GNR 2023 - Days 1 to 3

Big Fat Rave...

Pace cars for the next day, needless to say that this was the first and only time that we saw these...

It was so hot that you could squint and practically be in Sydney...

Luckily refreshment was on offer at the Wylam Brewery in Exhibition Park...

Race Day

At the start before 10:00; it was in the 80's with high humidity...

The start pens are on a dual carriageway in full Sun...

It took 1 hour and 17 minutes after the gun went before we crossed the start line to begin the run.
After well over 2 hours standing in the Sun on hot tarmac without refreshment, the startline felt more like the end of the race that the start of it. To put it into perspective, the people in the front pens had finished before we crossed the startline...

Having 55,000 runners does mean that there are shots like this one, if I am in this photo I haven't found me yet...

Early on I think...

Entering the finishing funnel...

Close to the line in South Shields...

A really tough day and the slowest times by a long way that either of us have ever had for a half marathon, but we were pleased to complete it, but won't be entering again any time soon.

The day wasn't over though, a few minutes after crossing the line the skies went so black that people were using torches to read the finish area map; 10 minutes later the heavens opened for the heaviest rain that I've ever seen. It flooded the Metro, closed roads and caused chaos. I was genuinely worried that Miche would get hypothermia; it took us over 4 hours to get back to the hotel and we were one of the lucky ones that were able to get a bus (the bus driver was excellent)...

Leaving the hotel the next morning...

Days 1-3 - Newcastle & GNR