Great North Run - Oct 2006
Let me begin with my thoughts, advice and general chit chat about the Great north run. Firstly I think I ought to tell you all a little tale of warning about how not to prepare on the morning of a half marathon. This is what my friend Russell Hall did:

Russell Hall-R-2 - well done. I said no way after crossing the line but think I will now. I will do more training for the next one and not eat a big breakfast before the run. I was ready to throw up at 3 miles with stomach cramps
Russell Hall-R-2 - I read that jelly babies are full of carbs so I had some toast, cereal, bananas, sports drinks, fruit juice, more sports drink, another banana and half a pack of jelly babies. Jesus I felt as sick as a dog

It broke my heart to read about his sorry tale.

My very simple advice on what to eat before a long run is - two pieces of toast and water. You should do all your preparatory eating in the days leading up and not in the minutes before it.

He looks like this:

You might wonder who that is in front of him. That is Umbongo and we met him in Brussels. I would also advise you don't prepare like him either as he's an alcoholic. Maybe one day I"ll create a page for Umbongo and his merry antics.

Pictures from the Great North Run

The bastard woman in the shop spelt Visit Vist so everyone thought I was retarded. Many thanks.	Close up of the top - courtesy of Sevenshadesofshit and his artistic genius

	All done and smiling as a good day was had

Jedburgh Oct 29th 2006

The Back - Credit goes to my sister Peta, so ta		The front - again thanks and credit to Sevenshadesofshit
	See how easy it is to spell V I S I T
	No one to take pictures of me. so I've done it myself. Innit.

I am currently writing this at 18.31 on Sat 28th Oct - the run is tomorrow morning and I am bored shitless. Hence the pictures so far don't involve me running at all. Anyway I am very bored. I wanted to go out last night but couldn't be trusted to behave so I had to stay in. I also want to go out tonight but I'm not that stupid to go into town. However I would love to go see Little Man Tate but I don't think I shall because I have no one to go with as they are all out in town or at Halloween parties. I've got an hour to decide so we shall see.  

29/10/2006

OK I am at home and the run has been completed so this means I shall start to collect outstanding money from people. Marvellous. It went really, really well and I feel good - sore hip joints but that'll do. I was hoping to run the same kind of time as the Great North Run at least - in the back of my head I thought it I can get just under 1 hr 50 I'll be dead pleased. I managed it in just under 1hr 45 - Can't give an exact time but it took me 30 seconds or so to get over the start and the clock was bang on 1.45 when I finished. Met a fella called Lynsay around about half way and he said we were on for 1.48 at current pace. Wasn't expecting that - then we actually ran faster. No one went past me from about 5 miles in - felt good carving our way through the field. I wouldn't have run that fast without him so thank you to him for the conversation. I left him at about 11 miles (nasty hill) but he caught back up with just over a mile to go and said we were on 1.38. eh? So I pegged it in from there and left him eating my dust.  Good man so thank you again. I think I shall buy a watch....

I was trying to watch MOTD last night but kept passing out on the sofa so I went to bed and ate Minstrels before falling asleep. Felt good when I woke up, had a banana and cereal bar, listened to some music - eye of the tiger and that sort of thing... Got to Jedburgh with an hour to play with and had loads of time for registering/getting lost. Basically it was impossible to get lost. Gorgeous day.

Me before - see the glee all over my face	It's a shame this pic didn't come out - this man had a pink, yes a pink Burberry cap on his head. Classy.
Proof I was actually in Jedburgh - that there will be the Abbey.	I've got nothing else to put in this space so here is a Romanian anti-gay rally. Glad to see they're getting EU membership...
No pics of me running for obvious reasons. Some pics of me finished. Look carefully and you can see blood pouring from my right nipple. So brave, so, so very brave.	Retarded man put his finger over the viewer. No matter
Stuffing face	Chewing
The aftermath - not sure what I was doing. Trying to look suave and sophisticated probably.	The injury in close-up detail. I'm surprised I managed to finish with the extensive blood loss that went on. Actually it wasn't until I showered in the rugby club that I felt any pain whatsoever as the water bounced off my nips causing me to yelp. Such bravery.
Bye bye Scotland - note extended digit.	Hello England
Now tell me this. I could not get my head round this so if  someone can explain the point of this please do let me know. As you leave the viewing point on the border you see this sign. Forgive me but you are a good hour from any airport and it's not as if they drive on the other side of the road in Scotland....	On the way home