Living just south of Durham and with a spare bedroom I'm beginning to see a bed and breakfast business opportunity for next year judging by those hotel costs
I know £90 each (£45 per night) makes it sound so much more managable but its having to pay up the whole lot now, or at least in the next couple of weeks to guarentee a room before they book up, that makes things very tight.
OS - I did think about the camping option, and will continue to not rule it out, but in all honesty, I do like my home comforts, like a private toilet!!
Evening all - I'm going to be a thread wh@re and skip between the two for the time being.
I have to agree with the Powerade thing. I don't drink the stuff and carried my own bottle of Lucozade Caffeine around, but was surprised to see it was the 'Zero' stuff - it's a lesson in irony, as WHY would anyone doing a half-marathon want a no-carb/low calorie ENERGY drink?????
If they are catering to those people who want to work out in the gym and then not put any calories into their system for recovery then that's fine, but NOT for a half-marathon and NOT when people have not had the opportunity to use it pre-race?
This is my first post on this thread so i'd like to introduce myself,
My name is Mick, i'm 27 and live in Newcastle. * My half marathon PB is just over 1:25 and my 10k time amazingly quick. * I'm 6 foot 2 and fairly good looking but the downside if that is that I've been mistaken for George Clooney on numerous occasions. *
I was going to say welcome to the thread Mick but then I realised I must be on the wrong thread - meeting under bridges etc - sorry to have intruded on your private life
I heard a rumour SJ is renting out his ex-NASA moon base exploration tent for next years GNR. It come fully pitched in a small area of backgarden with local amenities close by (his kitchen)
it's first come first served but it does hold 30+ people.
I think it took me less time to run the GNR than it has to read back on both threads. Had a wonderful time staying in Durham and lovely to meet up with so many people on the forum before and after the race,so friendly and welcoming it was a real pleasure, will post a report tomorrow as i ave to be up at 5:30 in the morning.Managed to get drowned looking for a pub with the match on and even Berbatov's late winner couldn't dampen the experience of the weekend.Thank you again the North East.
Oh yeah - did anyone else notice that big sign they'd put up across one of the footbridges that crosses part of the route - I think along the Felling By pass, but it could've been later:
it read something like "Tired? Try training harder next year!"
I remember running past it thinking 'What a smug, sarky little sign - of course I'm tired, I've been running fast for 5 or 6 miles and still have another 7 or 8 to do, and there's nowt wrong with my training, thanks very much!'
Yes and it made me vey cross .Would have thought something motivating/inspirational would have been more appropriate not a bloomin' tellin' off and, yes I was tired
Was it actually Powerade Zero that they offered on route? At the expo the girl was giving out Zero but assured me that it would be Powerade Isotonic for the run. I didn't look at the bottle. I was popping jelly babies at the water stations to make up for the lake of sugar, assuming that the Powerade was going to do the business when I took it.
Forgot my green ribbon .
To all the regular GNR thread posters - I vote that we keep the thread going continuously - it just feels like the wrong time to be breaking it when folks have such a lot to say. Several people have copied and pasted from one to the other, so why are we bothering to start afresh each year? Of course, i would prefer to keep Vicki's one going (sorry mr sj)
its usually the case thought that the last years one dies off a week or so after the big day and then the regulars keep the new one going until that picks up around ballot time and then in the build up to next years.
plus we need a new one each year to try and beat the previous post count which we failed miserabley to do this year
Feeling better this morning, even thinking of a run later on!!!
I lurked on the old thread and started posting towards the end. It was my first GNR and the information and the knowledge on the thread is/was invaluable to me.
Already on this thread i have next years date and accomodation prices.
I hope we can keep the regulars who are the backbone of the thread (you know who you are) and welcome new people (i hope to be one, though is suspect there are newbies every year who dont last the course). The thread for the year is where i came first for information.
Preaching over, my bum is getting sore sitting on this high horse.
Hey folks - lotsa 'old' faces - Shielsy, RLTW, SJ et al
XL - "looney Geordie" - love it
Hi Mandie... Maybe the staying further out option is better, especially if a group can get together to share transport, but then I was thinking of how early I'd need to get up to get into Newcastle! I'm in much the same position as you, just spent £lots on a new bathroom, and in the next 2 weeks I have a wedding and 2 leaving do's to go to. Payday's next week though, so think I'll just have to bite the bullet and go for it. Can always get my money back again if I have to pull out again.
FWIW, I think starting a new thread each year helps in a couple of ways:
new forumites / new GNRunners can find it easily with the correct year attached
it might reduce any initial feelings of cliqueyness (i.e. to newbies) as it's not immediately obvious that the thread's been going, like, forever...
it helps draw a line under the previous year and start afresh if you want to (like me)
Anyhoo, best crack on with some work I s'pose. Got some fella from DWP visiting today so have to tell him how great we are. Hmmm.
Hi guys, gutted I didnt see any of you this year - I ran with my little green ribbons for 13.1 miles you're just too fast for me.
Well the bad news is I didnt get under 2 hrs, the good news is I did 2hrs 4 so I have to come back next year to try again - cant wait.
Already considering my accommodation but this year's worked great - went through Nirvana and stayed at Whitley Bay Park Resorts caravan park. We had an 8 berth static caravan for 2 nights plus travel to and from race (all very well organised) and we shared it between 6 of us at a cost of £69 per person. Absolute bargain, and we booked it so that the 2nd night was for after the race so we could come back have a shower and cup of tea while traffic died down then set off for home later - great! (the site even has a swimming pool)
I like the idea of a new thread, tho everyone was super friendly and welcoming I felt a bit like an intruder joining in later on. A new one helps people planning to run it for first time. Might have to come up with a new profile name tho feeling a bit dull.
cathy - thats a great time well done and now you've got a target for next year to beat !!
bargain price for your accom, i rode past whitley bay holiday park today and was thinking it looked pretty smart these days, it was always a dump when i was little but think one of the big holiday companies has taken it over and spent a decent amount of cash on it
I feel like I did the first year I ran this. I made the mistake that year of not having any races booked after the GNR and I've done it again this year. I feel like I've landed back down to earth after all the excitement and feel quite fed up.
My legs are amost recovered, my right calf just feels a little too tight still so I'm going to leave going back out running for another day or so to be on the safe side but I'm hoping a little jog-ette might make things a bit better.
I'm feeling OK right now. I think I will probably go out for a few miles tonight.
Mandie - I got the race number for my next race on Friday, the Liverpool 10K, so at least I know I have something to aim towards, otherwise I think I would feel the same as you.
BC - THAT banner in mentioned in the GNR souvenir in the Mirror today.
In a good way, or a critical way? I do have a sense of humour (honestly, I have ) but I was just really irritated by it for some reason.
Hey Mandie - looking forward to checking out your photos when I get home from work. Unlike you I'm still in agony today ... had to turn up late for work this morning, as the metro I usually get came a minute earlier and I just couldn't even break into a little jog to catch it ... I could just hobble hopefully towards it before seeing the doors close. Doubt I'll be running this week.
The Whitley Bay caravan deal looks really good actually - I'm a local, and even I was thinking of checking it out (I love caravan holidays - it looks like it might actually be good fun!)
OS - I checked what had recorded and the red button stuff didn't work. I would have like to have seen that part as well as it was the time that I came in.
Comments
Its for 2 nights Stringy.
I know £90 each (£45 per night) makes it sound so much more managable but its having to pay up the whole lot now, or at least in the next couple of weeks to guarentee a room before they book up, that makes things very tight.
OS - I did think about the camping option, and will continue to not rule it out, but in all honesty, I do like my home comforts, like a private toilet!!
Hi Sharon
Where in the UK are you? The Stroke Association organize two 15km races in November in London. (There is no fundraising target for these races.)
ejc x
I have to agree with the Powerade thing. I don't drink the stuff and carried my own bottle of Lucozade Caffeine around, but was surprised to see it was the 'Zero' stuff - it's a lesson in irony, as WHY would anyone doing a half-marathon want a no-carb/low calorie ENERGY drink?????
If they are catering to those people who want to work out in the gym and then not put any calories into their system for recovery then that's fine, but NOT for a half-marathon and NOT when people have not had the opportunity to use it pre-race?
I was going to say welcome to the thread Mick but then I realised I must be on the wrong thread - meeting under bridges etc - sorry to have intruded on your private life
It come fully pitched in a small area of backgarden with local amenities close by (his kitchen)
it's first come first served but it does hold 30+ people.
Evening all
In case you haven't spotted his typo, what Stringy actually meant to type was that he is sometimes mistaken for a looney Geordie, not Clooney, George
-keyboard mop please-
So disappointed to have missed Wee Col last night.
Hope to see you before Sat 9th June, 2012 mind, Col.
sorry, Vixx
<<passes mop across cyberspace>>
Evening all,
I think it took me less time to run the GNR than it has to read back on both threads. Had a wonderful time staying in Durham and lovely to meet up with so many people on the forum before and after the race,so friendly and welcoming it was a real pleasure, will post a report tomorrow as i ave to be up at 5:30 in the morning.Managed to get drowned looking for a pub with the match on and even Berbatov's late winner couldn't dampen the experience of the weekend.Thank you again the North East.
Yes and it made me vey cross .Would have thought something motivating/inspirational would have been more appropriate not a bloomin' tellin' off and, yes I was tired
Was it actually Powerade Zero that they offered on route? At the expo the girl was giving out Zero but assured me that it would be Powerade Isotonic for the run. I didn't look at the bottle. I was popping jelly babies at the water stations to make up for the lake of sugar, assuming that the Powerade was going to do the business when I took it.
Forgot my green ribbon .
To all the regular GNR thread posters - I vote that we keep the thread going continuously - it just feels like the wrong time to be breaking it when folks have such a lot to say. Several people have copied and pasted from one to the other, so why are we bothering to start afresh each year? Of course, i would prefer to keep Vicki's one going (sorry mr sj)
its usually the case thought that the last years one dies off a week or so after the big day and then the regulars keep the new one going until that picks up around ballot time and then in the build up to next years.
plus we need a new one each year to try and beat the previous post count which we failed miserabley to do this year
Morning All
Feeling better this morning, even thinking of a run later on!!!
I lurked on the old thread and started posting towards the end. It was my first GNR and the information and the knowledge on the thread is/was invaluable to me.
Already on this thread i have next years date and accomodation prices.
I hope we can keep the regulars who are the backbone of the thread (you know who you are) and welcome new people (i hope to be one, though is suspect there are newbies every year who dont last the course). The thread for the year is where i came first for information.
Preaching over, my bum is getting sore sitting on this high horse.
Hey folks - lotsa 'old' faces - Shielsy, RLTW, SJ et al
XL - "looney Geordie" - love it
Hi Mandie... Maybe the staying further out option is better, especially if a group can get together to share transport, but then I was thinking of how early I'd need to get up to get into Newcastle! I'm in much the same position as you, just spent £lots on a new bathroom, and in the next 2 weeks I have a wedding and 2 leaving do's to go to. Payday's next week though, so think I'll just have to bite the bullet and go for it. Can always get my money back again if I have to pull out again.
FWIW, I think starting a new thread each year helps in a couple of ways:
Anyhoo, best crack on with some work I s'pose. Got some fella from DWP visiting today so have to tell him how great we are. Hmmm.
Have a good day!
Hi guys, gutted I didnt see any of you this year - I ran with my little green ribbons for 13.1 miles you're just too fast for me.
Well the bad news is I didnt get under 2 hrs, the good news is I did 2hrs 4 so I have to come back next year to try again - cant wait.
Already considering my accommodation but this year's worked great - went through Nirvana and stayed at Whitley Bay Park Resorts caravan park. We had an 8 berth static caravan for 2 nights plus travel to and from race (all very well organised) and we shared it between 6 of us at a cost of £69 per person. Absolute bargain, and we booked it so that the 2nd night was for after the race so we could come back have a shower and cup of tea while traffic died down then set off for home later - great! (the site even has a swimming pool)
I like the idea of a new thread, tho everyone was super friendly and welcoming I felt a bit like an intruder joining in later on. A new one helps people planning to run it for first time. Might have to come up with a new profile name tho feeling a bit dull.
Cathy
cathy - thats a great time well done and now you've got a target for next year to beat !!
bargain price for your accom, i rode past whitley bay holiday park today and was thinking it looked pretty smart these days, it was always a dump when i was little but think one of the big holiday companies has taken it over and spent a decent amount of cash on it
Morning (oops sorry, afternoon) all!!
anyone else feling a bit flat today??
I feel like I did the first year I ran this. I made the mistake that year of not having any races booked after the GNR and I've done it again this year. I feel like I've landed back down to earth after all the excitement and feel quite fed up.
My legs are amost recovered, my right calf just feels a little too tight still so I'm going to leave going back out running for another day or so to be on the safe side but I'm hoping a little jog-ette might make things a bit better.
Hope everyone else is recovering well.
Was good to put a face to a few names on Sunday, nice meeting you all.
I think that might be my last GNR but I did say that the last time as well , I'll still hang around here if that's OK.
I've a friend who works for Nova, I'll pass on the comments about the toilets, powerade zero and THAT banner!!
Photos are now up on the greatrun.org site!
Mandie - I got the race number for my next race on Friday, the Liverpool 10K, so at least I know I have something to aim towards, otherwise I think I would feel the same as you.
In a good way, or a critical way? I do have a sense of humour (honestly, I have ) but I was just really irritated by it for some reason.
Hey Mandie - looking forward to checking out your photos when I get home from work. Unlike you I'm still in agony today ... had to turn up late for work this morning, as the metro I usually get came a minute earlier and I just couldn't even break into a little jog to catch it ... I could just hobble hopefully towards it before seeing the doors close. Doubt I'll be running this week.
The Whitley Bay caravan deal looks really good actually - I'm a local, and even I was thinking of checking it out (I love caravan holidays - it looks like it might actually be good fun!)