What have I got myself into?

I ran over that tyne bridge! How cool is that?!

Last year, I went to a pub by the quayside seeing people running getting their medals and seeing their massive grins on their faces. You know what I can do that! So here I am, writing this with achy muscles the day after the Great North Run. What was I thinking? 

Most people who run a half marathon train 16 weeks, me nope! I somehow did the Gateshead 10K and haven't put my running shoes on to do serious running since the children break up for summer holiday. What was I doing? I could of logged in some miles at least get my legs going but hey ho. I was walking from town to Byker four days a week, that counts as exercise. Right?

The day before arrived, it hasn't sank in that the next day I'm running 13.1 miles. I did knitting and had to redo my seaming, I was not a happy bunny when I had to take my lastest seaming apart but I must say my knitting does look neat now.  After knitting it was time to get some pasta and oh my goodness look at how many people they are at the Quayside. My friend and I were on a tight schedule, I am not keen on huge crowds either. A a nail hit my head when I was reading the good luck messages while queuing for the pasta party.  That's when reality sank in I am doing the great north run, without sufficient training. What have I done?

So yes, I did the great north run yesterday (Sunday 10th September) with no training. Something I don't recommend! Please don't do it. Note to myself, please train more than you did.

Pasta with leftover chicken from chicken fajitas 

Dinner was two huge bowls of pasta.  I watched a film with cake and a cup of tea before bed. I woke up 6am to make sure i'm up and awake and get a lot of food down me. Porridge, jelly babies, and tracker bar. Yes all of this for breakfast is needed!! Time to get ready, and that's when I cired. I'm doing this!!

I got the bus in to town each direction you looked you saw loads of people, people wearing costumes people wearing charity tops, people wearing running clubs vest. It was awesome. Everyone so excited at the same time nervous. Put the bag on the bus felt like I was heading home. Such a shame I wasn't otherwise I could get a cup of coffee! Then it was time to find my pen and start warming up. That's it, no turning back. I made it! It was awesome, how people talked to each other, amazing people were fundraising for such amazing cause. And yes, I cried by looking at people messages on the the back infact I cried quite often more of that later.

Look at me, at the start line!

The run was good the atmosphere was amazing, people cheering you on, children giving you high fives and throwing water at you. People giving you  jelly babies, ice pops, biscuits and sweets. If you were fast enough and liked beer at mile 10 you could get beer.  I will definitely do this run next year and this time I would train a lot more and maybe get my time down.

I love all of the great north run, firstly was to see Mo running the route backwards. Yes after he ran the route he decided to run it again from South Shields to Newcastle. Because why not? Second was to run on the iconic tyne bridge. I actually ran on the Tyne Bridge where the cars are normally are but not yesterday, yesterday the roads were covered with runner's. Then going underneath the tunnels people were saying 'oggy oggy oggy' towards the end people were saying it though we had no energy to say 'oi oi oi.' Running over the bridge brought me to tears! I was very emotional yesterday.

Lindisfarne, run for home

And they even sang this song, which always gets me. Ever since hearing it in Ryton last year in our local pub at the time just reminded me of all my friends back down south. I was in tears and not just little tears literally sobbing so everyone asked 'Are you OKAY?' I just said yes, it this song. It's weird how a song can bring you to joy but also sadness.

I planned my route out, the first 6 miles was supposed to be a really s-l-o-w pace, then the second half the first half of the half (got that?) was gonna be a really slow parkrun then the second bit of the half a really fast parkrun. What I didn't take into account? Is people. Yes people. Mostly everyone were walking and when you were running it was draining you had to weave in and out of people so sometimes it was quicker to walk than run. How does that even make sense?

Anyhow I made it to the end with a sprint. My instinct is to sprint at the end, don't give me those eyes. When I was younger I used to do running so I can do a mile in a 5 minutes and kilometer in three minutes when I would like to try. I just want to end the run mentally even though my body can easily carry more. Drum roll please. My time was 2hr:58mins:08sec. I'm so chuffed with that, just under three hours with no training mostly walking at a fast pace.

I wanted to phone my Mum saying 'I actually finish the Great North Run, I did it!' Though my phone died or it switched itself off. Hey ho! Why does phone always play up at the moment you need it. I just want my blue hoodie (the one that I'm always wearing). I talked to this person and we were using the same transport to get to town which was the metro. I was so glad we meet each other. Could you imagine queuing a line with no phone, no one to talk to? Me neither. So I got on the metro, it was like back in London on the underground! Yep it was that bad. I went to a shop in the Haymarket (metro station) To ask if I could use a phone to contact Mum to ask where my Mum and Dad are. And this person said yes because A) You ran Great North Run B) The boss is at home. Luckily my folks chose a pub which is two minute walk away and I even had a meal out. And I told my parents and friends, i'm going to run a marathon next. Challenge here I come!!!! With open arms and yes I will do more training this time.

Now phones are weird! I thought my phone was dead, so when I charged my phone up in the pub as you do. I switched it on in order to get to Grandpa's house as I use my phone as a bus ticket. How cool is that? Strava managed to track my run, and even when I was on metro it still managed to track me. How is that even possible? I had to switch my phone on. It makes no sense at all. Technology is now beyond me. You can even get a Garmin watch and pay for something with your watch. That is pretty cool but just weird.

After all that running, i'm having hot coco and rocky roads chocolate brownies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!