13.1 miles done and dusted
19 September 2011Hello Everyone Well the big day has been and gone, me and 53999 others took part in the greatest half marathon in the world. Before the race I'd set my goal of breaking 3hours and would be really stoked if I could break 2:45:00. Weather on the day was very much like a day in Auckland, sunny but cold, then raining, sunny and hot, then wet and humid. What was even funnier is the night before we stayed in a hotel in a wee village called West Auckland :-) Race started well, through the start in a little over 30 minutes, a quick wave to Mo Farrah going through the start and it was off on the 13.1 mile journey. The first few miles into and through Newcastle where great over the Tyne Bridge, past St James Park and out onto the roads to South Shields. The old body held up reasonably well, with KB egging me every step and the local Geordies cheering everyone on in their thousands, the bands along the way playing tunes, my favourite being around the 2 mile mark playing Home Newcastle, great tune, the kids looking for high fives, squirting runners with water and vice versa, people giving out oranges, jelly babies, sandwichs, biscuits and flavour ices there was plenty of fuel to keep us going. The ten mile mark seen me go further than I had ever done and the legs started to feel heavy, but the crowd and KB with the seemingly endless supply of jelly babies got me to the coast and the site of the see front. Down the hill into South Shields we went and along the last mile to the finish 800 to go 400 to go last 400 in 4 minutes to break 2:45 KB mentioned, well the mind was willing and the body was fighting, would we beat the 2:45 barrier.......................................crossed the line and paused the Nike GPS tracker on the phone, had we done it, in came the timing? txt from the GNR........................2:44:55..........so stoked with the time, off to get water and our race packs. Got stopped by a local radio DJ, how you feeling there Steve ""I'm F##KED i mouthed, Cream Crackered he said having a laugh there being kids and he could not repeat it, Cream Crakcered he is. Jonathon Edwards is interviewing a runner as we walk past, and sure enough 39 mins into the highlights on BBC, there we are walking along on the Telly (international superstar me). Race pack and medal collected time for an official photo with KB and off to the luggage buses to collect the belongings. Then its back on the coach to Darlington for lots of hugs with Gill and Niamh. A huge thanks to KB for his support on the day it was awesome having him there getting me through the miles. An even larger thanks to all of you for helping me raise nearly $2000 for Mikes Trust, its great to see and this along with the ?1000 I've raised in the UK for Cancer Research makes me feel very humble at your generosity. Thanks Again Steve