Post Race Review

Well... What can I say?

I DID IT!

I completed the Great North Run & it was totally awesome! :-)

Those of you who read my last post (see below/archive) will recall that nerves had kicked somewhat during the week leading up to the race - I feel therefore, it's only right that I update you with regards to my experience of the weekend & the worlds most famous half marathon!

The weekend got off to quite a good start... Having decided to catch the train to Newcastle & therefore negate the potential parking issues (& potential clutch control issues en route home!) I arrived at Birmingham New Street in plenty of time - after all the hard work I had put in, this was one train I wasn't going to miss! Soon enough conversations were struck up with other waiting passengers - funny how we all become instant friends when waiting/queueing - & before long topics turned to destinations & reasons for travel... OMG, I knew I was excited but I had not realised how proud saying 'I'm off to Newcastle to do the Great North Run' would make me feel! Even more shocking, I hadn't anticipated peoples reactions - I might as well have said I was off to compete in the Olympics or have tea with the Queen they were so in awe! You know when you're bursting with pride & have one of those ear to ear beaming smile that just won't budge? That was me before I even left Birmingham :-)

On arrival in Newcastle I was extremely pleased to learn that not only was my accommodation fairly near to the centre but it was actually walking distance to the start line :-) Not bad considering I'd booked the hotel relatively late for this type of event... I didn't know exactly where the start line was yet but hey, with 54,000 people doing the race I figured that was one detail which would surely become obvious on the day ;-)

After checking in & feeding on the obligatory pre race pasta-tastic meal it was time to learn more about the route.  Now at the time it seemed like a good idea & whilst I was doing the race it was so useful to have an idea of what was coming up next but travelling the 13.1 miles by car & experiencing the gradients of the route the night before makes an already awe inspiring race seem extremely daunting! I've never compared running & driving miles in the same thought space before, they've always been completely separate activities in my head...  Luckily the rational part of my thinking prevailed & the knowledge that I could do this distance stifled any doubts I had.


So, the morning of the race dawned... I was excited, maybe a little apprehensive but there was a persistant niggling thought which dogged me - do I or do I not take a running jacket with me? Now I'm sure many of you reading this will find that hilarious (although not nearly as funny as my solution) but those of you who feel the cold will, I'm certain, understand my predicament... Do I freeze pre race & start miserably with potentially numb fingers & toes  - the joys of Raynauds Syndrome - or do I keep warm in a jacket but then have to be too hot running in it or become SuperGirl half way through the race & have my 'cape' flapping at my legs for the remaining distance?  I flicked through the Bupa running guide for inspiration - it would appear many runners wear old clothing, discard it at the start & clothing charities collect it - fab idea but I hadn't shelled out on a great running jacket to bin it!

And there my lightbulb moment appeared!  I ran down to reception and asked them, in a way that I hoped wouldn't sound too weird, if they had a binbag to spare! I knew I was being revolutionary & they might think me very odd... Well, that was until, without batting an eyelid, the receptionist said 'sure, here you go' - apparently that's what many runners do pre race!  I guess having always run local races with plentiful nearby parking & most of them in warmer weather, I've never faced this dilemma before but sure enough I got to the start line & the majority of runners either wore paint/oil stained clothing or bin liners!  Guess what my new 'essential item' is?

Fast forward 30 mins & after checking I had everything I needed I departed the hotel & as expected no map was required - swarms of runners were all heading one way, the sun was shining, the hum of music could be heard in the distance & the atmosphere was electric - it was right then that I realised something was missing... The nerves had gone!

The start of the Great North Run always looks very impressive on TV, swathes of people, some in fancy dress, all crowded together in anticipation... Being there & part of it though is something else entirely! I can only describe the feeling as one of headiness - the mood is one of excitement, optimism, anticipation & determination, people are happy, helpful, looking out for each other & the air is filled with the undeniable fragrance of runners - Ralgex!

The gun fired at 10:40 followed by a fog horn & the Red Arrows flew overhead - they are always present at the GNR but this year was more poignant than ever as the foghorn had been sounded by Dr Emma Egging, the wife of the late Flight Lieutenant Jon Egging - I think it was then that I got the first lump in my throat... Within moments Mo Farah was visible on the big screens leaning over to tap the hands of runners as they passed by - the race had officially begun! I however, had not taken a step! It started with a shuffle, then a slow walk, then a canter until finally the start line was in sight... I crossed the line just after 11am!  Yes, over 20 mins to reach the start line, and in my excitement of the increasingly exhilirating atmosphere I forgot to start the timer on my sports watch! I remembered around .20 of a mile in & started it then but it didn't really matter as we were all wearing personalised timing chips anyway.

The first mile saw us run under a series of bridges & it was then that I fully realised the camaraderie that this event evokes... Every bridge we ran under someone would shout 'oggy oggy oggy' & of course, the response came back 'oi, oi, oi' - loud not just because of the number of people but also the acoustic effect of the bridge formations.  Particularly warming was the fact that there were no leaders in the starting of an 'oggy' chant - it fell to whichever man, woman or youth felt the urge & whoever got there first... :-)

By the time we were all 'oggy'd' out we had reached the Tyne Bridge - this for me was a definite highlight of the race - to run over such a famous landmark with all it's fine architecture & hundreds of people lining each side was simply breathtaking! The sun was beaming down on us & I can remember feeling so happy & incredulous (& probably a little emotional again) at being part of such an amazing event.

By mile 5 the sun was really feeling hot and as if by magic (and probably in answer to a lot of runners prayers!) the sky went overcast & that 'fine misty rain that soaks yer right through' appeared - total bliss!  At this point the streets had become a sea of spectators all wishing us well & willing us on... The children in particular were little stars all standing with their hands out to be 'tagged' so it was only polite to oblige... :-)

Mile 8 appeared & this is when the knee niggle really decided to act up :-( Ouch was not the word & at mile 10 when the heavens literally opened up wide & sent torrential rain pouring down on us it was tough going!  I'd come this far though, there was no way I was going to quit, even if I had to hobble for the next week or two so armed with thoughts of those who are braver and less fortunate I gritted my teeth and dug deep... Before I knew it the sea was in sight & I realised I had climbed my last hill & was almost at mile 12 - I've always been a fan of sea views but this - this was a beauty!

I was already forearmed with the knowledge that the last mile in along the sea front goes on 'forever' & had already made up my mind to savour every moment of it - my pace picked up & my knee, what knee?! I ducked in & out of gaps between fellow runners, smiling to myself everytime I heard grumble of 'this mile is lasting forever' - I was running the last 800m, the last 400m, the last 200m... I had run all the way from Newcastle & was crossing the finish line of the Great North Run in South Shields. I had done it!

Furthermore, I managed to knock 13 mins off my last half marathon time - proof, if ever any were needed that my decision to join a running club was most definitely the right one!

I hope to be back in 2012, if I am lucky enough to secure another place... Keep those fingers crossed!

***Be sure to check out the blog archive on the right for previous posts***

The BUPA Great North Run

The BUPA Great North Run is a half marathon race that starts in Newcastle & finishes in South Shields http://www.greatrun.org/Events/Event.aspx?id=1  It is now in it's 31st year and although it has a huge 54,000 entry limit, places get snapped up very quickly & it is always full to capacity months ahead of the race.

I mentioned in a previous post that the Great North Run was the race that had inspired me to take my running to the next level & that I had hoped one day to take part, so you can imagine my extreme delight when I managed to secure one of 50 'last chance' places offered by BUPA back in July... To say I was 'over the moon' is somewhat of an understatement!

Now we have less than 6 days to go until race day.  The excitement is still very much there but for some bizarre reason, nerves are present too... I've never had pre race nerves so what is that all about?

• Is it my first Half Marathon?   No
• Have I trained hard enough?  Yes

So I have nothing to worry about... Right?

Well, I do have a slight knee niggle but nothing that sports massages and determination on the day won't overcome so why the sudden nerves?

Let's go back to the Great North Run not being my first half marathon... It is in fact only my second so I'm by no means experienced at this distance! 

The first was the Lichfield half marathon, a spontaneous decision which meant (maybe foolishly) that it was a race for which I only had 5 weeks to train. It was on familiar 'home turf', which to date all my races have been & I was, at that time, training alone - my aim was simply to finish... To ideally get to at least 10 miles & then take it half a mile at a time - I had nothing to prove to anyone, no previous goals to beat, & no disgrace if I couldn't run the whole way. 

As it turned out in the end I did rather well! I didn't slow to a 'fast walk' until 11.75 miles and then I picked it back up at 12.1 miles to run the last mile in - I was over the moon &, as is always the case with me, crossed the line to the mixed emotions of elation, nausea & the overwhelming urge to cry!

Fast forward now to the upcoming Great North Run & I think the reasons for my nerves are becoming apparent - I say 'becoming' as they are actually presenting themselves to me as I type... There's no better way to ponder and conclude than to get words down on paper (or screen as the medium now is!)

The Great North Run as I mentioned earlier is a HUGE event... 54,000 entrants of which approx 40,000 ran last year - that in itself makes for a daunting race.  Couple that with the fact that it's televised... Now, I'm not shy in the slightest - point a camera at me & I smile (often to others annoyance) but if I'm captured I hope it's because I'm running well, not hobbling along injured making a show of myself!

The race is also in an area I'm not very familiar with... I've been to Newcastle a couple of times before but don't know the area well by any means & certainly don't have the 'back of my hand' knowledge which has stood me in good stead for all my previous races.

Finally, & probably the biggest point to make here, is the fact that I have been training for months, not just 5 weeks & with a very established club - Birchfield Harriers. 3 times a week every week I have worked hard, been put through my paces & pushed to raise my game, the focus has been on regulating my pace, increasing my stamina & improving my technique.

This time I feel I do have something to prove & having already completed one half marathon means I do now have a previous goal to beat... No wonder the nerves are kicking in!

This years Great North Run will see Mo Farah (world 5000m champion) start the race.  He will be joined by the Red Arrows who will also fly over Tyne Bridge in the 'missing man' formation in tribute to their colleague 'Red 4' Flt Lt Jon Egging who was tragically killed last month & then perform their traditional display at the South Shields finish line.

The nerves might well be brewing but I'm kinda guessing (& hoping) that the excitement & atmosphere on the day means they won't get a look in! ;-)

PDF

What is PDF?

To many it is simply a file format... More specifically a 'Portable Document Format' created by Adobe Systems.  I can't argue with that... After all, I work in IT sales so I sell Adobe products & receive, view & send PDF documents every day!

But to me PDF bears no reference to computer documents, for me PDF refers to ' Pay Day Friday' :-)

Of course, it's always good to see pay day, whatever day of the week it falls on... Pay Day Friday however takes it to the next level!

PDF is a monthly night out with my work colleagues, many of which I don't have day to day contact with. It occurs on the first Friday AFTER pay day - this can sometimes mean it occurs well into the first week of the next month but makes way more sense than trying to stick to the calendar month & having everyone venture out with limited funds or worse, not show up at all!

Mostly we head out straight from work, 5pm onwards on the given Friday - the location is a bar called Bluu http://www.bluu.co.uk/ (we head there every Friday but only usually for a couple of drinks on non PDF's), we like to think of it as OUR bar on a Friday & to be honest, we are usually the dominating presence... In fact, the amount of money we've put behind the bar since it opened in 2008, I'm convinced we should own shares!

Sometimes we have themed nights, these have historically proven to be very successful & often draw a few more colleagues out of the woodwork, particularly as priorities in life change & some people can't commit to attending every month... The hardcore PDFers amongst us find it hard to believe that ANYTHING could take priority over PDF but that's just different strokes I guess!

Hallowe'en PDF Oct 2008

Pirate PDF July 2010 

A typical round at Bluu... Hic!

Roll on September PDF! :-)

***Be sure to check out the blog archive on the right for previous posts***