And another GSR race report - almost certainly not the last either! ❤️

[cheekychipmunks]

What a fabulous weekend. Mr Cheeky and I headed to Portsmouth yesterday afternoon and checked into our hotel before going for a mooch around ahead of dinner with a selection of excellent VRBs. Dexy5 , UpTheStanley , TailChaser , Katnap , Sandie1961 and David_G were accompanied by a tiptop non-running support crew of Mr Sandie, Oldgirlruns , Coddfish and Mr Coddfish. Mr Cheeky hadn’t met any of my chums before and was happy to do so at last. I was disappointed that I missed JonathanP this morning, but the loo queue prevented that. ☹️ Next time! 😀

There was a wonderful atmosphere, and the weather was perfect (bit warm if I’m being picky!) Race day nerves of course, made worse by the fact that the Green Wave didn’t start until 11am. I felt so much better than the last time I ran this race 2 years ago, and knocked 13 minutes off, finishing in 2:08:31. My 2nd fastest 10 miler and 28 virtual pieces of bling on Strava to go with my GSR one. Can’t complain about that!

The others did amazingly, but no doubt they’ll be reporting on here before long.

Plan for this evening? Nothing. 💤

[AlMorr Half Marathon]

Lovely photo of you and the rest of The Southsea Crew, I recognise some, from left to right, Cheekychipmunks, Coddfish,?,? Dexy5 and UpTheStanley, I am sure you all had a good run at the Great South Run, well done to all of you. 😊 🏃🏾

[Coddfish 10 Miles in reply to AlMorr]

No Coddfish this time unfortunately. 5 weeks on from hip replacement would be a tad too much! Part of the support crew though.

[AlMorr Half Marathon in reply to Coddfish]

Well done to you Coddfish on being part of the support crew this morning at The Great South Run 👍

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to AlMorr]

Very very cheerful cheerleading on the course! Thanks Coddfish and Mr Coddfish! 👏👏👏

[misswobble Marathon in reply to Coddfish]

I hope you’re recovering well😃👍

[Dexy5 10 Miles in reply to AlMorr]

cheekychipmunks , TailChaser , Sandie1961 , Katnap , me and UpTheStanley

[AlMorr Half Marathon in reply to Dexy5]

Thanks for correcting me, I hope you and UpTheStanley had a good run this morning at The Great South Run.

[Dexy5 10 Miles in reply to AlMorr]

Too tired to do a full post Al, but as you can see, we made it to the end.

[AlMorr Half Marathon in reply to Dexy5]

Congratulations to you all, get a early night and if you wish, write your full report tomorrow.

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to AlMorr]

Thanks Al, yes Dexy5 has already filled you in with who’s who in the photo. Shame David_G wasn’t in it too. It was such a fun day. 👏

[AlMorr Half Marathon in reply to cheekychipmunks]

A big congratulations to you cheekychipmunks on your run today 🏃🏾 👍

[Hidden]

Well done and what a time. I am not at 10 miles yet, but I think I do 14K in that time! You all definately look very happy!

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to Hidden]

Thanks so much BS. You’ll get there, no problem, especially if you can run 14k! Keep at it! 💥

[Beachcomber66 Administrator Half Marathon]

Great to see those happy faces CC 🙂. Nice day, great time and perfect company; doesn’t get any better. 👏👏👏👏👏👏👊

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to Beachcomber66]

Too true BC, it was a lot of fun. 😀

[Irishprincess Administrator Half Marathon]

What a fab photo! Well done Munks (and everyone else) you must be thrilled with that result 👍

Enjoy your evening 🍷

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to Irishprincess]

Thanks IP! I thought of you when I was waiting in the loo queue - brought back memories of Bristol! 😅

[Irishprincess Administrator Half Marathon in reply to cheekychipmunks]

I’ve found out that you meet the best people in loo queues ……🙂

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to Irishprincess]

🥰

[Shake-and-run Half Marathon]

Ace photo! Well done Cheeky and the rest of the gang.

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to Shake-and-run]

Thanks so much Shakes! We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. 🥰

[misswobble Marathon]

Fabulous! What a marvellous way to spend the day 😃🏃‍♀️🏃‍♂️🏅

Good weather and a great chance to meet up with HU posse folks

Great result too. Congratulations 👏🙂

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to misswobble]

You’re right MW, it’s my idea of the perfect weekend - 3.5 years ago if someone told me that’s what I’d be saying, I’d think they’d lost the plot! 😅

[over61andstilltrying 10 Miles in reply to cheekychipmunks]

🤣

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to over61andstilltrying]

True though isn’t it over61? What has HU made of us all? 😅

[over61andstilltrying 10 Miles in reply to cheekychipmunks]

Running journeys do seem to have a mind of their own, taking us into places we would never have imagined. don't they? I still struggle to believe the running I do and my post knee injury running is so special. Happy running to you. I'm wondering what is next on your running agenda. 😊🏃‍♀️🐕

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to over61andstilltrying]

You have done especially well bearing in mind you were injured. Amazing. 👊 *Touch wood* I haven’t had any injury setbacks - the upside of being a trundler I guess! 😅

Who knows what’s in store for us? Whatever it is, we’ll be happy runners. 🥰

[over61andstilltrying 10 Miles in reply to cheekychipmunks]

Do please remember that my main injury was from a gardening fall not running. 🌸

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to over61andstilltrying]

I do remember - and isn’t that always the way?! My broken toe was from yoga the first time, then kicking a football in Crocs the next! 😂

[Frenc Half Marathon]

Famtabulous Cheeky C! And what a great photo of you all looking super cheery. That’s a great race you had, super well done 😁🏅🏆!

[Katnap Marathon in reply to Frenc]

You can join us next year maybe? 👍🐱👍

[Frenc Half Marathon in reply to Katnap]

I certainly can - Portsmouth’s not a million miles from me. Thank you very much for asking! I’ve never entered anything so one of my new year resolutions will be to put my name down for some actual races, not just the ones in my head 😁. Enjoy your evening!

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to Katnap]

Yesss you must Frenc ! 😀

[Frenc Half Marathon in reply to Katnap]

I only went and entered for next year! I had to laugh giving them my 10 mile time, it was the slowest they had 🤣🤣🤣.

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to Frenc]

Yayayayay Frenc ! 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

[Frenc Half Marathon in reply to cheekychipmunks]

I’m really looking forward to it! See you next year 😊😁🏃‍♀️.

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to Frenc]

Thanks so much Frenc, it’s a great race. 👏👏

[Sandraj39 Half Marathon]

Well done Cheeky! Great photo and congratulations on your PB!💪🙂🏅

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to Sandraj39]

Thanks Sandra! I think the later start helped because it made me have breakfast and I didn’t flag half as much as I normally do. 😋

[SueAppleRun 10 Miles]

Fantastic to see you all together and looking so fab with your medals. Great to read about it too

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to SueAppleRun]

Thank you Sola. Mr Cheeky was on photographer duty which saved me doing a near impossible group selfie! 😅

[SueAppleRun 10 Miles in reply to cheekychipmunks]

He made a great photo of you all then

[David_G Metric Marathon]

Well done cheekychipmunks it was lovely to meet you all! My plans for this evening are having a lovely meal in the hotel😋 (happening now!) then retiring to my room to write my very own GSR report! 😀👍

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to David_G]

Thanks David, great to meet you too! Hope the meal was delicious! I’m a little embarrassed to admit that I had a hankering for fries on the way home, so we stopped on the A34 and had chicken tenders and fries from a certain fast food establishment! 😳

[Blackberrypie Half Marathon]

Great work, wish I'd managed to meet up with you all!

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to Blackberrypie]

Aww BBP, what a shame, it would have been amazing to meet you too. Next year? I’m glad you had a great day too! 😀

[Coddfish 10 Miles]

Glad you all had a wonderful time. It’s a fantastic event and it was PB conditions today. No Great Southwesterly Wind.

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to Coddfish]

Thanks Coddfish. Yes the conditions were good weren’t they? I could have done without the sun and was glad of my 😎, but the breeze was cooling.

[Dexy5 10 Miles]

Very well done cheeky, I knew that after all your HM training that you were going to beat my time today. 13 minutes off your last GSR time is fantastic. What a shame we couldn’t meet up before the run, and as I didn’t know what you were wearing, I couldn’t find you on Winston Churchill Avenue when runners were going in both directions.

It was great to see everyone last evening, and meet your hubby for the first time. A brave man meeting us all at once.

[Katnap Marathon in reply to Dexy5]

Here here!

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to Dexy5]

Thanks Dexy. I think what’s helped me is running on the common and dealing with less than perfect footing. It was unfortunate we were stuck in the long loo queue, as we were on our way to meet up with you. The green wave was enormous!

Mr Cheeky had a great time and loved meeting you all at last. 😀

[over61andstilltrying 10 Miles in reply to Dexy5]

🤣

[LadyGault Half Marathon]

Well done to all of you 👏 👍 😀

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to LadyGault]

Thanks LG. You had a great day too by the sounds of it!

[JonathanP 10 Miles]

Yes I was disappointed not to be able to meet up with you too Cheeky - and particularly to miss being part of that great photo! Next time perhaps? 😜

Congratulations on that fantastic improvement from last time!🎉

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to JonathanP]

Arghh it was so disappointing Jonathan. ☹️ We were on our way, but stopped to watch the speedies start then saw the mahoosive loo queue and (being Brits) joined it! Definitely next time, hopefully not long!

Thanks, I was happy with my time and felt so much better than 2019. 😀

[JonathanP 10 Miles in reply to cheekychipmunks]

Yes, we'll always have parkrun! 😜

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to JonathanP]

Yes we certainly do! 👏👏👏

[Oldgirlruns 10 Miles]

Woohoo! Go Cheeky! A great weekend all round!

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to Oldgirlruns]

It really was OGR! I’ve entered for next year already! 😅 (And I’m not the only one!)

[Oldgirlruns 10 Miles in reply to cheekychipmunks]

I’d spotted that! See you next year!

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to Oldgirlruns]

And before I have no doubt! 😅

[Magellan Marathon]

Lovely photo, well done to all of you

What's the t-shirt? I can't make out the writing.

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to Magellan]

Thanks Magellan! 😀

I think it says Great South Run 2021. It’s very similar to the one I got after the Bristol HM, also organised by Great Run.

[Stephen_UK Half Marathon]

Hi CC. Well done on what sounds like an amazing run. Great photo too. Glad you are taking it easy now.

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to Stephen_UK]

Thanks Stephen, it was fantastic and I’m certainly taking it very easy!

[skysue16 Half Marathon]

Love the photo - happy smiles 😀 How lovely to meet up with so many VRBs! Congratulations on your time 🏅👍

[Dexy5 10 Miles in reply to skysue16]

It has to be said that we can’t call ourselves VRBs anymore skysue. We’ve met on several occasions at parkrun meet ups now and, fortunately for the rest of the forum, WhatsApp gets most of the excited chatter.

[skysue16 Half Marathon in reply to Dexy5]

😀👍 Well I am glad you are sharing some of the excitement with the rest of us! 😂

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to Dexy5]

Thank goodness for WA I hear people utter! 😅

[Dexy5 10 Miles in reply to cheekychipmunks]

Yes I think I’ve got to delete a lot of messages over the next few days!

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to Dexy5]

I have so many WA groups, I confuse myself which is which and who’s who half the time! 🤦‍♀️

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to skysue16]

It was a great meetup SS! We’re basically a few members of C25K Class of 2018 and have met up several times at races and on PR tourism. Anyone is welcome to join us! 😀

[skysue16 Half Marathon in reply to cheekychipmunks]

😀👍

[SaskAlliecat Half Marathon]

Look at that fabulous crew! Congrats on a great event!

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to SaskAlliecat]

Aww thanks Sask! 🥰

[RunWillie Metric Marathon]

Amazing! Well done team ❤️🏃‍♀️🏃🏻‍♂️cheekychipmunks Dexy5 UpTheStanley TailChaser Katnap Sandie1961 David_G Oldgirlruns Coddfish JonathanP

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to RunWillie]

Thanks RW, it was a very jolly time for runners and support crew alike!

[JonathanP 10 Miles in reply to RunWillie]

Thanks RW - quite an experience!

[TailChaser Marathon in reply to RunWillie]

Thanks RW 😍

[Oldgirlruns 10 Miles in reply to RunWillie]

It was a good team RW!

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to Oldgirlruns]

It was indeed. ❤️

[Cowladyrunning Marathon]

Lovely photo! Sounds a great race and time you had there. Very well done !

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to Cowladyrunning]

Thanks so much CLR. I was very pleased with my time, and I’m putting it down to actually fuelling myself up with a decent breakfast at 8am. It was great fun seeing everyone! 👏👏

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon]

Looks lovely! That's a brilliant PB too. Back next year for another one!!!

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to linda9389]

Yep, already entered and got a great Early Bird deal! Maybe we can tempt you too Linda? 😀

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon in reply to cheekychipmunks]

I would like to do it again for sure - unfinished business, but maybe not next year as I've entered the Chester metric marathon which is around the same time I think 😊

[Week7 Half Marathon]

Sounds like a lovely running weekend. So lovely to see somany of the HU team together ❤

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to Week7]

Thanks W7, it was wonderful and the first time we’ve all met up as one big group since before Covid struck. 🥰

[Snail_Male Marathon]

Sounds like a great experience, very big time gain and everyone looking deservedly happy!

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to Snail_Male]

Thanks Snail_Male, we had a blast and the fact I beat my 2019 GSR time is the icing on the cake. 😀

[roseabi Ultramarathon]

Awesome!! Well done, Cheeky ♥️ After reading all these reports I've gone and signed up for GSR '22 😊😊😊

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to roseabi]

Oh brilliant roseabi! You’ll need to join our rapidly growing meetup! 👏👏👏

[Oldgirlruns 10 Miles in reply to roseabi]

And hopefully we’ll get to meet you there roseabi!

[over61andstilltrying 10 Miles]

13 minutes knocked off your time!!!! Wow, wow and double wow! Many congratulations! I do hope that you had a lovely sleep. Thank you for telling us about your wonderful day and for the lovely photo. 😊🏃‍♀️👏🎉💥🏁🏅

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to over61andstilltrying]

Aww thanks over61, it was such an uplifting weekend and wonderful to see everyone. 🥰 I thoroughly enjoyed the race and found it so much easier than in 2019. Almost certainly due to eating a proper pre-race breakfast which I never normally do. 😀

[over61andstilltrying 10 Miles in reply to cheekychipmunks]

Thoroughly enjoying a 10 mile race does sound quite incredible! I am wondering what this proper pre-race breakfast included. It seems to take a long time to digest my food. Now the light for before breakfast runs has nearly gone I'm having to re discover just soon after eating I can run.

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to over61andstilltrying]

Well over61andstilltrying , ordinarily I run on empty, or have a banana if it’s a longer run. This time, with our wave not starting until 11am, there was plenty of time to have 2 pieces of toast and marmalade and most of a bowl of berries with natural yoghurt at 8am. I began to feel quite full and didn’t want to risk any “issues” on course! It worked a treat and it was my most comfortable long run ever. I didn’t hit the wall and I didn’t even need jelly babies!

Wish I’d done the same for the Bristol HM, where I wilted hugely at 10 miles. Lesson learned!

[over61andstilltrying 10 Miles in reply to cheekychipmunks]

Thank you for your reply, so perhaps 2½hours to digest before running. Because of the lack of light, I have been walking with my husband after breakfast and then run on. This is proving too soon after eating for me, but at least there is a knock on effect of forcing me to run more slowly to try and avoid feeling sick. I definitely prefer running before breakfast. Always more to learn. 🏃🏻‍♀️😊

[TailChaser Marathon]

And chasing up the tail as usual…! Sorry, tiredness and work have got in the way of doing anything HU like. Lovely post Cheeky. It was a wonderful weekend, congrats on your amazing PB. See you same time, same place next year 😀

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to TailChaser]

Thanks TC. I was pleased as punch with how the race went, and didn’t hit a wall at all. I’m sure breakfast helped! You were epic as ever! 💥💥

Definitely looking forward to next year, but something tells me there will be some PR tourism before then! 😀

[TailChaser Marathon in reply to cheekychipmunks]

I suspect so too 😀👍👍

[RunBrianRun Half Marathon]

Fabulous run cheeky! And how lovely to meet up with so many VRBs. All these GSR posts have inspired me to enter next year’s event. It would be lovely to meet a few of the HU members too. 👍

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to RunBrianRun]

Oh I’m so glad Brian. It would be great to meet you! We had such fun this weekend. 😀

[RunBrianRun Half Marathon in reply to cheekychipmunks]

Even if I’m not running, I’ll come along to support you all. I have a bell you know. 😀 Would be lovely.

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to RunBrianRun]

Fabulous! 🔔😅🎉

[aliboo70 Half Marathon]

Congratulations Cheeky!lovely photo 😊xxx

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to aliboo70]

Aww thanks aliboo. 🥰

[Katnap Marathon in reply to aliboo70]

You can join us next year aliboo!

👻🐱 Spooky Katnap 🐱👻

[Irish-John Marathon]

Well done

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to Irish-John]

Thanks I-J 😀

[grumpyoldgirl]

Looks like half the forum turned up for this race - and half of those are in the photo! 😁It's a fab photo, and such a cheerful report😊

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to grumpyoldgirl]

Thanks GOG! It’s a wonderful race and fairly easy to get to for most of us southerners and midlanders and of course for visiting northerners too! 😀

[SkiMonday Ultramarathon]

Nice one, knocking off 13 minutes there CC. Did your evening go to plan?

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon in reply to SkiMonday]

Thanks SM, I was very happy with how the race went, and the evening before was fabulous too. 😀