Well folks it was hot hot hot here in Newcastle today (too hot!)
Metro ride and walk to the start went well, including only a 15min queue for the loo so I was very happy. Got to my starting pen and got chatting to a 2 nice ladies, one who was running for the same charity as me, one who taught me to stop my Garmin going into standby after finding satellites (still a novice) but I was well aware that even just stood there I had started sweating and I'm by nature usually always cold! (Warning bells!) comical mass warm up done and Mo was off! Took 35minutes to reach his start point but it passed really quick as we did what ladies do best and gas! Said goodbye to my new friends and wished them all the best as they left me for dust.
First 3 miles went ok, I even looked out for notbad on her charity bus but without my specs I was doomed (so sorry I missed you!) my pace was a bit quick according to Miss Garmin and she was slightly ahead of the markers (I'm blaming this on the tunnels under the central motorway in newcastle, which rang to the sound of Oggie Oggie Oggie, Oi Oi Oi as we ran through).
I hit mile 4 and that's when I started to get sapped, even stopped to take on some early fruit pastilles in the vain hope that this would help. To no avail, the next few miles passed as a walk/run. In training I'd taken on around 500mls of water over my whole 2 hr runs, as I glanced at my bottle I was running perilously low! Next water station I refilled my bottle with theirs.
Miles 7-11 the walks got longer and longer, As you can see from my Garmin splits in the picture (I also picked up a lucozade drink at 10miles in the vain hope that would help!) but once I'd hit the top of the last hill I made a concerted effort to run the last mile and a half (this shows too in my stats). As I finished I realised I'd just missed the 3 hr mark but finishing in 3:03:00 chip time. A little gutted but to be expected given the weather (and I did feel crummy about 15 mins after the race for half an hour so I think I put my all in) But I can say I've done the GNR! And no before you ask I wasn't the millionth finisher but I do like the gold on the tshirt.
I've tried to make a mix of 4 photos as 1 just doesn't cut it. 1 before I left, 1 as I finished, 1 for miles yonder of my top and medal since he has a love of all things shiney and 1 of my garmin stats since I don't have the strength to find a pen
Well my pizza delivery is due, happy running all and I hope our other c25kers did well and enjoyed it!
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Lovefood1984
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Well done! But that doesn't seem to be impressive enough! You have done amazing! You have finished the GNR! Completed it! And medal and t-shirt too! All your hard work paid off!
Going to enjoy the resting, pizza has been consumed and I've taken the day off work tomorrow as I had holiday left so I'm treating myself to a day on the couch. I promise I won't get stuck here, I have a 5k run next weekend and another medal to come, it's a fun run and not timed so no pressure
WELL DONE!!! Really, well done. You did it! How are you feeling now? Must have been amazing being part of something so special like that; it looked incredible on the television series so to actually have run it must have been brilliant!
Great write-up too - seems you had a Very Eventful Race (VER) and you are very deserving of that pizza - enjoy!
Great photos, thank you for sharing! You really look like you're enjoying the race-day experience! I remember you saying you're not keen on big crowds - how did you get on with it all? Oh, and how do you stop your Garmin going into standby mode after finding satellites? That will be a very useful feature!
Great shirt and medal; you're right, I do love a good bit of medalry!
So, thought of your next race yet? EDIT: Of course you have!
Thanks did ok with the crowds as the pens weren't too full, the people behind me in the photo are all congregated under the 'M' of the family re-union area, the sheer amount of people actually bring down the local mobile phone network a bit like New Year's Eve style! My friend also bought me a cider, had to politely drink a little, not the best re-hydration drink but her heart was in the right place. Oh and the amount of eye diverting I had to do, people will pee anywhere! A sight to behold
Edit: to stop Miss garmin from turning off press the bulb symbol button
God, cider as a recovery drink! Nice thought, I agree, but I'd have probably have thrown up at that!
I'll bet it was! I remember the Leeds 10K, I had to dive behind a bin in a Cark Park for a urination stop but people were doing it quite open. Funny how in a race it's quite acceptable!
Are you doing it again next year? The race, I mean, not lavatorising in public!
At this moment in time I'm saying no to next year, I just feel too rubbish after long runs and feel 10k is more my distance, still difficult but not too destroying on my body. But never say never, I'm still in the 'obese' camp (just over) on the bmi scale and if I could even loose a stone I'm sure I'd be a better athlete. Diet starts Tuesday, don't have any long training run excuses up my sleeve now
That's ridiculous; if I may be so forward as to say, to an almost married lady, you look amazing and not at all 'obese' or anywhere close!
The Great South Run in Portsmouth, which I'd love to do but sadly all the accommodation appears to be fully booked now, is 'only' ten miles, so a bit of a compromise between that and a HM, but there don't seem to be many 10 mile races around.
Aww shame it's booked up, great runs do seem tone well organised even if the GNR and gateshead 10k are quite up and down. Don't worry, I don't think of myself as obese, but overweight yes, I've not got the build to be in the middle of the normal BMI range I'd look ill but I'd like to loose some, I know I can loose a stone as I've been a stone lighter in the past, incidentally before I got together with my fiancé who is mean chef in the kitchen, oh and I prefer man size portions of food, yum yum! Thanks for the nice comment though.
Laura you are brilliant What an achievement It does sound like it was really hot and that's not ideal for running. You should really feel proud of what you have achieved .You look great in photos . Enjoy pizza
It was far too hot, why does newcastle have to be freezing most of the time apart from when I want to run? I feel very proud, my charity pot stands at around £450, never thought I'd ever get that much! Looking forward to seeing you at a parkrun soon
You think at this time of year it would be bit cooler. Great amount for charity well done you Parkrun would be great - maybe can arrange before end of year Is whitley bay ok for you and Notbad or is there one nearer you
It's a little closer to Newcastle for me but Whitley Bay is good for Notbad and my friend has pointed me in the direction of a free car park for next time so I say just stick to Whitley I'm pretty much tied up on Sats for the rest of the month but nothing booked Oct onwards so just let us know when you're back in our neck of the woods x
Oh Laura ! You look amazing, what a fab day you must have had. Watched it on the telly, sooo envious ! It did look very sunny and hot when you set off. Fantastic write up , its great to hear your story, I love reading about races our C25kers have taken part in.
Mo and Gemma were amazing, but so were you, we are very very proud of you on here . Enjoy your well deserved rest and pizza, get your feet up Missus ! xxx
I'll be watching the recording tomorrow see if I can spot myself! Also need to catch up on Mo's race too, go Mo! Just catching up on the F1 now, I've been missing some good TV today, poor couch
Lovefood! Somehow i missed that you were running the GNR today .... woweeeee!!! That was some day you had today i am DEEPLY impressed!!! Eat pizza, wear medal, be proud Deeply impressed #bows humbly
I can't enlarge your photos but i am 90% certain that my cousin is standing behind your right side, in the white hoodie on her phone .... how bonkers is that! Hang on ... Nah, found my reading glasses, on reflection it can't be her cos she's returned to bean stalk proportions since she started running in the Cleadon Hills!
Again,very very very well done indeed, you superstar!
Thank you, feeling pretty good now (other than the legs ) loving the support you get on this site. I only graduated 2 days before christmas last year and look how far I've come
Never say never, I started at 60 seconds, graduated 2 days before christmas last year and I'm still in the obese BMI camp (not by much I might add) it can be done!
Hoping it'll show what you can do, graduated 2 days before Christmas last year so not been at this long this programme definately comes with side effects, like a magpie liking for shiny medals from races
Thanks, I do feel pretty fantastic now that the struggle I felt on the run is diminishing from my mind I followed in Mo's footsteps and got to run across the Tyne bridge, fab!
Fantastic! you did REALLY well, doing a half marathon is a great achievement , you should feel really proud! like the photos and medal, really sets the scene! just watched the highlights on TV, great to be a part of something so big! Hope you enjoyed your well deserved pizza and enjoy your day off
That's a really amazing achievement - how great to be part of such an iconic race. Puts my tiny little 5 miler today into the shade... talking of which, it was pretty warm out there, wasn't it - humid too which doesn't make it easy. BTW if you don't mind me saying I find it really hard to believe you are officially in the obese camp - not even 'overweight'. I have always taken these BMI measurements with a pinch of salt anyway. Well done again for getting through such a massive and tough race - and enjoy your rest.
Thanks TT was faaaar tooooo hot! I'm still dehydrated today even though I've taken on plent of fluids (whilst trying to avoid too much!) I don't think BMI is the be all and end all but I am a size 16 and know I can be a healthy 14 (my fiancé is a mean cook!) so I'd like to loose a stone, don't think I'd look right loosing more than that I'm just not built that way x
How fab to be part of that! Well done, I hope you haven't taken your medal off yet, if it was me I'd be wearing it in bed!
Medal was suprisingly uncomfortable so it came off when I got home, I have started a pin board with all my race numbers, a picture of me at the end and medal pinned on it, 3 races down 2 to go this year and then I'll post it as my achievements in the year following graduation (2 days before christmas) tshirt will be duels worn at work tomorrow
Turns out exercise is a great appetite suppressant so not only did I enjoy it last night I have left overs for lunch! happy days! Legs feel quite good today too, bonus!
As I missed cheering you from the bus (it was like a fast moving 'Where's Wally?' out there) - WOO HOO! GO LAURA! You did great, it was so hot out there yesterday, we were boiling just sitting and were concerned about the runners as everyone looked lathered by the 2.75 mark. Really think they held it too early this year.
Well done, really great achievement, you're a star! Enjoy some 'no pressure' runs now, you deserve it. x
I'd of been surprised if you'd spotted me there were just too many people! Nearer the end I did here one person comment to another they had never seen so many people walking at that stage of the race before so I guess it must have been hard, sweating just waiting to start is never a good sign, I'm still dehydrated today, more fluids needed! My fiancé watched as one person collapsed just before the line to be picked up by a volunteer and people she was running with and carried over the line :S no running until Sunday when I have a 5k fun run, not timed, no pressure but more medals
Well done and congratulations, running in genre is an amazing achievement and you should be proud. Can I just say and please don't take this the wrong way I geninuely think your scales are broken there is no way your obese. I too need to lose a stone ( well actually a stone and 6 pounds ideally). A celebration pizza is the best way to go! Hope you enjoy your day on the couch resting
Hi vixchile, running truly is amazing and it feels a lot better afterwards than when you're doing it don't worry I haven't taken your scales comment the wrong way but all the scales in Newcastle must be broken including the ones at the doctors which I believe must be calibrated (had my weight done a month ago and the nurse put my details in and the computer picture of the person got fatter and fatter with the word obese on the screen, bit like creating a Mii on the Wii, she didn't mention anything though). I'd like to get back to being a size 14 (still classed as overweight but a better size for me) don't worry I won't become a sickly stick figure and most of the time I'm actually ok with my figure
Very very well done Laura, I feel exhausted just reading about your race. How wonderful to be there actually running in such an amazing race and it such fabulous company. Even if you never run the GNR again, you've been there and done it and no one can ever take that away from you. Congratulations, you must be so proud.
I've followed in Mo's footsteps and more importantly my Dads (he used to do them when they were smaller) so I'm really pleased I can say I've run one even if I do decide never to do it again everyone is so proud of me, certainly makes you feel good and loved (look at me getting soppy!)
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(still a novice) but I was well aware that even just stood there I had started sweating and I'm by nature usually always cold! (Warning bells!) comical mass warm up done and Mo was off! Took 35minutes to reach his start point but it passed really quick as we did what ladies do best and gas! Said goodbye to my new friends and wished them all the best as they left me for dust.
and 1 of my garmin stats since I don't have the strength to find a pen 
EDIT: Of course you have! 
Treadmill run
Nice and slow recovery run...
