Great North Run 2014

2456723

Comments

  • Is the 7th Sept definately confirmed as the date for next year?
  • Narrow Feet - that's a great achievement for your mate.

    And very well done to you too.

    Stephen Mackin - that bloke didn't seriously think he could re-trace his steps and find his keys, did he?  A couple of years ago my bum bag fell apart along the Felling by-pass, so I lost my bus pass, gels, lip balm, money and key to my bike lock.  I had no chance of getting them back as the road sweepers that follow the route pick up everything in their wake.  Fingers crossed he dropped them outside his hotel.

  • It was displayed on BBC towards the end of the coverage yesterday. Can't find anything on greatrun.org to confirm it though.

  • http://www.greatrun.org/events/event.aspx?id=1

     

    quotes 7th September 2014.

     

    Great time for this year Narrow Feet. I fancy a sub 1:22 attempt next year too.

    This year I sneaked in behind you with a course PB 1:24:20. Last year 1:29:16. 1998 1:33:25. So I may as well just keep improving with age! 

  • Home safe and sound. With an official time of 2:07,19 sec, that does not include an unplanned pit stop and a chat to Bagpuss on the way to wish him well. Missed everyone at the start but lovely to meet up later with Shielsy, Wee Col and friends in the Sandancer Pub. Enjoyed a wonderful time up in the North East, as usual, with my son and two friends. Well done to everyone who ran yesterday and roll on next year.

  • I might join the sub 1.22 train as well next year. 

    Narrow feet, that wasn't you in the blue T-shirt that said something about 'I'll show you an Eifel' was it? 

  • Shielsy, he didn't look optimistic, but was certainly heading that way despite my offer. I'm lucky, my wife's cousin lives near the finish line, so I drop a bag off with him ahead of the race and always put my house key and beer money in the bag.

    Starting to think that I need to join a running club if I'm going to crack 1:40 - just not sure which one (work in Newcastle, live in near South Shields) and whether or not sporadic attendance (through work and kid commitments) will be frowned on. Will start research on internet.

    Now need to find a race or two somewhere local between now and the Half Marathon of the North in April. Criteria are; start and finish with easy access by public transport from Newcastle/South Shields so I can rehydrate properly after the finish.

    Narrow Feet - WOW fantastic

  • I finished about 2hrs 33 on the clock at finishing line and there was someone collapsed who looked in a really bad way ( I'm a nurse so saw they rescusiitating him ) Does anyone know how he is?   Apart from that , loved the race, pleased with my time despite a visit to the portaloos midway.

  • It wasn't me CC2, although I was wearing a blue vest. Intrigued to know what he meant though!!

    Buzzard 258 - Thanks for confirming the date. Get the hotel bookings in early if they still think it will be on the 14th!!

    Stephen Mackin - I'm in the same position. I'll be joining a club shortly, but work/kid commitments mean that my attendance will be sporadic and weekend racing will be almost non-existent. I've been advised by several on here that most clubs don't mind us part-timers though, so I'm going to bite the bullet and join my local one.

  • Noooooo next years race can't be on the 7th Sept - I've booked the 2 weekends off after that thinking it would be 14th or 21st.

    I've made such a fuss too, about it at - I'm dreading having to ring in work tomorrow to try and change it - There's a good chance I'll be back to square one and will need to wait til November/December to know for sure if I can have the time off (very long complicated way that we book leave where I work).

     

  • It's getting earlier every year, isn't it. It was on the 5th October a few years back. It can't be to ensure better weather - this is Newcastle!!

  • GNR have to do something about the dropout rate. 56,000 enter, 41,000 ran that's a 27% drop out rate. Even allowing for injury and not being able to book hotels that is not good. Guess GNR are not that bothered given they get to keep the money.

    At work there were loads of people stating they are going to do it next year but when you invite them to come and do local races such as Parkruns, Pier to Pier and the like they are not interested.

    They must look at giving a guaranteed place to club runners or those with a running history. I am not particularly fast but I am a committed runner. I started in the green zone and was passing a noticeable number of people who were walking by the time we got to Heworth.

  • Next year 13th -14th September it is the IAAF world cup that may explain why the GNR is a little early next year. Although there is not any distance over 10k in the world cup BBC cannot show coverage of both.

     

  • Narrow feet - great running and a great PB 

  • John Jenkins 8 wrote (see)

    i watched this today and will definately be doing it next year. Training plan already in progress (thanks LouiseG).

    My concern about doing it is starting at one end and finishing miles away. I dont think my wife will be able to find the finish. So how does it work for all us non club runners with no real support apart from friends and family bearing in mind i live in Manchester.

    John you can park at the finish (about 7:30 - 8:30) and leave your wife to enjoy South Shields beach ect whilst you get a shuttle bus back to the start. Although there were many complaints about getting out of the car park yesterday

  • That's a relief Narrow Feet, because that bloke was *really* annoying. He kept talking at me and/or to himself and occasionally just sort of growling. He also set a 10k PB along the route. Even more annoyingly, he beat me. 

    Clubs don't expect you to turn up to training regularly, most members will have the same issues with work and family commitments. Generally speaking, unless you're a really speedy runner, there isn't much pressure to compete either. I am currently a member of two clubs and I train with each once a week, the rest of my training I do on my own. My old club didn't put pressure on anyone to compete, so I'd turn up to races and be the only lady, which was rubbish if it was a team competition, so I dropped to second claim and joined a new club that is more comptetitive. 

  • CC2 - I might know who the 'Eiffel' guy was, although it doesn't sound like the chap I know.

  • If you do know him, please advise him he'll run even faster if he shuts the f*** up and saves his breath for running! image

  • Well done to all who achieved their goals, PB’s and finishing yesterday’s run. 9th time for me, slow and steady but I thoroughly enjoyed it. I managed to finish in 2:14 including a four minute wait to fill in a form to get two pain killers for my knees at 10 miles! Still, I would have taken that to start with given that, due to work getting in the way, my weekly training for the last 6 weeks was less than the race distance itself plus having to get up at 4:30 am to get a bus from Edinburgh before the start was never going to be condusive to getting a great time. Just to add icing to the cake I managed to raise to raise over £700 for my charity, The Brain Tumour Charity, so thanks to everybody who sponsored me.

    I never made it to the bridge at the start but it was great to meet up with Shielsy and Dasher Dart in the Sanddancer at the end. There was a band on there who caught the atmosphere of all the runners, introducing themselves as “I’m a Geordie, she’s French, and we’re Frog on The Tyne” – wonderful! Can’t wait for next yearimage.

  • @Stephen... after 13.1 in 1:38 there was no way I was ever gonna retrace my steps... just after nipping in and out of the Tesco my hotel called... My keys had dropped out in the taxi and the very kind driver had taken them back to the hotel for me... After a 7 hour drive to Heathrow a little bit of me was wishing they'd stayed lost! Still not had the celebratory beer... congrats all

  • roball wrote (see)

    GNR have to do something about the dropout rate. 56,000 enter, 41,000 ran that's a 27% drop out rate. Even allowing for injury and not being able to book hotels that is not good. Guess GNR are not that bothered given they get to keep the money.

    At work there were loads of people stating they are going to do it next year but when you invite them to come and do local races such as Parkruns, Pier to Pier and the like they are not interested.

    They must look at giving a guaranteed place to club runners or those with a running history. I am not particularly fast but I am a committed runner. I started in the green zone and was passing a noticeable number of people who were walking by the time we got to Heworth.

    Your right mate, was watching and even halfway through the mens race they panned back to the Bridge and people were walking - you could see there was no interest in running at all just chatting away

    But you could be in trouble for suggesting real runners get a place - I have been arguing the case for years

  • I suppose its the nature of the run, Very popular and you have to enter the ballot nine months in advance. Its hard to know what your running will be like so far in the future.  My running has changed so much for the worse / better / worse during that period. 

    Still, what an amazing support. Its humbling that people were standing round, giving Jelly babies and support during rubbish weather, Thank you Newcastle, you make it the best half in the world

     Brill bands too. image 

  • Yorkshire Random, great news, pleased to hear it. Offer of getting you back to Londgenuine for real and I did worry about you walking back to town - at least for the first pint! Well done on the run, hopefully see you next year.

  •  

    330 or bust wrote (see)
    roball wrote (see)

    GNR have to do something about the dropout rate. 56,000 enter, 41,000 ran that's a 27% drop out rate. Even allowing for injury and not being able to book hotels that is not good. Guess GNR are not that bothered given they get to keep the money.

    At work there were loads of people stating they are going to do it next year but when you invite them to come and do local races such as Parkruns, Pier to Pier and the like they are not interested.

    They must look at giving a guaranteed place to club runners or those with a running history. I am not particularly fast but I am a committed runner. I started in the green zone and was passing a noticeable number of people who were walking by the time we got to Heworth.

    Your right mate, was watching and even halfway through the mens race they panned back to the Bridge and people were walking - you could see there was no interest in running at all just chatting away

    But you could be in trouble for suggesting real runners get a place - I have been arguing the case for years


    Roball - If the drop-out rate was less they would probably just not allow so many places to start with.  I'm sure they know the stats and know how many they want out there.

    330 or bus - Real runners? This is not just any old event. it's inclusive and the rest of us love it, including those who just enjoy taking part and are possibly just starting out on their run/walk.

    If you don't like it - don't do it. Simples.

     

  • RLTW

    Think your taking it the wrong way mate

    Bad choice of phrase "Real Runners" I was replying to a post where one chap said the GNR should look at giving more guaranteed places to club runners

    I agree with him (and I dont belong to a club anymore) people who belong to clubs pay into the whole set up of British Athletics in a way and I can understand club members wanting to run these big events. Its the sport they love and train for and compete in all year. I don't see why they shouldn't expect to be able to do the big events

    No offence to anyone at all. But I cant for the life of me see why these marquee events are so associated with raising money for charity. Of course the main sponsors of the event want to be involved with raising money for charity as it raises its own profile

    The charity runners make these events what they are - it just seems to me that they are getting more and more to do with raising money than the actual love of a sport

    So my answer would be allocate more places to club runners, that's all.

    Sorry if I offended in any way

  • RLTW

    Think your taking it the wrong way mate

    Bad choice of phrase "Real Runners" I was replying to a post where one chap said the GNR should look at giving more guaranteed places to club runners

    I agree with him (and I dont belong to a club anymore) people who belong to clubs pay into the whole set up of British Athletics in a way and I can understand club members wanting to run these big events. Its the sport they love and train for and compete in all year. I don't see why they shouldn't expect to be able to do the big events

    No offence to anyone at all. But I cant for the life of me see why these marquee events are so associated with raising money for charity. Of course the main sponsors of the event want to be involved with raising money for charity as it raises its own profile

    The charity runners make these events what they are - it just seems to me that they are getting more and more to do with raising money than the actual love of a sport

    So my answer would be allocate more places to club runners, that's all.

    The main point is these races get so crowded and people must appreciate runners enter looking for a good time in the race. I know that the faster runners are put in the top pens but people "sneak" in to faster pens causing a lot of stopping and starting

    But as you say if I don't like it don't enter ..... I don't, I have done it twice good race but all the hassle wasn't really worth it seeing as I come from London, the hardest part of the race was finding a B&B !! But when I did do it I enjoyed it

  • I agree with RLTW.  I know a lot of people whose first race was GNR (or the London Marathon) and have gone on to become committed runners because of that day.

    Some people get to race day and may have an injury, but still want to do the race because there is charity money riding on it.  Some people find a run-walk strategy is quicker for them overall.

    We don't always know whilst people may be walking, but they are still there doing it - when there are a lot of people sat on the couch who will never even try.

  • People have to realise that the GNR is not a race to be treated like others  - the comments by Brendan Foster when he started the race in 1981 (I know I ran it and still have the words he said on TV in my mind) - he set it up as the North's first large scale 'FUN RUN' for people to enjoy running without having to feel embarassed about their time.

    There are plenty of other 1/2 marathons around the country people can run if they want to do quick times - his is not one of them this is for the masses to raise lots of money for charity etc. People really have to appreciate it for what it is and more importantly for what Brendan Foster wants it to be!!!

  • I must admit that when I ran last year I came away saying never again. I hadn't got the time I'd hoped for and found it extremely crowded. I think now it was because I didn't really understand what it was all about - it's not really the race to try and get a pb for a plodder like me it's a race to do for the experience. So that's why I've signed up for the reminder service - I want to experience it again.
Sign In or Register to comment.