Two years ago I did the Great North Run for Traidcraft Exchange in a time of 1 hour 36 mins and 34 seconds. Doing it again this year, I challenged myself to beat that time and promised to pay Traidcraft Exchange £10 for anyone else who beat it and £20 if they were also older than me.
The day dawned grey and cold but the threatened rain did not materialise until most runners had finished, so we began dry and, with a not too brisk cross-wind, conditions were good. With 54,000 runners the atmosphere at the start was amazing, and the organisers had improved the starting arrangements so that we were running pretty much at our own pace from the outset. I found the toughest miles around 7-11, when you’re over half way but still with a long way to go, but the crowds and running for Traidcraft kept me going and I eventually finished in just under 1 hour 34 minutes! So challenge one was met.
Six other Traidcraft runners beat me, but there was some consolation in that they were all younger than I am! So £60 was the cost of the challenge, all to a great cause. Well done to those six who took on and met the challenge! Amongst them were two of my sons both of whom went under 1 hour 30 mins and beat my best-ever time. So it’s over to the next generation (unless I can go faster next year ...).
Geoff Moore
