I booked the Great North 10K months
and months ago when I hadn’t been running for long and 6.2 miles seemed
virtually impossible. I booked it as a good training event pre Great North Run
at the recommendation of my running coach. It was the first 10K that I booked
but has ended up being the third one I’ve done. Of course, 10K isn’t impossible
(and as the saying goes even the word itself says I’m Possible) and I’ve been
excited about it for a while.
Back in May I did the Sunderland
10k in 1 hour 19 minutes and I found it extremely
difficult. Two months of hard training and another 10k behind me (Lambton 1
hour 17) I was excited to try for a new personal best. When I booked it I estimated
a finish time of 1hour10 minutes and I was hoping that I could do this though I
knew this would be a challenge. I’ve been going to a lot of training sessions
with Dynamics Personal Fitness and this has included speed work, hills and core
strength. It hasn’t been easy but I know the hard work will pay off!
A couple of weeks ago I persuaded
my brother-in-law to sign up too. Anyone that has known us for a while, will
know how much of a turn of events this is! Whoever would have thought I’d be encouraging
Craig to sign up for a race?!
On Sunday morning, my friend
Claire picked me up bright and early and we were raring to go (bin bags at the
ready to protect us from the rain!) We were so keen, that we were the first car
in the car park! Due to the torrential downpour we decided to sit in the car
for a while so that we wouldn’t get too wet before the run. We got into our bin
bags (not as easy as it looks!) ready to embrace the weather! We made a dash
for it when the rain lessened slightly and went to meet Craig.
I suddenly began to get nervous
but once at Gateshead Stadium the nerves began to turn back to excitement.
We met with Craig and saw some
other runners we know too. We also met for a Great North Run Beer Tent photo (we
did of course remove our bin bags for the benefit of the photo!)
On our way round to the start line
we saw Hippie Lee with his camera and waved. Here is the awesome photo he took!
(Proof that Craig does smile sometimes!)
We saw some of the girls from my
Running Group (Dynamics Personal Fitness) and got a photo. I love how whenever
I go to a running event I always bump into someone I know (and have met through
running). The running community really is a happy place to be!
Craig had a white number and I
had a green number but he dropped back into green so that we could start off
together. It still feels really surreal that I am running and even more so when
I am standing waiting to run, next to my lovely brother-in-law (who’s probably
been running longer than I’ve been walking! Haha) I told Craig how excited I
was to be at the start with him and he told me he couldn’t believe it either…
and he was cursing me when he was driving to Gateshead in the pouring rain on Sunday
morning!
Once we started I wished Craig
good luck and told him I’d see him at the finish (he’s a faster runner than
me). I had worked out that I needed to run at an average pace of 11.5 minute
miles to get the pb I aimed for so I started off nice and easy to ensure I didn’t
overdo it.
I struggled to see out of my
glasses due to the rain but I just kept plodding along. About a mile and half
in I was struggling. I saw the fast runners that were running the other way and
decided to watch them as I ran to see if I knew anyone. I saw Colin Robson (South
Shields Parkrun Director) but by the time I noticed it was him I’d missed the
chance to cheer him on. He was running really fast, and the thought that he was
near the end of his run, made me think if I keep going, I’ll be there before I
know. I kept looking at the other runners as I ran in the hope I’d see some
more runners I know. Some of my running friends spotted me and shouted to cheer
me on (Andy and Jane) and this kept me going even though I was finding it
difficult. I was looking out for Craig as I reckoned that it wouldn’t be long
before I would see him. I was so happy to see him, and even happier when he
hi-fived me! It was such an amazing feeling that I saw him as we were running
and it kept me going (with a smile on my face) for at least half a mile.
I saw some other Beer Tenters and
waved at them and they waved back; it’s so nice to see a friendly face! At the
half way point Metro Radio were there cheering everyone on and encouraging us
to do an aeroplane as we looped back round. Just after this I saw my friend
Claire E) as she passed me and we gave each other encouragement as we ran. I saw Catherine, one of the girls I went to
uni with and I cheered her on too.
Another one of my running friends, Claire S,
appeared alongside me and we ran together for a while. I noticed my pace had
increased by an average of a minute a mile but I still felt reasonably ok so I
kept going (making the most of the flat while it was there). It was really nice
to have someone to talk to as I ran. I saw Sam (Colin’s fiancé - they are getting married tomorrow!) and cheered her on,
but she was so focused on her running, with her earphones in that she didn’t see/hear
me.
Claire S and I ran together for a
little while then she increased her pace for the final mile, while I wanted to
maintain (my slightly faster than planned) pace I was doing. I knew the final
hill was coming soon and I wanted to make sure I had enough energy to get up
it. I have been doing some hill training and I was really pleased with myself
for running up all of the hill. I walked a little once I got to the top but
then I was running again and I was on the final bit home.
Before I knew it, BOOM just 800m to
go. I could hear the cheers from the stadium and knew it wouldn’t be long until
I was finished. Once on the track I began to increase my speed, but then I felt
really sick. I slowed down slightly as the track was a lot bigger than I thought
it would be, but I just kept going. I knew that Craig would be finished by now
and my parents and niece were also there to see me finish. I heard someone
shout my name so I smiled (I think it might have been Hippie Lee as he was
there taking awesome photos) and I really pushed hard for a sprint finish.
I felt so emotional as I crossed
the finish line and was so excited to see my parents, Craig and Toni waving at me
from the stands. I was so unbelievably proud of myself. I waited for Claire S to
cross the finish line and we walked to get our goody bags together.
It was such an incredible feeling
to think that I had completed another 10k. My legs were heavy and I felt sick
but that soon passed when I thought about my new personal best.. 1 hour 10 (and
34 seconds!). I DID IT! Great North 10K I’m Possible!
I still find running really
difficult but it is getting easier. Only 7 weeks to go until the Great North
Run...
Whenever I think about how hard
it is, I remember why I started in the first place, to raise valuable funds for
the North East Trust for Aphasia (NETA). NETA are a brilliant charity
supporting people with communication difficulties following a stroke or other
brain injury. They are a fantastic charity and I have had the pleasure of
getting to know some of the members over the years. NETA really does makes a difference
to their lives, and if you can help support them by supporting my (difficult) journey
to the Great North Run then it really would be greatly appreciated. You can
show your support here.
Thank you so much for joining in
my journey to the Great North Run.
Lovely description :-)
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