Newcastle 7

I was looking forward to this race, I remember it well from last year, Sharon Willis had persuaded me enter and helped me get my running mojo back and set me back on track to complete my 100 race miles.  I was looking forward to coming back and hoping to beat my time from last year, also I needed to get some much needed points in the NSRRA league. 

As with last year the weather was good, the was a slight breeze but the sun was out and the skies where blue, this was my first proper run after my fall the other week.  I took a nose dive just outside the same hotel I broke my arm in 3 years ago, I took some time off running, kept icing my needs and praying that I hadn’t done any major damage . Fortunately after a few test runs although my knees still feel a little sore but I can run so that it ok! Although needless to say I am giving the hotel a very wide berth form now on! 

One of the shockers was that it was a no MP3 event, it was going to be difficult to hide my bright red headphone wire and I was worried that I may get disqualified if I wore it and I wanted those points! So we headed off down the familiar route everything was ok and then we hit black bank, it is about a 2 to 3 mile climb to the top and quite though going, all I could think was don’t stop, don’t stop , dig in you will be at the top soon! 

One thing that I did notice was a person running behind me, it was a familiar sound, the same footfall, the same squish ofshorts and the breathing, someone was matching my pace, if I sped up they sped up, if I slowed down they slowed down.  I wasn’t sure but I thought it was my NSRRA fellow groupW nemesis, the girl who beat me at Stafford .  I wasn’t sure what to do,  I did think about stopping and making her go in front of me, but I decided to carry on and thought that I would speed up on the downhill and see if I could shake her.  I did pull off a couple of sub 8 minute miles which for me was quick and I was hoping to tire her out and was praying that she didn’t know about the small bank at the end.  Unfortunately she got me again  last few yards she had the energy and over took me.  We hugged and congratulated each other on the race and I had smashed my Personal Best !

Olympic Park Run

What an awesome day, when I first saw the ballot for the 5 mile Olympic Park run I thought why not I didn’t expect to get in, having failed to win the ballots for both the Great North Run 2011 and the Virgin London Marathon 2012, I wasn’t hoping out much hope and then blow me down I got in! 

Sean was a little upset as I had entered us both into the ballot and only I go in, oh well he can’t win them all and I was going to get a guest pass so at least he would be able to come with me . The ballot was last year and it seem to take an age to get actually come around and then finally it was here, we had unfortunately double booked the day; as well as being in London for the run we had a concert in Birmingham in the evening doh’ but no worried Sean organised the day so well that we were able to do everything and I even managed to get a shower!! 

It was a very early start we left the house at 8am and caught the train down to the BIG smoke, unfortunately the weather was against us grey, overcast and windy but I was hoping that as we were heading down south that it would be warmer, WRONG! Fortunately on the way to the Olympic Park we had to go through the largest shopping centre in London and happing to wander straight passed the NIKE shop  So I headed in and picked up a nice warm long sleeve top.

There was a bit of queue to get into the Olympic Park, but I was so excited that for once I didn’t mind queuing, everyone else was looking excited and couldn’t wait to get in, WE were going to be some of the first members of the general public to actually get to see the park and for FREE.  Literally just in the door and I  couldn’t resist standing by the sign and having my photo taken

We got there there nice and early which means we got a good seat   it is a little like the Port Vale ground, in the way that there are still some seats missing, although this is where the similarities end!

The ground soon started to fill up and there were a lot of excited people in the ground, who couldn’t what to get started.  I was glad that I stoppedd l and brought the long sleeve top it was a little windy in the ground and the nervous tension was making me rather chilly.

There was the announcement  and the runners were asked to head towards their pens, I was in the pink wave which was the 2nd group to go, so there shouldn’t be too long to wait. In the pen there was a sea of red shirts and a really friendly atmosphere we chatted and all joined in the warm up, although it was pretty cramped so the reaching and stretching was providing a little dangerous for some. The 1st was was started by Princess B and then we were told that she would also be running the race and would be joining the pink wave which was now renamed the ROYAL WAVE, me in the presence of royalty!

Then the gun went and we were off, our spectators had to wait inside the ground, so there where fewspectators around the route, however there were a few bands and the workman took an improtu break to support and cheer us along. Well I did manage to over take royalty and there was this poor chatty who was running it on crutches although thinking about it, you would wouldn’t you, there is no way you can defer a once in a life time opportunity.

I had been warned by an insider that just when you think you are running back in to the stadium you won’t be, you have to run under the stadium for a while and then you pop out around 300 meters to go; so when we started towards the stadium I knew to hold back.

Before we knew it we entered the stadium and we were on THE TRACK you could hear the noise of the crowds and looking around it was an amazing feeling.  I threw my hands up and pretended that I was actually in the Olympicsand people were hear to see me!!

                                  

All in all I loved it and something very special that only me and 4,999 other people have experienced!