Over recent weeks the most popular post on my blog has been my Idiots Guide on How Not to Run the Great North Run. My one attempt at running the race in 2022 was put simply a disaster! However, I have always felt I need to give it a second try as surely so many things can’t go wrong again?
Last year I signed up for the ballot for the first time since. Unlike the odds of being successful in the London Marathon ballot, there is a better chance of getting in to the GNR. However, last year I was unsuccessful.
Fast forward to this year and, in a similar vein to when I first signed up for 2022, I was taken in by all the posts filling my social feeds. Not expecting to be successful, I entered again and for the 2nd time in 4years I was successful (maybe I need to replicate my London Marathon odds post for this race).
Last time I entered I was probably in my best shape ever. At the time of entry I’d recently run the London Marathon and finally gone sub 1:40 for the Half Marathon. This time I am nowhere near that state.
After the disaster that was the 2022 race I actually went three months without running a metre. And since then I have never been back in the same training regularity. I haven’t had the time to train for races and the time that I do have, it’s hard to motivate when there is no race to train for. A real Catch 22!
This though will hopefully force the matter and I’ll see the balance return. Even now, 12 months out, I don’t expect I’ll be challenging my half marathon PB. Indeed, who knows, in my current state I wouldn’t even get close to the time I clocked during the disaster race. However, this time I am determined to enjoy the experience and who knows what will happen from there.
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