The Great South Run

It's this Sunday, the day all those club runners, joggers and charity runners have been waiting for, or dreading, it's The Great South Run. Ten miles around the streets of Pompey and the open roads of Southsea seafront.

I was at Portsmouth Rugby Club on Saturday and there were several friends there who are entered in the run, they were all wisely avoiding playing rugby, with the race so close nobody wants an injury that will lay to waste five or six months of training. I was very envious of them, my ruptured achilles tendon injury will keep me off running for some time but I remembered the excitement and trepidation I had when my first Great South Run was getting closer and it got me thinking that I could pass on some helpful tips. There are always a lot of runners who've never run ten miles before never mind run in the Souths biggest road race and I have some advice to share with you if you havn't done the Great South before.

I'm not the worlds best runner in fact I'm a long way short of being a decent club runner as anyone at Portsmouth Joggers will confirm but I've got four medals and tee shirts in my collection, four Great South Runs. The first was in 2001 when I ran as a tribute to my dear departed father. He was struck down with cancer and died in May '01 and shortly after that I decided I'd run for the Imperial Cancer Research Fund raising over £300 in sponsorship. Thats the thing, the sponsor money, all those people now expect you to run ten miles before they'll hand over the cash. No escaping it, no bottling out.
Five months of pounding the seafront followed and as the race got closer I stepped up the training, until ten days before the race my training partner and I ran the route of the course except for the dockyard section. This run was around nine miles and it felt good, so then followed more than a week of rest, apart from some gentle cycling to work and back.

So firstly at least a week off training before the run will ensure you don't overdo it, then the night before make sure you eat some carbohydrates. Pasta is excellent, baked potatoes are good too but do make sure you eat your carbs and don't wash it down with any chilled white or fruity red wine because your body will hate you for it on Sunday when you set off partially dehydrated.

You have probably heard this before but allow yourself plenty of time to get down to Southsea, thousands of people all piling in to the city at once doesn't do a lot for the road system so have a plan and make sure you're in position with an hour to spare. By arriving in plenty of time you can meet up with your running friends and you'll also enjoy the camaradery with the other runners and the support, do join in the mass warm-up, it does exactly what it says on the tin.
By now you will have found your favourite most comfortable kit to run in, don't change it on the day, any tee shirt with an embroidered badge on the chest is to be avoided unless you want your left nipple to be reduced to an open sore. To avoid "joggers nipple" which is a most unpleasant chafing incident smear any chafe prone areas of the body with vaseline.

If you're running for a charity find out if they have a marquee or tent and locate it as soon as you can, the tents are great for storing your bag with a towel (in case it rains) and some warm clothing to change into, you can use the tent as a changing room and a meet point for any friends or relations who may be coming to cheer you on. You'll be hanging around a bit after the warm-up so while you're waiting on the road for your group start keep yourself warm, wear an old sweatshirt or jumper that you won't miss, then when the race starts just take it off and throw it away, also if it's rainy or damp a plastic bin liner with a hole in the bottom for your head makes a useful rain jacket to pull over your top half while you wait at the start.

The start is very congested but it still pays not to set off too quickly, In 2003 I tagged on to a similar looking runner as myself to use as a pacemaker but after doing the first two miles in a shade over fifteen minutes I was almost close to burn out and we were only at HMS Victory, I let him go on and slowed to my steady nine minute mile pace and recovered by the time I reached HMS Nelson. Have a go at celebrity spotting to take your mind off the running, "ooh look there's that bloke from The Bill" or "thats the girl from that cookery program". It's a great occasion full of noise and bands so aim to enjoy the atmosphere especially as you head into Old Portsmouth and Portsea, hundreds will be out to cheer you along, a good spot for friends and family to see you are by the Pembroke pub where the race slows for the tight corner and then when you're on the way back the wide road by The Queens Hotel is a good vantage point.

However, having said that there is no substitute for a bit of support in one of the less popular areas. In 2001 at the point where it becomes a bit bleak and lonely, every stride was a real struggle the legs felt so heavy and every part of my body hurt. I remember turning towards the seafront at Eastney and hearing someone shout "Go On Simon" I looked up and saw a couple of mates from the Rugby club shouting and clapping, well my heart lifted and so did my feet, I suddenly found my pace picking up rounding the bend at Eastney swimming pool and then hitting an icy wind full in the face. That wind didn't bother me as I'd had some encouragement from the crowd, my training partner was clearly struggling though and almost on cue we could hear people shouting her name, just before the Royal Marines Museum where the seafront is at it's most unforgiving. Well that was that, we both kicked on with encouragement ringing in our ears, if you can find someone to base themselves along there it will give you a tremendous lift at a point when you are feeling pretty low.

Make sure you drink plenty of water before and during the race and use all the water stops, I had a real treat last year at the water station along Eastern Parade, my girlfriend was a volunteer on the water stand, she was there with a bottle of water and a kiss which got me a lot of jealous jeering from the male runners around me. Heading back along the seafront is very rewarding unlike several years back when it just depressed me. The route used to go along in front of the golf course and cricket ground, I was heading towards Eastney but thousands of runners were heading towards South Parade Pier, with just a few feet between us, both sets of runners in a contraflow, a glance at the watch showed that those guys would be finished in an hour and five minutes while I had another twenty five to plod on. Nowadays the route goes behind the pitch and putt so the two groups don't meet which suits me, I don't want to see all those racing snakes glide past me the other way with not even a hint of hard breathing or a droplet of sweat.

Running towards the pier with the finish in sight is a fantastic moment and you should be feeling pretty good with less than a mile to go, however this part of the course is where many injuries occur. I've seen people so tired they've collapsed on the side of the road and one man last year didn't see a barrier and tripped over it cutting his legs to ribbons, you can avoid any hazards by sticking to the centre of the road, don't try and cut any corners a railing or a kerb may get you.
So there you have it, a few bits of advice to ensure you have a brilliant Great South Run, for those out there who've never run ten miles before you will have your own tale to tell and you'll get such a sense of achievement, those of you who have run it before I hope it's perfect weather so you can get yourself a personal best time.

One final word, you've deserved it so have a few pints afterwards to rehydrate, while proudly wearing the tee shirt in your local.