Photos

As promised, here are a few piccies of the day. There should be some more coming soon as well.


Waiting at the start.


The crowds gather at the start.


Turning onto the seafront for the last mile.


Approaching the finishing line. Looking pretty knackered.


Waving to the crowd. In high spirits.


Finished!

Also, check out my flickr page and the Team Eye of the Tiger flickr page.

I did it!!!

Oh , yes I did! Despite my previous reservations about taking part this year and not knowing whether I would be able to do myself justice I'm very pleased to announce that not only did I complete the course but I also made it in a reasonable time!

Last year, I managed the rather impressive (I think) time of 2hrs 00mins, beating my nearest fellow Tiger by 20 minutes. This year, I didn't expect to do nearly as well, and even though I was indeed slower, I still managed what I consider to be a very good time of 2hrs, 16mins! A time which not only means that a) I didn't embarrass myself, b) still beats all of my fellow Tiger team mates from last year and c) beat my sister! (The only reason I can see how this happened is that I have long legs, shes is considerably smaller than me and therefore found it harder to match me stride for stride.) She still managed a highly respectable time though, 20 minutes behind myself at 2hrs 36mins.

I'll be providing a full report on the day along with some pics very soon.

Its nearly here! Again!

Oh my. Only 2 days to go! This is the post I never thought I'd would end up writing. Don't worry- I'm not breaking up with you, even though thats what it may have sounded like I was about to do. No, this isn't that bad but I simply can't believe that in three days time it will all be over. For the second time.

I remember thinking after the first race last year that there would be very little chance of me "doing that again", yet here I am, once more filled with the apprehension of the forthcoming weekend, not only the race itself but the logistics of the weekend. Just how will it all work out? Its not being helped by the fact that my Race Pack got lost in the post so I have to collect my race number and timing chip on the Saturday at the exhibition thats put on for runners and guests. I'm the sort of person who likes to be prepared (I was a model cub scout!) so after last year where every aspect of the run and the event in general was prepared well in advance I feel that this year theres been no preparation whatsoever. Perhaps its the fact that this year I'm on my own, I can't rely on other people to make any arrangments or share the worrying around. Nope, its all down to me, and whilst things have eventually been sorted out its all seemed a bit slapdash and rushed. Be it the planning, the travel or the training.

The training! oh, the training hasn't been what it should this year. I look back to last year to see myself as the picture of health I was, probably the fittest I have or ever will be. Now, I'm not saying that this year I've really let myself go or have been feasting a Mcdonalds every lunchtime, in fact I've tried to keep the diet fairly healthy over the past few months but its the actual pounding of the pavement which hasn't been what it should. Again, using last year as a comparison, I was doing at least 2 or 3 good runs each week, and by good runs I mean 3-4 miles each. This year? Well, i've been lucky to do 1. I have tried to keep up with doing at least 1 run into or out of work (3.5 miles) each week and this I have achieved. But it just doesn't seem enough.

On the Saturday just gone I actually did a run with my sister who will also be running in Newcastle. It was the first time we'd been able to co-ordinate ourselves and meet up with our kit and caboodle. It was nothing too vigourous, due to an impending luncheon appointment, but we probably managed a good couple of miles on an unseasonably hot day around some rather nice country lanes (certainly a more enjoyable run than the gauntlet of running through central London during the rush hour!) and we both felt pretty good about it.

I know its childish, but sibling rivalary seems to have taken hold I really do want to try and beat her. I doubt I will because shes been doing a lot more preparation than me (first timers eh?) but now I'm so sure I won't beat last years time of 2 hours that beating her seems to be my only real aim. I mean, she will probably beat the 2 hour mark if she runs like she has during training but I know that pace is a deceptive thing during race conditions and if you're not careful you can coast along well underpace and end up regretting it. Its the sort of thing that makes you miss out on your 2 hour target by 54 seconds! Not that I haven't come to accpet that now, after all its has been a year.

So, its two days to go, theres very little chance of me actually updating this before the race now so its time to sign off, wish me luck and I let you know how I got on!

Sponsorship

It's been some time since the last update, for which I shall apologise. I have been busy, unfortunately its not the training that's been taking up my time but life in general. However, some training has been done. More of that in a bit, firstly: Team News.

Its confirmed that I am now the sole entrant from Team Eye of the Tiger for this year's Great North Run. We always knew that Andy and Dan would not enter because of "injuries" and a lack of enjoyment at last years event but there was a real chance of at least 60% of the team making it with Rob and Ste, both respectable runners, willing to give it a go. Unfortunately, Ste pulled out after being unsuccessful in the ballot, unsure of whether he would be able to raise the required sponsorship, and now its been confirmed that Rob is also out. Despite a successful ballot entry, he has now withdrawn due to a lack of fitness, money and time. It means that I alone represent the expections of TEOTT for 2006. A mantle I am somewhat reluctant to take on.

The reason? My own lack of preparation. Now I am definately going to give it a go, I've not done as much training as I did last year but I reckon I have an outside chance of doing just as well. As I said I would in my last update, I was going to take advantage of work being 3.5 miles away. I've managed at least 1 run per week into work (and this week I plan two!) and have been walking nearly all my other journeys, probably about 7 out of the 11 others. When I do run the 3.5ish (maybe just under) miles it takes me approx 28 minutes, therefore if I could keep this pace up I could easily get the 13.1 miles of the GNR doen in under 2 hours. But of course, there will be some flagging and slowing down on the longer distance so I reckon I'm on course for somewhere around the 2 hour mark, I'll probably miss out on the "Golden Time" of 2 hrs, 0 mins, 53 secs but I'm going to give it a go!


My running route, Angel Islington- like on monopoly.

In other news, I have possible accomadations sorted out for me and the missus when we travel up to Newcastle, one is a hotel about 10 miles of Newcastle which will cost around £60 a night, the other a flat of a friend in the middle of south Shields near the finish line which would be free. Guess which one I'd prefer.

Also, I have made the decision to ruin for Mind, Ther Mental Health Charity this year. Its a really good cause and it means that me and my sister will be running for the same cause. You can sponsor me here: http://www.justgiving.com/jamespeebles

Up and Running

In my last blog, (below), you'll see that I was worried. Seriously so. And with good reason.

Training was not going to plan, I hadn't done anything towards sorting myself out before the big day and to be honest a few question marks as to whether I'd end up doing the GNR at all had started to appear. I wasn't happy. I needed to sort things out. So I have. Sort of.

The heatwave lasted a bit longer than first thought and it took a couple of weeks to sort out new working hours but despite the still (relatively) hot conditions I now have a working day that allows for running to be partaken in. So this is my new schedule:

Everyday, will see either a walk or run into work. Its about 3.5 miles from home so provides a good walk and an even better run. I will endevour to run into work at least twice a week. Some days I will walk back from work too, meaning a total distance of 7 miles a day.

I have approx 7 weeks to get into shape. Hmmm, I think the goal of under 2 hours has slipped from my grasp.

In other news, its been confirmed that Ste will not be running this year and Rob is in two minds. It appears his training has not been "going to plan" and he may give it a miss. So I have a duty as the only remaining member of TEOTT to run this year. Hence the stepping up of the training- the brass tiger shall remain my prize!

Also, I've heard that Honourary Team Member Erica is doing exceptionally well with her training I have conceded defeat already. No sibling rivalry here!

I have also been running on some local roads around the flat, including running around Arsenal's new Emirates Stadium.


The Gooner's new home

Worried. Seriously worried.

I'm now getting seriously worried, as the title of this post may suggest. Why am I worried you may ask? Its a valid question so I will answer.

I'm worried because there is currently only 88 days to go and my training regime is about as active as this blog! Since about April, I decided it was time to do some running after a winter of neglect. I started to do some runs, nothing too intensive, just to get back into the feel of things before stepping up to something more intensive. I signed up to a new doctors in May and said I ran once or twice a week. I felt good.

But the truth of it is my runs got less and less often and I now struggle to fit them in at all. I have a confession I've not been for a run for about 4 weeks! This time last year, I'd already been training for 7 months and was approaching the peak of physical fitness. And now? Well, lets talk about something else. The problem I have is that its difficult to fit it all in, I work now long hours in the week, and after getting in at gone 7 in the evening having been out for 12 hours, the last thing I want to do is get my shorts on and go running around the park. Add to that the current heatwave and theres just no chance! So whats to be done?

Ok, well, hopefully I'm going to be changing my hours. With a bit of luck I'm going to wrangle starting work at about 11am so that will free me up time in the morning to go running. Also, the heat should be back to more normal tempatures by the end of the week. So I hereby announce that I'm going to now start putting in the effort- at least 2 runs per week from next week and no more excuses!

Oh, and I need to sort out a charity to run for and book a hotel, and work out how to get there and find out whose coming, oh and try t oupdate this more often. SO many more jobs.

Baby steps, baby steps....

Neglect

I must make a big apology to all Team Eye of the Tiger fans out there.
Sorry.

Im sorry if youve been checking the page eagerly every day for the past month awaiting news, gossip and other training related tidbits.

In order to go some way as to making amends, here is a pic of me looking like a seventies tennis player.


(its my new training aid- a sweatband to keep the hair... erm... i mean sweat out of my eyes while jogging)

Stuff has been going on in the background, if a little slowly. To be honest both my training and this blog have been suffering from a touch of neglect of late. But all thats going to change!!

Yes, with only 4-ish months left till the big event (GNR 2006), training will have to be stepped up a notch (maybe a couple of notches, in fact probably cranked up to the max). And with that will come a whole load of new posts.

I for one shall be updating a lot more regularly as to how things are progressing, and hopefully so too will James.

Also im gonna whack one of those flickr boxes up so you can all have a squiz at the photos from last years event and some other "team building excercises" we may have experienced.