Great North Run

[Yorkshire Plodder]

Well, I'm still alive (just)!
Saturday afternoon - a leisurely drive up to Newcastle to stay at friends, an airbed on someone's elses floor isn't an ideal night before a race but it did save setting off too early yesterday and allowed us to take a car to South Shields ready for us at the finish.
Sunday morning - a stroll down to the start and take in the enormity of the whole event. Watched the start of the wheelchair race and women's elite (thinking they'd probably all be home, showered and fed before I'd finished!). Was with some friends who run quite a bit faster than me so we all managed to start relatively near the front. It seemed ages before the start and packed in like sardines isn't the time to wonder whether you need the loo again, persuaded myself it was just nerves and ignored it - thankfully it was OK!
The gun finally set us off and we were very quick over the start line, only about three and a half minutes. I'd set Graham (Forerunner virtual partner) to run with me aiming for 2 hours 5 minutes, so had to keep up with him. Most of the race just seemed to drift by, I need to concentrate on breathing and keeping my legs moving so that I'm pretty unaware of what's going on around me. One thing that I do remember is running behind two blokes dressed in clowns outfits and a little girl in the crowd shouting "Oh, look at those clowns", the guy running next to me at the time said "Who's she talking about, there's 47,000 of us!" At the time it seemed quite funny. The crowds along the route and the bands really help to motivate you. It was really odd because normally in a race I am counting down towards the finish and willing it to be over but, strangely, I was actually enjoying running this one! Eventually after the final uphill section I could see the sea, it's a fantastic moment when you realise that you're nearly there, but that last mile is a really long one but there are so many spectators you really feel like you have to give it that one last push. Finally made it over the finish line with the clock showing just under 2 hours 6 minutes, my actual stopwatch (Graham) time being 2 hours 2 minutes and 42 seconds. One day I will get under that 2 hour barrier!