Great North Run 2014
George Munroe Mon 15 Sep 2014 updated: Thu 18 Sep 2014
The usual apprehensive rise around 07:00 on the morning of the run. A tightly controlled breakfast and anxious stroll to the metro for the journey into Newcastle and the start of the biggest race in any year. A 45 minute endurance of being forced to feel what it's like to be inside a tin of sardines, then have a few more zealous runners squeeze in some more. Finally release at Haymarket and the swarm of people like ants covering every possible walking space from the metro escalators into the street and around and through the university all the way to the gathering crowd and noisy outside broadcasts at the starting line.
The sun had its hat on. It was hot! The massive displays around the kilometre long starting pens warned it was not a day for personal bests, to drink plenty, and take it very easy.
The starting gun arrived sooner than anticipated again and we were off. Settling into a rhythmic daze, swept along in a tide with almost 60,000 other individuals, all determined to see through a commitment they'd made, no matter what the pain.
Adrian, Christine and myself did take it easy, Michael blasted his personal best by several minutes! Michael's ever improving time was 1:47, the rest of us were over 2 hours.
However the good weather meant it was much more pleasant at the finish and we gathered at the Action for Children marquee in the charity village to enjoy a very satisfying cuppa and kitkat in the warm late Summer sun, followed by the annual leg massage (for everyone except me!).
Another job well done and we're immensely satisfied :-).
Many many thanks to all our supporters, it wouldn't be nearly as worthwhile without your kind donations for our selected charity every year.