Great North Run 2007
I slept pretty well on the Saturday night, late nights on Thursday and Friday followed by the drive down on Saturday led to that I think. I got up at about 8 and after a quick bit of toast and marmalade made my way to the start. Helen and Andrew were going to head out to South Shields to meet me at the finish so I said goodbye to them at Gateshead Metro. I basically just followed the crowds up to the start. I just glad the guy at the front knew where he was going!! I got into my start pen nice and early then seemed to hang about for a while waiting for things to happen. At this point I should have went to the toilet, but more on that later. I had planned to have an energy gel at the start and one again at 6 miles, however I really didn't fancy taking one at the start so offered it to a few runners round about me but no one wanted it so ended up just tossing it.
Once the race started I quickly settled into a nice pace which was quite (pleasantly) surprising. A lot of the advice I got was that everyone goes off too fast so you have to be careful not to go with them. I had picked up a pace band for 1:35 (1:40 was the real target but I was giving myself a bit of leeway!) and for the first 3 miles was spot on. I was beginning to become more aware of the fact that I should have visited the toilet before the start though and at 4 miles had to have a 'pee break' I though that i'd feel better after this but I actually felt a lot worse. I got a bad stitch which I didn't get rid off until about mile 7. My pace was obviously slipping during these miles but I knew that 1:40 was still possible.
In the lead up to the race a lot of people had told me about how the crowds 'see you through' the tough miles from 8 to 12. I was a bit sceptical of this as i'd never experienced it before but the crowds were absolutely fantastic and did 'see me through' these miles. I was delighted to reach the top of John Reid Road and head down to the coast as I knew wasn't far from there (due to my 'rece' the previous night!) When I saw the 800m to go banner I though to myself "that's it, not far now" and put on a bit of burst that lasted about 150 metres!! The crowds again seen me through the last 600 metres!!
I've just checked the Great Run website for my finishing stats:
10 Mile time: 1:15:57
Finish time: 1:40:18
Position: 2507
I'm absolutely over the moon with these results!!!!
I slept pretty well on the Saturday night, late nights on Thursday and Friday followed by the drive down on Saturday led to that I think. I got up at about 8 and after a quick bit of toast and marmalade made my way to the start. Helen and Andrew were going to head out to South Shields to meet me at the finish so I said goodbye to them at Gateshead Metro. I basically just followed the crowds up to the start. I just glad the guy at the front knew where he was going!! I got into my start pen nice and early then seemed to hang about for a while waiting for things to happen. At this point I should have went to the toilet, but more on that later. I had planned to have an energy gel at the start and one again at 6 miles, however I really didn't fancy taking one at the start so offered it to a few runners round about me but no one wanted it so ended up just tossing it.
Once the race started I quickly settled into a nice pace which was quite (pleasantly) surprising. A lot of the advice I got was that everyone goes off too fast so you have to be careful not to go with them. I had picked up a pace band for 1:35 (1:40 was the real target but I was giving myself a bit of leeway!) and for the first 3 miles was spot on. I was beginning to become more aware of the fact that I should have visited the toilet before the start though and at 4 miles had to have a 'pee break' I though that i'd feel better after this but I actually felt a lot worse. I got a bad stitch which I didn't get rid off until about mile 7. My pace was obviously slipping during these miles but I knew that 1:40 was still possible.
In the lead up to the race a lot of people had told me about how the crowds 'see you through' the tough miles from 8 to 12. I was a bit sceptical of this as i'd never experienced it before but the crowds were absolutely fantastic and did 'see me through' these miles. I was delighted to reach the top of John Reid Road and head down to the coast as I knew wasn't far from there (due to my 'rece' the previous night!) When I saw the 800m to go banner I though to myself "that's it, not far now" and put on a bit of burst that lasted about 150 metres!! The crowds again seen me through the last 600 metres!!
I've just checked the Great Run website for my finishing stats:
10 Mile time: 1:15:57
Finish time: 1:40:18
Position: 2507
I'm absolutely over the moon with these results!!!!
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