Bendy Bob's Great North Run Page for the RNLI

What a fantastic day!  My official time was 1 hour 40 mins and 32 secs (overall 2362rd or 294th for my age group and gender - so not bad considering there were 54,000 runners).

Yes, I did run as a pirate so I'll upload some photos tonight.

So it was an early start at 5.00am from the hotel, Karen, Sean, Debbie, Alex and I were not that hungry.  Parked up at South Shields Sailing Club and put my fancy dress on after watchning a lovely sun rise.  Then joined the scrum for the Metro tube - everyone on good form, lots of banter on the train etc.  Quite chilly morning but hey did it warm up. 

After a very lengthy queue for the loos, it was off to the start.  Have to say the atmosphere really started to build.  Karen and I went to find our start positions whilst Alex, Deb and Sean went to find a vantage point for photos.

Big scrum at start - the marshalls would not let us into our allocated start location, the suggestion of telling several thousand runners they had to join the back of the race when they had been waiting for 30mins nearly caused a riot!!  So, barriers were moved and we were off!

Some superb fancy dress - my favourite was the large pink whooppee cushion (loud and proud).  Boy some people looked seriously hot in their costumes!  My beard fell off after 5 miles, hey ho but the sword, eye patch etc survived - though everything was a bit soggy by the end (tmi).

Hats off to the local community - water, oranges, sweets etc all the way round.  All of which were greeted by multpiple "aaarrgghhs" from the pirate.

At the end I had time for a massage in the RNLI tent before meeting the rest of the gang and enjoying the Red Arrows (superb). 

Hats off too RNLI organisers and volunteers and South Shields Sailing Club for the buffet, organising the showers etc.  Boy did I enjoy that beer - yummy!

Then we joined the A1M carpark before enentually getting home at 20.30.

Great day - thanks to Sean and Debbie for doing all the driving and looking after Alex.  Thanks to my fellow runner Karen for sorting the accommodation and great time - well done.  Finally thanks to all my friends, family and colleagues for sponsoring me.  We've easily exceed the target.  Fabulous.

Cheers - Alan / Bendy Bob the Pirate (remember that the website stays open for a couple of months so if you want to donate, go ahead).

 

15th Sept - short run this evening, much RNLI, police and coastguard activity on the beach as a light aircraft made an emergency landing on the sand - propellors looked a bit bent!!  Only planning a short jog on Thursday and then rest - ibuprofen is helping.  £415 now raised on line - fabulous, let's exceed the target!!  Will look at the weather for Sunday - hopefully not windy.

12th Sept - 1 WEEK TO GO!! 12ks this morning some across soft sand, last longish run before next Sunday.  Hip / lower back giving me some grief so will take this week really steady and keep taking the drugs!  Accommodation fell through for the night before the run - thanks to Karen for searching nd finding an alternative (better than sleeping in the car).  Will plan for a very early start next Sunday.

11th Sept - Time is ticking away, 9 days until the run but it is really tempting to get out in this beautiful weather.  Let's hope it holds! (fat chance).  May need to pop a few ibuprofen over the next few days as right hip is playing up.  Also thanks to Animal (SR) for the black eye on Wednesday evening - shame it won't stay as it would save me wearing an eye patch  - same again next Weds Animal?

10th Sept - Another good run this evening in beautiful weather - no wind for a change.  Got to now think about tailing the training down and stuffing me ful of pasta and carbos next week.  So I am planning 8 or 9 miles on Sunday then a couple more shortish runs Tues and possibly Thurs.  Then rest, eat pasta and sort out the Pirate costume!! 

6th Sept - Great run this evening - approx 11 miles over beach, hills, bracken and stingers, through woods, muddy farm tracks, Wirral Way and roads - great route finding Matin!!  Head torch came in really useful as the nights draw in!  Just a couple more big runs before I tail the training off.  Bit sore but nothing a couple of day'srest won't sort.

4th Sept - Good miles under the belt this week - 10 miler last night in very windy conditions, but "enjoyed" the slog across the beach into the teeth of a force 7 largely because of the sunset!Not long to go now - huge thanks for the continuing donations and promises.  Looks like I need to sort out the Pirate constume and practice saying Aaarrgghhh!! 

 

2nd September - Had a great day at the Hoylake Lifeboat Day - Red Arrows were spectacular even though the rain was lashing down!

 

Welcome to Bendy Bob's Just Giving Page for the Great North Run.  Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.  Why the RNLI? Simple really Bendy Bob and water sports have never been far apart - diving, sailing, surfing, generally getting up to mischief in boats (some stoies are not for the internet)!  Also the new RNLI station in Hoylake at the end of our road needs a new boat!  So please help me reach my target of £450.

My target time remains 1 hour 45 mins (without a parrot and peg leg!).

So, if you fancy sponsoring me, please donate to just giving.  As an added incentive, if I reach my target I promise to run as a Pirate and go aarghh! at every mile marker!  Photos to follow.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more for the RNLI, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

So please dig deep and donate now.  Many many thanks for your donations.

Alan aka Bendy Bob.