Good grief. It’s you.

Wallace

Hot on the heels of the completing the Great North Run (see here for that review), it was time to run in my other annual local event – the North Tyneside 10k. You can read my review of it in happier, ‘normal’ times here.

I’ve always been a big fan of this run. The start is fairly local and hassle free to get to, the finish is within walking distance of my house, and it’s only a 10k. I can be back home before dinner time (lunch if you’re southern). Belter.

Due to the C-word (not that one) this years was going to be a bit different. Usually held on Easter Sunday every year, on a warm Spring day with a palatable sea breeze, the 2020 version was on it’s 3rd rearrangement when it finally happened on October 17th 2021.

To be honest, I had completely forgotten about it until my Bib and info arrived in the post the week before. I was still basking and slightly limping in the glory of getting round the Great North Run patched up and drugged up a few weeks beforehand.

Having said that though, I was well up for this. 10k feels like nowt nowadays (I’m not being prickish here, but it isn’t to me anymore really) and any chance to get out and do anything venturing on normal now feels like a special occasion. Interestingly though, the structure and organising of the race was EXACTLY the same as every year. Same numbers, same time, same drill, no C-word restrictions. This really was a return to normal.

So, with an extra layer than usual for this run, I got myself down to the start in plenty of time. I always find the start of the NT10k a fascinating place. It’s about as sophisticated as a 19 year old chav from Byker strutting down Shields Road with his top off when it hits a barmy 13c. Everyone just mooches about the Sports Centre, then a few people head towards the start line about 5 mins before the gun is due – which then triggers a surge of everyone following like Sheep. Every year. It’s the kind of human behaviour Scientists get funding to study.

I’ve already mentioned in previous blogs my fondness for people watching in Pens. This is less of a Pen of course, and more of a Mosh. Being a Cool Kid, I plonk myself middle of the pack. As per usual, there are a lot of Running Club vests kicking about. All tribally hanging out together like a shit West Side Story.

Also as per usual, we seem to just start without any fanfare and the most pathetic sounding starting gun that Alex Baldwin probably wished he’d borrowed (too soon?). The start, say the first half mile, is always the only part of the NT10k that I don’t like. It’s too crowded, and due to no Pens there are lots of groups of slower eager beavers at the front that it’s difficult to get past. Before you start, I’m not having a go at slower eager beavers. Run your own race and all that. It can just be canny frustrating if you’re caught behind it.

By the time we hit the Fish Quay the field has opened up as it usual does and you can really start to enjoy it. It’s a perfect day for running, fairly mild for October and no wind. I actually wish I hadn’t layered up as I’m already hotter than Phillipa Forrester in the 90s.

I am feeling pretty good though. Well, comfortable. Even when we hit the killer hill going up to the Priory, I get up in fairly decent pace whilst cursing the shite out of it. Then we’re onto the coast proper, and it’s 4 miles of flat prom all the way to the Lighthouse.

I get past the Spanish City and from then on I feel like I’m cruising to the finish. I run down here all of the time and muscle memory is helping me home as I feel like I know every single pavement slab. Foot on the pedal for the last mile where I hit a very respectable 8:20 pace and ‘fly’ home in 53:10, the second fastest I’ve ever run this. My PB for this course is 52:38, so with my gammy foot I’ll take being 32 seconds off the pace all day long.

This years finishers t-shirt is also a pretty snazzy light blue number, and they’ve learnt their lessons from the infamous ‘Tit-topgate’ year. Then it simply a 15 min walk home and it’s like I never left the house.

So, all in all, a successful rearrangement and an enjoyable jaunt on a crisp Autumnal Sunday morning. See you next Jesus resurrection day!