The Great North Run

The great north run, 13.1 miles, a run on a road linking newcastle to south shields. This has always been an event I've been interested in doing. I've helped officiate the run in 2002, and the year after I was signed up to do the run with my friends, only to pull out as I went in holiday instead.

Fast forward the clock 8 years and I still hadn't complete the run. In 2007 I had made a list of things I wanted to do and wanted to achieve by the time I turned 30. I'm not sure where this list is nowadays but I remember a few things on the list and doing the great north run was one.

The OH decided that this year she wanted to tackle the 13.1 mile route. She'd never done anything like this before and wanted to run the course to raise money for mind, a charity close to her heart. I decided I'd run it with her for morale support and also to get this off my list. I decided to run for prostate cancer UK.

After months if thinking I need to start training before I knew it the dag was here. OH had done a lot more training than I had but I strangely didn't feel too worried, I knew I'd be able to do the course. The day arrived and we were on the start line, I have to say that on the start line was the point where I lost my patience and got most annoyed. I mean it took an hour to get to the actual start line once the race had begun, by which point the race had already been won in south shields( not that I had any ambition of winning) put into the mix the fact it was raining and a cold wind blew and we were standing waiting to run made it seem more miserable, although I knew full well that once I started running I'd be grateful for the wind and a slight rain.

Once we were under way the mood changed dramatically into a one of awe, there was this bad weather yet thousands of people lined the streets cheering your name and encouraging you on and clapping you. It was incredible. Myself and my OH ran together the whole distance. We'd been for a few runs together before and so paced ourselves accordingly, and we found we could just keep running and running, we set little targets first to run to 3miles, then 5miles,then6,7 until before we knew it we were at mile 8 and hadn't stopped at all. We had to stop at this point for a toilet break, which lead to a real difficult restart, which took more affect on me at 10miles as I felt my knee start to ache.

Again banks and lines of people kept cheering you on and there was no question of not finishing. We kept running until you could see the sea, and with it thousands of more people shouting, clapping, cheering telling you you've got 1 more mile. At this point you run on pure adrenaline, you don't notice and aches, you see the finish line and know you'll be crossing it in a matter of minutes.

The great north run was an amazing experience and one I will always fondly look back on in my life. My time of 2:27 was good, but I know I can do better so now it's been complete the next step is to run it again and better myself. The next day at work a colleague told me he was planning on running it next year to raise money for his son who was ill, even though I was suffering from a bad knee I immediately said I'd run it with him. I'm looking forward to trying to beat my time.

As I crossed the finish line on Sunday, I reverted back to my mental list of things to do before I turn 30, on that list, underneath complete the great north run was to complete a full marathon. As I crossed the finish line it dawned on me, that crossing that point on south shields would only be halfway in a full marathon, I'm sure my body would be up to the challenge.

If you like to sponsor me for. Implying this years run you can do here, all money will be going to Prostate Cancer UK, who you can read about here...

If you'd like to sponsor my OH for completing the great north run please go here, she was running on behalf of Mind, you can read about them here.

Day 261 The knee

My knee has been aching me, naturally I gather after the run yesterday. So I've been hobbling about today. However it made me stop and think this photo taken from last year is now spookily accurate...

Day 260 The run

Today was the great north run. Myself and my partner managed to complete the 13.1 mile course in 2hours 27minutes. Id love to tackle it again next year and beat my time. It was one of the hardest but most rewarding things I've done and if you ever get the chance do it. Credit has to go to all the runners but also the spectators who cheer you along the course...

You can still sponsor me here at http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserProfilePage.action?userUrl=CraigDaley

Day 247 Publicity

Today at work our marketing leaflets came they look pretty nice and professional. Then I turned it over and noticed they used the picture of me that shows my double chin! Thanks, thanks a lot!

Day 231 Keep on running

Training for the great north run is going, well, ok. I only seriously started training 2 weeks ago, and even then haven't seriously trained. So tonight u went for a run. I ran 10.6k which is 6.59 miles. I was quite pleased as this is around half the distance of the great north run, and as I finished I didn't feel knackered I felt I could of gone for more.

However there was a slight snag, 3 miles into my run I noticed my shoes had a serious malfunction, never mind I continued on the beaten track, I'll have to get some new ones...

Day 161 The Bed Race

 Today was the knaresborough bed race. This, for those of you who don't know is a race through the streets where teams push a bed and see you does it in the quickest time. Teams decorate there beds and parade them through the town then strip them down for the race.

 Unfortunately we were a little late to see the parade but managed to catch the race itself. It was great fun and the girls enjoyed it. Hopefully next year we will get to see the floats themselves and have a beer or two (not the girls obviously)

Running to the Zombie beats

Around a month again I was tagged in a twitter post by Musodad. He had suggested to another blogger to ask myself and a few other music bloggers about guest posting. The challenge was set Rhiannon from a Hell of a woman was facing the challenge of from couch to 10k which you can read about here and, after reading up in her challenge and what she wanted bloggers to guest write I though it was a great idea.

As I started writing I started initially offering help and advice, which, I am sure would help people. Myself, I am a keen runner and a qualified personal trainer, I enjoy it and find it very relaxing. Yet as I was writing my original draft I noticed it sounded samey, your typical advice that you. Could get from any book or website.

I then scrapped my idea and decided to put my professional head away and instead write about, what I feel are the rules of creating a good playlist to rub to, my twist to this was the fear of a zombie race taking over the world in the not too distant future.

Please read my guest post here, and while you are there please read up on a hell of a woman's challenge here. You can also follow Rhiannon on twitter @The_Last_Slayer

Enjoy and good luck running away from all those zombies, as Shaun of the dead taught us remember you can survive by decapitating them!

Day 126 jogging

As OH is currently training for the Great North Run she was getting ready to go for a run. She started by jogging on the spot in the house and as she did this, eldest child decided to join in and act as support....

Meanwhile the youngest child just looked on at what a pair of wallies they looked like...