience - The start could be earlier as it gets very hot as the day progresses. Especially for slower runners. The energy drinks were not available at all the stations indicated before the race. There was a slight confusion as the route cut through the entrance to the race village in the 3rd / 4th leg around 14KM. Photo Service was great! Parking Facility very good. Washroom facility in race village was good. Stronger Air Freshener could be used in washroom.”

“Great event, well organized - My only complaint would be the medal I received which fell apart when i got home”

“Great event but bottleneck start - RAK is always been one of my favorite event in the area ; the finisher goody bag was a plus this year. I only have two negative comments : the age groupers start was a bottleneck and took forever to pass the timing matress. That would not be a big deal if the thousand of runners in front were faster then me. I am not here to win but I don't wanna spend the first 2 km slaloming around walkers or joggers. The second poin is why the finish order is based on gross time if we have a timing chip?”

“Well done - Great organization right from the parking till the end of the race. Special thanks to all the volunteers. Keep it up ! Suggestion: Organize a full marathon too. ”

“Can improve ! - -Better signage for the parking (Signs from the main road could have been better) - last year route was better (do not like passing next the finish line with 5k to go still) - better set up around finish (we had to cross the street to reach parking among runners...) - More toilets ! ”

“Excellent Event again - As always a well run event. The committee need to take pride in the event and pass on our thanks to all of the volunteers on the route as they were great. I normally thank them personally but I was running flat out on Friday and struggled to focus on breathing never mind talking :-D. Being really critical, and please don't take this personally but taking us past the finish line at 15.5K was cruel :-D. Well done everyone. Awesome event again. ”

“Well conducted ! Job well done ! - COuldn't have asked for anything more than what the organizers have already done. Would've preferred if there was a WC in the last stretch of the race i.e. 17 to 21 km. ”

“Event is good but too expensive - The event is good, well organized. However, there could be some other things they can offer after the race, like buffet, post- snacks etc. which could be worth the payment. thanks and Good Job! Regards, Paula”

“Could have been better - This was my first at RAK but before this I participated in the Dubai Creek Striders half Marathon which was far superior.”

“Good weekend - Well organised, race village better than previous years with plenty of access to parking. Very Good, thank you!”

“Race Village Improvements - Loved the race, however, I do think the race village needs improvements, for example, there was no first aid or medical assistance visible after the race. I have really bad blisters and need some medical help but couldn't find it, there are some after race care that did not seem to be planned for? Physio, massage, stretching area, etc? An example I would follow is the Dubai Creek Striders Half Marathon Race Village, it's the best in the region, absolutely first class. Sorry, I also thought the medals were one of the worse I've received. ”

“A great event again and again! - Superb as usual, new course was great, but omg...the t-shirt!!! Will be back! ”

“Superb atmosphere - great for all abilities! - Really wonderfully organised and supported event. Nice flat course and brilliant to be amongst all abilities (walkers through to world record holders). This was a new course I understand and it was really good - the only criticism would be the final 6km - psychologically it is really really tough to run past the finish line/area and see finishers with their medals crossing the road to the village and know that you've still got 6km to go. Perhaps extend the course at the 12km marker?”

“Great organisation, fun race! - Really enjoyed the race, the vibe, the atmosphere. highly recommend it. ”

“Perfect in every way - 1st time I have taken part and you really can't fault it. Start time was great given that plenty of people drive up on the morning of the race, giveaways were decent, medal is a great design & a nice touch to use local RAK ceramic material, course was smooth and it was nice to run past the cheering friends and families at the 16km(ish) mark. Photos and timing service were incredibly quick. Only small note is that a live timing tracker would be great for friends to track. Definitely the best race”

“Consistently good event - Well organized event. This year the race village was sort of poorer compared to last year ”

“If you only do one half then do this one!!! - The only negative comment I have is that passing the'finish' line at 15km is quite demoralising for the masses (many of whom including me) were struggling at this point. I think you should consider changing this so that there isn't 6km to do at that point. Otherwise it was awesome. ”

“Overall good but disappointed that I couldn't get! - I registered late this time because I have been dealing with sickness and didn't want to risk it, in the end I decided I am going to do this race but I couldn't get competitive/preferred start any more! I did 1:40 last year . I had to start with the mass start which made me slower, dodging all the joggers and walkers.”

“Great Event - This is one event I participate every year”

“Must do again race - The award ceremony was in a hidden place need to be where the view can be seen by many”

“Brilliant event - Only improvement I would suggest is to have a few more food trucks at the race village, so that there is more variety or food & beverage to choose from.”

“Fantastic, fun, well-organised event - Once again I thought the RAK Half Marathon was a great event. Everything from online registration to race pack delivery was very well done. On race day itself, I thought the organisation was great, instructions were clear and I enjoyed the preferred start zone. The change of course was fun and I thought the support stations were adequate. My only personal complaint was that I'd lost my timing chip on way to event and couldn't see anyone from Premier Timing to speak to. Superb event though”

“Very well organised, professional event! - I loved the entire event. It was well-organised and marked out. My only "comments for consideration" are: It really seems quite pricey and makes it an expensive weekend considering transport or accommodation in addition. I was bitten by a spider and not a single medics tent has antihistamine. Perhaps something to consider. BUT in saying that - the staff in the medics tent at the end were INCREDIBLE! Super professional! I will definitely suggest this race to all!”

“Good, shame about the start - When the gun went marshalls we're preventing competition start runners from starting. This resulted in gross times 20 secs extra. When the gun goes we should all go together. Both groups are small.”

“Awesome!!! - Thank so much for the xperience and will surely gonna run again for the next coming years :)”

“Amazing - More toilets at the Race Village.”

“One of the best Marathon - It was very well organized and thank you ”

“We are lucky to have such events in UAE - Everything was positive, even better, it was almost perfect, loved the race, just few points that I think could have been done better: 1- Was not clear how to go to my PIN 2- Medal pealed off the metal part as soon as I got home, but its OK, I will glue it :) 3- Printed Magazine is just a waste of paper, the online/digital version is sufficient in my opinion, save some trees :) Good job, keep it up, very happy that the race started on time”

“Excellent event - Amazing event organisation. Communications were very clear and helpful. Loved the finisher medals, t-shirt and mug. Thanks for the great event!”

“Enjoyable event - Maybe a post race breakfast/presentation my friend finished in the medal position but I wasn't aware there was even a podium presentation going on. ”

“Great race, amazing planning and organisation - Hi guys, this is my 6th time running the race and I had such a great time . The organization was impeccable and the support and the atmosphere were great. I don't think I've ever had so many pictures of me in a race before! My only little comment is about the finishing section, where the runners and the non-runners would meet up after the race. It wasn't that easy for the non-runners to find their runners coz of the way the exit was. But that's it really :) Thanks for a great race!”

“Nice experience - Nice experience , thank you for organizing ”

“Great organisation! - The event is very well organised and promoted. Looking forward to next year's edition. My only feedback is on the jersey and medal; they can be of better make and design.”

“Well organized. - Well organized . Enjoyed the run with all Runners. ”

“Great Half Marathon - A bit hot maybe next year can start a bit earlier ”

“GREAT EXPERIENCE - * more music along the course * after race party / event to mingle with other participants will be great * pre-event group training will be great to have”

“A great experience!! - A guided professional warm up session should be included for all participants”

“One of the best organised races I've ever done. - A lot of emails in the week(a) leading up to race day. Half the amount would have sufficed.”

“Great Event - One of the best - possibly the best - event/s in the region!”

“Well organised - Finish line could have been better organised with people saying where to go, where to collect finisher bags etc. Bag drop and collection was very good. Lots of toilets before race. Good support stations”

“This is a flat fast PB track in good weather. - Wonderful run. PB track, so that makes up for everything really! Pre race communications sounded a little too stiff and stern. Maybe we can look at softening up a bit ? Race point entry seemed a bit disorganized with inadequate signage Photos still reflecting gross time instead of net time. While it's fantastic that the photos are free, would have been nicer if the net time reflected on them, especially for those of us who successfully chased our PB's All in all, great job Organisers. Kudos”

“One of the best HM! - For sure one of the best HM's I've participated in! Very friendly crew, specially at final where you really need water etc and it's quite busy with all entering; I think everybody did an amazing job and everything was well organized! Cool and pretty medal, tshirt, gift cup and backpack!!! Recommending this event! Only hic; would be good to start earlier 6-6.30-ish to avoid sun.”

“Great race - Great flat race, best for PB nice atmosphere ”

“An awesome event....loved it to every bit - I would want a course next year where u don't have to pass the finish line Nd go for another 6 kms to reach finish closure.Overall I loved the event.splendid”

“The Best Half Marathon - RAK half marathon will always be special to me as it was my first Half Marathon event , for the last 4 years the event has been very well organised by improving every year. Will definetly be a part of it every year. Personally I got my PB this year with a time of 1:58:10”

“A fantastic experience overall - + lots of communication before the event + positive and supportive vibe during event + efficient on the day + buses ran smoothly - terrible mess up with international delivery and some of the communication about the problem was misleading or came across as abrupt - event giveaways weren't very exciting - registration process didn't have pick up pack at race hotel as an option Would be great to have music playing all way round Some more food at the end would be good ”

“Medal - Only the medal is beatiful but it was coming off easily from the hook. The rest absolutely perfect! ”

“A very lovely happening - Pleased again about the organization and the location. The organization of the event was fantastic, plenty of water station, helpful people and joyful event. Thank you again and keep maintaining this quality level. ”

“Race pack issue - The packs desk closed it's door early by 10minute eve though we reached there 5 seconds after he shut the window. You need to have more friendly people on the job eventhough it is stressful. And not to feel pride in saying "too late" because it was 10minutes early. Post race medic were good, as I got cramp and they took care of me. ”

“Great event as a first race - Thank you for organizing a great event”

“Well organised - RAK have set the standard in the UAE for how races should be organised from start to finish. I look forward to returning next year. ”

“Awesome experience! - I didnt feel the music speakers along the course. ”

“An all round good event - Rollers at the finish would round it off nicely. Thank you for all your hard work. ”

“I have participated in this event twice - The event was organize well. Maybe next time if the gunstart can be a little bit more earlier because for some average runners before the time they reach the finish line they have to endure in addition the heat of the sun already and the design of the medal is pretty fine for me but i'm sire iit can still be improved. Thank you RAK Half for the fantastic event. one special award for this event is the shower room after the race. It really relaxed runners after they run before heading home. tnx”

“It was a great event and I enjoyed it completely - Keep up the good work.”

“Geat event - great course - Thank you very nce again for a well organised event. Thank you for the super cool medal, finisher cup and the photo booth in the race village was a great touch. Will be back next year. ”

“Super great first experience! - The overall event experience is amazing! Such an energetic atmosphere that gets everybody going. Well organized event. Lots of marshalls, police visibility, water stations are there making you feel secured if anything happens. Just wondering about the pictures as I saw a lot of photographers out there. Hope to receive some as I want to make a memorable collage of my first half marathon. Kudos to everyone who made this experience happen! ”

“Great new course! - As always, RAK is one of the best! The new route and start / finish were first class. Great medal! First class event. ”

“Fantastic Event - Fantastic event. Loved the whole experience.”

“Great Event - The Support station is very bad. There is no Gel/Bar in the whole stretch of the run course. The electrolyte comes very late. Sports drink should be available from the first station onward. ”

“Great event - A great, well organised event.”

“Great Organisation by Premier Sports. - Fabulous New Course. Great Support from the organising team. A really enjoyable event which I won't hesitate to come back to every year. Many thanks to Premier Sports Team for making ut such a special event.”

“Great event! - A great event, really enjoyed the new course. The volunteers were fantastic as ever! It was great for me but when my wife finished abit later there was no marshal on the crossing point from the finish line to the village and she had to dodge finished runners - also disappointing that the runners weren't considerate of people who were still running. And there were no snickers, Gatorade etc left as that area had been opened to let runners back for more than one. It should be great for all runners!”

“A fantastic day at RAK - Loved the new start/finish area. Plenty of space at the race village by the water, and themed with local culture. Loved the course. RAK has its unique charms!”

“Another great event - At the start it was hard to hear the announcements from the village, other than that it was great. From the finish to the village the security could have been a bit more vigorous in letting people cross the road and first ensuring that there were no runners coming. Small detail that does not deter from the great event. ”

“Great event! - I thought the start line up was very confusing this year. Loads of people did not know where the start line up was until another runner showed us where to line up. No support staff around. Other than that it was a great event as always! ”

“Great race - The ceramic disc on the medal falls , and it got broken, few of my friends had the same case. Having 2 vouchers for alcoholic drinks is not aceptable as we don't drink so we through them. Race village: can be improved. The delay in starting the race and the mass starting are is very small. It will be a great idea to have pacers to help people achieving their goals.”

“Epic organizing - I've attended some running events before ,but i've never seen this much of concern about every single detail ,communications ,track design ( i loved it) ,securing the race, gaps and avoiding crowded tracks. 1 simple word. legendary ”

“ A superbly organized event - A BIG thank you to all the RAK Half Marathon organizers and the amazing volunteers. A superbly organized event!!! See you next year!”

“Was alright - Event felt very 'mechanical' somehow. Route was unremarkable and carefully selected to be "the world's fastest" with nearly zero elevation. ”

“Excellent Race! Well Organized - I love this race. I have no major complaints whatsoever. I loved the frequent hydration stops and the support on the route was great! Thanks to the organizers and the volunteers!! What a fun run!! ”

“Can't wait for 2018 to participate again:) - So satisfied on this event and for sure me and my friends will come back for the next year event. and can't wait to get my new PB:) Regarding on the medals It is a good medal great design but it is so fragile because of the ceramic material that been used in the center piece, We saw other athletes that is been so happy but because they don't know that the center piece is fragile some get for an extra medal and some didn't. But still thanks for this wonderful master piece, till next run:) ”

“RAK Half marathon-keeps on getting better - Thanks once again for putting on such a great event, loved the new route and good to mix it up and make it different for sure. Well done to all the team and super to have run in the event where the Womans world record was broken.”

“Great morning on a great course - The new start/finish location is great. no more horrible traffic jams getting in and out. very well 'watered'; thank you for so many watering points! would be nice if a few stations could offer a piece of banana or watermelon, for those who can't stomach GU. Maybe DOLE sponsorship? consider starting the event earlier. it gets very hot in the end for slower runners. ”

“Fabulous! - Communication was amazing and I was able to run a half marathon comfortably! Such a great experience that I have other friends who will be joining me next year!”

“Keep improving. - Keep improving. Hope to see next year RAK marathon with more shower and toilet facilities. I was expecting less system error in delivering photos after the 10 year anniversary but still the same. Still worst. Photos were not taken well and not delivered accordingly to participants. YAS Abu Dhabi Half Marathon photos and system far better. Hope RAK Marathon will have the same live tracking similar to Dubai Marathon. Better if the elite athletes will start the same time with all runners.”

“Almost perfect first run! - Only small wish: For the first time participant it was easy to lost the way in trying to drive to parking area in the dark (from the big roads to the right area). Same thing in arriving to start area; in the crowd you could really not see where the different start gates are - before the people actually start to move to their gates. A few signs were low behind the crowd. ”

“A HM not to be missed! World Class Organization! - Keep outperforming yourself every year! Simply put, hands down best organization down to every single detail in all races. Just to name a few: free fast photo service, unique medal, nice flat course, shower facilities, lots of parking, numerous support stations, volunteers wearing hygienic gloves, UPS race pack delivery, SMS timing notification, nice village, online video streaming, email communications.. A+ in all the above. Keep up the good job Nathan & Team! See you in 2018! PB with #300 :-)”

“Best organized race! - This is by far the best organized race I have ever participated in. No detail was forgotten! Two amazing things you won't find at other races: very clear pre-race communications, post-event showers with shower kits! My only feedback would be to better coordinate race buses. The drivers seemed to not understand what time they needed to arrive, what time they should leave, and who was actually on the buses. ”

“Great event - Great event... very well organized. Only let down was that the podium was very obscured and we could not see the prize giving ceremony. Also, perhaps a stand for spectators who wish to watch close to the finish line would've been great. ”

“This is great. very nice & proud - All are perfect. In total 11 years 9 year am just audience and encourage the runner. last 2 year am also the participant in the race. This year is very good and interesting. Change in the presentation and location. congratulation. my humble request. at the finish point, while giving water, banana, choch & energy drink if we request of one more pls. provide. we will be very very tired and come from long distance etc. am requesting only food item and sure request shall not come from all rune”

“THE BEST - My first half marathon really set the benchmark high!!!”

“Great Event, again - Organisation again flawless. With the new course layout, the last loop, passing the finish area, it tough. That is my only recommendation to the course set up to see if the last 5k can be improoved.”

“Another thoroughly enjoyable RAK half - My thanks to all organisers and volunteers at this event. I liked the different course this year - being able to see familiar runners either in front or behind me across the road on the dog legs was particularly enjoyable for me. Everything was as it should be, the water tables were in abundance and were manned very well - the size of water bottle perfect. I did notice that early on the relay runners had to dodge their way through the pack until it thinned out. Good medal, tshirt and bag. THANKS”

“Excellent Event - Great support from the Emirate of RAK; plenty of parking; nice race village; great signage from arriving in RAK by car, running through the race, and exiting the venue by car; loved the 20% off coupon!; the race route is great - thank you for closing off the roads! it gives so much room for the runners; organized!!! Improvements: More music on the course! I loved the parts with music, it was really helpful. Would like to see oranges or bananas around 17km, that stretch along the cornice, ”

“Great race - Fantastic race..very well organized..however with the change in starting point, and confusions with route closures and access to parking to participants...lost 20 minutes just trying to reach the starting line...and the marshalls were not very cooperative with runners.. and made us go back even when parking slots were still available near the start ”

“Great organization - Definitely one of the best events in UAE. The cpurse is a bit blunt - simple roads and the usual boredom of UAE events where you don't see many supporters. However, the organization itself is very well planned and run. Loved it!!!”

“IM IN LOVE! - HOWEVER, JUST A SUGGESTION, LETS HAVE SOMETHING PUT IN TO ENTERTAIN THE KIDS, THE WIVES, GAMES, LIVE FOOD STATIONS, A GIANT SCREEN WITH A CARTOON PLAYING! JUST A SUGGESTION TO MAKE THIS THE BEST EVENT, AND BEAT THE OTHER EVENTS BY A MASSIVE MARGIN! LET US GET KIDS RACING, LET THEM START TODAY TO BE A PART OF THE RAK HALF FOR THE FUTURE!”

“Love participating in this annual event - The bus service to and from all the starting points for relay should be resumed for convenience and saving time.”

“Great race - - Well organized and good communication.”

“Fabulous race! - This is one of the best organised races I have taken part in, i can't fault the organisers at all. The only thing they could have done better is give me some wings so I could have flown around the course! ;-) ”

“Nice event - It worth participating in RAK half marathon and big thanks for the event supervisors, organizers and staff ”

“The best half... - Really enjoy the hype and the excitement leading up to this run. It's my must-go event of the year. I think the really school teams could be given a bit more attention (perhaps the organizing teacher could be allowed to collect the kids' race packs instead of the disoriented, exhausted student running through the finish line after boiling in the sun for two hours and running 6 kilometers.....). ”

“Great experience! - Maybe make the route less "up and downs" - "there and backs" make it a loop if possible. Thank you!”

“Congrats to the organizers - loved the new course - Great event, fast new course, see you next year ”

“Its a great event & awesome experience - Great job to all the organisers.And to all the marshal thank you for all up port during the race.”

“Best race in UAE!!! - Amazing organization, great support, great camaraderie to have all the local groups around UAE come together, and overall easy and convenient logistics of the event! Super race! ”

“Soooo many water stops! - The RAK Medal is always creative and unusual! I love that this year, it had porcelain - I don't have any medals like that! Everything was great: communication before the event, packet delivery, the course, Race Village. I was a little bummed to see the coffee truck from last year, Biobean - which had such amazing coffee that I got a second cup (and no I don't work for them or even know them) - replaced by a Costa Coffee truck.”

“I really loved the way this event was organised. - I definitely well be back with more friends and family next year, need I say more! IT was my first half Marathon and I really enjoyed myself. Everyone was so encouraging, I saw Marshals, Police, organisers, spectators and even participants and early finishers cheering and encouraging the participants on the course. Loved the experience.”

“Wonderful race, route, buzz...!! - I really enjoyed the whole experience. I loved the route but running past the finish at 15 was a little tough!with that said, the buzz from 15 onwards kept us going! I loved that at every 5k,we were greeted by the people doing the relay who were in high spirits and very supportive.There was always something to look forward to- it was never lonely or dull.Great race, love the medals and race goodies and I can't wait wait to sign up for next year! Thank you.”

“A very well organised event. - One of the most well organised events I've been to. From pre race communication to the actual event. Everything was very well organised. I really enjoyed myself. I would like to make a suggestion though. Please make better arrangements for people who are accompanying the marathon runners. Like place to sit. Food etc. There wasn't much place to sit and relax. Really looking forward to doing this again.”

“See you nxt year... - Congratulations to the organizers...”

“Too many emails - The only suggestion is to cut back on the emails and communication. Overload. Medal this year bit plain but never mind. ”

“Well Organised event - A very well organised event ”

“Was good except for the bus service - Very poor communication on the bus service from RAK hotel. Me and my friend booked 2 tickets and waited in front of the main gate as communicated via sms. The bus did not come in front of the hotel main gate , but apparently some of the participants knew some meeting point in another section of the hotel and the bus left without collecting us from the main gate. We lost the money we paid . This was not at all expected from a world class marathon event.”

“Fabulous! - So well organized. Spectators I dressing year by year is great. Could use more music along the route. Thats always a good motivator. Encourage local school groups to setup water stations and have them compete for a prize for the best theme, music and motivation for runners. It's great to see the community out. Love this well organized race. Great job! Well done across the board.”

“Great event, recommended to others. - Only comments was having to cross the run route to get out of the finish area wasn't ideal for the finishers and or the runners still out on the course. ”

“My 1st half Marathon - Everything was great. The best running event that I participated till now.Everything was well orgnased . Many Thanks to Rak Half Marathon Team & Premire Timing ❤️”

“My first half marathon - I loved that I participated in this event, very will organized and great path loved the atmosphere ”

“A must for UAE runners - My fourth time and the most enjoyable yet. Liked the new course...especially not having that dreadful long finishing strait from before! Great organization, communications, marshalling. Medal a bit clunky but the giveaways are much appreciated! Clearly a huge amount of work has gone into this....and for that and more you deserve the world record that was set today. Congratulations!”

“Best run in the region! - Excellent, well prepared event! Everything was perfect, though the last 4kms of the track were pretty tough (because you realize that you have to go back).... Well done! Big kudos also to those responsible for the hotel package...That pasta party/ hotel combo were perfect... Thanks!”

“Another fantastically organised event - Some other major events organised in the UAE should come, take notes and learn from the master. Have missed the last few years as tend not to like suffering on flat roads, but this is a great event. Organised parking, bag drop, toilets, showers. Course was good, despite starting to really suffer passing the finish line at 16k it was great to get a glimpse of the Elite men charging to the finish line and some gee up from the crowds at that point.”

“Fantastic race, loved it. - Post all race packs to participants.”

“Happy overall - The support stations didn't have enough energy drink and they were mainly distributing / pushing only water. the race village didn't have any sports supplier like 2XU to sell sports items. the spectators doesn't have a stadium or wide space at the finish time thanks”

“Great 21km! - Great event, well organized, great goodies and all.”

“Simply the world's best half marathon.... - Guys you set your own standards...well ahead of anything anyone else does...in the end we are really just rating shades of 10.... you score 10, and then you raise the bar....we need a new scale. Generous gifts, medals etc, huge amount of event support and Premier Timing ruled the starting pens with excellence ...you earn your place in each or leave the course. IAAF new a Platinum Tier next ....and you should occupy it. Bravo - to everyone of you who made this happen.”

“The event was very well organised and its perfect. - The event was perfectly organised and the track was great. But the quality of medal is not that good, it is heavy and not much good looking.”

“Good event - Nice day of running”

“Perfect organisation - Appreciate sms and mails. Thanks”

“Need more toilets ! - So a good event but based on the new start / finish location opportunities for improvement. 1) Car parking - arrived early but parked much further than later comers. Long way to toilets / start. 2) Long queues for toilets . . . . we do need more to mange peak rush before the race 3) Crossing the course after the finish and to leave - not great. Having said that this race is inherently good. Plenty of water stations, race pack delivered to home, volunteers extremely enthusiastic.”

“Not a good as last year - No certificate was given showing split and net timings this year immediately after the race. This was available last year. Medal was not as impressive as last year. No raffle draws and fun events at the end like last year. Overall, it looked as though they were low on budget this year when compared to last Rak marathon(16). But it was a great marathon and well organized when compared to other marathons.”

“I enjoyed every minute of the events. Thanks so mu - Wonderful event, the best ever”

“First class organisation - Really good event - highly professional organisation from registration right through to completion. Taking part was an absolute pleasure. Thank you to the organisers and all the marshals and support team that helped make the event as good as it was.”

“Excellent organization! - This was my first half marathon and it was a fantastic experience! The race was very well organized from A to Z. All the required information was provided before the race. On race day, parking was easy and marshalls were helping everyone with where they needed to go. The start was on time and just the right number of people doing the race. It was not over-crowded so it was easy to run through without bumping into people. Water stations every 2.5km was great. The route was enjoyable! Great run!”

“Amazing Organization - One of the best races I've ever been to. Extremely organized. However, running through the team relay was pretty dangerous.”

“Fast - The race is fast but to many long straight distances”

“140m over distance - Brilliant event but how did you manage to mess up the distance so massively. So many runners agreed immediate post finish you were 140m too long. big mess up for a major event !!”

“Best race I have ever attended - This was the best organization of a race that I have ever seen. Well done team. ”

“_ - Thanks but photos not ok”

“Amazing Event... - Best event and amazing course compare to last few years... Excellent job guys....”

“A great event! Big race feel & well organised! - All praises! A wonderful event - only slight "rant" is runners with iPods / MP3 players.... loose cannons! Also goes against the spirit of the event - RAK is great expereince and runners would benefit from conversation and comeradery over music and lane changing. Great event! Cheers! ”

“A brilliant event - Dubai Marathin should take note of this event, it was / is brilliantly organised and staged. Well done to everyone involved, including the sponsors who supported the event with generosity. Thank you, see you next year. ”

“Nice experience - Well organized from registration, pack delivery, start and finish to even photos ( that too absolutely free) and medals in a beautiful city. Thanks for all the support.”

“Great event as always - I love the new course! It provides plenty of distraction whilst looking out for your pals on the other side of the road. The ceramic medal was a nice idea, but not practical having seen a few people drop and smash theirs. Overall, as usual this years race was a well organised event.”

“Great event!! Well done to the organizers.. - A different route from last year not being near the mall but I think it went well.. Especially the fast delivery of split times and photos.. But the only concern is people got lost with the different starting line set for the fast ones and for the normal runners like me.”

“Great event, wouldn't miss it - During the first 5 K, we were running while cars were driving in the opposite direction. Would it be possible to avoid it next year?”

“Always a good morning run! - Tshirts were not up to the usual standard. I ordered the same size as usual but it was too small, a strange shape generally and poorly made. ”

“Very well prepared, loved it - Lesser UTurns if possible”

“Superb new change of start and finish - Very easy to leave new venue for Dubai after finishing. Superb. ”

“The event was excellent! - The event was great! The only downfall was that our bus from Abu Dhabi arrived late the the race village, the bus driver spoke on the phone while driving and kept applying brakes every time he spotted the radar. Overall he seemed to lack the experience in driving such a big bus.”

“Great event - I have done this event multiple times, the course is great, loads of support stations and a great atmosphere. Also the roads are wide and smooth, making it very easy to run on. Love it. ”

“A great event without doubt - A wonderful event. All positives only. The baggage drop, 5 star showers, start and finish organisation, taking the route in between thru the finish line is new and good,...... If i hv to search for suggestions: the medals were coming off, there could a lot more shade around the village, queues at the toilets prior to the start....minor matters. Overall hata off..yet another great and enjoyable run. Keep it up.”

“Nice and smooth! - Very good event, very few items to improve (energy gel, breakfast after the race...) Course was fast for sure, and not so easy due to long straights... but overall happy to drive from Abu Dhabi to run in RAK. ”

“A great event, well organised - I primarily run obstacle course races, but this was probably the most well organised event I've ever taken part in. Particularly impressed how quick the photos have been released.”

“Get your PB at RAK and enjoy an awesome race! - Great support as usual: bottled water (so important to allow people to drink!), support every 2.5 km, food at the end of the race and amazing amazing volunteers of all ages. The new course was nice but not as beautiful as the previous years. Passing by the finish line but knowing that it's not your final effort can be encouraging and discouraging at the same time. However, am always grateful to the organizers for an amazing event. ”

“Best event I've ever participated in. - So well organised and such a great atmosphere! Loved that the medal was partly made by RAK ceramics, felt like the event was whole rak community effort. ”

“It was good - Very nicely organized, I didnt get any link for pictures of me in the event”

“Great event as expected - Thanks to all who take part of it and those who ensure the success of the event. Great job! Aside from the delay of the racing pack, price of race bus becomes pricey and the medal today is easily detached, all other are fantastic. I love the souvenirs!”

“The best Run, perfectly organized in all aspects - All are super Excellent!- pre-race info, the parking marshalls, parking and race village locations, better Start and Finish than previous years, toilets and shower facilities, all water/energy stations, security, marshalls and volunteers of all ages, mug souvenir, medal! Congratulations to organizers and to RAK emirates you're all truly the Super Best!!! I enjoyed running my 3rd RAK half marathon. See you all next year. Felicitation and Mabuhay!”

“Tougher finish route - The new route was a much tougher mental run. To pass the finish and double back was a mental game that made those last 5 k long and more painful. IF there is a way to avoid passing by the finish line only to have to trudge on for 5/6 more k - I think many would appreciate it!! (Good for spectators -tough for runners)”

“Excellent race. Very well organised - Overall, I recall enjoyed the race again this year. The prerace communication + delivery of race pack was beneficial Very well executed. I like the start location and parking was plentiful. The guys directing us to the car park did a great job. I really enjoyed the course + found that there were plenty of refreshment stations and the marshals were very efficient. Love the medal. The tshirt is a little boring and the mug a little unimaginative. But overall, excellent experience. Will be back. ”

“Fantastic organisation. Great fun morning. - I love the new track. Very easy for everyone to get to. Start and finish for relay teams was well thought out. Organisation was top notch as always. Thank you for putting on this event which I look forward to every year.”

“Great event! One not to miss! - Too many out and backs but overall a great event.”

“My first half marathon! - I found this very well organized and they have been considerate of the participants. I wasn't aware of the cut off time though! ”

“Overall excellent event. - Excellent course but need to show net and gross times and maybe do a Facebook link.”

“Excellent - Excellent”

“Great day - Great event”

“Great event - will definetly try to do again! - Timings can be better: Only official timing is directly accessible, while the other timing is more personal, and I imagine more important for at least 85% of participants”

“Great As Always - Congrats to Nathan and the team. Great, great job. Two comments: The medals looks nice but I saw a number of people dropping theirs and the ceramic medals shattering. The exit after the finish crossing the run route was a bit 'messy' and I guess inconvenient for some runners coming in late.”

“. - .”

“A great race-but new start/finish area needs work - RAK is always a good run, and the new route offered a nicer view of the water by the port. Aid stations great - and thanks to excellent volunteers. Not a complaint, but observation: the location of the new start/finish area didn't work great as it had finishers crossing the slower folks still running the route in that area, and I saw a couple of near collisions. It was also too tight a scrum at the beginning with the fencing constraining people into a narrow area with all the media.But enjoyed!”

“Congrats for WR! - Old course is better as the home straight is now way too long but still this is THE best half marathon !”

“Over all it is well organised event. - In starting point it is not necessary to differentiate the runners other than elite runners.”

“Incredible Race!! - Great course - flat and "in-and-outs" that allowed for average runners like me to follow the race / leaders. Extremely well organized, both pre-event information and event-day execution. Parking / event support was great! Incredible medal and the coffee mug is a tasteful, unique gift. The timing and results service is better than any I have seen here in the UAE. Good size event - runner don't drown-in-people like at the Dubai marathon. To the event coordinators - thank you very much!”

“Quality race, well done - Very good event overall and probably one of the best races in the UAE. Organization was excellent, support stations correctly placed every 2.5km, course measurement was great (measurements in my tracking were spot-on until 5k). Start line was also excellent as runners were correctly sent to their corresponding pens by the marshals. Only downpart is I believe the e-mail/SMS sent out previous to the race, although they had important information, were excessive and unneeded after some point.”

“Well run event - Best running event I participate in around UAE”