BUPA Great North Run 2013

Congratulations to all the club members who completed the 2013 Great North Run.

Stuart Dickson offers some thoughts on this year’s event.

The reported gale force winds and driving rain never materialised (are the Met office using Mr Rooney’s Metrological forecasting techniques now?)   Revealed morning of slight winds with drizzle, the throng of runners nearing the race start more impressive as ever, The jog to the baggage buses with a few minutes to spare all part of the annual warm up routine, seeing familiar faces more of a recent occurrence since joining the TBH family, celebrity spotting not really my thing but a high five from Christine at the start would of been a nice distraction.

The over price debates continues with the GNR and the point has credence, but the atmosphere the money generated for charities and the positive publicity for the area levels the sands of scales, especially since the various so called fly on the wall tv programs doing the rounds at the moment showing the not so pleasant side to our beloved north east.

The start with what must be one of the best line ups in a long time with Mo, Haile and Bekele in the elite male race, with the latter just holding off Mo for a fantastic finish.

3 running legends

Mile one a frantic oggy oggy oggy induced haze, mile two slower but the iconic Tyne Bridge slowing the pace with rivers view, mile 3 faster passing Gateshead stadium then miles 4 to 5 the slow climb upto the highest point of the course then dropping down to mile 6 and to 8 with wind firmly behind and rain to cool the pace quickens the lactic not yet squeezing the legs, mile 9 a deceptive incline, decision of the race to take water or not, taken without feeling the thirst two quick gulps the bottle discarded the pace drops wrong decision, mile 10 and the top of John Reid Road the lactic starts to appear and mile 11 the worst part of the route a slow leg sapping incline wishing for the view of the North Sea eventually appearing and the short drop to the bottom of the Coast Road Bank, Mile 12 the never ending mile just one more mile to the end the brain willing the legs to quicken the legs disagreeing threatening to go on a go slow with anymore prompting. The crowds shouts and cheering always bring the race end to a crescendo, 400 meters then 200 meters to go ok the sprint is on for the final few hundred meters Mo ‘esk inspired chase to the final timing chip meets time recording mat.. 1hr 42mins 11 secs.. not the sub 1hr 40 I was looking for but still 9 min pb from last years GNR.

Weeks leading up to the big day the brain & legs in agreement after six attempts maybe this will be the last year I enter…but the day the atmosphere the chance to run the same race at the same time as top athletes (which other sport give mere mortals like myself that chance?) we’ll see, the brain has higher authority than the legs.

Finally congratulations to all TBH who completed, PB and cheered on all the runners in the 2013 GNR

Stuart

On a fabulous weekend of running, the BUPA Great North 5k kicked off proceedings.

Well done to the following members.

This was shortly followed by the BUPA Junior Great North Run, with Ben Priestley representing Tyne Bridge Harriers. Ben finished in a credible 14th position, clocking a time of 14:45 for the 4k race. Well done Ben.