Yet again I felt the force of insanity and ran the 24th BUPA Great North Run, from Newcastle to South Shields on Sunday. This year I decided upon a strategy for running the race (2 miles running/1 mile off) and together with a cool breeze and a following wind, I felt quite comfortable with the race not seeming to drag on as much as it did the previous year.
However the lack of heat meant a lack of sweat. Now when you’ve been drinking a lot of water, and continue to drink a lot of water along the route, if you ain’t sweating it out - it has leave somewhere. So the time I made up with my (slightly increased) fitness was soon lost with queuing for toilets (or more accurately queuing for a space behind a fence!!)
So this year I’m quoting an unofficial time of around 2hrs 50mins - which is poor, but then I only have myself and my lack of training to blame.
Unlike last year, this has actually made me feel more motivated to keep up a running program and actually TRAIN for next years run and achieve a good time that I know I can make. Given this, I’ve decided my next event will be (pending getting an entry) the Great Manchester Run next May. At only 10k, this will push me into training earlier, and get my motivated even more. Well that’s the plan.
As a footnote, I must yet again pay tribute to the people of the North East. Yet again, I was met by a friendly taxi driver, and the hotel I stayed in wasn’t to shabby either. Along the route the people are what make it such a great day, especially the kids with their hands out and of course the bands too. It really is a marvellous event, and only in retrospect, do I realise how much I enjoy it. So here’s to next year!
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UPDATE: Turns out my 'offical' run time is 3hrs 16mins - a whole ten minutes slower than last year when I almost crawled over the finish line? Hardly makes any sense... I do wonder how much of the 20mins prior to me crossing the start line was accounted for in this time.
I believe next year a digital system is being planned, wearing tracking watches or something similar - surely then (and hopefully with drastically increased fitness) I will be able to at least get a respectable time.
hmmmmm, didn't you say last year you were going to train for this year's race?
BTW, you've got this type key thing looking very swish indeed!