What a priviledge to be one of the 2500 runners and walkers on Newcastle Town Moor today running race for life in its 25th year. My C25K journey started 12 weeks ago over a glass of wine with a friend who was creating ways of raising money for cancer research. The C25K app was downloaded and the journey began.
As I dressed this morning I could hardly believe how far I have come. By the time I got downstairs I had a confidence crisis, me, an overweight grandmother, I couldn’t achieve 5K. The beauty of living in a remote area has been I have been able to run in secret, today I would have to go public! And I felt panic. My hubby gave me a talking to before being bundled in a car and off we went. The race was in the city centre so we decided to drive to a metro station and travel the rest of the journey by train. When we parked in the carpark, a lovely lady in her late 70s got out of her car in her pink tutu and flower headband and gave me the biggest smile.
‘Im running for my daughter’ showing me a picture of her beautiful daughter on her back. By the time we were on the train many more ladies in pink turned up with their personal stories.
The park was a swarm of pink, music was playing. We danced and warmed up before moving stories were shared on the stage. This was followed by a minute silence for all to reflect on our loved ones. 2500 people and you couldn’t hear a pin drop except tears being wiped away by many. It was a special moment shared.
You can choose to run, jog or walk. I fell in line with the joggers. Before we knew it we were off. It was so well organised, what an amazing bunch of volunteers and medics, cheering us on and looking after us, big thanks to you all.
It was so so hot, I ran for 15 minutes then walked for about 10 then ran for the last 15 minutes. So I didn’t manage to run the whole route but I was pleased enough with my time and will blame the extreme heat on this occasion. I was delighted to get my very first medal, a piece of bling to be proud of.
12 weeks ago I thought this would be the end of my journey, how wrong I was, its only the beginning.
Written by
Jullaly
Graduate
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Tasha99 and Jullaly you really must!! On Saturday Marvo69 and I did Hastings parkrun together on the back of a conversation we had on here a couple of months ago - it was so much fun
It was great fun. @pianoteacher had been nagging, and nagging me to go for ages, to be her pacemaker, and she did brilliantly!!! and got to see the bumble bee shorts in actual real life! 🐝 We had a great time, you will too. Well done today, bought a tear to my eyes x
I’d keel over going at pianoteacher’s pace 😂 Tonight has given me the idea to do as many different ParkRuns as I can. I’m going to set a target. Anyway September 8th Oldladyruns?
Huge congratulations on a great run. Well done for getting round for the people you love. Any running today is a great bonus. What an emotional day. Lots of love. Xxx ps great pic!
Well done OLR. I am so happy for you. You overcame the heat, your fear of running with others and you had all the emotions involved in the race for life and your losses this year. You are a star ⭐️.
I hope you will now run in public more often .
Hang that medal where everyone can see it and be proud 🏅
Oh, your post is so moving - well done!! My baby sister had cancer and has been disease free for 2 years now, getting on with life as a 29 year old should. It was a terrifying time for the family.
I grew up in Newcastle so remember the town moor from the hoppings days! Circa 1980 😂. I’m glad public running was such a positive experience for you.
It’s mad isn’t it!? 12 weeks!!! 👏👏👏 well done you ❤️
Well get you notsooldladyruns5kinpublic shocker. And a big pat on the back to your other half for talking sense and bundling you into the car. You’ve done stonkingly well, I’m super impressed and I hope you’ve treated yourself to something gorgeous like a big glass of wine, some chocolate - or maybe just a warm bath. Keep us up to date on your progress....
Yay! LOR You look so happy and proud. Good for you, conquering 5 k and your running in public too. Ooh and not forgetting the bling. What a wonderful way of remembering those we’ve lost. 🌸 💕 xxxx
Oh wow! A blast from the past. As a Geordie and having left home 40 years ago I’m 60 now,I always get a pang of homesickness when I see pictures of Newcastle or read anything about it. The town moor always brings good memories of the “ hoppings” every June .This was the annual fair and we would have great times there. Also isn’t that the Hancock museum ? I do remember my brother,mam and me on a wee boat rowing on that lake. It looks like The exhibition park. Ooh great memories ! Thank you.
Fab photo you look very happy indeed on your achievement !😀😀👏👏👏💐
oh i remember the hoppings in the 80s , on the waltzer with my new perm! The Hoppings still come, usually in a sea of mud. Yes it was in exhibition park and that is the very lake behind me. The Handcock museum is still going strong.
Beautiful part of the world. I originate from a mining village called Hazelrigg then I spent my childhood days to teens ( till I left home)
In another mining village called Seaton Burn.My mam and I lived with my grandparents. They brought me up as my mam trained to be a nurse at Ashington hospital and came home at weekends.
My grandfather worked down the mines looking after the pit ponies. He was a ploughman in his youth and worked the land before going down the mines. My play area when we were kids was the pityard.He was originally from Scotland so I am half Scots too.
We used to live in 2 office houses at the top end of Seaton Burn. There used to be a pub opposite side of the road. It’s not there anymore.But the houses are and there’s more house as the mine has gone now replaced by houses and businesses. Happy days!!!.
Oh you have made an old girl very happy indeed! hee! hee!😀😀
I have spent many happy days out in Hexham beautiful .........😀😀
I have not been on the forum for a while as I had a few months on the injury couch, so I hadn’t seen your posts before. I had a read through them and was really inspired by your story. What a courageous person you are when you kept going in spite of bereavements and set backs. Your husband sounds very caring and supportive too.
I am so pleased that you enjoyed the RFL. It sounds amazing! I will have to try it next year.
I love where you live! We went on holiday to a beautiful place on the River Tyne, a few miles north of Hexham, in May. I restarted my running there after my long lay off and absolutely loved the countryside.
Well done for proving to your disparaging “friends” that you are a runner! You should be so proud of yourself!
Thank you, I hope you have recovered, its hard work starting again from the injury couch. Good Luck to you. They do a great Parkrun on the Tyne, I am going to try it next Saturday.
What an amazing journey you have been on and so lovely to hear how you completed race for life especially in this heat 😅 Love how this is just the beginning for you now 🏃🏻♀️👍xx
So very well done you! 🎀🌸👚🏅2500 people with such heart rending stories to share and so many precious ones to remember. It must have bee an amazing occasion. Apologies for this very late reply, I have been away a lot and not on the forum. All the very, very best for your onward running journey. I should imagine that you are feeling the joy of the school holidays and are perhaps freer to make a larger variety of running plans. Well done again! 🏃🏻♀️ 🏃🏻♀️ 🏃🏻♀️
Congratulations! That sounds like an amazing, and emotional, day. Well done you for tackling it in the heat - those you were running in memory of would be proud of all you have achieved, I'm sure. You did it 🌷
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To Race for Life or not to Race for Life
W8R3 completed at the first weekend of Twilight 5K Race for Life events
