CONSIDER the statistics – 16 portable loos weren't enough by far! Next time round they'll need 40 unless you want mishaps in the Forest. 1,800 bottles of water taken over four staging posts sufficed, but only just. As for energy drinks and the need to look after more than 300 volunteers and marshalls and you'll understand why Forest of Dean half marathon race co-ordinator, Chris Hammersley, now needs a good night's sleep.

But despite sleepless nights before the Forest's biggest cross country running event, the race itself went vastly better than feared. With a record entry of exactly 2,350 runners, there were real worries about the weather and the new parking area at Speech House Field turning into a quagmire.

"We were extremely lucky", says Chris. "There was a weather window of about 18 hours. The forecast was awful and two days before the race we were wandering around with long faces wondering what we were going to do. We'd even started setting up exclusion zones in the field to keep cars off areas which were pooling up."

But Saturday was largely dry and Sunday dawned sunny. Close to 2,000 turned up on the day – some having put their clocks back instead of forward and some having forgotten completely. The roads were choc-a-block and two gates opened up at Speech House to fill the field.

All the runners wore anklets with timing chips supplied by Black Sheep Sports of Huntley, which can time every single runner as they cross the start mat and transfer the timings to a screen as they head for the finish.

Fears that the new course would be too easy proved to be unfounded.

"Some runners did worry that it would be too easy," says Chris. "They didn't want the challenge to be removed. But by the end, I think 99 per cent were satisfied that it was enough of a challenge."

Of lessons learned?

"We didn't have enough loos. I did order extra but they didn't turn up. We needed double the amount. And we became aware that the trail narrrowed at Boy's Grave, causing a bit of a squeeze. We're thinking of taking the race down to Russells Enclosure opposite New Fancy where there's more room."

As for the weather, that's in the lap of the gods or the Met Office. After Monday's morning rain the Speech House field was left entirely impassible. The quagmire organisers had really feared.

"We couldn't have got a car on or off," admits Chris. "We were incredibly lucky."

Results

Male runners

Julian Hatcher (MOTI) last year's winner: 01.15.30

Jonathan Pugh (Independent): 01.15.36

James King (Caerleon Club): 01.19.02

Women runners

Vicky Plume (Westbury Harriers): 01.22.40

Marianne Gittoes (Chepstow Harriers): 01.26.45

Katie Beecher

(Les Croupiers Running Club): 01.27.20

First Forest of Dean man

Stephen Hale of Lydney

First Forest of Dean woman

Samantha Harris of Blakeney

First Forest of Dean man aged 60+

Steve Prior of Berry Hill

First Forest of Dean woman aged 60+

Margaret Ellis of Newnham

•The half marathon raises upwards of £30,000 for local and national charities. It is organised by the

Rotary Club of the Royal Forest of Dean with donations from supporters like Tesco Lydney (water) and Glaxo Smithkline Beecham (energy drinks). Next year's half marathon, depending on permission

from the new owners of Speech House, will be on March 27, 2011.