Malcolm's running diary by malcolms

 This might be long so here is the quick version.

Last Sunday lots of people ran to South Shields.  It got very hot, then very crowded then very wet. The aeroplanes were brilliant. Lots of people tried to get back to Newcastle afterwards.

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The longer version is as follows.

My GNR week began the Sunday before with a gentle run out with the son.  The previous day had been a steady 10 miler with Kate so was prepared to be tired on the Sunday, but fortunately the son got tired before I did and so the 7 miler we did together was punctuated by the odd walk. I think he now understands the challenge of getting up to 10 miles by the end of October for the Great South, which will be difficult as it is a busy time for him as UCAS applications are also quite important at the moment.

The next outing was Tuesday. No sooner had I got home from work than daughter announced that she needed a run (who has kids like this??) – she is preparing for rowing training at college in 2 weeks time and needed to improve her CV fitness. So we went off for an early evening 4 miler, well I did 4, daughter missed out a short loop which gave me a chance to go a bit longer then catch her up. Nothing too silly but good mileage. No chance to run on Wednesday with Kate so a gentle jog on Thursday evening, very easy 1^st mile, upped slightly for 2^nd mile and then something to get the blood pumping for the third mile.

Tapering done.

Travelled to Geordieland on Friday armed with enough different running kit to fit the entire Olympic team to cope with any and every eventuality. I had said previously that I was doing the GNR with two old school chums who thought it would be good way of celebrating our collective half century. We met up on the Saturday and discussed strategy and laid odds on who would wilt first etc.

Sunday was a perfect start and I was keen to get down to the start early and take in the atmosphere. I met up with Alaistair (Running Home), who was confident of a time in the 1:30s – though was coy about how fast, but sensed that it was going to be good. Good also to meet Julie his wife and daughter. They had a race of their own to get to South Shields using public transport before Alaistair did on two legs!!

Ambled over to our meeting point with plenty of time only to find my chums weren’t around and soon the stewards were closing the gates to the pens as they were full. Chums eventually arrived but were sent further back and we agreed to meet again. At 10:38 the Red Arrows flew over in a quite moving fly past.

Then we were off. Well those at the front were. Some time later we began the slow shuffle to the start. I hung back and back but eventually no sign of mates so slowly drifted forward with the masses, crossing the start line just after 11am!! First mile felt good, - well it is down hill – and crossed the Tyne Bridge where I saw my sister in her usual spot and brother in law got a good photo of me. 

Things began to unravel slightly at this point. I has spent 40 mins in my pen – the final 20 being locked in and by the time I was getting near the Tyne Bridge there was a distinct sense that the bladder might be an issue. Strange this.  The only race that I ever need a pee on in the GNR, I think probably because we are held so long in pens. Anyway at the first loos there was a queue a mile long so I gritted my teeth, shortened my stride, and headed for the 2^nd loos. The opportunity to pee in the bushes at this point in the race is only likely to lead to an arrest…The next loos were at mile 6 which I didn’t realise at the time. There were queues there as well but it was now or never. I made it, just. I came out relieved, mightily so, but had lost several minutes. I though to myself that perhaps my race starts now.

The trouble about stopping is that you never get the pace back that you thought you have before and as the route narrowed at around this point to just one side of the dual carriage way running was getting more diagonal rather than forwards. That and a few ambulances trying to get through bunched up the runners even more and the odd walk break appeared, more by accident than design.

Kept an eye out for Mike “Way to Slow” around mile 10 but no sign of him, probably because by this time it was chucking it down with rain, which was nice at first as the sun was quite warm going up the first few miles but soon it became an annoyance. My ipod got wet somewhere along here and hasn’t worked since. Struggled up the John Reid Road, and had my annual date with Dame Tanni Grey Thompson who gave me a water bottle at  the 9 mile point – she’s been at that water station for the past few years. Good on her!

Finally with the top of the coast road in sight there on the left hand side was a Real Buzz sign – MTS and Rod – were there. MTS hasn’t blogged for ages but he looked well and said he was fine, probably rude of me not to stop and chat for longer. Rod looked in good shape as well.

Down the hill for the longest finishing straight ever invented and staggered across the line. The Red Arrows were doing their stuff as  I struggled along the coast road and it was hard to run as most people were looking up and to their right rather than straight ahead…

Nothing great, but my fastest GNR yet. 2:23.

Then the real race started. Changed quickly I headed to the Metro. Previous years I have spent an age waiting for a Metro back to Newcastle and this year I was determined to get back quicker.  Despite the race I was walking fairly briskly overtaking loads of people happy to amble back in the sunshine.  Got the 2^nd metro, and was back at my mother’s just after three.

Legs were tired on Monday but I have another run with Kate in the morning – or perhaps I should say later this morning looking at the time now. Also on the way home the Garmin did something odd- perhaps as  the battery was flat, but it essentially reset itself and has lost all my data. Boo Hiss.

Daughter wants to do the GNR with me next year, and who knows if son survives the Great South he may join us too!!

Basingstoke half in 10 days. Gulp.