My Weekend!

Saturday am: I dropped Will off at Steph's in Broughton. Steph was going to take Will to his weekly gymnastics class and then keep him with her until Graeme could pick him up after he had finished work. Left Steph's at 10.25 and headed back towards Ingleton.

Passed Ingleton at 11.10 am and joined the M6 at junction 36. Got to junction 43 by 12.05pm and headed along the A69 into Newcastle. Got to Newcastle by 1.05pm and then found my way to Nova International Offices, to be interviewed by Kimo Morrison for the 2007 Great North Run moving image project.

Left Nova International's offices at 2.30pm and headed towards the Quayside for the Pasta Party. Great to see all the kids taking part in the Tesco mini runs. Got my bowl of pasta and managed to throw it all over myself. Mega embarrassing - nobody else seemed to be doing that!!!

Headed for the Youth Hostel at 4.30pm and found it eventually after only one reversal and wrong turn into a pedestrian area of Newcastle. ehermmmm.

5ish pm - got to the Youth Hostel and registered. Met some fantastic people there and felt right at home. Was on a top bunk in room with five others. 11pm - all settled down ready for shuteye - we couldn't shut the window therefore, shuteye was not to be had. Managed to settle down finally at 3.10am - good 3 and a half hours sleep. When we got up - we managed to shut the window - surprise!

7.50am Sunday - went down for breakfast - bacon butty and a cereal bar.

9.20am - headed off to the start line. Bloomin' miles away - in the end I had 5 minutes to go to get my bag on the bus before it headed off to the finish line.

10.05 am - went to the loo and then assembled at the White wave start line. It was a hot morning again. Unfortunately - didn't have opportunity to stretch and warm up - we were all so far away from the warm up guy that none of us felt inclined. (no stretching equals possible injury........)

The next bits can be explained in photo format, so here goes:

So - waiting patiently at the end for me was my Uncle Robert and his partner Catherine. They were the only people left in the L family reunion area. We started to head off at 5pm towards Jesmond and got back around 6pm. After a quick cup of tea at Rob's they dropped me off at the Youth Hostel at 7pm so that I could weigh up whether or not I could manage the drive home - or stay another night in Jesmond.

At 8.15pm I headed off back home. My Peugoet 106 overheated several times on the way back and the rain was sheeting down, but I forged ahead and finally landed home - salty, empty and aching at 10.35pm. Graeme made me a bacon butty and a cup of tea, I had a bath and went to bed at midnight.

And so ends my participation in the 2006 Great North Run. Back again next year now - to try and finish it on two feet, rather than on rubber tyres. But it was one of life's experiences. W x