3 GENERATIONS SPECTATING AT THE GREAT NORTH RUN

Early breakfast then we drove to Heworth and parked near the Metro station.  Then Mike got the Metro to Newcastle to go to the start of the Great North Run and the rest of us got a Metro going the other way to South Shields. 

When we got to the coast we headed for North Marine Park.  I pushed Astrid around the park in her buggy while Becky went for a 3 mile run.  We saw some lovely little grey squirrels in the park and lots of dog walkers. When Becky returned we had a slow walk towards the finish area of the run.  On the way we stopped off for refreshments.  Becky had a cheese toastie and coffee.  Astrid has a cheese toastie ( well some of it ) and I had a pistachio ice cream cornet ... with a chocolate flake.  It was from Minchellas and it was delicious.  There was a tannoy system along the seafront and when the runners at the start had their minutes silence in memory of the Queen the crowds in South Shields took part too. It was quite moving when everyone stopped walking and stood silently.

Then made our way to a spot near the finishing straight .... and waited.  Before too long the wheelchair winners appeared, then the elite ladies, elite men, good club runners and then the " masses".

I had the Great North Run tracker app on my phone and I was tracking Mike and also  Ben who is Becky and Mike's next door neighbour  - and Gemma ( my former Slimming World consultant).  She was doing her first ever half marathon.

Ben was the first of them to finish.  His time was.1 hr 14 mins.  Then Mike who took 1 hr 30 mins. ( a personal best for the GNR ). I checked later to find that Gemma had taken 1hr 57 mins. 

After we had seen Mike finish we met him at a pre- arranged point.  We managed to find a picnic table to sit at and Mike went off to buy a pint of beer.  We sat for a while so that Mike could recover a bit and then we walked to the Metro station and waited in a long queue for a Metro back to Heworth,  Of course the metro train was jam packed when it left the station but the journey was Ok.  Back to the car and back home via Aldi.

Playtime for Astrid,  baths for Becky and Mike and uploading lots of photos for me.

Becky and Mike ordered Indian takeway for their evening meal.  I had leftover fish and chips from yesterday - still very tasty.  Then we watched a recording of the BBC coverage of the run. 

So a busy but enjoyable day.  The day started off dry and cloudy and gradually throughout the day it got warmer and sunnier.  Nice for spectators but Im sure the runners would have preferred cooler conditions.

My two main blip shots were taken as we waited near the finish. I have added a collage of Astrid - I took the photos when we were in the park,  And the other collage shows Mike with his beer and a shot of his lovely GNR T Shirt and medal.  Well done Mike - and all the other runners who took part. 

Apologies for lack of comments - I will catch up once my visitors leave.

Steps today - 16,515