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

[rhetorician]

all welcome to come and join in - we talk a lot on here, and are always glad of new people to natter with about running (and everything else)

and good luck to the GNR contingent

Hamster Run for fun popsycal LaLa SLF Fannybanjo

Moshi thanks - any particular make better than others? I'll have to pop out in the morning and get one. So glad road tested the one I got before - I'd have flung it on Sunday had I not used it. To be honest I'd probably manage without as could use my armband for phone - it's the Snicker bar which needs a pouch! Hmmmmm.....

sfx DD2 just a total pink princess whereas DD1 and DD3 not at all. Thanks for diet tips - yep it's me with the toilet problems!

If anyone ( Sticky may have most knowledge) can help with advice re GNR then most appreciated:

• going to get DH to drop me at a metro station on way up from staying in Durham - I know I need to get off at Haymarket - what would be best metro station for him to drop me at then he could drive towards the finish line?

• what's the best time to get to the start?

• what's the best time to eat my breakfast?!

• when it's over - does it take hours to get out of South Shields?

Thanks!

fanny - this is the fanny pack I have. No problems with it at all. Not too big and not too small.

Fanny have friends doing GNR who are staying over until Monday as they say it does take hours to get going on the journey home.....they are parking at Middlesbrough, get bus from there to start (for DH) and somewhere else on spectator route for non-running DW and DD. Have you looked at GNR website for deals like this?

Otherwise being way down south have no idea of logistics, but sounds as if it may be tricky for your DH to drive to finish (and get away again).

You must all feel like today is the day before Christmas Eve - or something like that....

Thanks Moshi I'll see what I can pick up tomorrow - I'll end up looking like Handy Manny!

Thanks Ibby - my poor mother looking after DD2 and DD3 so have to be back Sunday. Thing is - no matter how we do it, it's going to be chockablock - if DH can get parked somewhere near the finish then great, if not need to know what best to do. It does say in the GNR mag that there's plenty of parking in South Shields ! DH not the most patient of men - he'll be cursing me!

sfx - triathlon was my initial motivation but also because I can see how much better dd1's style is than mine. I also want to be able to use swimming as cross training and this will be more efficient/effective if I'm swimming properly. Am now not sure if I'll fit in a tri next year as I've also agreed with some friends to do the London to brighton bike ride and the best beginner tri's seem to be around the same time and I don't think its that fair to spend too many weekends doing stuff so we'll see.

DH could drop me at metro and I jump on train then he drives over to The Leas car parking around 9ish and he and DD find position to watch? Then he meets me in family area at finish and then we skip home holding hands, me with my medal and PB of 1hr 20min......

My word this thread >>>>>>>whoosh>>>>>>

fanny - it may be a testing day for your impatient DH... Getting away takes bloody ages. I know some in the know will park in South Shields on side streets to get away quicker, rather than on the Leas themselves (we don't because we tend to make a day of it, picnic etc - but we don't have far to go afterwards of course).

I've only tried train from Durham to Newcastle (works fine, except this year they're only running one train rather than two, so I'm a bit about how crowded it'll be. Hopefully not so much that they don't let people on at Durham). And I've driven to S Shields and took the bus back. That took ages. Looking at the site, it seems to make sense to drive to Gateshead Interchange and take the bus or metro from there to Haymarket. It is a nightmare with all the roads closing too!

I will be at the start about 8.45. With all the people about, everything takes ages, so you need to be all relaxed and not in a rush for anything imo. The pens fill up very quickly and there's a lot of chatter/banter etc so the time races by. It's a little walk from Haymarket over to the start as well (unless you happen to be a sleb, of course).

Breakfast - will no longer be with you ime!! And I can't eat much with nerves/excitement so it's toast at 7am, and a banana to go.

I take an old coat to discard at the start. I've tried to get rid of it for 2 years now, but always there's someone I know there who says they'll take it home for me... maybe this will be my lucky year for getting rid of the manky old thing!!

Seems to be a rather GNR-centric post...

oh yes - there is loads of parking at South shields - the leas is a huge grassy area - acres and acres. But with all the cars it's a nightmare to get out, it's like a funeral cortege all along the coast until you get through to Gateshead. So it's no probs getting parking, just getting away.

ibby it is a lot like Christmas as a kid, I think. I don't do anything else like this - never been a stadium gig/rock festival sort of person, so hanging out with thousands of other people doing the same thing or supporting you doing it is an alien feeling - and a real buzz. Love it.

Sorry I really will shut up now and go and put the girls to bed.

Marking my place and have a couple of races to add:

18/09/11 - GNR: Hamster, Run for fun, popsycal, LaLa, SLF, Fannybanjo
18/09/11 - 10k: Tulip27
18/09/11 - Buckie 10k: backwardpossom
24/09/11 - Nairn Triathlon: backwardpossom (eeeeek!)
25/09/11 - Windsor Half Marathon: Doyouthinktheysaurus
25/09/11 - London Half Marathon Run to the beat: June2009
25/09/11 - New Forest Half Marathon: MoshiMoshi, Tulip27
25/09/11 - Runway Run 10k: Ibbydibby
02/10/11 - Standalone 10K: Futurity, Quenelle
02/10/11 - Bradford Half Marathon - MrsWednesday
02/10/11 - Baxter's River Ness 10k - backwardpossom
02/10/11 - The Run, Northampton - YeahThatsTheBadger
02/10/11 - Great Edinburgh Run 10k -
02/10/11 - Big Fun Run 5k London Victoria Park - Wiifitmama
09/10/11 - Great Eastern Run, Peterborough - Futurity
09/10/11 - Herts 10k - WishIwasCherryMenlove
16/10/11 - Abingdon Marathon: MoshiMoshi
16/10/11 - Aviemore 10K: Piffpaffpoff
22/10/11 - Shockabsorber 10K Richmond Park - sfx
30/10/11 - Great South Run: Wheely, squix
30/10/11 - Nairobi Standard Chartered Half Marathon - M&M
05/11/11 - Glendalough Trail Run - rhetorician
13/11/11 - Stebbing 10 Mile - bonkers20
19/11/11 - Maasai Mara Half Marathon - M&M
20/11/11 - Leeds Abbey Dash (10k) - DrNortherner
27/11/11 - City of Norwich half marathon: ibbydibby, MoshiMoshi
19/02/12 - Brighton Half marathon - Wheely
22/04/12 - VLM: MoshiMoshi, ibbydibby
27/05/12 - London Bupa 10K - Futurity

Sticky re your GNR-centric post - think the rate this thread is going, Rhet (or someone) will be starting a new one on Sunday evening..well maybe Monday.

DS2 and I hoping to do parkrun tomorrow, no doubt he will be hoping to better his time again - last week he shaved 77 seconds off his PB and if he continues at that rate he will be beating me in about 5 weeks time......eek. Unless I stop taking him...

How are all the GNRers?

Excellent sticky thank you! Soooo you think DH drop me at the interchange and i hop on until Haymarket? How long would that take? With me staying in Durham what time should I leave there? I'll tell DH to head for side streets in South Shields and if can't get parked then go to The Leas? So sorry for all the questions - I need to make sure I'm fully organised!

Just watching The Athletics on BBC2 and they had big thing on GNR! I was like a big kid - DD1 was like get a grip. I'm so excited - tiny bit worried cos I'm on my own though

Will I look like Billy no mates cos I'm on my own or are there loads of lone runners?

I did the GNR in 2007. We have only just got home.

I was a lone runner. I don't think I looked liked a BNM, probably just looked like a loon because it was first really big race and I was just grinning and smiling a lot of the time.

I suspect that you really wont give a shit about being a BNM on the day, fanny

Hope all the GNR-ers are all feeling good! :)

at Bonkers

Haha bonkers - were you stuck on the Tyne for 4 years supping Newcastle Brown?!

well, what with the GNR, fanny packs and a long overdue discussion of running stuff...I bought an Inov8 elite 20L (I ran the length of the shop in it and it didn't seem to wobble about at all - meanwhile dd was shouting 'mummy, you can't go running, you have to pay the man!')

DP anxiously googling increased incidence of narcolepsy in Irish children who had swine flu jab in 2009-10...DD. It's still fairly rare, and DD (so far) has never been known to fall asleep if there was any alternative (other than at bedtime)...fret, fret, fret

It's been a bit of a shock to the system this week - going to work, doing the pick-ups and drop-offs - I've biked a lot of miles, but things have conspired against the planned running. Next week should be good, though, and I just have to take it as it comes, I think. I am feeling the amount of physical activity, but I will adjust - hopefully it will benefit my aerobic fitness :)

Just signed up for a 10k (forest trail) on Oct 15 - it's near a friend of mine's, so we can have a nice lunch after.

I'm really excited to hear all about the GNR after all this chat - I'm almost tempted to run a book on finishing times...

possum true - I'll probably be more concerned about having a shit...

rhet after your streak it'll do you good to have the rest from running and cross train. However you now have "large fanny pack" to fill so back on the roads for you next week with diary, laptop and butties strapped to your back! Oh yes I'm all for a book on times however I either think I am going to massively surprise myself or be very disappointed with my time. I would be happy with sub 2hr - ecstatic with sub 1hr 50. Anything slower and I'll be honest, with my training etc, I'd be disappointed BUT I'm going to take into consideration the sheer amount of runners and the fact I've never raced before and cut myself some slack!

fanny I predict about 1:47 for you...

I have been feeling all the running in my knees and ankles in the mornings so all the bike cardio probably good - almost always with either 15kg of child or about the same of books/computer/running gear/lunch. Actually can't wait to try out new expansive (snort) fanny pack - going to run in on Tuesday as that works better, so just trying to work out routes - canal into town (rough, rough, rough) and then out along Dublin Bay...might see some oyster catchers

rhet you old charmer you - 1.47?! If I do that time I'll run from Newcastle to Ireland and present you with my medal in person then (with my new and improved fanny pack I intend to purchase tomorrow) run all the way home. . DH will still be waiting to get out of South Shields...

ah no, fanny, it's like an enormous party/freshers week atmosphere. Lots of nervous overexcited people. You will not feel at all alone! If I thought it would help I'd say try and meet up, but it'd be a needle in a haystack (unless you were serious about the fanny hat!!). If you see someone who looks a bit like Tin tin with norks, wearing a Scope vest and talking at 100 mph, give them a wave :)

I can't really give accurate timings, having not done that way myself - none of the distances are huge. Just give yourself lots and lots of time is all. If you're away from Durham by 7.30 you should have plenty (I'm nervous I'll tell you the wrong thing!!)

Rhet a forest trail sounds lovely (and a nice big feeling-virtuous lunch after is a bonus!). I hope there's less fretting going on in your house too now - never a constructive activity (this is total hypocrisy talking here).

rhet the way home should be nice. Running along Sandymount strand is just gorgeous. I used to take DD1 on epic walks up the coast in her buggy - they had a fitness thing with the miles marked out- Sli na Slainte was it (can't do the accents on the pooter I'm afraid). Very bracing!!