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Great North Run 2011
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I had a fantastic day up in the NE, the crowds were just fantastic offering support and encouragement the whole way.
Now i'm not what you would call built for speed and have never claimed to be, so started in the pink and there was a real party atmosphere at the back which was great and kept us warm while waiting to get to the start. Bupa had also supplied a set of portaloos in the middle of the carridge way which were a needed god send...even tho they were really quite manky!!! So well done for them! Towards the end of my race (12m) I noticed some of guys with orange numbers on had started to walk back down the course shouting encouragement (probably not to me, but hey- I needed everything I could get at that point and it really helped me get to the end)
I do have a couple of little moans to make...at one point at around the 9th mile mark I did get elbowed in the head (i'm quite wee) by a guy who just stopped right in front of me and as I tried to get round started to fiddle with the ipod strapped to his arm, not helpful
Also, like most people it seems needed a little more than powerade zero to help get me round...13.1 miles is a long way after all
Was slightly disappointed with my time, but managed to run every step which i'm proud of.
All in all fantastic race, cant wait for 2011...even tho i'm still finding stairs tough going on the legs.
What I tried to do was 1 speedwork session, 1 tempo run session and 1 long run session. But I always tried to go up to at least the whole half marathon distance if not more a few times.
Mandie - there may well have been real Powerade on the route, but I don't recall seeing any, and I always take the bottles from the marshalls, and as I ran past that's what they had in their hands, so I just took what was in front of me. Even if Powerade Zero was just 'an option' it was a bit of a rubbish idea - who stops at a drinks table and thinks 'Hmm, which one do I fancy?' when chasing a pb and there's crowds of people all around you.
In my opinion they should've just stuck them in the goody bag if they were wanting to promote it. I do recall the last Powerade station only seemed to have the red Zero stuff - God knows what flavour it was trying to be, but it was absolutely rank - I took one mouthful and almost spat it straight back out again.
I was through the stations fairly early and was only offered Powerade Zero - White Label and Bottle Top. I will take my own stuff next year to ensure I get a need the sugar boost that I needed.
Great Report Mr K - I will try to meet up with you all next year but it was a nightmare getting along the side of the road and thought I would be pushing it getting back to the start in time.
Seems like they got their act together with the photographers this year, as I've got quite a few as well, after only having the one last year, and none at all the year before that.
Blimey - in that case it sounds like they made a huge cockup then! (I hope I can say that without getting told off by the moderators!!
)
I didn't even realise they made the Zero version and as you say, Shielsy, if they wanted to promote it then they should have just put it into the goody bags.
Fantastic race report Mr K!!!
Also well done Merrylegs!
Zero is a good name for it - Zero taste and Zero effect. Hopefully Lucozade will make a comeback for next year
I think last year Great Run were doing their own photos but have moved back to the marathon photos service this year.
Nice report Mr K
Good luck for the JW too - might try that one myself one day, bein' local yokel and all that, but prob best not run before I can walk, hey!
Just wondering - did they have plenty of water en route as well as "sports" drinks? Thinking ahead to next year... I don't like carrying too much but happy to stash a couple of gels if there's plenty of water.
Shielsy, cheers for that. I'm going to make a concerted effort to get down the running club from now on. Hopefu lly I'll be injury free. So that should be my speed session. My main problem is that all my running is done at tempo pace, so I've become very one paced. I guess your long run was a long slow run as well. i always find them mentally hard, you feel like you're running treacle. Anyway, cheers for the advice, I need to get a winter plan sorted so I'll incorporate that in their. If I do a long run every Sunday, and do a long swim and bike on Saturdays, that should give me sufficient volume, along with midweek stuff. Who was it on the 2010 thread who was planning to do a tri last year?
It's great to see everybody is still on a high from Sunday. It's also good to see some first timers enjoyed it. Brings back good memories.
Great report as usual, Mr K. Good look at JW.
Yeti, I never really drink it, but seemed like loads of water on offer. The one bottle I did try though, the stupid sports cap kept closing, so not very easy to drink from! Better than cups though
Thank you, Mandie
Lovely shots, including those of Shielsy
I will save and rotate them later.
Thanks for the comments.
Martin - `Under the Bridge` - It is the only placed to be......well it was this year only because of the rain
but I understand as it took me a while to get to the front.
Love the race reports - keep them coming.
Wee Col - Happy Birthday
I'm in, for definite! My first time this year and I absolutely loved it. Next year need to train more towards getting even splits, rather than the mad dash I had in the first half this time and then then inevitable slump for the second half. Must think of a good fancy dress too ...
I spotted the sign, 'Tired? train harder next year' or whatever it said. I admit I mumbled "cheeky F****rs" but also thought, how bloody true. I much prefer that kind of sign than the chap shouting "nearly there, only 3 mile to go" at the 'boost zone'. 3 miles is such a goddam long way.
I didn't stop and pose for the souvenir photo after the finish cos i'd end up buying it and it would probably cost a small fortune!
I spotted the Brass Monkey Half is going to be on-line entry only.
hhhmmm. That's a shame.
I done it last year and quite enjoyed it. A million miles different from the GNR though!
Was there someone doing 'pose for the souvenir photo' at the end ? I didn't see them - Mind you, it was raining by thenso perhaps they had given up.#
I can undertstand the comments re newbies and setting up a new thread. i just wish it didn't feel like such a chasm (I get withdrawal symptoms), but, as XL says, it's only a temporary inconvenience and may encourage newfolks to join us, so I concede
Mandie, Yeti - I can recommend some cheap accommodation if you like
. £33 per night for a single. Great hospitality. Lovely breakfast. Rather dated building with carpets your granny would have loved and you may not wish to make bodily contact with. Bit of a hotch-potch of furniture but the beds are clean and tightly remade every day (I fight to loosen them every night!).TV works in some rooms, but there is a lounge. Less than 5 mins stroll to the start line 
I had the same problem with the Powerade as everyone else then. When we got to that last drinks station and we started going up the long hill between miles 9-12, i needed that extra bit of energy to push on and found there were only powerade zero, which had zero effect.
For once, i just think they may not have thought it through.
I want to run GNR again - now ! (well maybe a week on Sunday!)
Doing a 10K at 'undulating' Blenheim Palace this weekend. Was thinking of doing Run to the Beat in London but i have a neighbour's 80th birthday party to attend and it would take longer to travel back from London.
RTLW- nice to meet you on Sunday. Good luck at Blenheim. At least the hills on Sunday should prepare you for Blenheim! There were some "souvenir" photographers after the goodybag handout area.
I've just seen Vicki GW run across the screen at the very start of the highlights program!
LFC- thanks for looking at your recording for me. You obviously had the same problem we did!
Looking forward to a sports massage tomorrow and possibly a run in the evening. Next race is a 10k on 3rd October followed by a 15k race on the Ridgeway the follwoing weekend.
Think I need to find some more "races" too otherwise I'm just going to lose the fitness I've acquired since starting running again in mid-July. Having suffered the blisters and minor niggles (calf/ankle) I don't really want to start from scratch again - time will tell
Morning all,
Having a bit of an easy week this week but I`ll be out tonight for a run then a few miles tomorrow - all easy pace.
Re- Next Year - I`m hoping to come up on the Friday night next year so I can do the Newcastle parkrun on Saturday & see all of the City Games.
Forgot to say - we went to the Great North Run Exhibition @ Hancock - well worth the entrance fee
Very enjoyable.
Had a 6 mile run last night. I expected an easy night but we ended up doing quite a quick pace. At first, my legs felt like lead, but after a few miles they loosened up and I had a good run.
How is everyone today?
morning
havn't looked at the photos yet as had big meeting in Brum yesterday & was sooo tired when I got home I fell asleep during that 71degrees north thingy so don't know what happened on that.
Nice to see so many of you getting back into the running so quickly - I always give myself a weeks rest as a reward & eat like a pig !!!!