Great North Runners sign in here - hints, tips and support.

[feetheart]

I got a place through the main ballot thanks to a link from someone on here, I'm coming up from Bedfordshire on my own, running for Winston's Wish and it will be my 2nd half marathon.
I have veered between major excitement and major paanic but now accommodation and train tickets are sorted and training is going OK I am starting to really look forward to it.

Who else is out there and what hints and tips have you got to share?

Hello everyone- not long to go now, eek! What are you all planning to wear in the rain? I'm thinking bin bag while waiting (but not convinced anyone else will actually do this!) and just run in vest and get wet, but wear a cap to protect my eyes. Or perhaps I should put another layer on to avoid getting chilled?

I've ordered a waterproof cap from Wiggle but not sure it will arrive in time. If its raining I usually use an old cotton cap but it soaks up the water loads.

Not sure whether to give my stuff to my parents/DH and meet them at the end or put on baggage bus- what do you think? War to minimise the amount of time hangin about all wet and cold.

Getting really nervous now, sure I have forgotten something vital!

There will be lots of bin bags walking around so don't worry you won't be the only one. My plan is to wear skort and vest as I get very hot running. I will wear tracky bottoms jumper and rain coat to the baggage bus. Then strip to old jumper and bin bag when I leave my bag which I can throw away at the start. I will have a full set of dry clothes in the bag on the bus to get changed into ASAP afterwards including dry shoes. Have done a wet half marathon before and had an annoying jacket round my waist for 12 miles despite the rain.

Very glad to have your input annie - hadn't thought about after the race!
Will be raiding DH's clothes for trackie bottoms etc as I am sadly lacking in such things (have already snaffled one of his old jumpers to wear at the start)

I am driving up to Newcastle today and I am feeling very nervous for Sunday!! Good luck everyone

Good luck everyone, have a fantastic run and come back and tell us all about it.

K (No. 41,663 and running for Winston's Wish somewhere near the back :))

Good luck everyone who is running Weather forecast for tomorrow is horrid, but as today is beautiful I'm hoping they have got it wrong.
Plenty of feeding stations on route, my offspring help out every year giving out drinks (Scouts), so you don't need to worry about carrying drinks. I've done it 3 times before, it's a fantastic run, so enjoy. As a local I'll be there to cheer you on, clapping and cheering till my hands are sore. I'll be huddled on a chair with an umbrella and flask of coffee, I'm thinking of adding a granny lap blanket for my knees if the weather forecast is right.
Have a great day!

Ive driven up to Newcastle with a fab group of friends from my running club, been to the pasta party and watched some of the city games. I'm now in my hotel near Newcastle trying to have an early night. Too many butterflies in my stomach to allow that to happen at the moment. I really can't believe that I am here and that tomorrow I am going to join so many people running 13.1m.

Good luck to everyone else who is running, I hope that we can all realise our dreams without letting the weather get in the way!

How did everyone do?? And how wet did you get? I did 2 hrs 38, not fast but I did run all the way which I wasn't sure i would manage. Got absolutely drenched queuing for the metro, so so cold when I got back! It was bloody great though and I've already signed up for my reminder to apply next year!

I did it in 1:59:24 which I was very very pleased with as I was hoping for under 2 hours. Was very tired in the last three miles and slowed significantly. However I loved every minute of it! The atmosphere was brill and the weather not as bad as expected although I also got wet afterwards in the queue for the metro out of South Shields.

Fantastic day and will def apply again.

Annie, that's a great time, well done! I struggled between mile 10 and 12 but sped up a little for the last mile as I knew I could get under 2 40 and it was nice and flat! The atmosphere was amazing, all the people who had braved the weather to cheer us on, the kids with their hands out for high fives, the red arrows and the jelly babies! Loved it!

I got round in 2 hrs 10 which I was a little disappointed in rewlly. My sister and I were given numbers from other people who had pulled out and they were in the pink zone k so we were stuck right at the back. Never got up to our normal running pace. Proud of my sis getting round for her first time though!

We too got stuck in the rain ans the queues, didnt get back to the car until 6.00. Never felt so cold and wet, had a little cry at one point. Didnt really expext to be out so long, 12 hours away from my 4 month old ebf baby and my boobs are ridiculous. Good job the rain hid the leaky patches!

All the moaning aside it was an amazing experience, wonderful atmosphere and I will be signing up for next year. Well done to all the finishers!

Tonight's, I was in pink k too, I know what you mean, took sooo long to get to the starting line and spent a lot of time weaving through walking people! Even the organisers say it isn't a run to get a pb on, more one to enjoy the atmosphere and just running with that many people!
Poor your boobs! Sports bra, ebf baby and 12 hours between feeds can not be a fun combination!!

Well done everyone! I finished in 2h 30- also a bit disappointed with my time. I was in pink zone j and we were waiting so long to start that I needed a wee again so had to make a portal ok stop after Heworth metro- that lost me 3 mins according to my Garmin. I deliberately went wry slow to start with but once I wanted to speed up after about halfway, I couldn't really as the road had narrowed and lots of people were walking. My average pace was 11 minutes something per mile, but I normally run about 10.15 ish.

I need to find a quieter half next time I think! Would do the GNR again as well though. Would prefer to start a bit closer to the front (with actual runners!) but not sure if they would let me as I didn't do a very good time this time.

Pleased I did it though! Worst bit was getting soaked straight after I'd put my dry clothes on off the baggage bus- I was really cold after that waiting for the metro and so were my parents and DH after hanging around in the wet all day- felt really bad for them too.

Sorry portaloo not portal ok!

Well done everyone!! I knocked 12 minutes off last years time which I am pleased with
I ache everywhere today though, the weather was awful i felt sorry for DH and DC hope everyone is feeling oktoday

Well done everyone :)

I got round in 2hrs28 which I was pleased with as I beat the 2.30 (and 7 secs) from my first half marathon last year. I was in Green Zone so shouldn't be a problem next year CaptainWentworth
Loved the atmosphere, the amazing supporters who were out in that weather, the music, the fact that I completely missed the 9mile marker so the Bupa Boost Zone was a pleasant shock, that I had enough left to speed up at the end and the Red Arrows flying overhead to start their display just as I turned onto the seafront at South Shields and doing the love-heart shape just as I crossed the finish line :)

Got cold and wet after I finished (though met some very funny local runners as we tried to shelter between the baggage buses whilst the rain ran down our necks!)
Wore my medal with pride on the train home last night and on the school run this morning :)

When do we sign up for next year?

tonights - I've just reread your post and am wincing at the thought of running AT ALL whilst EBF, to do it in 2hr 10 is mind-blowing.
Hope your boobs have calmed down and forgiven you today :)

Already registered to receive email for next year which is on the 7thsept

Dances - how?

Aww feetheart thank you so much for your last message, just had a little cry!! I have taken a bit of stick for my 'slow' time yesterday because my family and friends had high expectations! It has been really hard finding the time to train with a new baby and my body is still not back to pre-pregnancy shape. My friends don't have kids so not sure they appreciate how breastfeeding impacts! I was up most of Saturday night worrying if I had expressed enough milk, if she would take a bottle etc!

My boobs have just about calmed down but I think my little princess missed them as she has not stopped feeding since I got home!

Wow tonights I think you did really well and should be very proud of yourself.

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