Great North Run 2011

Given the time till the GNR, IMHO, you'll probably end up doing worse if you keep pushing whilst tired / sore than taking a few days off and recovering properly.

On the other hand, I tried my Skins Recovery tights for the first time yesterday. Did a 13 mile LSR, stuck them on after a shower and kept them on till bed time. Legs feel fine today :)
 
#Chri5# said:
Given the time till the GNR, IMHO, you'll probably end up doing worse if you keep pushing whilst tired / sore than taking a few days off and recovering properly.

On the other hand, I tried my Skins Recovery tights for the first time yesterday. Did a 13 mile LSR, stuck them on after a shower and kept them on till bed time. Legs feel fine today :)
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Yeah, your probably right, but unfortunately I have to battle with my stubbornness, lol. If I felt really bad or tired I would take time off, or at the very lest back off a bit and just do some shorter distances.

Well today I had a Forest Gump moment. The plan was to go about 8miles, which is 0.5 miles up on my PB. Decided to run a different route today, as the Sunday market blocks my usual route along the quayside. So I set off heading east along the river. Really nice route with a mix of views and running surfaces and a few nasty hills thrown in there for good luck. After just over 2 miles I found myself about a 100 yards behind another runner who was running at the same pace, or a tiny bit faster than me. So I ended up using him as a pace setter and it seemed to really help.

Usually I run 4 miles, take a little break by running or jogging, then turn round and run back. But this time I got to the 4 mile mark and felt strong, so I carried on following the other runner. I got to 6.2(10K) and still felt fine, so carried on. 7.5miles (my previous best) passed, the 8 mile target passed and soon after the other runner stopped and I passed him. But by now I could see the sea, so though it would be rude not to carry on. Ended up running 10miles which got my to the seaside! Took me 1 hour 29 minutes. I know I should take it easy and not increase the distance too fast, but I am really happy with this distance and felt strong throughout the run and really enjoyed it.

Problem is I had set out with just my keys and a bottle of water. I didn't have any cash or a phone with me, so once I got to the seaside, I then had a 10mile walk back home, lol. I hammered that out at about 4mph, so this morning I have done over 20miles, lol. I feel a bit sore and achey, but really not that bad considering the distance I have done. I also have a few blisters, but they don't hurt at all so that's ok.

Anyway, that was today's run. 10 Mile run and a 10 Mile walk back to back. Really pleased with myself and really enjoyed it as well. :)
 
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This weeks session was similar to last weeks. Did 21 miles in total. 10.5 miles running, and 10.5 miles walking at a brisk pace back. This week felt a lot harder than last week. Had to put a couple of short walking breaks in my run, especially after the big long hill 2 miles in. It took me a good 5 miles to really settle into the run and find my rhythm. I think the lack of a pace setter and running the day after a gym day probably didn't help.

I did however take my new CamelBak Octane XCT 2011 for a spin;

It works pretty nicely. It lets me have both my hands free, while carrying far more water than the bottle held. It also allows me to carry my phone, keys, first aid kit and some food without being able to feel it's there. One bonus of the Camelbak is that I can remove the water reservoir and add it to my Trekking rucksack which is nice.

On a final note, I have now also signed myself up to the Gateshead 10K run on the 17th July. Should act as a pretty good rehearsal for the GNR. :)
 
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1 week left until the big day.. eeek! :eek::D

I have been putting in runs most weeks, although I maybe haven't trained quite as hard as I could have. MY longest run has been 10.5 miles, but I am still perfectly confident that I can run the full distance of the GNR. I'm still also aiming for a sub 2hr time. From all my training runs I am on target for 1:50ish time, but with the crowds of people I suspect this may be a bit slower.

So who else here are running?

Btw, I am running for the Alzheimers Society as my dad was diagnosed with possible early onset of the disease last year. If anyone here has been affected by the disease in some way, or just likes the idea of me exhausting myself then please feel free to donate to a great cause;

http://www.justgiving.com/Alasdair-Fowler

Any amount, little or large would be greatly appreciated. :)
 
I may see you in the charity village at the end as my wife works for Alzheimer's society so I volunteer in the tent. If you see someone with a badge saying Tom then say hello and I'll chuck you an extra mars bar or something.
Good luck
 
MoNkeE said:
Ali, do you know where i can park for the start/finish for this? I'll be taking my bro up as he's doing it you see!
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As heed says, I would try and stay away from the start/end/city centre. Try and park by one of the outer metre stations and come in that way? My mum and dad are coming and will just park outside our flat near Ouseburn, then take the metro out to South Shields.

heeeed said:
I may see you in the charity village at the end as my wife works for Alzheimer's society so I volunteer in the tent. If you see someone with a badge saying Tom then say hello and I'll chuck you an extra mars bar or something.
Good luck
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Nice one. I look like this;

260929_733723288_334931474_n.jpg


And will be wearing white & red clothes. Give me a shout of you see me. :)
 
You will find it impossible to park anywhere near the end. South Shields is pretty much cut off, and so is the finish. With only 1 route in and out open, the roads are too bad!

Happily, Im not in South Shields this year :D.
 
Hi guys! I'm Monkee's brother. I had a great day doing this and my official time was 2hours 1minute and 33seconds which I feel is ok for my first time at ever running a half marathon and that being the greatest distance I've ever run (previously was 10miles in 1hr:30mins) I would love to do this again next year and start my training a bit more than in advance than I did this year as I left it a little late and to push for as under 2hours as I can!
 
http://www.greatrun.org/results/default.aspx?r=222&bib=39479
1:55:38 Happy with that for my first half marathon! :D

BenjiSayers said:
Hi guys! I'm Monkee's brother. I had a great day doing this and my official time was 2hours 1minute and 33seconds which I feel is ok for my first time at ever running a half marathon and that being the greatest distance I've ever run (previously was 10miles in 1hr:30mins) I would love to do this again next year and start my training a bit more than in advance than I did this year as I left it a little late and to push for as under 2hours as I can!
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Well done! Great day wasn't it? The weather was pretty good, and the crowds were really supportive. I started in the Green zone which was slower than I would have liked to have been in, so I had to do quite a lot of weaving in and out of the masses. Could maybe have made it closer to 1:50 with less people, but still pleased with my result. Some people there are amazing though. One guy ran it with a 40kg fridge on his back! Someone else in the 80+ age category did it in 1:25:18!!! Top day and a great excuse to eat flapjack and chocolate now! :D
 
http://www.greatrun.org/Results/default.aspx?r=222&bib=29494

It was an amazing day and I really hope I am able to do it again. I started in the final White zone so I had a fair bit of weaving to as well and think I could've touched just sub 2hours if it wasn't for that. There seemed to be certain points of the run that were quite

I know what you mean too some of other runners where phenomenal it was making me laugh when people on full on costumes were sailing past me and it was hardly like I was going at a crawl. Im very tempted to see if there are any other half or short runs I can do now :)
 
That might be the same man that dressed as a banana that flew past me. I practically had to do a double take! All I could think to myself was that he was 'keen' doing it in that as when the sun was out it was actually rather warm.
 
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