#great north run

[insidecroydon]

Coulsdon's Tiernan is running together to help NHS charities

Ha’way the lads and lasses: 60,000 are expected to start Sunday’s Great North Run, including many running for NHS charities Sunday’s Great North Run, Britain’s biggest road running event, will include 600 runners taking part to raise funds for NHS charities. One of them will be Coulsdon’s Antony Tiernan. Funds raised during the half-marathon will provide vital support to the NHS, whether that’s…

[blindsteve]

Running Blind: Upgrading My Running Kit

Image shows Steve in the middle of the image running wearing his new blind runner t-shirt and new trainers and shorts. The back drop of the image is a rural pathway through trees with grassy bank sides. Hello running blind fans, so after the last run seemed more successful I was starting to think this running thing was a goer. It was time to address my running fashion faux pas. After all my…

[activeady]

My First Running Video // Great North Run Training // Living With Runner...

[ukjournal]

The AJ Bell Great North Run: A Half Marathon Like No Other

The Great North Run is renowned for its inclusive atmosphere. Elite athletes, first-time runners, charity fundraisers, and those running for personal achievement all come together at the starting line. It caters to a diverse array of motivations and goals, making it an event for everyone. Know more...

[f8ie]

the Great North Run

September 10 2023 was my very first time participating in the Great North Run, an event that had held a special place on my bucket list since childhood. It was also my first half-marathon where I didn't stop.

This was Mo Farah's last ever race before his retirement and I was very happy to be part of it. With 60,000 participants in scorching hot weather, the race day began with a massive queue and by the time I crossed the starting point, Mo Farah and the elite runners had already completed the race!

As I began running, I quickly realized that my pace was 10 minutes and 30 seconds per mile, which I knew was too fast for me. However, with the weather turning cloudy and cooler, I felt good and decided to maintain this pace. After covering 5 miles, I adjusted my goal to finish at least 11 minutes per mile. By mile 8… I was exhausted and I was just determined to finish without stopping, regardless of the pace.

If ever you do GNR, consider having your family or support team cheer you on near the last 2 and 1-mile markers. The temptation to give up becomes remarkably strong at that point, and hearing someone just shout "GO [YOUR NAME]!!!" can help you push through the pain and exhaustion. Kudos to all those strangers shouting my name near the finish line! You have no idea how you have helped me get through all the negative thoughts at that time.

I was overwhelmed with a sense of accomplishment when I finished. My training for the Great North Run started in January. I followed a daily plan that meticulously broke down each activity. As I progressed through this journey, through the running, strength training, stretching, lazy days, injured days, rainy days, rest days and sunny days, I found myself pondering, "Why on earth am I doing this?"

When I initially signed up, I was motivated by someone really special in my life and raising money for BHF. However, as I neared my goal and exhaustion set in, I came to realize that I was now doing it for myself.

The question became: Can I show up for what I told myself I was going to do?

This challenge had become a personal test of my commitment and determination because recently I have been failing a lot and quitting on things quite easily in other aspects of my life - which resulted in me being stagnant.

Surprisingly, I completed the half-marathon despite never running the full 13.1 miles in one go during training. I am grateful to my past self for choosing that even on the days when I despised strength training and stretching (and trust me, there were plenty of those days!) I still went ahead. I admit there are times when I didn't give my 100%, but the consistency of just showing up daily paid off when the time came to perform.

I felt so much love primarily from my family, who took time off to be there and meet me at the finish line. Thankful to my friends and colleagues (30 supporters) who sponsored me and made donations to my chosen charity, the British Heart Foundation. Going back to work, I was surprised by the messages from colleagues and they wanted to know how it went.

In a nutshell, this half-marathon taught me:

The importance of having a goal

The value of breaking that goal into daily tasks with designated timeframes

The significance of setting a deadline for this goal

How to find fun or seek help on challenging days

The benefits of self-reflection, including recording progress, gathering statistics, and seeking feedback from peers

Taking breaks when needed - BE PATIENT!

The reminder that there will always be people (maybe not all) rooting for your success!

While some may find these lessons obvious or have learned them when they were younger, for me, this half-marathon was the defining moment when I truly grasped the essence of GRIT and SMART goals which hopefully I can use to take on any challenges in my life. (Dramatic as that sounds, I am still saying it.)

Finishing time: 1h 27 minutes Position: 25654

[blindsteve]

Running Blind: Overcoming the Initial Obstacles

Image shows the Tyne Bridge crossing the River Tyne with Newcastle Quayside on the left and Gateshead on the left with the Glasshouse concert centre under the bridge. Hey there, welcome back. I left you at a point where I was struggling after my first run with several issues. Firstly the realisation that running solo as a blind runner was going to be more difficult than I expected. Secondly my…

[milliondollarbaby87]

Running: Great North Run 2021

Running: Great North Run 2021

Time: 1:47 The controversy surrounding the Great North Run in 2021 had been massive when they announced the route would be changed and no longer finish in South Shields. It would be in Newcastle to Gateshead and then back to Newcastle to finish. Obviously living in South Shields and walking home from the finish line I wasn’t overly happy about this either, but I had already paid for my place and…

[cumbriacrack]

Man runs 150k to help hospice With so many major fundraising events cancelled this year one Carlisle man decided to organise his own challenge and ran 5k every day for a month to raise vital funds for a hospice service Full story: https://www.cumbriacrack.com/2020/10/26/man-runs-150k-to-help-hospice/

[f8ie]

This is pancit! I have signed up for the Great North Run, a half-marathon that has been on my bucket list since I was a kid. I have been living in the North East for most of my life, yet I only learned today that the GNR is the world's largest half-marathon, with people from all over the world taking part even Mo Farah and other famous athletes.

There are four ways to participate:

Join the AJ Bell GNR membership for £70 for three years. This will secure your place and you get a shirt.

Enter the general ballot for £59 to be placed in a draw. If you are not chosen, they will refund the money.

Run for a charity, which is what I did. I had to pay £30 to sign up and raise at least £500 for the chosen charity, which in my case is the British Heart Foundation (BHF). I've always wanted to run for them, for a special person who went through congenital heart disease, and I've been volunteering in their shops since I was a teenager.

Sign up as an Elite runner - You have to have a finishing time of 1 hour 30 minutes (for women) to even make it onto the list.

For option 3 I've set up a JustGiving page. To fundraise I was thinking of sell my stuff, my mum's home made greeting cards, bake banana bread, sell plants, and make little cat crochet keyrings.

We are all encouraged to join the TeamBHF on Facebook.

***Update for March: After signing up, I was connected to Full Potential, a personal coaching company for all BHF runners. I had to fill out a Google form to provide my current health status, including how much exercise I do in a week, etc. They responded with a very comprehensive guide and a daily schedule for my training. The schedule includes information on running, rest days, types of runs, and strength training, covering the period from March 13 to race day, with an additional 2 weeks for recovery afterward. I used Google Calendar to map out all of my training to remind me and use Strava to collect data on my workouts and runs. I used my Apple watch to time my pace and heart rate. I also used Nike Training Club for my strength training exercise (my favourite is Bettina Gozo and Brian Nunez).

Somewhere in the middle of my training, around July, we had a Zoom call with Full Potential's Keith and Debbie. They asked about our progress and if we had any questions. It was a great opportunity to feel like a part of Team BHF. Throughout the training, we received numerous reminders and updates via email about what we needed to do. Weeks before the race day, I experienced some discomfort in my right hip. I contacted Full Potential, and Keith called me to discuss my hip. He advised that I rest and take it easy for two weeks before the race day.

During this training period, I felt well taken care of as a volunteer running for BHF. Full Potential and BHF were easily contactable and they reply very quick. Although I was disappointed that the T-shirt didn't arrive on time, in hindsight, I should have followed up earlier and faster, considering they were dealing with so many people.

SEPTEMBER: In the weeks leading up to the race, I had recurring dreams that I wouldn't be able to run because I forgot my bib. I was very anxious because I was bringing the car to the UK through the ferry for the first time and was filled with dread about crashing and not being able to participate. Thankfully, we arrived safely on Saturday after a 4-5 hour drive. Had a carb loading night eating bacon carbonara with my family. I was just really happy that we are complete for the first time after 5 years :). *RACE DAY*

I had breakfast at 7:30 am, which consisted of apple and cinnamon oatmeal. We arrived in Newcastle around 8:30 am and parked in Eldon Square. However, I learned that this was too early, as the race was scheduled to start at 10:45 am, but the massive crowd caused a long queue (I was in section J which is the last), and I didn't get to run until 1:00 pm. By the time I started, I was quite hungry.

Arriving in the venue there was so much hype that my family was encourage to also take part for next year. Everyone was just so cheery and we were blessed with a nice weather... in my opinion a bit too hot that I was concern I might black out. I received a free hot drink from Greggs, one of GNR's sponsors, but I gave it to my parents because I didn't want upset my stomach. I didn't bother bringing a water bottle since there were plenty of water stations along the route to keep me hydrated. In my pockets, I had Rowntrees fruit pastels for a quick energy boost. Since it was sunny, I decided not to bring my waterproof jacket. I timed my consumption, having 1 or 2 fruit pastilles and sipping water every 3 miles. Overall, I drank at least 3-4 bottles of water and didn't need to use the toilet.

There were many portable toilets, especially at the starting point of the race (not the beginning of the queue), and buses were available to transport our belongings to South Shields. Fortunately, I was with my family, so they carried my stuff.

At the very start of the race, there were so many people that it determined my pace because it was just too crowded. Some people were even carrying random items like a washing machine, a cardboard airplane, dressed up as a rhino or carrying a model of the Tyne Bridge as their personal challenge.

I tried to mentally document every mile:

1 - Going too fast 2 - Still fast and feeling confident that I can maintain this pace 3 - Feeling a stitch, so slowing down. 4 - Trying not to get too upset about slowing down 5 - Getting tired, so slowing down more but trying to stay positive 6 - The stitch moved from the left to the right side of my body, and I had my first Rowntrees 7 - Saw people needing an ambulance twice, which made me a bit scared that I might need it too 8 - Developed a bit of a tummy ache, considered going to the toilets but saw the long queue and changed my mind

Saw the British Heart foundation bus - (so every charity has it's bus dedicated to it) there is a photographer that takes photos of all those running in behalf of them - they distinguish who they are by the tshirt that the runners are wearing, which I was not able to get on time. So they were not able to take a photo of me. 9 - Left side of my body is hurting and feels heavy, particularly my chest. Shaking and stretching my shoulders to awaken my left side. 10 - Questioning my life choices, wondering why I'm putting myself through this. 11 - I'm almost there!!! There are shower places which you can go through like a car wash to give you a bit of a cold wet breeze which I didn't like. Some kid had a water gun and i moved away because I don't actually like getting wet but somehow he still squirted water on my eye. 12 - Questioning why is this mile so long? 13 - Just sprinting and closing my eyes until I reach the finish line. I heard people scream my name which gave me a little bit of push to sprint. Reached the finish line. My head is throbbing, I kept walking, feeling all the pain in my legs. I want to see my family so I can go and eat all the carbs I can think of.

After finishing the race, I can say that my overall experience of the GNR was amazing! The crowds was buzzing and you can really feel the people coming together to celebrate this event. People coming out of their houses offerings sweets, beer, orange slices and even sprinkling water to combat the summer heat. I truly enjoyed it and I believe it was very well organized and a great example of excellent event planning. (I mean it's been going on for 42 years). I knew where to go both before starting the race and after finishing it. There was an app that allowed my family and colleagues to track my progress by showing which miles I had completed, my pace, and the estimated time of my finish.

After crossing the finish line, there was a clear path to follow. First, there was a water station, then you received your medal, followed by a giveaway station where you lined up based on your T-shirt size (only 3 choices). In the giveaway bag, you received popcorn, an energy bar, and your finisher T-shirt. Then you were directed to the photo wall, and you could easily locate your family as the meeting points were organized by letter.

Unfortunately, it rained so heavily minutes after I finished that it flooded South Shield's metro. It caused a congestion as everyone just want to go home all at the same time. I wanted to experience the Apre-Run Zone or just get a massage but it was just too wet and we just wanted to go home. In hindsight if I ever get to do this again. 09:00 - eat breakfast 10:00 - arrive in Newcastle 10:45 - be in line 13:00 - run! BOOK A HOTEL/B&B in South Shields to avoid that chaos if ever it rains again. One might want to park there because at least you are in the car when it rains but seeing the traffic it was probably faster to walk 3 miles and get to the nearest open metro.

Overall I am glad I am able to cross this off my bucket list. I will probably not do this again alone, but if any of my family members are up for it I might do it with them. I have learned so much triaining for this and in the future I hope to be able to do the London Marathon if given the chance.

[newsbunddle]

Decision on staging London Marathon 2020 delayed until next month

Decision on staging London Marathon 2020 delayed until next month

[ad_1]

 A decision on whether this year`s London Marathon can be held has been pushed back until August 7, the organisers said on Monday.

The event, originally scheduled for April 26, was postponed to October 4 after the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the international sporting calendar in March.

In an open letter to all participants on Monday, event director Hugh Brasher said the delay was due to…

[transparentdreamruins]

[notasapleasure]

The green girders signify whatever you like... The green girders signify whatever you like...

[25 minutes of bliss]

[newsandmediarepublic]

New Year, New You: 2020 Fitness Events in The North East

New Year, New You: 2020 Fitness Events in The North East

The start of a New Year is always a great opportunity to get some new, healthy habits into your routine. But many of us allow our good intentions to fade fast — more than 80% of people give up on their resolution six weeks into the New Year. However, we’re encouraging you to get motivated and change up your resolution by committing to one of these brilliant fitness events happening in the North…

[midnightiscoming-kasabian]

A message from Tom for @Bodie_Hodges Great North Run (08/09/19) 👉Video👈

[adventureswithartie]

Ran my first half marathon today in memory of my mum and stepdad.

Absolutely elated, emotional, overwhelmed and proud of myself.

My only goal (aside from finishing of course) was to run without stopping, which I managed to do, though the last 800m took a hell of a lot of mental strength and telling myself “you can fucking do this.”

[blindsteve]

Running Blind: Learning to Run again for fitness

Image shows the Tyne Bridge crossing the River Tyne with Newcastle Quayside on the left and Gateshead on the left with the Glasshouse concert centre under the bridge. Hello adventurers, I have already shared my passion for adventure and with this comes a desire and need to keep fit. This has wained somewhat during the years since Covid lockdowns meaning I have gained a little more weight than I…