It was drizzley on the morning of the race as we packed up spare clothes and drinks and attached our luggage labels to our bags and layered up. I'd pinned and taped our race numbers and laid out all our clothes ready the night before. I was so terrified of needing the toilet half way thru I only drank one glass of juice at about 8am and made myself take 4 toilet trips before I even left the house. The metro was absolutely jam packed and when we got to newcastle we just followed the hoards up to the start line. There were loads of people in charity race t-shirts and lots in fancy dress, even a couple of teams congregated for a last minute motivational talk (or a "what to do if you get seperated" talk...I couldnt tell). I was nervous yet excited and hubby was becoming increasingly worried about the apparent fitness and experise of all the other runners, people rubbing their legs with deep heat and doing warming up stretches, some people who looked like your typical runners with all proper waterproof breathable gear (no old joggy bottoms and 80's retro sweat bands for them) and proceeded to convince himself he was actually going to die en route. He just kept mentioning the lack of "unfit" (i.e. overweight, ill equipped, the old and the smokers) and was still looking edgy as we made sure we were pinned into place properly and got our bags ready to put on the baggage bus. He made a bit of a hash spraying my hair blue and mainly got my ears....but it was raining and he was no hairdresser so I didn't say anything.
The warm up was good fun and Alan "get to those phones" Robson of local radio fame was warming up the crowd and giving local heroes Ant & Dec their grand entrance to start the race, we spotted loads of fancy dress including a group of "where's wally", about 6 wonderwomen - a couple of which were men and a group of men in tiny blue thongs, silver tinsel wigs and well.....that was it - aside from a handful of blue balloons. They were certainly getting a lot of attention and people telling them how brave they were and cheering them (not anywhere near enough motivation to run in your undies though). I lost hubby at the start as he sprinted off while I strayed slightly off course in an attempt to hi-5 Ant & Dec, until a queue started to form at which point I weaved back into line with the crowds. It was a fantastic atmosphere and the queues of people was ridiculous, i've never seen so many people in my life. Chants of Oggy Oggy Oggy echoed from under the central motorway as we approached the tunnelled part sheltering us from the rain which seemed to fizzle out. I made it across the tyne bridge chatting away to michelle but as we came up the back towards the felling bypass I was having to weave in and out quite a bit to keep with her and almost went my length when someone caught the back of my trainer. I waved her on at Gateshead stadium as I thought i'd try battle on my own for a bit til there was a decent "gap" in the crowd of runners I was wedged in with.
I hit the Heworth roundabout and the incline got me, I had to walk as I drank from my bottle of water to finish it in time to pick up the next drink from the station (I didn't want to be stuck without a drink). The constant but ever so slight slope was really draining and I grabbed some powerade on my way past which was thoroughly disgusting but it was wet and it would do. Although who in their right mind gives out SUGAR FREE energy drinks at a half marathon?? After discovering how vile powerade was I tried focus ahead and ignore the runners straying off the road and dissapearing into the bushes by the roadside. I was now at my milestone marker, almost the 6 mile mark, the highest point and apparently no more downhill. This was where my sister in law had promised to put up a banner for us. I looked up for that little spurt of encouragement from the absent but considerate Emma and nothing....just a massive poster for powerade emblazoned with the words "FINDING IT TOUGH......TRAIN HARDER NEXT YEAR). I later discovered that Emma had in fact got up at 5am, driven to the footbridge past the spot that left her traumatised after a bus rammed into her car only to have it covered up by evil powerade with their cheeky beggar comment and their toxic drinks!!!!
The supposed "downhill" section did not appear. Yes it levelled out but at no point did I feel a downhill slope. The poisonous powerade was making me feel sick as I sipped it (found out later thats because the "isotonic" properties of the drink to "replace lost nutrients" actually translates as MINERAL SALTS). So not only was it minging, it had no sugar, just sweetener and was actually salty. Not great for the stomach when you're sloshing your way through a run and have only eaten a banana all day. As we hit the sliproad, crowds of people from the housing estate behind in Hebburn (I assume thats where it was) were lining the roadside handing out orange wedges, kitchen towel for people to dry their faces and icepops. I missed the icepops, I saw the evidence of empty trampled wrappers on the floor though. I did manage to peek into a wicker basket to find orange wedges and stuff one of them into my mouth breathing "ooh you legend" to the lovely lady who was handing them out. I ran about 300m with my orange mouthguard and spent about the same distance trying to pick the bits out of my teeth - this was one occassion I never thought i'd need floss for.
I'm sure i'd passed the St John's ambulance volunteers before but was only actually taking notice of what they were doing as they stood holding out shiney gloved hands to the runners. Ahhh Vaseline. The little lightbulb of recognition was swiftly followed by a small shiver as there's just something not right about people leaning towards you with a greased up rubber gloved hand. *Shudder*. I grabbed a water at the next station and smiled at the queues of runners who'd stopped to use the portaloos outside a petrol station. Someone ran past without a drink and muttered how vile the powerade was and I offered up some of my water. I seemed to come across a chirpy group, spirits were still high and people were exchanging little encouraging comments such as "love the tutu" and "its not this far in the car". As we hit the half way mark more people were dropping by the wayside and my water was running low again. I'd started to get hot and flustered so was now splashing most of my drinks bottle into my palm and wiping my face with my hand.
Half way and still this downhill section seemed to never arrive, I was sure I would have noticed it but it never seemed to appear. Although starting to tire I hadn't had to walk since my catch breath moment at Heworth roundabout I was feeling positive but hot and stuffy. Water was running low again and I slowed to a waitress style power walk as I approached a table of plastic cups a local womens institute had set up and thanked them as I huffed and puffed past. It was the coldest most appreciated cup of water ever and I really had to resist the temptation to just chug it down as I knew i'd either choke on it, get a stitch or make myself sick. It was sooooo nice. The next sight seeing event was a runner collapsed by the roadside with a group of fellow runners in matching t-shirts hovering round until the St Johns people waddled towards them carrying their big carryboxes of well first aid stuff. At this point I spotted kids cheering on the roadside with bags of pic n mix and wandered over to a lady with a tupperwear box and thanked her as I swooped past and grabbed what I thought was a dolly mixture.......nope liquorice allsort, the bobbley pink jelly-filled ones. I pulled a face as I chewed announcing that I didn't realise it was liquorice and the man running alongside me said neither do I but i'd eat bertie basset if he was in the crowd. I agreed and said I've never craved a sugarlump before and would happily eat one if they were handing those out.
I noticed some people still carrying their poweraid, glad to have ditched my vomit juice I spotted a runner in army gear with a backpack of about the same size strapped to his back who was starting to slow. I offered him a drink and he was so pleasantly surprised I think he actually smiled. I had a little chat (well I talked at him) and told him what a good cause he was running for and that I didn't envy him carrying all that gear. I wished him good luck and weaved forward a bit. It took forever to get to the 8mile mark and the locals were standing in their gardens and on bus shelters directing hoses at those runners who waved or shouted towards them. There was a band of middle aged heavy metal rockers on one of the roundabouts who received lots of deer head hand symbols and arms in the air as runners made their way past, too tired to sing along but wanting to show their appreciation. Another long section of road and anambulance to collect a collapsed runner. I was struggling now and desperately wanted to walk, so I ate a couple of fruit pastilles I had jammed in the pocket of my running shorts and tried not to inhale them. Just as I was slowing to a fast walk the army man appeared just alongside my left shoulder. "Hello Again" I said as I shoved my fruit pastilles towards him and he took one, again thanking me like i'd offered him a piggyback. I wished him luck again and told him at this rate i'd probably bump into him again, probably on the finish line, and dragged my legs out of the trudge paced walk into a run propelling them with the power of arms and winced face.
Then we hit the fantastic 10mile mark and there were more charity buses lined up cheering for people and making noise. The pavements were more full with supporters and in some parts they were 2 or 3 people deep some even in folding chairs and kids in toy tents lining the roadside. Then I heard the BUPA boost station, a DJ cheering and encouraging everyone shouting out thier charities as they came past, telling everyone they were nearly there and 10miles was the hardest chunk, we'd made it to the hardest part. Piles of jelly babies were littered on the roadside, then I saw crowds of runners and people in white gloved hands scooping into cardboard boxes. I ran up and put my hands out oliver twist style under the frantic volunteer who was concentrating so hard on not dropping sweets. I got some JELLY BABIES nom nom. I chewed the first one then just threw the rest into my open mouth with my hand, probably covering my chin and nose with the floury icing sugar but I didn't care. I'm not even a fan of jelly babies but the sugar hit was phenomenal.
I was really getting tired now, where on earth was this downhill section, 11 miles took ages. In fact the last 3 miles (9-11) felt longer and harder than the previous 9 put together. Its a lie all this downhill lark, just to stop people giving up at Heworth I told myself, my feet were really painful I was sure I had blisters and then the rain started again. I once again heaved my legs into a slow jog determined to drag my backside up yet another hill. Then suddenly I saw it, the sea! I'm sure it was, it was raining and the sky was grey it had to be. Then I was at the brow of the hill and a massive flashing sign confirmed "ITS THE SEA" as I noticed I was at the brow of a hill and a roundabout right at the coast. The rain changed from the fine drizzle to proper Norht East whipping at your face rain as I carefully ran the ONLY downhill section of about 50metres that had a wall of hay bales at the bottom forcing runners to swing round to the left. I was on the coast, this was the last mile. I was tired and wet and wanted to stop but there were crowds 6 deep by the roadside and people cheering and holding banners saying "the pain is nearly over". So I plodded on as the rain got heavier.
I hit the 800m mark and was having to wipe the rain out of my face, it got really dark but I refused to stop. It felt like an age before I hit the 400m mark and in the distance I could see the finish line. I suddenly had a burst of energy or willpower or just one of those "if I dont hurry up i'm going to have to stop" moments. 200m and the rain was heavier I could barely see but I wasn't cold and the song "umbrella" comes on my ipod, I giggled to myself and must have sounded like i'd actually cracked up. I strained a smile as I picked up my pace and ran towards the finish line throwing my arms up in the air as soon as I saw those yellow numbers and worked out my rough finish time.
My legs were wobbly as I bent down to pull off my timing chip but I managed, and although I was stiff I didn't feel like I was going to pass out or just keel over. It was a bit of a wander towards the race finishers pack and the rain was lashing down. I grabbed my bag and my first thought was for food but then went straight for the foil blanket and opened it and held it over my head and wrapped it round my shoulders grabbing it under my chin. I couldn't see a thing, it was absolutely pelting down like someone was holding a hose and it was grey. All I could see was crowds of people and just wandered along feeling completely lost, I didn't know where I was going and couldn't see anything. Then I the ground underneath my feet turned into a slope and at the foot of the hill was a massive sea of white tents with loads of posters and flags waving from it. That has to be the charity village I thought. I had promised friends & family that's where i'd meet them. I was a bit gutted I didn't see them in the last mile but assumed i'd not seen them cos of the rain and they'd have seen me and would be on their way to meet me. I hoped hubby was ok with his horrible cold in this horrible weather, he definately wasn't in any of the ambulances i'd seen - I checked out the colour of all the collapsed people's tops before jogging past and none of them were white. Blue, yellow and another off-yellow multi-colour but no whites.
I found the guide dogs tent straight away and toddled inside to shelter from the rain. Lots of smiley volunteer faces and shattered people lying on tables getting massaged, their faces squashed in agony. No husband or in-laws. Hmmm. I was asked if I was ok and offered a hot drink, I explained that hopefully my husband would cross the line soon and meet me here and was asked if I wanted tea or coffee. I didn't realise what I said but I was handed coffee so must have replied. I was ushered towards a crate of pre-packed sandwiches and grabbed a BLT. I then noticed the cold and went to get my race t-shirt out of my bag and managed to tip the contents of the bag all over the floor. A lovely lady helped me pick everything out and I wandered outside the tent into a plastic seat to sort myself out. I drank my cuppa and put on the race t-shirt and wrapped the foil blanket round my waist sarong style. I then attempted to eat the sandwich slightly shakily but I was so hungry I could have eaten a scabby horse. Ahh good choice, the salt in the BLT was gorgeous. Two young girls were huddled in the chairs beside me, their boyfriends holding their foil blankets round them and one of their mothers trying (and failing) to call her husband. One girl was shiverring really badly hugging a cup of tea and the other was eating a cereal bar. I recognised them as the two girls with matching ponytails I'd seen on the route. So I told them I'd spotted them and been trying to keep up with them all race and just couldn't. The mothering instinct must have taken over and the older lady was asking if anyone was coming for me as the networks were all down. I told her my husband was running and hopefully he would find me at the tent and that I had my in-laws supposed to be coming to meet us too. She reluctantly left a short time after I'd tried to persuade her someone was coming for me and I started to worry. What if David hadn't finished? Should I chance going to the baggage bus to get him some warm clothes for when he got here - but what if I missed him on the way? What if he hadn't finished and was in an ambulance and no-one had any way to contact me. I hadn't taken my phone as I knew the networks would crash and I had no-where to put it, plus David's music for running was an iphone and everyone else had one so I didn't need one. It seemed ages I was sat on my own.
When I finally saw him trudging towards me all wet and fluffy haired I was so glad to see him. He was soaked and burst into tears when I ran (well limped over) and hugged him. He was ok but I think with him being so ill in the run-up to the race and the fact that he must have had to run through all that rain i'd hidden from under my foil from was just too much. I got him a hot drink and hand fed him a sandwich as his hands were shaking too much to grasp properly. A lovely lady with bright red hair (who I later discovered was called Sorrell) came over and said she recognised us from a guide dogs open day we went to and asked if we were ok. David clearly was not, even though he said he was. I told her he had been ill with cold and was just a bit exhausted after it all. She ran and got him some chocolate and offered to have someone give him a massage if he wanted. He said yes but after something warm to drink, a re-wrap of his foil blanket and some food he just wanted to go home.
His parents went to get the car and drive as close as they could get to the finish area so he had less to walk and we went with Emma to the baggage bus to collect our things. I was so glad of my thick joggy bottoms and hooded fleecy top ahhhh warm and dry clothes were worth the extra walk to the buses. I pulled off my wet race top from underneath my fleecy one so I wasn't just putting dry on top of wet and we made the long walk back to the car. I later discovered a safety pin nestled in my sports bra from pulling off that t-shirt and massive blisters on the inner edges of the balls of my feet just under my big toes - exactly where it had been hurting me on the 10mile mark. But other than that and the walking like a penguin for a few days after, we both made it pretty injusry free! And the 13.1mile run plus extra couple of miles back down to the car meant we fully deserved the giant pizza and bar of chocolate we had for tea that night!!!!!
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