Great North Run. I did it 🏅

[Dups]

I think I have graduated to this forum now. Completed my first half marathon yesterday in Newcastle. What an experience!!! The atmosphere was amazing, the anticipation as all the runners were walking to the start line, the smiley faces, the excitement. The cheer buses and the spectators were fantastic, encouraging us on, cheering and clapping, handing out jelly babies and chocolates all the way round. So many people running for there chosen charities. The first ten miles went according to plan as I had been doing runnersworld training plan in preparation for the run, but the last three miles was so so hard 🥵 The crowds kept me going and of course thoughts of my mam who sadly passed last year with Dementia.

I completed C25K last September and completed my first half marathon in 2 hours 28 minutes this September. How did that happen 🤷‍♀️

It’s been a two fold achievement, most importantly 602 pounds for Dementia UK and of course my own self achievement.

What a day. Anything is possible.

In memory of Mam ❤️

[roseabi Ultramarathon]

Well done you superstar!!!!

I have awarded you your Half Marathon badge xxx

[Dups Half Marathon in reply to roseabi]

Thanks Rosebi. I can’t believe it. First real race and first medal 😊

[Exbox Half Marathon]

Well done !It was brilliant, wasn't it . I completed it yesterday , also my first HM and a place I originally had in 2019 which I had to cancel due to illness , which they transferred to last year , again cancelled due to Covid so 3rd time lucky ! My time was 02:40:20 .

As you say the atmosphere was great , I especially liked coming through the city centre near the end .

I had said beforehand that I would do this only once , but have found myself signing up to be notified of the ballot for 2022 😁

[Dups Half Marathon in reply to Exbox]

Well done to you too !!! It was an amazing day. I enjoyed coming through the city too, my husband and daughter were at the 12 mile marker to cheer me on. You most have been in the green wave as well.

Maybe I’ll do it again, I’m not sure. The last three miles was not pretty 😂

Amazing achievement Exbox 👏👏

[sparky66 Half Marathon in reply to Exbox]

Huge congratulations on your first HM 🌟🥇

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon in reply to Exbox]

Congratulations! I've given you your half.marathon badge. It does get rather addictive ...

[Stephen_UK Half Marathon]

Well done!

[Dups Half Marathon in reply to Stephen_UK]

Thanks Stephen. Great day 😊

[Irishprincess Administrator Half Marathon]

Congratulations and well done 👍💪🥳🤣 and what a fabulous place to run your first HM. And under 2.5 hours too!

I’m sure it was emotional but you did it. Well done too on raising funds for this charity 😍

[Dups Half Marathon]

Thank you. It was amazing, especially with my family cheering me on at the 12mile marker 😊

[sparky66 Half Marathon]

Awe Dups that's amazing 👏👏👏I had happy tears reading your post 😊

What a fantastic event to run your first HM!!

Your Mam would be so very proud 🙏

Congratulations and hope you feeling ok and rested 🤗🥇🌟

[Dups Half Marathon]

Thank you so much🙏 It truly was an amazing day. Feeling rested now. Was exhausted yesterday but still found the time to make my way down to the village pub for a couple of celebration drinks 🥂

And of course I am delighted with the amount of money raised for charity which has been so generously donated by my family and work colleagues.

Reading everyone’s posts on this forum has both been encouraging and inspiring and sometimes when we think things are impossible, actually it can become possible 😊

[GoGo_JoJo Ultramarathon]

Fantastic, very well done 👏🏻 👍🏻😁🎖

[Dups Half Marathon in reply to GoGo_JoJo]

Thank you. In the excitement of it all I’ve signed up for next year 😂

[GoGo_JoJo Ultramarathon in reply to Dups]

And why not!? It will be easy by then! 👍🏻🤣

[misswobble Marathon]

Well done 😃💪🙂🌪🏅

I lost my mum to dementia too I take her spirit with me when I run 😃

[Dups Half Marathon in reply to misswobble]

Thank you. Such a cruel disease. Well hopefully the money raised added to everyone else’s will go some way to help.

[misswobble Marathon in reply to Dups]

😃👍

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon]

Fabulous! Sounds like that was a great success. An amazing first Half Marathon!!!

[Dups Half Marathon in reply to linda9389]

Thanks. I’m still pinching myself that it actually happened 🤣

[Windoze Half Marathon]

What a great achievement. Well done you!

[Dups Half Marathon in reply to Windoze]

Thank you. Yesterday is definitely up there as one of my major achievements in life 😊

[Dexy5 10 Miles]

That is a brilliant run Dups, and I’m sure your mam would be so proud of you. I watched it on the TV , and the course looked tougher than previous years with those hills. You have done very well achieving it in a year too. 👏🏻👏🏻

[Dups Half Marathon in reply to Dexy5]

Thank you. Well she will always be my inspiration. In my grief I took up C25K and have ran twice for Dementia now. So I see that as a positive.

I did prepare for this run doing The runners world plan, but those last couple of miles up hill 🥵🥵🥵 but I did it! 😊

Amazing experience

[Dexy5 10 Miles in reply to Dups]

You certainly did. Well done.

[Sandraj39 Half Marathon]

Great achievement and fab time - you must feel really pleased with that.And your Mam would be so proud - special cause.🙂

[Dups Half Marathon in reply to Sandraj39]

Thanks Sandra, really pleased. It was a special day

[Comfortnotspeed Marathon]

A fantastic achievement! Great HM and charity money raised 🤩👏👏👏🤩👏👏👏🤩

[Dups Half Marathon in reply to Comfortnotspeed]

If I was told last year I would complete a HM I wouldn’t have believed it. I am over moon with peoples generosity 😊

[RunBrianRun Half Marathon]

Fabulous achievement! Well done 💪👍👏👏👏

[Dups Half Marathon in reply to RunBrianRun]

Thanks Brian, I never thought it possible. Two fold achievement. Delighted 🤗

[Boss1973]

Hi Dups I also completed my first ever race and first Half Marathon at the GNR. You are right the atmosphere, the crowds and the overall experience was amazing. I finished in 2hr 29 mins and I also found the last 2 miles so hard and seeing my family on the Tyne bridge and then again in the city centre 3 more times just gave me that extra encouragement to finish. Well done to everyone

[Dups Half Marathon in reply to Boss1973]

Well done to you too! You must having been just behind me running on my heels 😂 You must so pleased with your run too 👏👏 Family definitely gave the encouragement for the final push. I agree, well done to everyone 👏👏

[Week7 Half Marathon]

Congratulations! Sounds amazing.

[Dups Half Marathon in reply to Week7]

Thank you. It was a brilliant experience

[Macrun Half Marathon]

Well done and what an event to do your first Half Marathon at.👍👍

[Dups Half Marathon in reply to Macrun]

It was the perfect one to enter as I only live about 20 mile from Newcastle and of course the 40th anniversary. Who knows maybe I’ll still be entering this one on its 50th anniversary 🤣

[Outdoorsy19 Half Marathon]

Well done Dups, that’s a fantastic achievement in a great time! I understand your euphoria! I trained up on the same programme last year and completed the virtual GNR in 2’29! - your description of all the atmosphere and support along the way makes me a little envious after my lonely run! And I completely get that last 3 miles being Soooooo hard! I too completed C25K in the months before my HM and was amazed how I managed to progress and extend to 10k, 10m and then HM! Like you, I certainly never thought I could do that ! It just shows what can be achieved with focus and determination! Give yourself a couple of quieter weeks but keep up your running… 10k is just a little leg stretch for you now!

[Dups Half Marathon in reply to Outdoorsy19]

Thank you . I totally agree that with determination so many things can be achieved. I think you did amazing doing the virtual GNR 👏👏I definitely needed the crowd towards the end to keep me going. Been out for a 5k walk just to stretch my legs out. I was shattered yesterday but feel like I have more energy today.

[Deals1 Metric Marathon]

Well done 👍👍 fabulous time for your first. My first too and yep those last few miles were tuff!!🥵 Congratulations

[Dups Half Marathon in reply to Deals1]

Wow! Your first too. Well done to you too 👏👏

[SueAppleRun 10 Miles]

Congratulations, 🎊🎉🍾🎈 that’s amazing and what a good reason to run your first half marathon

[Dups Half Marathon in reply to SueAppleRun]

Thank you so much. Hopefully I will continue to do the GNR every year fitness permitting so I can carry on helping such a worthy charity. Coming down from the euphoria of the Sunday and had a relaxing walk today to stretch my legs with a little bit of gardening😊

[Katnap Marathon]

An amazing achievement! 👏👏👏

[Dups Half Marathon in reply to Katnap]

Thank you Katnap🙏Yours and everyone else’s lovely comments have been greatly appreciated 😊

[skysue16 Half Marathon]

Wow! Fantastic achievement, congratulations 👏

[Curlygurly2 Half Marathon]

Wow, that's really great, well done you! A friend of mine did that one too and she said the last 5K were brutal!

[Dups Half Marathon]

Thanks. Yeah that’s exactly how I would describe it 😂😂😂