Great North Run - advice re accommodation & generally please!

[onedev]

I'm doing the Great North Run this year for the first time & haven't yet booked accommodation. Naturally everything in the area is booked by those better organised than me so I was wondering where people would recommend staying that means we don't have too far to travel on the Sunday?

There are 5 of us (2 adults & 3 boys aged 5, 3 & 1) & we'll be travelling up from Solihull. TIA

Also, as it's my first time doing it (& only the 2nd ever time I'll have done a half marathon) any hints or tips on the course will be gratefully received.

[onedev]

Bump

[onedev]

Another bump!

[PotteringAlong]

You can get the metro to haymarket which is the start so I would stay somewhere on a metro line.
Tyne and wear metro
Probably Sunderland would be your best bet.

Alternatively, the number 21 bus goes from Durham to Newcastle so you could look at staying somewhere in durham / Chester-le-street / low fell.

Good luck!

[savoycabbage]

When is it? My mother has an empty house on the river Tyne in south shields. She has rented it out before for the GNR but it's up for sale at the moment so she hasn't this year.

I don't know what's in it furniture wise but it could not be in a better location!

[PrincessOfChina]

No advice on accommodation as we stayed with friends when I did it a few years ago.

In terms of the course, and the day generally.

Make sure you're there very early - there are 50,000 people taking park so everything takes a long time.

Take an old jumper to discard at the start.

You're grouped in pens according to the time you stated you will run. Your number is coloured according to this and you can move backwards but not forwards.

Plan your water intake - we added about 30m to our time because it was a hot day and we were drinking lots, and therefore peeing lots. Queues for loos are massive.

After the start of the race it takes about 30m to an hour to actually ET everyone over the line. DP started panicking at the end over where we were but he assumed we'd set off at 10 when actually it was nearer 11.

If you want to run over the Tyne bridge (rather than under the tunnel) you need to run on the right hand side of the carriageway at te start.

The course is pretty hilly - all uphill til you get to the seaside essentially. There are level bits but it worth being prepared for hills.

Erm. That's all I can remember. Have fun!

[onedev]

Thanks so much for the advice guys.

Savoy, it's Sun 16th Sept so not long & highlights how disorganised I am!

Thanks for info re getting over start line - I can't remember what time I put when I registered (as I deferred last year due to not being ready following DC 3) but I must have put a slow time as I'm pretty much right at the back, so will tell DH not to worry when im a while getting to the finish.

Didn't realise it was so hilly & not sure how to practice that as there aren't really hills around here, so hope I'm ok .

I'll need to think about the water situation. I'm pretty much a novice with running as I only took it up after DC2 when I couldn't find the time to get to the gym & then found I enjoyed it as it was about the only 'me' time I got in the day so carried on from there!

Thanks again

[PotteringAlong]

It is a very hilly course!

[onedev]

I'm hoping that means there are some downhills also!

[PrincessOfChina]

onedev I don't want tO worry you but the only real downhill is a really drastic steep drop as you reach the seafront. It's not BIG hills all the way, more like a gental climb but it took me by surprise. It may be worth finding a run with some hills to do some training on.

It's brilliant though. So much support from locals and it's always good to do celeb spotting. We overtook Carol Vorderman :)

[Lexilicious]

looks like there are as many downs as ups to me!

I'm doing it too, onedev, and seem to be getting slower with every training run. Sprints work as well as hill training, so if you are on a treadmill, use those programs that do short fast bits amidst steady pace.

I am going to book somewhere to stay in Durham, I have the 'coach and run' service booked, but DH and DS are not going to attempt to drive in and watch the race there.

[onedev]

Thanks both. I had looked at the map but couldn't really tell anything from that tbh!

I don't run on a treadmill, just run the streets & it's pretty flat round here. There is one longer larger hill that I haven't attempted - its a gradual incline that lasts quite a while so I think I'll have to do that a few times & hopefully that will help.

Thanks again. Now to sort accommodation!

[PotteringAlong]

lex if your DH and DS want to watch they can get the train from Durham to Newcastle and then the metro out to south shields where it ends - there's lots of extra ones on that day. The end is usually great; lots of stalls / tv cameras / red arrows etc.

It's fairly easy to do by public transport.

[indiegrrl]

Try Durham if other options fail. It is 10 min train ride, with lots of regular trains. Alternatively try Ponteland which has a good bus service into the centre of Ncle.

[onedev]

Thanks for that, I'll have a look.