Beginners do Great North Run...skip along here!!!

[LittlePushka]

Anybody got a a place for the GNR in five months and fancy sharing a training thread?

I am signed up to run for Macmillan and do not run with anyone so would love to have a bit of a chingwag with anyone training away for the GNR.

Currently I am the wrong age and shape for all this sort of caper (though I am seriously considering joining the elite women at the front - for a bit of a head start)- but i have done the GNR three times about twenty odd years ago.

It's a BRILLIANT run to do . BUT, although on the day there are thousands...its a long lonely road to get there!

Hope to chat

I've got a charity place, deferred from last year - found out I was pregnant about a month after accepting it and didn't fancy doing it at 5 months gone. So now it means I somehow, 5 weeks after giving birth, have to start getting my head round how I'm going to do 13.1 miles in September! Especially as I'm, um, a bit heavier than last time I went running!

Have run it before and yes it's a fab race, can't beat the atmosphere, although I felt the first half of it seemed to be constantly up hill, or is that just me?! Anyway starting off with a few long walks this week to ease me back in then hope to pick up to jogging pace shortly.

Massive respect to you boardbunny!! Which charity are you signed up with?

The things I remember about the run:

1. The last mile along the seafront feels like a lifetime BUT the Geordie Nation WILL NOT let you stop!!!

1. Long steady uphill section along the John Reid Road at about 7 or 8 miles - long

1. Jimmy Saville would wait till every last cunner went over the start before he started - then him and his four burly minders would barge past me like a steam train just before the tyne bridge (about five mins in!!). Pushka hopes he will have retired by now!

I first ran the run in 2008 and loved it so jump at the chance to join the membership which guaranteeds me a place for 3 years the 1st being last year, at the time I didnt realise I was 6 weeks pregnant.

I have a place this year but the last time I ran was last years run !!

This is my 1st baby and am due on the 22nd May 10 so Im hoping he/she comes on time and will be able to start training as soon as I feel up to it and I can have at least 12 weeks of training I dont think I will try and beat my time this year so it will have to wait till next years run

Good luck and enjoy the atmosphere

Well hello terrigreen + bump!! Boardbunny and you are already my heros!!

First, may I wish you a happy end of pregnancy (i LOVED being PG both times!) and also a safe and wonderfully memorable delivery. (I loved that bit too...it's just amazing!...recommend you take a notebook and pen to hospital and write to your babybefore during and after - it always makes me so happy to read my little journal!).

You both have made me all uber-broody and also left me with NO excuses not to train on the grounds of acute CBA (can't be ar*ed!)

So,...we have:

1. Me, snail pacing about in North Yorkshires equivalent to the Alps

1. Boardbunny - about to pop bunnykins (DS or DD?)into a little pouch and start walking her way to fitness

1. terrigreen - who may change her name to "terrified" if June arrives and teenytinyterri has not!

Oh, and of course an appointment in Tyneside late summer! its gonna be a challenge...but then I always say, if you are not living life on the edge, you're taking up too much room!

Anybody else coming out to play?

I'm doing it for the first time - just started running this year so it's all new to me. I've got a few 10k races lined up over the next few months to get used to the idea

Oh great sanfairyann! How is your training at the moment - do you run often? Why did you start?

( at your name - my old dad used to say that all the time!)

thanks littlepushka

I'm running about 8 or 9 k on a long run, then one or two shorter runs through the week. I know everyone says 3 x a week runs but I seem to need longer between runs or else I get injuries. in between I do weights or bikes at the gym. I'm putting on, not losing, weight though so good job I didn't start running to get slimmer! I'm 40 in a few years and just decided it was now or never - get fit in my 30's or downhill all the way! everyone else at work is dead fit so thought I'd better keep up.

How bout you?

Well, I've been 40 for a few years already!! And I must say, shamefully, getting fit was about the last thing on my mind when I took up the shoes again!

I am doing three runs a week I run - a 4/5 mile on a sunday and a couple of 3-4 milers during the week. I do not do any weights /gym etc -running is the easiest thing to fit into my daily life.

my plan is to gently increase the time I spend out so that I still do a long run and a couple of shorter runs...like you to keep my injuries to a minimum. I would be gutted if I miss this race through injury!

Do you run with a club/friend/ipod/dog?

lol. think it is my 'mid life crisis' moment - cheaper than a sportscar so dh can't complain

sounds like we've got a similar plan. the longer run is getting more fun now it's lighter at night (I have to do the longer run after the kids are in bed as I don't get enough time in the week for an hour or so of running)

I just run by myself - what about you?

LOL...I bet at some point, as you are staggering up a hill at 11 miles into a run, you will think "If only I'd gone for the Boxter"!!

I am just getting to the point the long runs are enjoyable. I think I will stick to these distances for three weeks or so before I crank it up any. By then the nights will really have drawn out.

I used to run with the dog but he has cried off with an Achilles paw injury. Wimp. Just me and my MP3 player now. If I have no music i seem to obsess about the sound of my feet/breathing and I want to give up immediately! (Dog has just woofed "wimp")

Hi littlepushka, it's Paula Radcliffe here, come to share my tips for running a record half marathon !

As you know, I'm doing the GSR rather than the GNR so only have ten miles to run. I used to run before getting pg with DS1 2 1/2 years ago, but two pgs in two years and chronic SPD put paid to most exercsie so I now find myself seriously out of shape .

However, have joined a gym and with the help of a PT am slowly putting my pelvis back together again - hope to start running in the next month or so and to have enough time to put in the miles before October.

Excited already .

Hey Paula (song that innit?!) Off to a meeting now but just wanted to ask what a PT is? Private Twix is my guess, though I am not sure how they would help a pelvis much!

Its a great tip to carry one with you when running, though essential to scoff it early doors or it gets all melty and messes up your ipod shuffle button...

Speak to you soon

Personal Trainer you loon !

Oh,.... well just make sure he does not go anywhere near your shuffle button!

I've signed up for the GNR to celebrate my 40th birthday which is a couple of weeks after. I'm a born and bred Geordie but now living on the south coast so thought it would be fitting.

Been running for a while now but the furthest race I've done is 10k and I seem to remember when I finished that I said to myself to never sign up to anything further.

Sure it's going to be fun.

Well hello aubergine...!! LOL at your promise to yourself never to sign up for more than 10k...well you've gone an done it now!

It is a great run...you know that bit of the dual carriageway which dips under Swan House Roundabout, just before you come up onto the Tyne Bridge? Everyone shouts and sings in there - I can remember a chorus of

"The Fog on the Tyne is all mine, all mine
The Fog on the Tyne is all mine
Wey ya bugga man"

(you know the one )

How long have you been training and have you started yraining specifically for it yet?

Also, are you able to carry the numbers of our little Team here so we can appear faster and fitter in the results list? I would have done but I think I may have my hands full of Twix.

he's a she, but I'll warn her not to!

Went to the gym last night but still haven't managed to start running - tried it a couple of times but my pelvis still feels a bit 'wobbly' .

Have my new sports' bras now though, so just need to get some new trainers and I'm good to go .

Not started training specifically for the GNR yet. I've signed up for a mini triathlon in mid June so concentrating/worrying about that at the moment.
Don't think I'm the woman for the job if you want the team to look fitter and faster, I'm hoping to finish in about 2hr15min, how bout everyone else?
I am happy to help out eating the twixes though.

Aubergine,...you have team captaincy at 2 hrs 15 my girl!!! I am hoping for a September finish...

EddieIz,...tighter knickers is Pushkas remedy!

Off to get a new bra myself later. It will be a motorised one to get me up the hills.

Had myself a week off last week - nursing a calf injury. But out again today in the sunshine. Calf holding up (avoided the hills deliberately).

Anybody else found their trainers this week?

Aubergine, tell me what a mini triathalon consists of? I mean in terms of distances and time to complete it etc.

I don't normally get to go running at the weekend due to work and childcare but as I work in the avaition industry I escaped early yesterday and managed a 5 miles run. Every ash cloud has a silver lining.

Pushka hope your calf's alright this morning. I can recommend an ice pack and nurofen.

My triathlon is 400m swim, 25km bike ride then 5km run. I'm hoping to do it in about 2hrs but never done anything like this before so that might be a bit optimistic.

mini triathalon sounds cool

got out for a run on sat after working all day, then went to the gym (weights) yesterday and gym again tonight (bike for half an hour then weights) so feeling a bit fitter. that's it for cardio for the rest of the week though - got a 10k race (my first ever and have never even run 10k before in my life so a little nervous) on sunday so am winding down. might still go swimming and do some weights though this week

I'm hoping to do the GNR in less than 2 1/2 but no idea how much less really - I put down over 3 on the form though so I get to start at the back!

LOL at aubergines ash cloud silver lining. Good luck in the triathlon...do come and report on it ..am really intrigued as to how (if) you get changed/dried...are the bikes next to the pool? what do you do with your bike when you need to run?

(Is is like when you were a kid and you came racing on your Chopper,up to the corner shops for your weekly comic, two ice pops and a packet of bazooka..screech and skid the bike on the gravel, let it crash to the ground outside shop (whilst taking out an unfortunately place pensioner) and leap off becoming airborne over the threshold of said shop? Sort of like that aubergine....?

Sanfairyann I am delegating my gym sessions to you. Can you particularly work on my bingo wings and teddy bear legs. Good luck for sunday - what is your race pace? Will you run it as a proper race? How many are in it? I think you will win!!

My calf was absolutely fine today - rest paid off. Doing 3 x 4mile flatish runs this week to keep it that way. Steady away - September is a good way off yet and this old gal needs a fair old cranking up!!

My running seems to be getting slower, I think I'll blame it on the ash cloud.

Pushka you don't get changed or dried between stages in a triathlon as the bit between stages is all included in your time. I'm particularly looking forward to cycling in wet shorts.