Running For Home

My Great North Run experience was a good one this year. Not a great one but I am pleased .

I finished 2:12:48 so almost the same time as last year. Not my predicted  2:10 but I am still happy.

The last three miles (or more accurately the 2 miles between 10 and 12) were a struggle. Up until mile 10 I had been on schedule for my predicted time, but John Reid Road sucked the energy out of my legs which was only restored by the sight of the North Sea and the 12 mile marker.

 I ran the last mile in 10 minutes but the damage was done. Probably reflects the lack of consistent  training I have been able to achieve this year to build on last year's dramatic improvement.

As predicted the sister-in-law did a fast 1:54:12. Not bad for a 49 year old running novice.  At least I beat the brother-in-law by a couple of minutes. He wasn't best pleased.

We hung around at the end for a bit as the brother-in-law wanted to get a massage.There was a 40 minute wait so we decided to head off. Hanging around was a mistake,  the crowd was at its high point as the majority of runners had finished the course. In fact checking the web stats,  in the 18 or so minutes between the sister-in-law and me finishing around 10 thousand runners crossed the line.
The crush to get on the bus home was like being at a football match or gig.

However, the bus came straight back to the Haymarket via the Tyne Tunnel so I got to experience the tunnel for a second time.

Talking of football, oh Posh, oh dear. I am at London road tomorrow night. Fingers crossed we will win. I don't fancy another 350 mile round trip for no result.