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Great north run 2012
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Where's the link to the new thread??
http://www.runnersworld.co.uk/forum/events/great-north-run-2013/206407.html?lastunread=1&lastviewed=10068375#lvm
THere you go, Shielsy. Better get a move on. Only 3 first page slots left.
Yes, you made the new thread, Page 1.
Two slots left. I'm deliberately not posting there until they're taken.
Spongecake has the penultimate Page 1 post. Who will bag the last one ?
Well, that was the best GNR ever for me - and I was really quite apprehensive beforehand, as I hadn't really done any 'proper' speedwork at all this year, other than The Blaydon Race, and some 'dig deep!' training at Thunder Run in the summer.
Met up in our usual spot under the footbridge with Shrek, Mandie, Steve, Stringy, mr sj and Andy Smithsky (who was loitering shyly until I brought/dragged him into the fold). Then we were later joined by James, Dasher Dart and RLTW (who I felt a bit sorry for ... she'd turned up as Abide With Me finished and had me crying on her shoulder ... sorry RLTW
)
We went our separate ways at about 10-ish? and I disappeared into the bushes with my bucket ...
Then it's the usual waiting around, the half-hearted aerobics session with that fitness trainer guy that no-one really takes seriously and the fly-over from the Red Arrows which is just amazing!! It's worth entering just for that moment alone.
Race started - I crossed the line, started my watch, said a little prayer to my mam and dad, and put my 'game face' on, which looks like this:
Unfortunately I realised I needed the toilet (what is it with my bladder??!) but thought I'd hang on until Gateshead Stadium. Watched enviously as all the blokes hit the flyover and legged it for the walls to pee - lucky buggers! Passed people with pen D numbers who were walking at this point - about half a mile in 
.
By the time I got to the Stadium though I decided against paying a visit as I was going really well (too fast for me, but I felt pretty relaxed) and didn't want to muck up my pacing. At mile 4, I passed a couple walking in the middle of the road - complete with those walking stick thingies. I turned as I passed them and noticed they hand pink numbers. Now - what gives there? They started (or should have) behind me, were clearly walking (no disrespect to them, but they didn't look like natural born runners) and I was averaging 7:55 m/miles at this point, yet at mile 4 they were ahead of lots of fast runners? Hmmmm ....
tbc ...
Had a great time cheering runners at the 12 mile point,Arrived to late to see the wheelchair winners go past,But saw the women and mens leaders fly past.Managed to spot mr sj,Brilliant effort and a fab pb.Then saw Shielsy go past and Shrek.Sorry to miss the others but you get face blindness staring into a crowd for so long.
At mile 6 I wanted to get across the road for some water, so started - carefully - moving across with lots of 'excuse me's. However, there was a young lad with a walkman on who was obviously oblivious to what was going on around him and we caught each others legs. He staggered a bit, and I got hold of him to stop him falling ... and promptly went flying myself
. I honestly thought it was game over at this point as I'd landed quite hard on my side and it hurt quite a bit. Also felt a bit stupid with lots of 'Ooohs' from the crowd. Limped over to get a bottle of water, grimacing but thinking 'At least I'm just a mile from home if I have to drop out' but tentatively kept going. My left thigh was sore, but thankfully it wasn't a knee so I just tried to get back to my pace. Passed Oblivious Headphones chap and gave him evils 
.
All too soon we came to The Nook - usually this is quite tough, but today it was a nightmare. All thoughts of needing the toilet had by this time disappeared and I just gritted my teeth and got in with it. Even the run down the bank was tough, I found, and that last mile was a blimmin' killer. It just goes on and on and on and on.
However, I knew by my pace that I was on for a pb, so like mr sj said, it was just a case of seeing how much I could pb by. Crossed the finish line and stopped the watch - it showed 1:46:22. Couldn't believe it, I'd beaten my GNR pb by 9 minutes, and my half marathon pb by 4 minutes.
Got my goody bag, and went to the Sanddancer, where I ran into Dasher Dart. He very kindly bought me a drink and we spent about an hour chatting as he waited for his mate to finish. I left him still waiting for him (and getting a bit worried!) so I hope he's ok, DD?
Unlocked my bike and cycled 5.5 miles back home ... this was actually more tiring on the legs than the half marathon was!
Feeling really good now ... but my thigh is so very sore. I may have to self-medicated with a glass of wine or two tonight
I cycled home myself was actually nice whizzing past everyone knowing i'd get home before them.
And well done on the PB, hopefully i can break the 2 hour mark next year.
Thanks MJ38. Cycling home is definitely the best, as long as you live local.
spongecake - it was a lovely surprise to get a shout out for you at mile 12. Did I look surprised, I was totally taken aback. I remembering smiling at you, but wanting to collapse inside!
And how loud was that music on the John Reid Road just before the turn off for the Hospital? Certainly gave me a lift!
It really was brilliant to be able to give the shout outs this year,i know they can help lift you when your feeling knackered.Wish I could have spotted more of the forumites
Thats another brilliant PB as well,so happy for you.
Crikey, Shielsy - you don't do things the easy way do you? Practising judo with mp3 wearing idiots , and still smashing your PB
You should be chuffed, I'm sure you are. Now, enjoy that wine, put your feet up and put all thoughts of other events out of your miond until you've squeezed every last bit of enjoyment from the sense of pride and achievement you should have from today's efforts.
Couldn't work that out either, Shielsy. Do you think he's slurring his keys ?
I'm not sure I'm keen on the t-shirt mind ... dark grey is not the most inspiring of colours. And the shade is like it should be black, but someone put them all on a boil wash.
And will the organisers please put some ladies portaloos inside the pens? or at least a cordoned off area so that people with buckets can pee in peace? We don't all have handy penises you know!
(apologies for saying penis on a thread, especially since it's Sunday
)
Could have been worse, you could have said droopy cock
I havent even looked in my bag yet.
Obviously mr sj is taking his celebrating as seriously as his GNR training
.
Lol - yeah, it is a bit 'Ya me best mate, hic, gissha hug!'
ROTFL!
'It was going to be a one-off'
I said exactly the same thing, MTV - and I meant it.
In two weeks I'll be doing my 10th half marathon - oops !
Congratulations on an impressive debut.
MTV- luckily the brain doesn't remember the quality of the pain (otherwise there wouldn't be 6 billion people on this planet), so once the aches have gone, you'll just remember what a great experience the GNR is and you'll be back! I said no more marathon's after London a few years ago and now I'm looking forward to running Lonodon next year.
Just posting my race report, will read back in a while, then hopping over to the new thread - 2013 here we come
Thoroughly enjoyed today. Great conditions for runners. I like drizzle so long as I've started running. Perfect temperature throughout.
Took ages to get across the start line. Red arrows were well gone and I was still waiting to get going! Could have done with the loo but thought I could ignore it. Running felt quite strong but kept thinking I coulde focus better if I didnt want the loo. Got to around mile 5 and saw a really small queue for loos - 2 mins tops and I felt so much better (and about 2lbs / 2 pints lighter,sorry
- Kicked on and found myself overtaking people constantly. Frustrated by the lines of walking, running dead slow etc. I know people have to do it - just not in rows please! Can't believe how quickly the miles passed by. Because we had started late, I found myself watching the Red Arrows from mile 11 - just one more mile would get me to the sea front, but would they wait for me? They did 
and I enjoyed the rest of the show even closer. Felt certain of a PB but also felt like shoving a few people out the way (sorry 
). I suppose it's just the way GNR is, but they really break your stride. Anyway, very happy to report finishing in 2:21:38 which is a course PB by 5:28 mins and an all time half PB by 2:20 mins 
Chuffed I am 
Well done RLTW- must be all those parkruns!