Great North Run 2009

Its billed as the World's largest half marathon event. Its got more than 50,000 runners and when you get there its on a scale that blows you away. So many people milling about and organisation on a miltary scale. I got offered a place at the last minute from a friend who could not make the run. I was of course very happy to take it on as I know places are hard to come by.

When I checked the course last week I was surprised to see it's not a circular course, so you don't end up back where you started. You start just north of Newcastle and run through the town and into Gateshead and then out to the coast at the seaside resort of South Shields :O).

I slept poorly on Saturday night, having nightmares about not being able to run and about being late for the start. I'm up early and down for breakfast. I down two packets of Alpin and two Weetabix. A plate of grapefuit segments(Citrus fruits are not recommended by athletes but I do like them). A couple of bananas and I'm all set.

They run a taxi shuttle service to the event at a very respectable £3 each. I'm there early at 8:50am for a 10:30am start :O) I walk down the start line which is broken into coloured segments. It takes up both sides of a motorway and its over a km long....I find my bag bus(to take my gear to the other end of the race). I have a seat in the sun and get my music on and drink an iso and eat a couple of Gels.

I'm in the start area for 10am as after 10:10am they make you just join at the back rather than in your selected group. Sun shining and Mr Motivator is doing his best to warm up the troops. You can feel the nerves of the group around me.

We're off and I'm through the start in 2min:37seconds so I was quite close to the startline. Its an easy start and mainly downhill into town before you get to the iconic Tyne Bridge. As we go under the tunnels people are shouting out and the crowd and runners all join in. There are thousands of supporters, the atmosphere is electric.

I cross the bridge and climb into Gateshead. Its to be the first climb of many today. We go through Gateshead and its pretty flat and I'm lulled into a false sense of well being. The heat is starting to build up and already a girl has fallen in front of me after clipping the heels of a guy in front as she tried to cut through the crowd of runners. At 5K I'm at 23minutes and feeling generally OK but a little windy on the hilly sections. It usually wears off later.

I feel as though its been a non stop climb out of Gateshead, nothing really steep, just a relentless gradient. You can just see the people in front rising into the distance. At 10K I'm at 47minutes and so pace wise I'm fine for a 1:40 finish. I've not taken anything onboard regarding drinks as I find it ruins my concentration and I struggle to keep motivated.

Its getting hot at the 15K mark and I know I need to take on fluid. I drink water and an Isotonic drink and as predicted it blows my momentum. The next hill forces me to drop the pace to over 5:30min per km. I just can't keep it any faster. Its a mix of mental weakness and tired legs. The crowds during the run also stifle my pace on and off and I find it hard to get into a steady beat.

At 17K I'm blowing like a steam train, really struggling and my head is wandering all over the place. I take another drink and walk through the drink station getting my head together. I start off again and get a reasonable pace going. At 19K I feel the end is coming and so I get the finishing energy burst that always magically appears. We drop onto the shore at South Shields and the crowds are heaving both sides of the road. The sun is shining and its a great day. I can see the end its just 1.5 km away....

We're heading down the front and I see Gordon Ramsey in front, I pass him with a km to go and he is walking and saying to his friend that his legs are like jelly, probably aspic I think but don't say.

I go over the line and the clock says 1:50 so I know my time is under 1:50 as it took me a couple of minutes to reach the start line. The internet finish time was recorded at 1:47:44. A full 7 minutes slower than Glasgow but the heat, crowds and most of all the hills have all taken their toll.

I'm glad to be finished. Its an amazing event and seeing all the charity runners with photos of friends and loved ones on their T-Shirts has been a real eye opener for me, I tip my hat to them all. They have restored my faith in humanity.

At 17K I was never running again and would have walked off the course if it was a training session and no one else was around. At finish plus 15 minutes I'm certain I want to do it again next year......

Up and out

I was planning to run yesterday but my legs still felt tired and I was feeling a bit worn out in general, so I didn't go out. I knew this meant I would run today Sunday as I'm travelling most of this week coming.

I got up about 9 and went straight out. I was thinking about 18K but Team Kennedy manager suggested I should keep it low key given the proximity of my race last Sunday and my race to come next Sunday plus reminding me of the experience of the hard 10K on Tuesday. I re-adjusted my mindet to just a 10K.

The start felt good and I had no real pain and setting the pace was easy and I soon hit the 5K mark in 22:50. As I climbed the school hill I really started to feel the pace in my legs and my speed dropped off to 5:30 km pace and slower. I just could not go any faster and my legs and lungs were both complaining loudly.

After the hill I got a slight second wind and managed a 49:08 10K time which although not fast for me was hard work and a good effort. I was glad to get it over early and get in for breakfast and a read of the papers knowing I'd already done my bit for the day.

10K leg stretcher - legs like lead

Did a 10K to see how my legs were recovering. Pretty painful at the start but eased off a little but there was no energy. At 5K mark I was 26 minutes and I walked for 200m as the heat(25C) was getting to me.

I ran the remaining 5K but it was very difficult and I really had to work at it. I had little or no energy in my legs and I had no will left to push myself above and beyond. Obviously you only have so much reserves with regards to the ability to push the boundaries of performance. I just could not go any faster and I felt dead on my feet. I finished in 51:33 and was very happy to be done.

Glasgow Half Marathon 2009

So I'm back at the place where it all started a year ago. Weather looked OK early on with overcast but no wind. Glasgow was as you can imagine heaving with people and a lot of pre race tension was written on the faces.

I felt pretty good with no injury or illness worries. Team Kennedy manager and I met up with old friends and we kept up a good rate of nervous chatter with a good exchange of medicines, lotions and potions going on pre race topped with frequent visits to the toilets.

The start is staggered so they pulse people through the start in groups based on your original estimated finish time. I can't remember what I'd put on the application but I was in the white section which was third group to go after the wheelchair athletes and the elites. I took my position right at the very back.

The start was delayed a little but eventually the wheelchair athletes started then the elites went off. The cattle fodder followed on like wee sheep, although the ones at the front set off at what looked to me like a full on sprint.

I go through the start line without too much bother and up and away. After the first km or so you climb and then drop down onto the ramp to the Kingston Bridge that crosses the Clyde at the west end of Glasgow city centre. The road narrows a bit here and it became obvious lots of people were in the wrong group or were starting very very slowly.

I spent most of the time on the bridge threading through folks and even passed a guy who had stopped for a rest after about 3km. This was a forced slow down my usual quick first few km's. So it may not have been a bad thing. At the 5km mark I was at 24 minutes which is a good pace but not overly quick for the first 5km for me.

The rain was now on pretty constant and you needed to keep up a pace to keep comfortable. I passed the first water stop but my race plan was take nothing on during the race at all. I'd found previously at Alloa that eating or drinking broke my concentration and during my training as the runs got longer I needed less and less for anything under two hours of effort. The weather conditions being very cool also reduced any need for fluids.

I found the course to be less hilly than I remembered and the climb into Pollock park and 10K mark at (48 minutes)went past without any problem. As I left Pollock Park my race plan was to lift my pace for from that point for the last 8K. I was however finding it hard to keep my pace never mind lift it. I was 1:12 at the 15K mark so knew that 5 minute km's would get me under the 1:45 which was my target. So that gave me a boost as I knew that every minute that my pace was kept faster than 5mins per km that I was skimming time off. In the last few km's any slight incline was killing my legs and keeping the pace better than 5min/km was getting progressively more difficult(as you can see from the photo). I had a speed alarm on my watch so I was getting pinged when my pace went slower than 5min/km or faster than 4:15/km. My split times were all pretty even so that approach worked. I think the secret is setting the pace at a reasonable and achieveable level.

The route was slightly different this year and I got surprised by my proximity to the finish. As I rounded the last corner a guy behind me said come on then lets finish this and we both broke for the line. It was still a good 300m to go so a fair distance. I went over with the clock showing 1:42:30 and I knew I was well in as I'd only went over the start line around the 2 minute mark. My watch was saying 1:40:20 so I was a bit gutted not to dip my toes into the 1:30's, although it would be a little cheekily. Official time was 1:40:48 so a little out from my personal timing.

Team Kennedy Manager finished in 2:00:33 in a run that was hindered by the knee problem she
picked up two weeks ago. A good time for a first ever competitive race and a great effort in taking on a half marathon as her first race. I think she'll be back next year.

Hat tip to Dougie for pulling off a fantastic 1:41:57 after only a few weeks training(don't you just hate people like that :O) )and Chico who finished in 2:00:58 in a race that he said he had to fight for every mile.

We headed off for a big pasta lunch and some well deserved Peroni's...

As a dessert I've been offered a place at the Great North run in two weeks, so I'm pretty excited about that given the scale of the event and its a great incentive to keep up the training for another few weeks.

Last 10K - I think

Round in 45:50 and pace wise it felt easier than yesterday and only 1 minute slower. Windy and cold so probably a good dummy run for Sunday as the Glasgow weather forecast looks typical for December :O).

Team Kennedy manager did no training as her knee is still sore and pre race nerves are kicking in. I see the initial symptoms of the fear with only a few days to go so her adrenal gland is kicking in nicely. I'm more excited for her than for myself...

winding down - 10K

Rain comes at last to Belgique, first serious rain and colder temperature for a good few weeks. 10K in 44:50 , started well, dipped in the middle a bit and finished well. Could have ran on so still something left I think. I won't be able to keep that pace for for 21K but after a weekend where I endulged a wee bit too much in the Vin Rouge and beers I'm happy my fitnesss wasn't affected negatively. Team Kennedy manager clicked off a 10K today as well. One more run each I think and we're done.