runners united: the one with the time running with other people

Well done possom on getting new pb.
Well done too sticky. Fantastic time too.
Hope Mo Farah washed his hands throughly after high five -ing all those people as it sounds so many them had thier knobs out .
Great report fanny, think its normal to feel a bit disappointed after there has been such a big build up and planning then its over. But you and sticky did amazing.
paws hope you feeling better soon, im sure you will be fine getting back on track
Well first night of dn staying. Just put him to bed and its all quiet, he in the same room as my boys who have been given strict instructions to show him how big boys go to bed. Sil is up and down to him normally till about 11pm, so see how it goes.

Sticky that is brilliant, well done you!

Backwards, it's all about the hills here too I am mentally (failing miserably) trying to convince myself that I am actually quite good at hills.

Don't you think it might be quite chilly for the old Caballo too? I suspect the challenge of running round Hyde Park for him will be avoiding all the pushchairs, not many of those around the copper canyons either.

Reeeeesult! Sticky, well done, you did it! You must be very proud, and tired!!!!

Yup paws, and master, t'is Micah True, THE Caballo Blanco! Of course, as he is very reclusive/elusive they could trot out any dude and we'd never know. Ha ha. Yeah master, I bet they asked where people ran in London, and everyone said Hyde Park. Am sure if he runs there he'll be . The Copper Canyons it ain't!!

Well done sticky ! Fantastic getting your sub 2.15 however close - sub 2.15 is sub 2.15. Enjoy your sleep !!

Haha master I do a lot of hill training - I don't really have much choice where I live. I love hills in the sense that I don't tend to slow down on them, so I often catch up with other runners on them :)

Well done sticky! Enjoy your well deserved rest!

Well done Fanny fantastic time considering the overcrowding - I feel I have nothing to add to the comprehensive race report! Yes, I have seen a lot of willies today...

So rhet and futurity - game on. You know how I wanted a sub 2:15? I did it in 2:14.29 according to the text from the GNR. Didn't leave much to spare! It was tricky with all the walkers. It's hard to judge - I had someone just in front of me who was the 2hr pace maker, but then a lot of the people around me started walking at 3 miles

I am so sleepy! Hardly slept last night with the excitement

Is it really Caballo Blanco? When I read the book I almost wondered if he was fictional!

I'm not shocked any more by the bare bums and knobs on display at races, though when I did the Brighton marathon I thought it was a bit much that there were people squatting down for God-knows-what literally half a mile into the race. They were literally two minutes away from the porta loos!

Great results everyone, well done. My friend has done every GNR in the last 10 years save one when she was giving birth (!) so I've said I'll try and join her next year. Maybe we could try for a mass mn GNR for charity - ideas for a silly costume theme anyone?!

I'm still suffering badly from my chesty snotty cough. Only three weeks today to the Chester marathon. I've missed out a 10 mile run and a 14 mile run over the past few days and am starting to get a creeping sense of doom over the whole thing ......

Peachy you are going to a Caballo Blanco talk? Wow, the real Caballo Blanco? I thought he was supposed to be a huge recluse? Also, in my mind's eye he's about 110 years old.

I should think going for a run around Hyde Park is probably his idea of hell.

Wheely, I too was thinking of Popsy. Come back Popsy it's been too long. Probably about time we organised another Great MN Marathon?

Loved the race report Fanny, yes difficult to find your stride in such a big race but sounds like the atmosphere, if not the willies, made up for it!!!!

Almost all the people I have ever seen flat out being helped by St Johns etc at races have been men, and youngish men at that. I wonder if they sometimes push themselves too hard, rather than adapting to conditions and end up in trouble. When I did the Reading half 2 years ago there were a group of boys in my pen and they were all hungover and I was thinking, you are mental!!!

Hurrah for your PB possum, sounds like you ran a great race, well done!!!

Got an email from the guy organising the Caballo Blanco talk tomorrow eve and he was saying CB is keen to go for a run in Hyde Park while he's here and said we could join him!!! Really wish I was running just now as I would do it if I could, although I would be eating his dust!!!! Quite excited to see what he has to say and see all the crazy runners at the talk!

Great report fanny - and well done on sub 2 hrs ! Also shocked at so many getting treatment. We were commenting on the fact that it does look like a difficult event to do a good time in because it looks so crowded all the time. I guess the trade off is having the atmosphere and lots going on to distract you from the distance .

Well done too Backward - sounds like a great race for you !

Wondering how Sticky has got on and the others who have been absent of late (esp. Popsy who used to keep this thread going at one point). Pop in and tell us if you're around !

DrNo - You can already sign up for the reminder service if you haven't seen that yet. IIRC the ballot doesn't open until the new year and one of the papers usually does a pre-ballot ballot for a couple of thousand places and if you don't get lucky with that you get put in the main ballot. Mind you, I have been unsuccessful in both twice.

Oh well done Fanny, what a great time, I can't believe you are disappointed! Dodging people is quite difficult and frustrating sounds like you managed it pretty well though.

at all the knobs out. Did DH get a photo of you finishing? I think we need to see it...

I am quite surprised to hear that so many people needed help . Do people not really prepare then for these big big HMs? That doesn't happen often here, perhaps because most of the folk are born with super speedy running genes .

And Backward, that too is an awesome result, well done. You have my total respect in dealing with hills (and loving them ?) AND weather.

SLF and Hamster, how did you get on???

Fanny fab race report, well done you. You got yourself a fab time for your first half Shocking so many people were ill. SIL said she saw lots of people getting treatment. Terrible.

But really £1 for a banana?! Wonder how much he made......

backward great report from you too and well done on your PB It's such a great feeling isn't it?

Watching GNR really makes me want to do it. Fingers crossed I get a place in 2012.

backward great report..sounds like a joy of a run despite the weather and hills which you seem to love

squix we commented on the age of the elite athletes, too. I'm fitter now than I've ever been at 28 so am hoping it only gets better. Some of the best female runners in my club are in their late 30s. :)

I love Nell too, DrNo - she's my running idol. Forget Paula, it's Nell all the way for me!

fanny you absolute legend! What a fab race report and bloody well done! Seriously awesome

My 10k today was brilliant - the weather wasn't great, wind and rain, and because it was on the coast, you can imagine just how windy it was. No shelter from it at all! I started off pretty well, about 8:30min/mile like I did a couple of weeks ago at my dreadful 10k. Got to 2 miles and was feeling fantastic, up the first big hill (where I overtook someone - I love hills, she didn't) and then it was downhill to the harbour where some friends from the club were there to cheer me on. :) Still feeling great, got to about 8k when I realised I could be on for a PB so kept up the pace. Then the hill of doom arrived at 9k and, get this, there was a pipe band playing at the top!! I caught up on a woman there and followed her to the final straight where I started sprinting and bombed past her to cross the finish in 55:55 - 3 seconds off my previous PB. Am delighted

Wonder how our other GNRunners are doing!

Brilliant time Fanny and loved your race report...felt like I was there with you.

Hope you have a good journey home, and enjoy basking in the glory...wear your medal for the next week at least!

futurity honestly, it was filth. Bell ends on show and everything! funny though.

To get a decent pace and keep it you need to be in Orange Zones (pens A to D) Yes I could have worked harder at getting past and people do but its bloody hard work speeding up then slowing, I'm not making excuses, it's a fact.... .

However I have now been spoiled by GNR being my first race as I'll do another HM and it won't shine a light to it! I can't wait to do it again!

Anyone know if I get automatic entry into next years?

Great race report! Yuk at men with knobs out at paramedics working on people and at you helping the fainting lady ..did giggle and you shoving a Snickers in her mouth!

You did so well! Seems really busy on the tv..I wonder how anyone gets a decent pace going.

Might as well do race report whilst bored sat in car....

Right. Here goes. First ever race report and race.

Up at 6.10am - felt bit nervous and excited. Cup of tea and Pain Au Chocolate then kit on and ready to go by 6.45am! DH was slightly as race was still 4 hours away however I informed him to hurry the f*ck up...

Metro quiet at this unearthly hour, few runners on and we were at Haymarket for 8.30am. Glad left in plenty of time as an hour later mass exodus of Lycra, BO and worn out trainers headed our way towards start. Was very impressed at entrepreneurial skills of the ice cream van man selling bananas at £1 EACH! Banana and water drank. Toilet stop. Jesus I feel for the poor sod who empties the Tardis's of Shit. However I was a lady and left mine in the Travelodge...

DH and DD1 headed off and I went into pen in Zone F and soon found out I was (time wise) way back than should have been but tough titty, just made it more interesting! People were fighting for space in bushes to pee in but I refused to bare my arse so cursed myself for drinking water as was dancing trying to not wet myself. Knew I'd have to stop at first portaloos on race.

Race started. Men were getting their knobs out at start line and pissing into central reservation! Even I was embarrassed...

First 3 miles kept at 8.3m/m to 9m/m pace, going over Tyne Bridge fantastic! At 3 mile mark bladder bursting so had to stop. Garmin paused but obviously can't pause chip so bit annoyed at myself for drinking too much.

Weather was fine, sunny and dry. Next few miles very busy, people starting to walk, i was struggling to get past people (was running on grass verge when could) and couldn't get much faster 9 min mile. Felt good though.

Got to 9 miles and felt it a bit. Paramedics were giving life saving procedures to a few men along the way which threw me, was quite upsetting.

Heavens opened - was torrential. Nice to cool down but going from warm to cool hard. Last 3 miles slowest, again hard to get going but felt good but knew if I pushed myself too much it'd be my downfall, my ankle twisted in a pot hole, felt it and my aim then was just to finish. I knew I'd do it

oh well done Fanny thats fantastic. You must be on such a high

Well done Fanny, my friend finished in 1.56 so will ask her if she saw a sweaty Fanny at the finish!

Wow! Well done Fanny, you did brilliantly. Can't wait to hear the gory details!

Well done to your SIL DrNo!

Missed the coverage so hoping the race reports are lengthy and descriptive!!!!

Well done Fanny!

yeah for fanny who is clearly on a massive high, look forward to report

Oh. My. Good. God. . I. Finished. It!!!!

1hr 57min - with a stop for wee so pretty pleased as it was bloody busy and I was far back in pens. 1906th female overall and 1918th person (male and female) in age group!!!!

I will update tonight with Fanny style race report although pleased to report not a skid Mark in sight....