Great North Run

I had my first running trip of 2021, and my 3rd best half marathon time down in Newcastle for Great North Run.

This person moved 13.1 miles.

Why Great North Run

I got a place on Great North Run for the 2020 race when I was focusing on half marathons last year. Obviously, the pandemic meant the in-person 2020 was canceled, so this was my first rescheduled race I got to do in person.

It's the world's biggest half marathon, and Newcastle is only a 90-minute train ride from Edinburgh. I couldn't not sign up.

Checking out the start area

When I got into Newcastle, I went to check out the race start area so I'd know where I'd be going on Sunday.

I started getting very giddy once I saw my first sign directing me to the start.

Headed in the right direction.

On the way there, I passed a bakery that had a Ferrero Rocher profiterole, which I obviously had to get. I was running a half marathon the next day after all. So I ate it while sitting in the sun in Exhibition Park. 

Profiterole in the sun.

The event village in the Town Moor was massive (as it should be for a 57,000-runner race). As a runner who always fears what the pre-race toilet queue situation is going to be like, I was reassured by the numerous porta-potties I saw. 

Because there were so many, I felt the need to photograph them to truly convey the scale of this race.

Toilets.

More toilets.

Even more toilets.

Knowing that the area was going to be packed the next day, I also had to get in a lil photoshoot with all the cool event signs. 

Lauren to the start!

Easier to get a photo with this the day before the race.

Dinner and doggies

I was staying with my friend Tracy for the race. Knowing that it might be difficult to get a table somewhere in Newcastle for pre-race carb loading, we went down to Durham to a very lovely pasta place.

I had beetroot ravioli in a tomato lentil ragu.

And hot chocolate fudge cake for dessert.

Tracy is the owner of 4 very adorable dogs, 3 of whom were there while I was staying. Her 2 puppies are super friendly and love a good cuddle, so I was feeling all the doggy love after we got back from dinner.

Puppy cuddles.

Look at that face!!!

Trying to keep my water safe amidst all the puppy love.

The race

The converging of the runners

One of my favorite parts of races is when you're making your way there and you start to see other runners. For a race with 57,000 runners, this happened pretty early on. 

There were fellow Great North Runners at the metro stop I got on at. There were more GNR runners inside the train. We picked up even more GNR runners at the next few stops.

When we got off the train at the same stop, we all just started following the very long line of other runners making their way to the Town Moor. Somewhere at the front of this line was a runner who we were all blindly trusting was leading us to the right place.

Following the leader to the start.

Pre-start shopping and the Red Arrows

The Town Moor was packed when I eventually arrived.

But the ample amounts of toilets meant I didn't have to spend long in a queue so could actually wander around.

Idle time led to me purchasing both a GNR running hoodie and tank top. But they both looked so cool, I just had to get them. (I was also prepared for the finisher shirt to be huge on me, so might as well have GNR memorabilia that fit.)

I didn't think I'd be posting these photos to my blog when they were taken, so please enjoy my non-blog-ready faces in them. I look like a hobbit.

Hobbit Lauren.

Hobbit Lauren in a hoodie.

I also got to see the Red Arrows flying over right around the time the Elite Women's race finished.

Red, white, and blue smoke from the Red Arrows.

And of course had to have a pre-start photoshoot with a jumping shorts photo. Though I was also equally showing off my People Move bib, which was kindly given to me by the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants, who I am fundraising for this year.

Getting ready to jump.

Jumping!

The walk to the starting line

About a half hour before my designated start time, I joined the very long queue to get to the start line.

One thing I forgot about big races was that people just leave tops and their trash along the way. I couldn't believe the amount of stuff people just left behind. It was a never-ending line of clothes, banana peels, and water bottles.

People move, and people leave their stuff.

The line of runners behind me making their way to the start.

I also couldn't believe the number of men hoping off the queue to do a last-minute pee at the side of the park/road. Never experienced that before at a race.

After exiting the Moor, we walked onto the motorway where the actual start was.

Inching closer to the start line.

I didn't actually start at my exact start time. We all just kept walking until we got to the line and then started running.

Oggy Oggy Oggy chanting

I felt so excited to be doing a big race again, and my happiness only increased with the call and response chants in the few underpasses I ran through in the first mile or so.

Someone would always start an Oggy Oggy Oggy chant, and the other runners would respond with oi oi oi, our echoes filling the underpass.

It was definitely one of the most special racing moments ever.

Crossing the Tyne Bridge

The next big highlight was crossing the Tyne Bridge. I'm a big lover of running across a bridge, and on this race, I got to do it twice.

About to go over the Tyne Bridge the first time.

Selfie while running.

I've never taken photos or videos while running a big road race, but I felt the need to capture the special moments of GNR.

Millennium Bridge in the distance.

Selfie after the second crossing.

A supportive crowd

I had prepared a running playlist for GNR, but at most points, I didn't need to use it. 

You didn't have to run for too long without there being a representatives from a charity blasting music and cheering you on, or a local band playing upbeat songs. 

There were loads of people handing out gummy treats (or even ice pops) along the way to runners who would take them. 

Because of the pandemic, I shied away from taking anything or even giving high fives to kids who had their hands out. But I did pass one little girl who had set up a lemonade stand along the route, and I sped right up to her stand to get a cup. Thanks, lemonade girl!

Feeling the love from the crowd.

Competitive weaving

With a race this big, I was constantly surrounded by a lot of runners. The congestion never got too bad for it to be unrunnable, but if ever got a bit too crowded, I used the opportunity to do some competitive weaving.

By that I mean, when I saw people closing in on me, I sped up and found the small pockets I could run through between runners until I reached a large clear space.

I loved doing this, and would sometimes get cheers from the crowd when they saw me doing it. Competitive Athlete Lauren in all her glory.

Waiting for the next point to do some competitive weaving.

Uphill sprinting to the finish

Compared to other races I've done, I wouldn't say GNR is a particularly hilly course, but it did have some no-so-gentle undulations along the way.

The last 2 miles were especially uphill. But hills are my specialty. So as other runners were looking exhausted and started to walk, I was doing mini sprints all the way to the finish.

My official finishing time was 2:16:35, but according to Strava I ran 13.47 miles, so looks like my competitive weaving added to my mileage.

My actual time for 13.1 miles was 2:13:02, which is my 3rd fastest half marathon time. 

I'm a happy runner.

Both results are faster than the 2:18:02 I ran in the Falmouth Half Marathon, so it's also my fastest half marathon race time. (It's only my 2nd in-person half race, to be fair. But still. I'll take the victory while I'm in the middle of marathon training.)

A bath and a feast

Tracy was truly the best host a runner could ask for. As I was getting on the metro to go back to hers, she offered to make me homemade bath salts. So my legs got to rest in a hot bath with lavender salt afterwards. It was glorious.

Tracy also made me the most delicious post-race dinner and eton mess for dessert. Think this might go down as my best post-race experience ever.

And of course, there was more time for puppy love.

What a cutie.

Saying goodbye to Newcastle

The next morning, I bid farewell to Tracy and the pups, but not before taking the cutest photo of all of us together.

Bye to the best host and doggies around.

I also walked to the train station via Tyne Bridge to get one final photo with me, my medal, and my new GNR hoodie.

Happy #MedalMonday Runner Lauren.

It was one of the best racing experiences of my life. Even though I had already gotten to experience one other in-person race in July, it's on a whole other level to get to run a race this big and with so much character. Runner Lauren is a very happy Lauren right now.

GNR, I'm coming back for you. (Well, if you accept me in the next ballot...).

Next race

Manchester Marathon

I'm running my first ever marathon. Can't wait.