365 - Day 157, 158, 159, 160, 161, 162, 163, 164, 165, 166, 167, 168 and 169

Day 157 started with a day trip to Keswick. No running was planned there but a nice 4 mile walk around the lake was a nice loosener. Órlaith (pictured) really enjoyed herself. A treadmill session was done back at home in a very pleasing 02:58:59.

Day 158 saw me have some running company for the first time during this campaign. That's 2056.7 half marathon miles on my own. My old work mate Phil provided the company. He is one of those people who has used the Run Geordie Run brand for inspiration in recent years. As a result, his fitness and subsequent weight loss has been considerable as you can see below. I should point out that the after picture is on the left and the before one on the right. Phil has been a brilliant supporter to St. Benedict's Hospice in recent years and his support of Run Geordie Run is hugely appreciated.

Back to day 158 and the route was from near Phil's house in South Shields to Roker and back. We talked all the way round and the pace up to mile 11 was very comfortable indeed. I thought at around mile 6 that I was on for the quickest time of the year. While this campaign is not about speed or breaking personal records, on this occasion I decided to go with it and try and maintain the 12 minute mile pace. That was achieved all the way to mile 11 when my hips started complaining!

The final 2 miles were 13 minutes each which meant that an overall time of 02:47:09 was the quickest of this campaign so far. 02:48:43 was the previous best way back on day 59.  A huge thank you to Phil for some brilliant running company. I'm sure this won't be the last time we run together this year.

Day 159 was the now traditional attempt at getting to Pegswood on time to meet Donna. It was a lovely sunny day and a far cry from the cold, dark and wet days earlier in this campaign.

I didn't set off from work on time which meant that I just made it to Pegswood on 9 miles. I got a lift home and finished day 159 off on the treadmill. A combined time of 03:12:16 was really pleasing. Especially given that my legs felt like lead and my muscles felt like they'd been hit by a hammer.

I got the Metro to Bede on south Tyneside on day 160. It was then a case of running to the coast and following the path all of the way to the stadium where Take That were in concert.

At the 4 mile point I could see some very dark clouds heading my way.  Moments later, the heavens opened and I got an absolute soaking. 

I made it to the stadium after 11.5 miles. The remaining miles were done after the concert when I made my way to the meeting point to get my lift. 

The concert itself was absolutely amazing. You must understand (and long term readers will know) that Take That have got me through some difficult moments during my run around the world. The first instance was during the 2007 run from John O'Groats to Lands End.  I don't have it documented but there was a day in the north west (Day 25 I think) where I had the song "Shine" on repeat. With each play, my pace got faster.

Fast forward 4 years to day 25 of the run across the USA. My blog from that day reads "Since Jack was at the Take That concert back home, I spent most of the day listening to that very band. I also sang a few songs too. Singing loudly and running is very difficult at altitude I can tell you! At one point I was mid song blasting out the chorus when a 4x4 pulled up alongside me and asked if I needed any water. I declined and thanked him in my semi embarrassed state.". That was the start of realising the inpact of their music on my running. There is a huge mental benefit for me. It's hard to explain but when you're thousands of miles away from home (like I have been many times) then Take That will get you through. You can read more about that day in 2011 here. There are many more instances that I could talk about but I'll leave it there. I'm sure you get the message. Needless to say, that seeing Gary, Mark and Howard in person was extremely special for me on day 160. 

An overall time of 03:20:51 was achieved on day 160.

As a fitness bonus, I later discovered that my fitness tracker had recorded an "activity" during the first half of the Take That concert. I'll put that down to some "dad dancing".

Days 161, 162 and 163 were all done late in the day on the treadmill. Times of 03:22:30, 03:04:22 and 03:06:38 were very pleasing given the recent quicker times and warmer weather. Although, it appears that I've picked up where I left off last year in the USA with regard to coping with higher temperatures. "The hotter the better" is something I'm constantly telling myself.

Day 164 was a loop within a loop around Bedlington before heading out to the outskirts of Morpeth and back.

A final time of 03:09:16 was another pleasing result. 

Days 165, 166, 167 and 168 were all done on the treadmill. This enabled me to pass the time by watching the world cup. Times of 03:16:00, 03:07:44, 03:06:19 and 03:04:18 were achieved. After many months of running, the average times were beginning to come down. On the down side, muscle and tendon soreness was at a campaign high.

Day 169 almost saw an end to the 365 campaign! I’d had a very busy week and far less sleep than I needed. The impact was a very bad migraine. I actually started the miles around Gosforth but had to abandon that and get the bus home. 

I tried to grab an hour of sleep to try and help with the considerable pain in my head. That didn’t help and with time ticking I just had to get out and do my route to Morpeth and back in any way possible. I set off along the path and I couldn't even raise my head such was the pain.

I realised that I forgot my phone when I was a few miles down the road so there was no option to get picked up if things got worse. I had blurred vision for a while so extra care was needed along the narrow and often overgrown paths. It took 5 or so miles for the pain to subside and paracetamol to kick in. 

Thankfully, it was a pleasant evening as I’d also forgotten a top layer. As has been the case many times in the past, I think the cool breeze helped my headache. 

So with an 11pm finish the 365 dream was still alive after 169 days! I felt as relieved to have finished the mileage as I had for any run in recent memory. 

2213.9 half marathon miles have now been done this year. That's about the same mileage that it took to get to a point across Australia before that run broke me. Of course, I managed to get those final miles done back in 2013 to get the coast to coast journey done. 

Day 169 took a whopping 03:57:52 to complete. As I mentioned earlier, it's not about speed. It's about 365 half marathons.

I'm very pleased and grateful to report that the £4000 barrier has now been hit for St. Benedict's Hospice. If you are able to support my 365 campaign in aid of the hospice then please visit www.justgiving.com/page/rungeordierun365.

365 - Day 147, 148, 149, 150, 151, 152, 153, 154, 155 and 156

Day 147 was another treadmill effort completed in 03:11:52. The relentless daily habit had become work, tactical snooze, eat, run, shower and sleep. Donna had to wake me up from the sleep at 7pm. I would have slept through otherwise. It’s fair to say that I’m extremely tired. 

There may be light at the end of the tunnel when I have my first full week off work soon. That will be my my chance to break this vicious cycle of late night running. For someone who is usually in bed by 2130, these constant late nights are really tough to deal with. Thankfully, I’m at my most awake once my tea has digested and I get running. It’s working for now but at a cost of having to sleep between 1 and 3 hours after work. It’s not sustainable. 

All of this makes for a fascinating challenge. Finding a way to do all things all of the time while keeping the 365 campaign alive is all part of the “fun”.

Day 148 and 149 were the fourth and fifth consecutive nights of running on the treadmill and took 03:10:00 and 03:27:28 to complete respectively. 

Day 150 was split into two parts in order to accommodate some brunch with Donna and Órlaith. The first section was an 8.25 mile route to The Courtyard restaurant at Pegswood. An average pace of 13 and a half minutes was powered by thoughts of the up and coming breakfast. It was a lovely warm morning. Perfect conditions for running.

I reached Pegswood just in time for Donna and Órlaith arriving in the car. I'm pleased to report that the breakfast did not disappoint. The poached egg, in particular, was simply superb.

The remaining miles were done in the early evening. I headed west towards the end of Stannington Station Road then back home. I felt very heavy legged and had to walk some of it. I used it as an active recovery in the end. A final time of 03:30:27 for the day was a bit of a disaster given the quicker first session.

Day 151, 152 and 153 were treadmill efforts in 03:28:45, 03:27:51 and 03:26:14.

Day 154 was a run home from work. My usual tactic was put into action - a slow start up the Great North Road, then a lift in pace through Wideopen followed by top speed to Stannington.

I usually enjoy the quiet stretch from Seaton Burn roundabout to Stannington. However, I noticed a large volume of traffic constantly coming my way. It's a wide road but was made narrow by the standing water caused by a sudden downpour of rain.

I assumed there was an accident somewhere on the A1 but couldn't quite figure out why there was so much oncoming traffic. All became clear when I reached the slip road onto the Northbound A1. There was an accident in the distance and the northbound traffic were using the adjoining one way ramp to turn back towards Blagdon and Seaton Burn.

As I neared the crash site I kept my eyes firmly fixed forward. I'm not sure how many vehicles were involved but the A1 was at a complete standstill in both directions. The knock on effect in Stannington and Stannington Station Road was immense. It's easily the most amount of vehicles that I've ever seen there. I was able to use it to my advantage and pick up the pace even more since the traffic was barely moving.

 The traffic eased off when I reached Nedderton. I reached the finish line in 03:17:07. I summed it up on the Run Geordie Run Facebook page as "I’m battling exhaustion but there is quality to be had here and there.".

Day 155 was a run from work up to Newcastle Airport and back. My legs felt very heavy and I managed to get round in 03:35:42.

Day 156 was a slow one on the treadmill with very heavy legs which started at 8pm. A time of 03:35:11 meant that I just avoided the midnight cutoff.

365 - Day 137, 138, 139, 140, 141, 142, 143, 144, 145 and 146

On day 137 of 365 half marathons I felt battered, bruised and sore. The constant miles without any rest days continued to take their toll. I seem to write this type of thing in every post. It's all self inflicted so there'll be no complaints from me.

Back to day 137 and the route took me from Bedlington to St. James Park for the last home match of the season. "Is a field full of black and white cows a good omen?" I wondered as I ran past them at the 7 mile point.

It was a really slow first half to day 137 and I knew I'd require a quicker second half to get to the match in good time. Once I reached the north end of Wideopen, I picked the pace up. My pacing is more to do with the need to be able to do all of this day after day. I've got a lot more to give but being sensible has served me well so far. That said, I feel like I'm bordering on injury. Let's hope I can keep this going for many days to come.

I bumped into an old work mate at the 10 mile point. He was waiting for a bus to the match. I declined his offer of joining him and was soon on my way again. The finish line at mile 13.1 was the entrance to Exhibition Park. I stopped my watch but continued running to St. James Park to ensure I wasn't late. My definition of late is other people's on time. Needless to say that I was in my seat a good 20 minutes prior to kick off. A final time of 03:18:32 was achieved.   

Days 138 and 139 were done on the treadmill. I split day 138 into 2 separate runs due to work and other stuff going on. Final times of 03:22:11 and 03:10:15 were pretty decent given the previous week's exploits.

Day 140 felt like I was very close to snapping point. Muscles and tendons felt very sore and tight. It was a run home from work. I wrote the following on the Run Geordie Run Facebook page - "...battling a lot of tightness in my legs. Feels very similar to John O’Groats to Land last End and early weeks in Australia. Still moving forward though. Special thanks to Graeme who drove past and offered a lift. Tempted but no thanks.". See below for his later reply.

To prevent what felt like an inevitable snap, strain, ping or tear my plan was to briskly walk for the first 2 miles. That took me to the south end of Wideopen. I started to pick the pace up ever so slightly until I left the town at the north end. Once I got over the Seaton Burn roundabout, I strode out a bit more. That 3 mile section to Stannington always brings out the best in me. It's a nice tarmac surface and there's not too much traffic on one of the widest roads I've ever seen.

I reached the railway crossing at Stannington and, as per usual waited for a train to pass. While doing so, I got talking to a local couple. It's not like me to miss an opportunity so I left them with details of what I was doing and the usual "next time you're online search for Run Geordie Run".

I struggled to get going again over the last 2 miles but I was quite pleased with a time of 03:26:02. I was even more pleased with the fact that I'd escaped injury.

Days 141 and 142 saw me back on the treadmill with times of 03:08:40 and 03:07:55. I think they were the most consistent back to back indoor runs so far this year.

Day 143 was a strange one. I used the first mile to run with Órlaith at the beach. I got a life home and then set off westwards. I didn't have much of a plan and knew that I didn't fancy running to Morpeth again. I decided to explore the roads around Stannington. They were really quiet and I was able to get some quick miles done.

At mile 8, I wondered how I would get back to Stannington Station Road as I was certain that the A1 lay ahead. At mile 9, as luck would have it, there was a route across the A1. It was pretty busy so I had to wait for a safe gap in the traffic. Thankfully, there was a short path down the central reservation and subsequently down the southbound side of the A1.

I was very pleased with a final time of 03:07:05. Especially so, given how comfortable I felt in the very warm conditions.

Day 144 of 365 was done in glorious sunshine in London. The day had started early with a drive to Doncaster to catch a train to Kings Cross. As soon as I left the station, I was on my way to Fulham to watch the final match of the season.

It was a very slow start battling crowds of tourists and road crossings. 

I managed some decent running on the south bank of the Thames after mile 7. However, I faded badly at mile 11 and the final miles seemed to take forever. The final half a mile was done up and down the concourse in Fulham's ground! The recent good times came to an end and I just managed to creep under four hours with a time of 03:59:48.

 

It ended up being a 38,000 step day followed by a train journey back to Donacaster then a drive home. It was a long old day after a 0515 alarm. After a really tough week of running (they’re all tough) I’m looking forward to some distraction free days (other than work). i.e. no more football for a few months.

Days 145 and 146 saw a return to form with times of 02:59:28 and 03:08:33 on the treadmill.

365 - Day 131, 132, 133, 134, 135 and 136

Day 131 was another attempt at trying to finish work at a decent time in order to get to Pegswood on time for picking Órlaith up. Yet again, I didn't set off on time so an 8.5 mile route was chosen. The now familiar road through Nedderton, Stannington and northwards to Morpeth and over the river Wansbeck felt like I was wading through treacle. It was an absolute struggle to try and muster any pace at all. It soon became obvious that this was to be one of those days where just getting the miles done was the aim. No matter what.

My route selection given the time I had to get to Pegswood was spot on and I reached the first finish line of the day just as Donna arrived in the car. After a short drive home, it was time to complete the remaining miles around Bedlington. By this time, my legs had really stiffened up. I was even slower than before (if that was at all possible). A final time of 03:54:06 was disappointing in some ways but not in others.

With fatigue well and truly hitting me, day 132 was a customary late start on the treadmill. Getting underway just before 8.30pm was a huge risk if I had a repeat of the previous day. A time of 03:24:01 for 13.1 miles meant I was only 8 minutes before the midnight cut off time. 

Day 133 started off really well. Having worn out 4 pairs of shoes, I had a brand new pair of Hylos on. I'm sad to report that my right foot was in agony for the last few miles. The pain was reminiscent of that which I felt in the USA last year. I don't blame the shoes themselves more the fitting. A size 12 in these are too small and too narrow. I really didn't give myself a decent chance of success last year in the USA given my choice of shoe selection. 

Setting off from work at 5pm, I decided to choose a different route home. Without too much deviation, I thought it would give me exactly 13.1 miles. I was only half a mile out which meant running past my house (never good for morale) and back again a bit. A final time of 03:12:53 was really pleasing. I felt like I had plenty left in the tank at the end. 

Perhaps the recent slow days should be viewed as an active recovery. I certainly seemed to reap some reward on day 133. Not that I fell that I'm getting much recovery mind you. Órlaith's idea of helping me to recover was to fall asleep on my sore right foot.

Days 134 and 135 were done on the treadmill in 03:14:50 and 03:14:22 respectively. 

Day 136 was one of my now favourite routes. It takes in a good stretch of the river Wansbeck. There was the usual amazing selection of wildlife. The highlight of which was a swan and it's young waiting to hatch.

Once again the path along the river was pretty much deserted. As well as the scenery and wildlife, I think this is what I like about this particular route. I probably saw more people on the banks of the Missouri last year and that was in the middle of nowhere!

When there are more incredible animals and birds to spot than people then it really makes for happy running.

A final time of 03:21:19 didn't tell the full story. The first quicker half felt really comfortable. The latter half was far from that. It meant that my quickest 13.1 miles for a while slipped away and, once again, it was a fight to get to the finish line.

365 - Day 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129 and 130

Day 124 saw me venture down to the river Wansbeck again. It's 3.5 miles to the river from my house through Bedlington, Choppington, Guide Post and Stakeford. The first spot of wildlife was a nesting swan. Then there were the ducks followed swiftly by a Grey Heron (I think). If anything was going to take my mind off running for 124 consecutive days then it was these incredible sights.

Slightly down the river was a swan who cast an amazing reflection on what was a very still early evening. The thing that amazes me about the river Wansbeck is how quiet it is. I've only ever seen a handful of people all the way from Sheepwash Road down to the mouth of the river. Oh and what about these place names in south Northumberland. Tremendous.

I put my foot down a bit for the 3 miles that it took to cross the river. The north bank of the river is quite undulating. It's a mix of tarmac followed by stones.

Before I crossed the river I was treated to a sight of as many swans as I've ever seen in one place. I simply though how lucky I was to have this amazing sight virtually on my doorstep.

The route south of the river took me along the coastal path through Cambois (pronounced CAM-ISS). I then took a right hand turn at the 8 mile point. This is next to where the old Blyth power Station was. I had a job interview there once for my year out from university. It was definitely one of those sliding door moments. I didn't get the job but I did get a better one which was working on the same technology that I still use today. If I didn't get turned down for the job then my life would have been so much different. I don't think Run Geordie Run would ever have existed for starters.

I reached the outskirts of Bedlington just as the light was fading. My energy levels were also fading and the final 3 miles were very slow. Yet again, however, I'd completed another half marathon distance. This one took 03:27:21 to complete with that drop off over the last few miles really costing me.

Day 125 and 126 both started after 8 pm and were done in 03:22:55 and 03:20:02 respectively.

Day 127 started four hours after I'd originally planned to. That's work for you! With not much fuel in the tank and a heavy backpack this was the now very familiar route from Gosforth through Wideopen, Stannington and Nedderton before reaching home in Bedlington. 

This one was the slowest for a while at 03:29:21. I wrote on the Run Geordie Run page "Day 127 with a heavy pack starting a good 4 hours than I’d hoped saw a 9pm finish. What a difference the light nights make. With Take That blasting on the iPod and very pleasant temperatures, this particular half marathon was one of the good ones. It really helped that a donation to St. Benedict’s Hospice was made just before I set off! As ever, the generosity remains the best fuel for running (and Take That helps too)."

Day 128 was yet another 8pm start done on the treadmill. It was the quickest for some time at 03:11:14. 

Day 129 was supposed to be the one where I had some running company. I was due to run with support man Carlton, starting off with a Park Run then adding another 10.1 miles. Unfortunately, a headache and vomiting (which Donna reckoned the neighbours at the end of the street could hear) put paid to that. It was another 8pm start on the treadmill and a final time of 03:08:01. 

Day 130 was a difficult one logistically so was done in three sections. The first 3 miles were done in Bedlington with 2 miles around Wetherby Services (while waiting for the car to charge). I added a further 3 miles in Nottingham before the match. The final 5.1 miles were done on the treadmill when I got back home at 9pm.

After 130 consecutive days of running half marathons, I've managed to run 1703 miles. Running shoes pair number 4 are on their last legs so I’ll be switching to a new pair at some point soon. 

In other news, I saw some stats from St. Benedict’s Hospice this week which highlights the impact of their services on people with life limiting illnesses and their families. 

“Here are just a few examples of how we have supported our Patients in the last 12 months: 

💙We cared for 4,000 patients across Day Services, Therapies, Counselling and In-Patient Unit. 

💛We made more than 5,500 Patient Transport Trips. 

💙We fulfilled more than 75 dedicated patient comfort requests. 

💛Counselling provided 1196 hrs. of sessions to bereaved adults and children. 

💙Our Occupational and Complementary therapists helped 140 people.” 

That’s a staggering set of figures. All of that doesn’t mention the costs of running a palliative care facility including keeping the lights on, paying staff and all of the nuts and bolts that are needed to keep St. Benedict’s Hospice providing such expert care. I dread to think about a world without hospice care. 

That’s why if you have made a donation then you should be very proud to have made an important contribution. I think of it like a big jigsaw. Along with all the other volunteers, what we do is such a small piece of the puzzle. But without that piece, then the picture is not complete. 

Thank you to everyone who has sponsored my mission to run 365 half marathons this year. If you’d like to do so then please visit www.justgiving.com/page/rungeordierun365.