Great North 10k

[Lovefood1984]

Well today was the day of the Great North 10k, went against the advice of my dad who's been running since before I was born (he's not a fan of the course) and signed up a month ago. Pre-race nerves were definitely getting the better of me this morning but I woke up to find a nice message from fitfor60 via the website and lucked out with notbad being on the same metro and spotting me as we walked down to Gateshead stadium for the start. It was really nice to have someone to chat to and while away the time until the start rather than stewing in my own thoughts. The weather? Bloomin awful, rain showers and muggy, no sun, yuk!

I was in the green wave (3rd wave out of 4) and found to my dismay that the 1st part of the course was up before we got to go downhill to the quayside.....up before anyone was warm or had got into a rhythm kept up an ok pace over the undulations this course has, lovely water station at 4k with proper 500ml bottles (sorry miles, no PPC cups for us!) and at 5.5k my Dad who'd run over from Newcastle joined me for a k as a interloper, we got a photo taken in that k and I hope it's a good one as I have great respect for my Dad who's a great runner and a pic of us both would be lovely to have. 7k and the hills started again to get back up to the stadium, had to walk at the top of the 7k one, managed to motor on until the dreaded one at the end of 8k and had to walk 1/4 of that too Good news I completed it in 1:11:11 couldn't have done that if I tried! Now I have my 1st shiney medal and yesterday my fiancé came home with my 1st ever race certificate framed (Blaydon race, they don't do medals but certificates instead) happy happy days!

Apart from the undulating course which I didn't find as fun as the Blaydon race, it was well organised but I warn you be careful removing those timing chips they give you that cable tie on, sliced my finger getting it off, luckily I got a sticky plaster off the great guys who volunteer for st.Johns and they didn't even ask me to fill in a form which I was dreading.

Now onwards and upwards, there is only 8 weeks now until the GNR but I'm feeling good as I put in a 9 mile training run on Monday, I'll definitely get the 10 in you need to run it but I'm not sure HM's are for me, 10ks are far enough I think to be serious but not require a stupid amount of time investment in training (which I'm sad to report is wearing thin). My saving grace from falling out of love with long running, running to raise money for Parkinson's which my Mum suffers from, yes I won't do it again but I'll make a damn good job of this one

Happy running folks!

[AncientMum Graduate]

Oh very very well done. That sounds like a tough race but you got a really good time. How lovely that your dad came out to support you too. He must have been very proud.

[Lovefood1984 Graduate in reply to AncientMum]

Thanks, I think he is proud and I'd love a great photo must say my fiancé was at the finish line to, he'd cycled across from home. It's great to have support

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

All the ones.......that has got to be special! Well done. I agree with you about HM and longer, it just takes up too much time. You sound like you have a good training plan, so good luck with the GNR.

[Lovefood1984 Graduate in reply to IannodaTruffe]

Made up my own training plan for the GNR on the fly week by week, found the others too restrictive esp. When you have holidays or odd days where you can't run. I just needed to be sensible with the step ups and making sure I have the odd recovery week, hopefully my own crazy way of doing things will see me ok

[Fitfor60 Graduate]

So pleased for you And what are the chances of getting same metro as notbad. Sounds like you had great race and at least your only injury wont put you on the couch ! And your time looks so pretty - all the 1s for your first medal . Your parents and fiancé must be so proud of you Good luck for your HM Did you have post run muffin ?

[Lovefood1984 Graduate in reply to Fitfor60]

No muffins in the house I'm afraid will make it up on Tuesday as I'm off to Frankie and benny's for my tea metro chances were quite high as there was only 1 per half hour from our neck of the woods but I didn't know she was metro'ing it so was a really nice surprise!

[notbad Graduate in reply to Fitfor60]

It was great fun once again to share the c25k camaraderie, Lovefood was a big help as I needed to change my run number & chip (own silly fault, had entered wrong 'wave') and was in bit of a flap with my safety pins - she was wonderful calming influence. -)

[Fitfor60 Graduate in reply to notbad]

Great to run 10 k but even better with a friend

[notbad Graduate]

Congratulations on getting under your belt what was not the easiest of 10ks, you looked comfortable and in control when we passed - before those last few hills which were killers. Although the training is heavy going I'm sure you will nail the GNR, just imagine how fabulous it will be to run over the Tyne bridge with the Red Arrows zooming above.

[Lovefood1984 Graduate in reply to notbad]

Funny my dad made the same comment that I'm good at picking my own pace and sticking with it rather than being carried along too quick & suffering didn't realise I'd been quite so calming but thanks for the kind words, you certainly helped take my mind off the run whilst we had to mill around and I'd of normally been panicking about being late when we were still in the loo queue with nothing to distract me

[aliboo70]

well done, sounds hard going but you made it, bet you are feeling good tonight! A medal too!

[Lovefood1984 Graduate in reply to aliboo70]

Thanks, I'm proudly wearing my t-shirt today

[notbad Graduate in reply to Lovefood1984]

Me too

[Miles_Yonder Graduate]

Well done, LF! Really, well done. The course sounds hilly and the weather.... ugh....! You did great; bet you had a blast with your dad joining in! Did he have to fight off course marshals to get there with you?! Hope the photo came out okay.

And you got a shiny shiny medal too. Do you keep picking it up, putting it on and looking at it? I do with mine, I'm not embarrassed to admit!

Well done; be proud! If ever you feel lacking in motivation, you get on here and tell us and we'll help.

[Lovefood1984 Graduate in reply to Miles_Yonder]

Thanks Miles, no photos yet luckily its been busy at work here too so I've not thought about it all day/checked every 5 mins. Course marshals seemed non the wiser despite the lack of race number I did wear the medal on the way home along with a fair few others! I'll let you know if the motivation starts to wain for the GNR, I hope it wont with the plan afterwards to do the 10k Movember run in Newcastle to keep up my training but rein it back to something not quite so intensive and boring

[Prin]

I have done my races the other way round, half in March and 10 k in June, loved the half 2.5k runners plenty of water stops with bottles and well organised chip time. 10k was hot weather, only one paper cup water stop no chip timing, no training as I had knee trouble and ran with double strapping and a preventative ibuprofen when I dragged myself across the finish line all I could think was how ever did I run twice that distance!

[Lovefood1984 Graduate in reply to Prin]

Sounds like you did it the right way round Like the size of the run too, not sure how I'm going to cope alongside 52k! My 10K was really well organized but the muggy wet weather was the only downside, hope you knee is better than it was in June!

[Prin]

I have done my races the other way round, half in March and 10 k in June, loved the half 2.5k runners plenty of water stops with bottles and well organised chip time. 10k was hot weather, only one paper cup water stop no chip timing, no training as I had knee trouble and ran with double strapping and a preventative ibuprofen when I dragged myself across the finish line all I could think was how ever did I run twice that distance!