Running free

Taking part in this year’s Great North Run (GNR), the world’s biggest half marathon, is possibly the greatest achievement of my life. I’ve um-ed and ah-ed about whether it’s a bigger achievement than the skydive I did earlier this year and have decided that it is. The skydive was hard mentally. I had to overcome emotional barriers but, once the decision was made, all I had to do was be brave and do what I was told. The GNR required months of training, from a standing start; I’ve only been running since August last year. I’ve never been a runner, nor a real exerciser. Yes, I used to go to the gym, but mainly to fight the flab caused by my excessive socialising. I’m amazed at how my training has built up over the months. From struggling to run one mile, I suddenly found myself running four miles, then six, and so on. Now six miles is my basic run – I was doing two a week in my GNR training – and my long runs are 10-11 milers. That still amazes me.

From going from only running for T and because of T (it helped me feel closer to him to be doing something that was such a big part of his life), I’m increasingly running for me. As well as for T. I know he would be astounded and immensely proud of my running achievements. That’s incredibly motivational. He was extremely passionate about his interests, including running - so knowledgeable and wise. He was a great coach and he got such a buzz from imparting his wisdom to me and his running friends. Sometimes, when I don’t think I can go any further, I think of T and what he went through last year, and it puts my running pain/fatigue into perspective and propels me on.

Importantly, I’ve discovered that I really enjoy running. I love being outdoors in the fresh air. I love the buzz I get when I get back from my runs. I love feeling physically tired and naturally hungry. It helps me clear my mind and think things through, away from life’s clutter. I love having running in common with so many friends – male and female. Not many sports are so gender neutral. I enjoy having goals and challenges to work towards, in the form of races and times. I’m enjoying learning more about running, training, injury-prevention, nutrition etc. In short, I’m becoming a runner and a running geek. And I love it!

Being part of the 30th GNR was an awesome experience and I feel lucky to have been forced into doing this by T’s death. I doubt there are many sporting events where you’re one of 54,000 people. The atmosphere was great, being among so many likeminded people - all there for the same reason - was quite powerful, and the Geordie support was warm and encouraging. Even the rain couldn’t dampen our spirits. I was lucky enough to be running with one of my oldest friends, Margot, a GNR veteran who was nursing an injury but who did amazingly nonetheless. Her fiance, Sam, powered away at the start but it was great to see his beaming face at the end, when we congratulated ourselves on our sub-2 hour performances, as the North Sea turned increasingly grey and the rain started lashing down. Definitely a day to remember. And yet another that I wish T could have been part of.

Thank you all for your support, emotional and financial, on this latest challenge. As always, it’s been invaluable. The following people deserve an extra special thank you: my cheering family and Auntie Christine; my running pals, Margot and Sam; my coach, GB, for all his training advice and encouragement – wouldn’t have got the sub-2 without him; and Michael @ Be Fit in Newcastle for curing me of my hip pain in one session, two weeks before the race, enabling me to run all 13.1 miles of the course. Bring on the GNR 2011...