Great North Run 2014

Well if my calculations are correct, right about now shrek will be dressed in some strange costume offering bits of fruity malt loaf round, mandie will be either laughing or crying, shielsey will be in the bushes carrying her bucket looking for a 'quiet' spot, jovi will be somewhere having not quite made it to the meeting point yet again, stringy will be standing arms folded telling a funny story, cc2 will be in her pen warming up like a 'proper' athlete and im at home having just finished washing the kitchen floor, damn you plantar fasciitis !!

So being injured gives me the opportunity to sneak in and start the GNR 2014 thread before anyone else image 

All that is left to say is, i bloody love the GNR and anyone who's doing it today or this time next year, good luck and you will love it.

Oggy oggy oggy oi oi oi !!!!

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Comments

  • Mr SJ - at least only your floor is wet. I'm soaking and I'm not even running. Having failed miserably to get to the finish before the elites I'm sheltering from the rain with a coffee.

  • Watching this from home.  3rd edition I've missed in a row due to the same illness. Had got up to 9, so will get number 10 run one day.  On the plus side, did get to watch that super finish!!

    Hope everyone who runs today enjoys it!  image

  • What a finish to the men's race!! And Paula's course record still stands image

  • Mr SJ, are you sure you weren't actually there? At 9.22 I actually was in my pen, jogging up and down with LouLou from Fetch. Scary!

    The weather wasn't as bad as predicted, just the one downpour. 1.25.21 for me, which was faster than I dared hope for after the injury lay off, but tantaslingly close to 1.25. I'll have to go for that at Robin Hood in two weeks time. I had a stitch from 3 to 8 that never entirely went away, so it should be do-able. 

  • Well done CC2- I got all emotional just watching it on TV! 

  • Checking in to the thread's first page (hopefully).

    Unbelievably (given the amount of cake I've eaten over the summer) I managed to snag a pb ... 1:45:59.  I'm over the moon.  Especially since I had to stop twice ... once to use the portaloos and then again to re-pin the number back onto my vest - the rain made it go all soggy.

    Felt ok until the final few miles - and it just seemed uphill all the way this year from start to finish.

    Had a lovely meet-up with Wee Col and his entourage, and Dasher Dart in the Sanddancer at the end.  Then it was a 6 mile cycle home, but at least I was passing all the cars stuck in traffic.  In fact I think the cycle home was tougher than the race - I was cycling into the wind and lashing rain.

     

  • XL's 4-part run plan

    Run one  -  5 miles. (DON'T think about anything further) Huge crowds, great atmosphere, bands. Take it steady, not too fast, you've run five miles or further loads of times. Enjoy the spectacle, and remember you are part of it. Those inspirational pictures of thousands running across the Tyne Bridge; Red Arrows trailing the red, white and blue vapours; you're in them this year. Yes, you're in the Great North Run, the world's biggest half marathon. Enjoy!
    Run two - 3 miles. Forget the 5 behind you, they're done. Think only of the next three. Three miles? Piece of cake, you've done 9, 10, 11 .. much more in training. These three are all downhill, wheeeeeee !! Great news for those of you after PBs for the event, or even if it's your first time and you have a target. Go for it here, within reason. Unfortunately, the road narrows, so you may notice it feeling a little more congested. Be careful.
    Run three - 3 miles. SLOW DOWN. This is where you need your mental toughness. Console yourself with the fact that even the élites slow down here. It's a bit of a slog up the John Reid Road etc and there's not much to enjoy, but hey, if it was easy, the medal wouldn't be as important to you would it? If you're a run/walk person this is where you may want to be taking extra walks, and psych yourself up, but don't start thinking about the finish yet. Just get to 11 miles.
    Run four - 2.1 miles. That's nowt ! Of course you're tired but you're nearly there. Now, start to tell yourself that you've done it (almost) the goody bag is waiting for you, go and get it. Gan canny down that bank! (But not as canny as Mo, if you're at the front) The last mile and a bit up the sea front is fantastic, and yes, it’s more than a mile. Huge crowds yelling at you, the end is nigh. Let your spirits fly, even if you're knackered. You can stop soon. If you're after a time, push, you know you are fit, you have prepared well, and as tired as you will feel when you cross the line, the elation will speed your recovery. Well done, you've finished the GREAT NORTH RUN 2011. Get your medal and wear it with pride.

  • Watched it at home in Nottingham this year - put telly on pause at 9:30, went out and did my current LSR (8.35 miles at 10:12 pace), watched the race once my wife & kids were back from church...we were both screaming "come on Mo!" at the TV image

    I'll be entering the ballot for next year, not done it since 1991, it's about time I did it again, we used to go cheer the runners on just before Heworth roundabout when I was a kidimage

  • Here we go again another year another great forum to join in on. Next year will be running for a PB - this year was to help my daughter in her first half marathon and that was so great and now an even proud dad. Great to meet up with the crowd at start.

  • Just watched the highlights on TV.  My friend Elaine from my running club made a 'guest appearance' at the end, when Mo was trying to catch up with Bekele ... they both passed her and she shouted at Mo to catch him, lol.

    That was really exciting ... it must've been great to watch live, down at the coast!

  • Yes, I saw Elaine too - recognised her from the Monkton track meetings this summer. Well done with your PB Shielsy. There were some great times from my club and it looks like conditions were good for fast times.

  • Hello and well done to all who ran today, and congratulations to those who got PB's too! image

    I love that XL's plan made it onto page 1 image

  • Ran a PB 1:57 today with cramps from mile 4 onwards. Shoukd have been nearer the 150/55 mark. 

     

    Over the moon to get under 2 hours and cant wait for next year

     

    XL- Great advice, any first timers in 2014 use this advice. I set off like a jack rabbit and was kaput bt the time I reached JR Road,

     

    Still managed a sprint finish mind image

     

    Congrats to all who took part!!!!

  • After doing the 5k race at newcastle yesterday I'm wanting a place in next years GNR.... looks awesome

  • 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.

  • Well done to all those who got a PB today! Weather certainly not as bad as feared. No PB or me , but did go 32 secs quicker than last time, so suppose I shouldn't be too disheartened. Final time was 2:21:05. D'oh, those 5 secs. I am determined to get 2:15! 

    To be honest I struggled both physically and mentally this year from about 9.5 miles, which is really annoying as had done that with ease during training. For some reason it also felt like it was nothing but steady climbing this year!

    Think I expended a lot of energy dodging people, and it certainly seemed busier this year,not only on the course, but getting clear of the metro station, the queue for the loos and even trying to get into the pen. That being said, will I enter the ballot for next year? Hell yes! 

    Hope everyone is fit and have/had safe journeys back.

    Roll on 2014!

  • John Jenkins, I ran for the first time today and my partner dropped me at the start and drove to the end to meet me, it was well signposted and you get maps in the race pack. Although it took him longer to drive it than it did for me to run it! Next year I'd prob use the Metro. Everyone is in the same boat on the day and you find it easy to know what to do.

     

  • Just got home, finally !

    another great year and I managed 2hrs 30 with a bad knee, I'm happy with that and 5 mins quicker than last year image

    was good till miles 6 then Nagano to get some stiffness in the knee, walked a bit then set off again till mile 8. By now it was not liking it and letti g me know big time !

    got to the boost zone somehow and from then just a little ish miles to go.

    saw sponge cake on the coast road then a nice lady helped me finish, I had apparently be her pacemaker for the last 6 miles image

    next year I'm putting in some serious training and getting a better time.

    well done done everyone today, see you all next year

  • And we shouted at you just before 3 miles Shrek! image

  • Wow! What can I say? My first ever half marathon and it was brilliant, painful, hard work, but brilliant! And finished in 2:32 so not bad considering I couldn't even run a mile at the start of the year!



    XLman - saw your plan on last years thread and just had it in my head all the way. Got me to 9 miles comfortably then I stopped for water and didn't properly get going again til mile 11! Alternated walking due to horrid stitch and running cause it was less painful on my poor knees!



    Got to South Shields for the red arrows though so was happy to say the least, managed a little sprint finish at the end too!



    Now, train harder and run faster next year!
  • Vix / stringy, I didn't hear you, we're you shouting "oggy oggy oggy" coz that's all I heard for the first few miles !

    you should have ran up to me, I'm a bit deaf.

    great running.

    today I feel good, tired from the drive but legs are ok and stairs are doable !

    off work till Wednesday so plenty of time to relax and re charge but I am considering a nice litt,e recovery run ? Hmmmm....

  • Glad to hear the knee isn't giving you too much jip, Shrek.  Sorry to hear it troubled you on the course though.

    Hopefully next year it'll be sorted and you'll be fighting fit.

  • I've not run the GNR before but have added myself to the reminder service for when ballot entries open.

    Whats the ratio between ballot entrants and awarded places?

  • Fantastic finish to watch. Having done it last year and said "never again" - I've signed up for the reminder service to enter the ballot for next year. image
  • didn't know there was a reminder service...signed up to it now thoughimage

  • Well done to everyone who completed GNR 2013 and in some fab times too.  I am so gutted to have missed it this year.  Especially at have come up to South Shields on the Thursday and go out for a small recovery run.  But alas, I woke up Sunday morning at 5.45 with a sore throat, cough and feeling pretty under the weather.  Not feeling the usual all excited and nervous.  I got up, had a shower, got some food, but alas, still didn't feel good.  So took the decision not to risk it and quite glad I didn't but still gutted to have missed it.  Now on the train home feeling a bit fed up still but at least I did get to view the wonderful red arrows from the hotel.

    Still there is next year which will be 10 years since i did my first one.  I would also have been my 10th one but not being able to do it this year has buggered that up.  Well, just need to be fit for Great Eastern in a few weeks time.  Well done again everyone.

  • I thought it was fantastic yesterday. The crowds, despite the weather, were tremendous, there seemed to be more people out than I'd seen before. Managed 1hr 40 and a tantalising 50 secs, marginally slower than last year, but given my lack of training, not too bad and I know the 1:40 barrier is there to be broken - next year.

    Felt sorry for the guy I met as I headed to the pub, he was just about to set off walking to Newcastle to try and find his car key, that he'd dropped somewhere between Gosforth and South Shields. He declined my offer or a trip to the pub and getting him on a train home, hope he found his keys, London's a long walk after a run like the GNR!

  • Another superb GNR day. Had a target in mind of sub 1.25 which would be a new PB. Took up my usual place in zone B, but was stunned to see a row of push-wheelchairs stretching across almost the entire pen. I love the inclusivity of the GNR, but push wheelchairs in zone B should not be allowed. Other than that, organisation at the start (for me at least) was perfect. Managed to hit the target pace from the off and had clear running very early on. As ever, the support, even in the rain, was magnificent as was the banter between the runners, what little you can have when running as fast as you can.

    Crossing the 10k mark (by Garmin) in a new PB reminded me that it's been a while since I did a fast flat 10k race. Miles 6,7&8 were fast, a bit too fast to be honest, and I started paying for it from the mile 9 hill onwards. Had a couple of excellent running buddies who pulled me through, but didn't really have anything left in the tank for the last mile surge.

    Crossed the line in 1.24. New PB by two and a half minutes. Slowest mile was mile 9 at 6.44 and the fastest were miles 7 and 8, both at 6.13. Average of 6.26. Sub 1.22 next year?

    Waited around for some more friends to finish, had a massage and got some great advice from the BUPA physios. No problems getting back to Newcastle by bus. Walked straight onto one and back to Haymarket within an hour. Brilliant day. Just a shame we have to wait a year for it again. 7th September 2014 already in the diary.

  • Big shout out to my mate. He's 61 and doing his first GNR. Never done anything like it before and likes his drink! Started training in February and only got up to 6 miles, losing loads of weight in the process. Nevertheless, we feared the worst! No need. He finished in 2.14 and got on telly as well. An amazing achievement.

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