Howdy, Stranger!
Categories
Options
Great North Run 2014
The materials in this website are in no way intended to replace the professional medical care, advice, diagnosis or treatment of a doctor, qualified personal trainer, therapist, dietitian or nutritionist Runners's World, Part of the Hearst UK well-being network © Copyright 2017
Comments
Photos are in.
I look so relieved to have finished!
If I could work out how to link, I would, just to give you a laugh......
Hotel is booked for next year,
better deal than I've ever got before, I don't think they realise the date has changed yet ! Still I have it confirmed so doesn't matter to me.
i totally agree and can see both sides of the matter.
this is a MASS event so don't ever expect to get a clear road ahead of you but also it is annoying when walkers don't move to the sides as they are supposed to.
i am a slower runner and did 2hrs 30, with a "wee" stop on the way !
thsi was my 5th and ill be back for many many more.
my advise is to just get on with it and take the positives from the day, you will be a happier person if you do this.
Good discussion about the fun run nature of the GNR trying to co-exist with the opportunity for everyone (who wants to) to run their very best time. The fun run nature is what makes the GNR different from any other old half marathon. It is what made it into the event it is today.
Believe me, the way the zones work now is so much better than the free for all of a few years ago. It's just that some people know how to get around the system, put in much faster times than they will achieve, and we end up in this discussion. Maybe a bit more respect from those individuals for both the event and their fellow athletes (yes, we're all athletes) will help, but is perhaps expecting too much.
Not impressed with my photos. A combination of grim determination, exhaustion-enduced pasty-facedness and not my best side
means that it won't be finding its way onto my mantlepiece this year! Still good to see though. Brings back the memories.
4th GNR for me and OH - course best by all of 16 seconds at 2.15.45
- but from mile 6 it felt like hell on earth for some reason, even with the wind behind me and in the rain, which I love. Haven't seen the photos yet but I can't imagine they'll be very flattering and I hope they haven't caught the scowl I had on when the nice BUPA man was encouraging us all to 'do a Mobot' when all I wanted to do was die...
XLMan - I remember reading your advice after last year's and wish I'd remembered it on Sunday - it's perfect!
I spent 6 miles loving every second, 7 miles feeling like death and *hating* my OH who kept shouting at me to keep up (he's mega fit and just keeps me company when he could easily get a sub 1.45), 0.1 mile in the red mist that passes for sprinting in my head and since then on cloud 9 - already booked next year's hotel!
Well done everybody, PB or not!
Thanks above for the info on parking in SS and then getting a bus to the start.
I am thinking of getting a Hotel in SS, then getting a bus or train into Newcastle on the morning of the race and meeting wife at the end of the race to drive home.
Getting out of the Car Park at the end, would those logistics work?
I guess once you have done it the logistics are easy, but for first timers it is unfortunately a bit of concern.
8th September now booked off as a holiday and training has begun
My first (and probly only) race where I loved the last mile, with the cheering crowds, the sea and the red arrows - really moving! and I was thinking - I love this mile - I don't want it to stop! I got in on a charity place, plenty of those. Agree that people walking and chatting were hard to get past, and wished I'd put in a faster time/pen. But then, if I'd really wanted that PB I wouldn't have been shouting 'oggy, oggy, oggy' nor Hi 5ing the little kids that were supporting us along the route.
My grouch was not being able to find the shuttle bus back, and waiting for over an hour in the queue for the metro, being very cold and wet at that point.But Hey - still loved it
GNR number 5. Only 30 seconds of last years PB 2.17.51. Love the GNR, just seen my photos and grinning on every one. Hello again to Shrek, I'm the BHF runner from Telford who said hello around mile 7 I think, will look out for you at B'ham, Ironbridge and Shrewsbury.
Well done Nicky. I remember you shouting you'd seen me at Shrews half as you dashed past at hurricane speed
I have "Talked" a workmate into getting a charity place for next year, I'm sure she won't regret it !
Shrek - I meant to say, Stringy and I shouted you around 2.5 miles, and you just waved like the Queen over in our direction. I wasn't sure you realised it was us.
Depends on your finishing time, I managed 1:38:53, walked to collect the goodie bag and to the family meet up, then slowly walked the 1.1 miles back down the course to the car which was on the Leas car park (grassy area along the Coast road by the finish - entrance/exit by the roundabout where the course hits the coast) - queued for 10 minutes then out and away south. On the road by 1:10pm easily.
I had a panicked Sunday morning as I usually (last 3 times) get the shuttle bus from next to the car park at the finish/12.5 mile mark - only this time due to the weather I stayed in the car (after arriving at 7:30am) for an hour - then realised the last bus had gone and there were no more...
Very nice to find that north of the finish were loads more buses queuing and running until 10.30am, along with loads of places to eat/drink I'd never ventured this far up before
Got the 9:00am bus and was at the finish in loads of time.
Hi Daeve, awesome time, well done.
I have come along way since you commented on my C25k posts when I couldn't do 1km hehehe.
I hope you mean you were at the Start in loads of time, not the finish, unless you ran backwards lol.
So it would be realistic to stay well out of town, drive in, in the morning (early) and park at the finish in South Shields and get a bus or metro to the start line around 8.00am?
So nice to hear the reports of newbies (on this thread and the last one) who had a great time and want to come back for more.
Now off to see if there's any (decent!) photos of me.
Loved it for my first GNR - can't wait for next year now if I get in. I heard somthing about a membership that allows you to guarantee entry possibly? Loved the photo's of the event - even made me look like a semi decent runner lol.
Blade - you'll get that e-mail around the start of December offering a Bond membership, which is usually 3 years guaranteed entry. The only thing is that they want the money then so put about £100 aside now so it's not a shock to the bank balance when you are trying to prepare for Christmas. You have to pay for the Bond and next year's entry fee before the end of December or you lose the chance.
Hi Shielsy
Hello and welcome to all, old and new
Hi all. Can I come in?
The bond is expensive and mine is due this year but i'll close my eyes when i click on the 'buy' button and try not to notice how much it is
Yes mine due too but would not want a year where I could not run the race
Never bother with the bond personally, over the last 6 years, ive got in through the ballot 4 times, onece through deferral and one year i won a place through a competition in the Journal newspaper !
i can see the attraction of e bond but i jist couldnt justify the cost, if i didnt get a number i would probably just beat stringy up and steal his at the start line.
Actually on second thoughts, he's quite tall, probably nick shielseys instead.
trigger" - the bond is £40ish for 3 years guaranteed entry and then you pay the normal entry as well each year.
May I ask a question from someone who is looking to do this for the first time next year.
I am planning on getting a hotel in Sunderland, driving to the finish line in the morning and then the metro or bus to the start line.
If I did that what time approximately would I need to arrive at the finish line to park my car, have time to get to the bus/metro in order to the get to the start line on time.
I am looking to book my hotel today so I would welcome your thoughts on whether my plan would work, as I am getting all a little lost as to what to do, as hotels in Newcastle cost a fortune etc and I want somewhere nice.
Thanks.
Hi JJ8 - we parked at the finish line for 08.30, queued for 45 minutes to get on the bus, walked across Newcastle to the start line and got there at 10.15, which was ok but I always worry that we're not going to get to the baggage buses on time. It can take a lot longer than you think driving into South Shields (obviously, given the traffic) and part of the fun of the day is the twitchy adrenaline fuelled camaraderie in the starting pens so you woudn't want to miss that!
Yours is certainly a sensible idea and prevents having to queue for buses back to the beginning when you've finished and all you want to do is fall in a heap but do make sure you give yourself plenty of time, plus a bit for mishaps
but whatever you do, do do it!
JJ8 - If I were you I'd park at a Metro station on the Sunderland - Newcastle - Airport line, catch the Metro to the start (I caught one at 09:20 this year from East Boldon Metro Station), gets you to the start for around 10:05. Then you return on the Metro from South Shields, change at Pelaw back on to the Sunderland - Newcastle line (the Green one on the Metro map) and you're back at your car and better still clear of all of the post run trafic and straight on to the A19 or A1 south.
thanks folks, makes sense and puts my mind at rest that it will work.
As far as hotels go, not doing it next year, but the last couple of times I ran 3 and 4 years ago, made use of the Newcastle University accomodation.
It cannot be booked straight away, normally new year time?
But benefits from being 1,2 or 3 night stays, very close to the start line - 10 minute walk. Breakfast included, very cheap.
Spent about 6 years being ripped off by B&Bs / Hotels that would only accept 2 night or more stays. Only needed the 1.
Would recommend contacing the uni to see if things have changed or if they can give you a waiting list, but if I was running, would make use of it. Hope this helps.
But that means you would still have the hassle of walking to the metro Station (well over a mile away) and then the potentially massive queue to get on a metro. I think I'd rather just jump in my car at the end - at least if it starts pelting down you're snug and warm and not stuck in a long queue?
7 miles tonight. Still got the race in my legs, so it was slow and heavy going, but good to get the first one out of the way. Can start thinking about the next race now.
As ever it was a great event and reading the board a lot of happy people helped by the GNR weather Gods keeping the rain at bay as long as possible although it was tough when it hit me at about mile 4ish. I was running to raise funds for Diabetes UK in memory of a friend and his parents had travelled to stand with my wife at the finish. Training had gone well but a foot injury for 10days before the start left some anxiety but I had managed a fast 5k on Wednesday. Sub 2 hours was the target and I set off on my own race, not getting caught up with others, through 5 miles just outside my best 5 mile pace and through 10k in 52mins as I found the first half surprisingly comfortable. Hitting 15k in 1:19 and I was sure that if nothing went wrong I would hit my target and then shortly after 10m the painkillers wore off and I could feel the foot injury and changing stride affected my calves but then I had put alot into the race as well. Gritted teeth and a slower pace ensued but as I saw my wife and friends parents 200m from the finish I had a huge smile and crossed in 1:55:41, mullering my half pb by 9mins and GNR pb by 13mins and I know that without the injury this could have been even better but save that for next year.
I must say a huge thanks to the people of the North-East for turning out in the predicted awful weather which fortunately wasnt too bad, soaked to the skin at 4-5miles but dryish by the end in the strong wind.
Caught up with Shrek, Mandie & Stringy, hope to see everyone else next year.
Narrow feet know what you mean did a speed session last night on treadmill and was OK but a tempo 9 miler tonight was very hard the quads would not work so every other muscle had to work differently and it all felt weird
No running for me as yet, but walked 10 dogs at the shelter today (including jogging a little with some of them to stretch their legs). Am giving myself this week off proper running so that will have to do for me.