Julie Holl

It’s just one month until the BUPA Great North Run, one of Britains largest organised running events. This half marathon takes place in Newcastle and is renowned for being one of the hardest half marathons in the country. The organisers are expecting 52,000 people to take part in this, the 28^th Great North Run.

For those of your running the race follow these simple guidelines for a successful race:

· As we approach the last month before the race, you should be comfortably running 8 miles in your training sessions. If not, then now is the time to increase your distance even if it’s slow.

· By now you should have the trainers that you’re going to run the race in. Don’t wear new trainers on your race day, these can lead to blisters, rubbing and worse still...potential injuries.

· Make sure you have practised running in the kit you’re going to wear for the day. Think about the weather too; Newcastle isn’t renowned for its glorious sunshine and tropical temperatures! For example it’s a cold day you might want gloves or if it’s sunny you might want a cap or sunglasses. Whatever you decide to wear make sure you’ve done a distance run in that kit.

· Feed your body with the right fuel. Get a good mix of simple and complex carbohydrates leading up to the race.

· Don’t underestimate the impact dehydration will have on your race. Keep well hydrated and get used to sipping water on your long runs.

· Warm-up and cool down. The atmosphere of the event can sometimes make you forget the basics of running so ensure you do a good warm-up and a thorough cool down to prevent injury.

· Most importantly...Have fun! What you are doing is fantastic, remind yourself of that as you’re running round the route and BE PROUD of your achievement!

For those of you not running the race why not set yourself a target to run a charity race in the future? Visit www.greatrun.org for races in your area and for longer and shorter races.