Emma decided to take on the challenge and got a place in the ballot, unfortunately I didn't so applied for a charity place with Mind. Emma wrote several training plans and did go out and do some running but really didn't do much in the way of time on her feet or mileage. There were a few parkruns and more recently a very good run at Alice's Run but I have to admit to being a bit nervous of Emma's chances of running 13.1 miles when the most she'd done was 6.1.......
Still, race day arrived and there didn't seem to be any real nerves and no sense of backing out of the challenge - there was also over £400 in sponsorship for Save the Children riding on Emma's performance! The forecast for Sunday was rain, rain, then more rain. We did get a bit wet, but it really wasn't too bad and the strong, blustery wind was mainly on our tails pushing us towards South Shields from Newcastle Gateshead.
My role was to act as pack horse! Carrying waterproof coats, cereal bars, water and inhaler. All very easy in my Ultimate Direction backpack.
The start was an easy one mile walk from the hotel, a quick loo stop at the Children's hospital dodged the massive queues and we walked to our 'pen' with about 20 minutes to go until the start. It was very grey and overcast and the spectators in their dark waterproof coats were in stark contrast to the buzzing, brightly coloured runners.
Then, at 10:40 on the dot, the gun went and.....nothing happened! Well, not well back in the pack. It took a few minutes before we started moving and in all about 10 minutes to cross the line. However, that did mean that it wasn't too crowded and we were able to get running without too many obstacles.
After that, it was a fairly smooth run to the line. The red arrows were spectacular flying over the Tyne Bridge just as we were crossing. Emma took her first walk break at about 6 miles, one inhaler stop, a couple of loo stops but impressively just kept on at a steady pace towards South Shields. Infact, the 5, 10 and 15 kay splits were fairly even and it was only in the last 5 kays that Emma's pace slowed.
The final mile, dead straight along the coast road was a real slog, it just goes on and on, but Emma found a little bit of energy to pick up the pace in the last hundred metres and crossed the line in 2 hours 9 minutes and 16 seconds. Simply awesome!!
On the way we bumped in to Sue Verspyk from Ilkley Harriers, Sue was my next door neighbour when I was growing up in Coventry! And at the charity village we met Al Chapman, Leeds parkrunner who had run an amazing 1:20!!
We met up with Pamela at the Save the Children marquee then started the long journey home, the mile walk into South Shields to the car (accompanied by a Red Arrows display), then the slow drive out of South Shields and then the very wet, rainy drive home.
A great day out, still smiling!
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