And so it began, another glorious weekend of athletics and in particular, running, in the mighty Toon – it was Great North Run time!
This year contained a number of firsts for me: my first boy running the race of his life for the first time in the Great North Mini Run; my first GNR after baby number two and the first time I nearly had to bail out.
It’s nearly time people! Less than 48 hours until the greatest half marathon in the world!
Hopefully you are all resting before the big day now. Just a reminder that team Green and Gold will meet for pre-GNR photo at 10am on the left hand bank of the orange zone.
The traditional post-GNR drink will be at the Maggie Bank in North Shields as the Porthole is permanently closed 🙁
Good luck everyone!
Well I ran/walked (no shame) the Jelly Tea 10 miler starting and finishing at Hexham Racecourse and what a brutal ‘race’ it was.
Hill after hill climb after climb (that’s how it felt on my weary legs!)I was looking for about 1hr 20mins finish time but that went out of the window after 2 miles and the first climb/run/walk up the hill(s)..but I cracked on facing many hills to challenge me during the ‘race’ and through sheer perseverance and the support of fellow club runners we ran/walked and ‘bitched’ up the hills of Hexham.
In the end I was pleased to see the finishing line after running/walking up another hill towards the racecourse. A shout of “Go on Wallsend” from someone down the road behind me spurred me on and getting on the dirt track to the finish line and seeing my fellow Wallsend Harriers and ‘racers’ Keith, Joe and Andy Wigmore shouting support for me was awesome. I crossed the finsh line in 1hr 28mins and 15secs (offical time) and then fell to the ground in a crumpled heap! wWill I do the ‘Jelly Tea’ again?!..err nope!
Well done to the other Wallsend Harriers Emily, Jeanette and Tony Maddocks who ‘raced’ too. The hills of Hexham are not for the faint hearted that’s for sure.
Well hopefully after ‘racing’ today it will bear fruit for me as I was in 4th place in Wallsend Harriers Summer Grand Prix series of races after today’s ‘race’ and getting my 10 points for attending the race and whatever points I get for finishing within my predicted time (if any Mr Lewis!) I will either finish in 2nd or 3rd I think….
Lee Walker
The Toby is over for another year and what an incredible weekend it was! Before this year’s Toby we knew we would break the £25,000 in total money raised for St Oswald’s over the last eight years but I don’t think any of us realised we would far exceed this amount.
Although the younger juniors’ session is cancelled on Friday August 21st (due to coaches taking part in the Toby), the older juniors’ session (Barry’s group) is still on as normal.