Great North 5KM:

This race was the postponed Great North 5K that traditionally starts the GNR weekend down on the Newcastle Quayside. The race was moved from its regular slot due to the Queen’s death, although the GNR continued as planned, which was the right decision. The GNR is too big an event to stop so late in the day.

It was my first time doing this race. I decided to do both of these this year. Running two races on the same weekend is something I wouldn’t normally do. But I wanted to complete the Great North 5k, 10k and the GNR in the same year. So ticked that one off now.

All went pretty smooth, to be honest. I was never going to trouble the fast guys at the front, so as usual, I was racing no one but myself. Although in the final 50m, I almost had a mishap when I moved over to high-five my partner and twisted my dodgy calf, so that was a close shave on what could have been the most embarrassing DNF in history. Note to self for future reference no ‘showboating’ on the home straight.