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Great North Run 2013
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Lovely morning to spectate at the Memorial 10K. I was right at the start to watch the chaos unfolding! For those not there, what happened was that many runners went the wrong way during a short lap of a lake near the start, with some running in opposite directions and others coming to a standstill! Something I've never seen happen in a race before. It had to be re-started.
Apparently what happened was, there was a lead bike but there was also another cyclist nearby wearing a yellow hi-vis top and some runners decided to follow him instead.
Anyway, it turned out alright in the end and well done to everyone who took part.
Afternoon everyone
Well, as Graham has already related, the Town Moor was rather 'interesting' this morning
.
Was delighted to see the conditions when I woke - bright and sunny, but cold yet calm. Got to Exhibition Park in good time to pick up my number and chip (though I still don't understand why they just weren't posted out - not having a number or chip on the day of the race is just another thing to worry about - in my opinion)
Kept an eye out for Snoopy, and whilst I saw a couple of chaps in his club vest I couldn't be sure any were him (going off his avatar). There was one likely candidate, but he was wearing a grey woolly hat so couldn't tell if he had blond hair ... Snoopy, if that was you, then I'm sorry I didn't say hello.
I did however meet up with Stringy and his son Thomas, so had a little chat to him before going for my warm-up (a warm-up which I didn't actually need to bother with, as it transpired
)
After a minute's silence we were off. It was incredibly bottle-necked at the start and so any hope of starting at a good pace went out the window as I tried to weave my way past a ton of runners. Then we turned right, instead of going round the lake which made me think 'Oh, they've changed the route since the last time I did this'. Wrong. After 3/4 of a mile everyone ahead seemed to stop running, there was a collective groan, and it became apparent that there was a massive balls-up and all runners had to make their way back to the start.
I was furious, lol. I'd been running my little legs off for best part of a mile, now I had to hang around waiting for everyone to get back so that we could start all over again. I just had to tell myself 'Use this anger in your running!'
.
Eventually all runners made their way back and off we started again, this time the right way. My legs felt a bit weird after running then resting, so it took a little while to get back into the swing of things. I was hoping to get a sub 50 minute, that was my goal, so basically decided to run as strongly as I could without feeling that I couldn't sustain it. Ended up running alongside this guy for best part of the race - not too sure if he was using me as a pacer or the other way around, but we were pretty much neck and neck the whole time.
Saw Stringy and Thomas towards the end of the first loop. I felt ok, but knew that the hard work was about to start, where you have to hang in for another lap round the Moor. They had a water station near the bandstand which I was quite surprised at - I never take on water if I can possibly survive without it during a 10k, especially in winter, as I think it just breaks your rhythm.
The finish line eventually came into view and I put on a sprint, but the chap I'd been running with just had the edge and crossed the line a couple of seconds before me. We shook hands in the funnel though, and he said something to me but I was too busy trying not to puke to hear him.
Looked at my watch and was delighted to see I'd finished in 47:13 - a pb by about 3 minutes. Ran back to the finish line to join Stringy and see if we could spot Snoopy, but he could've finished in the meantime, or ahead of me - I only saw the grey woolly hatted chap, so well done if that was you Snoopy.
Knackered now, but dead chuffed.
Hmmmm .... just taken a look at the official results - they've got my time as being 47:34, which is a good 20 seconds slower than my watch time ... so clearly the false start meant that the chips we were all wearing were then rendered useless.
Shielsy, a 3 min PB? Blimey, they don't come round too often, that's for sure. Very well done! I think I saw you a couple of times, based on the club top and avatar photo, and you looked to be going well.
I don't know why they do that loop round the lake at the start (to make up the distance perhaps) but the tight bends and narrow path make a recipe for congestion. I did wonder whether the chip times would be right after the restart. Doesn't seem like they were.
Terrific run, Shielsy. Very well done. That's a massive PB; I hope you are going to celebrate it appropriately.
Well done Shielsy! That's a fab time!
Afternoon all - hope everyone has had a good weekend.
Well done XL on getting back to parkrun - hope the knee is OK today.
Well done Pengwyn! Hope you are feeling better now after your mystery illness.
Hi Graham and mr sj
Hi Vixx
Hi Graham - how are you?
Vixx, I'm fine thanks. Quite pleased with my running and coming back to something like form after a couple of longish lay-offs this year with injuries. Just turned 64 so another age-group coming up before too long
. But I'm working really hard to knock another 37 seconds off my 5K and go sub-20. Hope you're well yourself. Nice friendly thread, this 
Am glad you are getting back to form Graham! Keep it up and you'll be winning prizes when you hit your new age category
I am good thank you
Fab PB Shielsy! You really are flying lately.
Hi CC2
How are you?
Hi Graham - yes, it must've been me you saw ... I was only one of two women running for Jarrow, and the other one is much much faster. She's just emailed me actually to say I've won a third prize ... I've no clue what for.
I tweeted Heaton Harriers (get me!
) and asked about the discrepancy between the results and my watch time. Then others started to question it too, so now they've updated the results to reflect chip, rather than gun time.
XL - our house is (unusually) an alcohol-free zone this weekend, so I'll be celebrating with a can of pop and my feet up in front of Strictly (I think I know who gets booted off this week, I've read some spoilers)
Ha-ha
True.
Graham- are you doing the ns poly grand prix this year ? I remember you mentioning once before you had done them, i'll be thee on tues night
mr sj, yup, I'm doing it again and will be there Tuesday. To be honest I might not recognise you though. If you do recognise me, pop over to say hi. I'm always there in plenty of time. Cheers.
Been so busy with work recently, it's that time of year for me but its been a good week with GNR2013 entry already confirmed. After a 5 mile PB a few weeks ago I turned up at today's Stowmarket 7 miler hopeful of another good time. It's a nice undulating course with one horrible hill but pleased to say another PB is in the bag, 1:00:24, a PB by over 3mins. Over the moon & next up is a 10k on New Years Day!! Has anyone else confirmed entry for GNR?
I didn't get an email about entering the GNR 2013, but I've done so now, as a new member again, so looks like another 3 years of doing it for me. No idea why I didn't get the email though.
'Tis an expensive business though, that's for sure!
Well done on the undulating 7 mile race Andy.
Late evening all.
shielsy - I was indeed said grey woolly hat shame i didnt get to say hello have met Stringy and his leg tattoo briefly in sunderland stadium before.
Mixed day for me at Town Moor Memorial.
Got all worked up after the false start was announced....I mean I dont race often but i thought it was April rather than November and that someone must be joking, decided to just pretend I was at the track on a cold dark wednesday night and jog for 200m back to the start as if it was an interval/rest as was already by the Train tracks near the pond after the museum.
When the race started "for real" i felt like i had been sapped of my energy and saw all of my Gosforth runners dissapear
. So I kept telling myself "run as you feel" and then got a shout of encouragement from a complete random i think which spurred me on and decided to try and aim for 25 mins at 3 mileish and take it as it came after that.
Shielsy must have mentally transmitted her race plan to me as second lap I started with a stitch and had to grit my teeth, but then saw my two lovely dogs with my partner (muddy as owt and wagging tails furiously..... the dogs not my partner) nearby the Gosforth coach and when they both gave a shout out to me it spurred me on (although my coach shouted out that i had missed too many training sessions
) so onto grandstand rd running the opposite way downhill than i do when i run myself and before i knew it i had overtaken 3 of my clubmates and was back round the tennis courts and actually overtaking young spritely things?!! Better still my watch was reading less than 50 minutes.
I ramped it up a notch and came in at 51: something on the big race clock again Shielsy must have transmitted more thoughts namely her stomach movements as I felt the need to remove my breakfast from 3 hours ago, so much so i hadn't stopped my watch till coming to a complete halt by the elswick harrier tent. I felt dizzy but almost fell over when i looked to see my digital watch when i did stopit (no fancy Garmin for me) reading 51:00:27 my previous best a few years ago was 54:30. I was over the moon.
However after walking back to the car on cloud nine and when wiping down the muddy big dog Alfie, another bigger dog (like an Akita size) off-lead with an Alsatian in tow came up to Cooper who is only a 6 month old Cocker Spaniel and attacked him, and my partner when she tried to remove Cooper from the melee.
It took me a while to react due to holding back Alfie who was livid and I have to say I wasn't proud of how i treated the attacking dog but needs must. The owner didn't even bother to come and help??!?! My reaction to the owner when he did eventually collect his thrown dog I am ashamed to say was not pleasant either. However after 10 hours and a lot of carrying Coopers leg which had been clearly injured is looking better than @ 13:00. Off to vets tomorrow when he is less traumitised.
Back onto the running and a clear case of being competitive/wanting even more and I see from the results that I have now been attributed a slower time of 51:07?
Looked at shielsys post but cant see the results on website now so will see what is what and hope for sub 51.
Sorry for long post but long day and long glass of wine.
post scriptum
Just found the "new" results 50:28 chip time and actually ran my second 5k everso slightly quicker.
I am now over the moon and back again no idea where I gained 4 minutes from.
Well done Snoopy.
Sorry to hear about your dog though ... that must've been distressing to witness.
Guys, I completed the Great north run in September (My first one and I am hooked!). Does anyone know if they are still offering the membership packages to opt in for 3 three years and when I should hear about it?
Many Thanks
Mark - Yep thereb was an e-mail last week about it. Send an e-mail to info@greatrun.org and ask.
Thanks for that. I have emailed them, so just need to wait to hear back now. Fingers crossed I get something, don't fancy having to go through the ballot each year.
mr sj - I have no clue what the prize is for. I hung around to clap in everyone who raced on Sunday, but I left straight after and didn't hang around for the award ceremony ... but a fellow runner, and a coach from my club both emailed me to say they'd picked up a 3rd place prize for me which I'll be collecting when I go to club tomorrow.
In such a big field I can't imagine I was 3rd fastest female in my age category, so I'm guessing it was '3rd Most P***ed Off Runner Following the False Start'.
Mark Chadderton - everyone who raced in this year should have got an email from GreatRun, but many didn't (including myself - which is very annoying as I always pay for the bond places yet I'm always having to chase them up ... though they've got my proper email address as I get sent a load of emails from them about other events throughout the year).
Are you on Facebook? They have their own page https://www.facebook.com/#!/bupagreatnorthrun
and there should be a link to what to do if you haven't received an email from them. I used it yesterday and have committed to this event again for the next 3 years (either that, or they've really hiked up the entry fee!!!
)