Great North Run 2016

crisco10

Just found out I came out in the lottery for this in September...seems to be good craic if a bit crowded based on previous year's threads.

Anybody else heading over? The OH is coming over with me, and I'll be tacking on some business on the Monday after it in Newcastle so looking forward to the weekend all in all!

Was looking but couldn't see a garmin/strava etc course...Anybody have one?

opus

crisco10 wrote: »

Was looking but couldn't see a garmin/strava etc course...Anybody have one?

Just put one into the Race Profiles thread. Watch out for the start as it's really congested, I made the mistake of watching the elite women start before heading to the pen & was almost at the very back then.

rainbow kirby

Book your accomodation ASAP - it's an absolute ripoff and everything central goes insanely quickly!

(did it in 2012 and 2014)

crisco10

rainbow kirby wrote: »

Book your accomodation ASAP - it's an absolute ripoff and everything central goes insanely quickly!

(did it in 2012 and 2014)

Thanks for the heads up! I just used corporate booking system to get a hotel for Saturday and Sunday night. We pay fixed rate so happy days...

ClashCityRocker

I'm in for it as well, quickly looked at hotel prices just now :eek:

Will try and get it booked asap. It's my birthday on the day of the race so easy enough to justify a weekend away!

colin32

I did this 2 years ago & doing it again this year. I have a hotel booked for the last 2 months

The cheapest accommodation would be to stay at the university, 10 minute walk from start & breakfast provided for £65

If you look at nirvana Europe for accommodation, as they're the registered travel company

As for the race, the start is a bit congested but once up & running it sorts itself out. Great atmosphere all along the route & the last mile is amazing

Derco

What's the course for this like? Hilly or flat?? Doing it for the first time this year

colin32

It's not to bad apart from a steep hill around 10-11 mile, but then you come down the other side in to South Shields. You have to hold yourself back going down the hill it's that steep going down

Can't really remember any other major hills. I wouldn't say it's a PB course unless it's your first half

Great atmosphere though

Derco

Thanks colin32. It's my first training race this year ahead of the Dublin Marathon so not necessarily going for a PB. I'll watch out for that hill though!

colin32

I'm doing it myself again this year. It was very warm 2 years ago when I last did it. Some guy was handing out free beer with a mile to go haha

crisco10

Looking forward to it myself, my PB (90:30) was set in rock'n'roll half a few years ago, itself not a "PB" course so I'm hoping to break the 90 mins barrier for the first time here. But most of all hoping to enjoy the atmosphere!

Derco

What's the story with getting back to Newcastle after the race. There is an option to book a bus but would I be alright using public transport?

colin32

I paid £5 on the day 2 years ago & the bus dropped us back to by haymarket metro station

Was no hassle getting a bus, and it's very well organised to get away quickly afterwards

opus

Derco wrote: »

What's the story with getting back to Newcastle after the race. There is an option to book a bus but would I be alright using public transport?

I took the Metro back the year I did it, just make sure & buy your ticket beforehand to avoid the queues at the ticket machines.

colin32

Are you all collecting your numbers on the Sunday?

Derco

Collecting on the Saturday at the Pasta Party

crisco10

Derco wrote: »

Collecting on the Saturday at the Pasta Party

Moi aussi.

ClashCityRocker

My number was sent to me, based in the UK maybe that's the difference?

rainbow kirby

ClashCityRocker wrote: »

My number was sent to me, based in the UK maybe that's the difference?

Not doing it this year but mine was sent to me (in London) the last time I did it too.

colin32

Apparently they don't post race packs outside of the U.K.

I managed to get my charity to get it & post it to me. Hopefully have it by Wednesday

Saves all the messing around the weekend

ISOP

What an unreal event for support and organisation. Not a day for PB's yesterday with the heat and congestion, I thought. Phenomenal support. I ran this is in memory of someone and actually shed a tear coming over that last hill into South Shields with the sun shinning, the red arrows flying and bands playing (thank god for sunglasses ) As a DCM virgin this year, if the DCM is anything like it, it should be an incredible experience

colin32

I found this very tough yesterday, thought the heat was very tough to run in

I saw 4 people on side of ride getting oxygen, while others getting sick

Atmosphere was amazing as it always is & the organisation was top class

ISOP

colin32 wrote: »

I found this very tough yesterday, thought the heat was very tough to run in

I saw 4 people on side of ride getting oxygen, while others getting sick

Atmosphere was amazing as it always is & the organisation was top class

Yeah, the heat was savage, it put paid to my plans, I saw a few on the deck, ambulance had to come up through the middle of the pack after around 8 or 9 miles to get to a young woman panned out on the side, one gripe i had was, walkers starting in the faster pens, it drove me mad, I gave up after 8 miles as it was just an endless wall of people in front of you, couldn't get going, ended up with 13.35 on the garmin with all the dodging

crisco10

Had a really fun day yesterday, the heat was pretty tough alright. It didn't help that the road was so exposed either, very little shade. But the crowds on the route were amazing, and that last mile along the coast was pretty spine tingling. A full mile or so of people 5 or 6 deep each side going nuts.

I was at the front of the first wave of mass runners (crossed the start line 30 seconds after the gun) which really helped with crowding; i.e. there wasnt much, by the end of the first km I was able to pick my own pace really. Came home in 1:28 which was a smidgen ahead of my goal of 1:29:59; absolutely no complaints.

Hard enough course, was it me or was there very few flat sections? It seemed to be mostly long uphill drags followed by steep downhills, my quads are unusually stiff today.

Oh, and a full 30 mins display from the Red Arrows at the finish line was a really nice way to relax in the sun. I had just assumed they would only do a flyby, not a full display!

Overall, pretty fun race, and a great experience. Which is a little funny, cos the route itself isnt that amazing - 75% of it is just running along a dual carriageway in the suburbs.

Derco

ISOP wrote: »

What an unreal event for support and organisation. Not a day for PB's yesterday with the heat and congestion, I thought. Phenomenal support. I ran this is in memory of someone and actually shed a tear coming over that last hill into South Shields with the sun shinning, the red arrows flying and bands playing (thank god for sunglasses ) As a DCM virgin this year, if the DCM is anything like it, it should be an incredible experience

That was a tough one. It was my first race of the year so I was not going for a PB and ran it closer to my marathon pace as opposed to half marathon pace but the heat and the inclines meant I was still in a heap at the finish. Miles 11 and 12 were really hard but I was able to give it a bit of welly for the last mile. Still, finishing 11,000 (and something) out of 57,000 sounds a lot better than 10 minutes behind my PB so I'll take that!

Like ISOP, as well a training race for DCM, I had sentimental reasons for doing this race as my late mother was born in South Shields and I felt I had to do this race at least once. I'll apply for it again next year definitely.

ISOP

I found it a funny race, I didn't find the course that hard on the day, but my head was all over the place. looking back I think I wasting energy and getting annoyed trying to pass so many people and got caught up in that. Speeding up and slowing down all the time. I had loads in the tank but just could not get going

Derco

ISOP wrote: »

I found it a funny race, I didn't find the course that hard on the day, but my head was all over the place. looking back I think I wasting energy and getting annoyed trying to pass so many people and got caught up in that. Speeding up and slowing down all the time. I had loads in the tank but just could not get going

Possibly getting bogged down by slower runners worked in your favour in a way. My pen wasn't that that congested at all and in hindsight I was probably a bit too quick through those climbs in the first 5 miles which I paid for later on.

colin32

The show by the red arrows was something special.

The most annoying part of the run was the people starting off in the pens at front & walking even before they'd done a mile. Now I'm no elite runner, but I'm realistic about the times I'd run, and it annoys me

2nd time I've done the course, enjoyed the day more this time, but not the run due to the heat. Lack of training the last 4 weeks also hadn't helped

It's a tough course, and not to be underestimated otherwise you'll suffer

Hope everyone who needed medical attention was OK in the end

ClashCityRocker

I wasn't too badly impacted by the congestion but I can imagine it was an issue. Surprised there wasn't (that I could see anyway) signs indicating where to line up at the start based on your predicted finish time as you get at virtually all races. The only sign I could see was for "fast paced club runners", which is fairly vague!

Loved the event though, the support and atmosphere were just brilliant. The noise in places was immense, you felt like a rock star! The heat was tough and the hills also. Lack of long runs in preparation caught up with me a bit over last few miles but in the end pleasantly surprised to run 1:23 on the nose. 10 secs off a pb which I'm happy enough with given a mediocre and inconsistent spell of training. And importantly, Newcastle is brilliant for post race rehydrating :-)

colin32

There were pens all the way back. Only problem was, was it was judged by what time you expected to finish it

It meant people had to be honest & realistic, but afraid some people weren't realistic

ISOP

It was a bit of a joke in all fairness when you had lots of people in the white pen, walking after a mile, I have no problems with people walking, but putting down a finishing time of 1:30 - 1:45 is a joke if that is what you are going to do