Great North Run, friends, emotion & traffic

Today i completed the Great North Run in 1hr 58. Not very good, experienced runners may say but.....
It was mission accomplished.
A SMART objective.
Specific Measurable Acheivable Realistic & Targetted ( should challenging / stretching come in there somewhere?)
The objective?
To pace my pal Johnny U to under2 hours. Objective acheived
Veranne JU & I finished together around 1minute 10seconds under the 2 hours.
Thanks for a great day out Guys, & to JU for persuading me to visit the Newcastle for my second time.
Running with friends in a big race - yes thats the stuff.

The emotion
-the nervousness of the timing to get to the start, getting parked , getting the Metro into town, getting to the start
- then the mix up with meeting up.
-we went all that way and may not meet up with JU !
-we climbed over barriers to the other side of the road
-the race started (about 1/4 miles ahead) and people started moving past
-then Cheryl pases saying Ju is further back

Relief -he arrives - we have a purpose for the visit -as well as running the GNR!

Why did i run 13 miles with a blow up daffodil? - why not, its a bit of fun. It was my fastest and longest race carrying a daffodil.

THANKS
-to the GNR team wonderful race
-to the good folks of the North East for support encouragement & the many shouts of 'come on Rob' - it does help having my name on my chest
-to those folks offering beer just outside South Sheilds - 'isotonic beer ' i thought i hear some one shout, even thou i didnt indulge, twas a nice thought.
- to the many other runners - hey, what a community, wonderful.

Traffic
-advice, if you do the GNR - do NOT try to drive to the North West or Wales afterwards
- as expected traffic was heavy, static etc from South Shields to the motorway
- but then the A1 (M) was stop start for many miles and it took ages to get to Wetheby or Leeds !

Advice the GNR is not a race for a fast time (- unless you are elite) because it is so busy.
But if its attmosphere you want this does rival London with the bands en route and the slick organisation - though London has lots more tube stations near the finish!.

Dedicated to John Hughes, Johnny U, Veranne , and the good folks of the North East