Everyone at the race start was incredibly friendly and I chatted with others as though I'd known them far longer than the 20 minutes I'd been standing there.

As the starting gun goes off the crowd slowly start to trudge forward toward the starting line and with each step the excitement in the atmosphere heightens. People started jumping up and down, performing some last-minute stretches and patting each other on the back. The crowd shouted cries of encouragement and as we crossed the white line, the crowd in front of me started to fan out, creating space to actually run. We were off.

I’d been told by a friend to keep left at the start as you got to miss the first hill and go through the underpass instead. I did as I was told and headed underground. Someone not far ahead shouted out “Oggy oggy oggy”. It echoed off the concrete walls so that everyone in the underpass could hear it. Within seconds there was a thousand or more voices responding with “Oi, oi, oi”. It was incredible! That many people, shouting in unison in what was essentially a large concrete box was deafening, and definitely an experience I won't forget any time soon.

Running through this underpass that makes up the central motorway is a surreal experience. You and thousands of others are on what is one of the busiest roads in Newcastle. For this experience alone, the race is worth it.

The next few miles were great. Spurred on by the cheers of the crowd, I felt great. Every square inch of pavement along the route was jam-packed with supporters handing out jelly babies and orange slices. There was even live music at each of the major roundabouts. It is definitely the best atmosphere of any of the running events I’ve been to.

As we cruised along through miles 6 to 9, the atmosphere of the runners around me changed somewhat. No longer were the laughs and cheers as frequent. We were also out of the iconic scenery of Newcastle and were now winding our way through residential areas that aren't the most picturesque. Most people now seemed to be focusing on just keeping their legs moving. Occasionally someone would attempt an ‘Oggy oggy oggy, only for it to be met with either silence or a half-hearted, single “oi”.

At mile 10 there was a group handing out beer shots. Normally I’d have been first in line, but after 10 miles of running(which was now officially my farthest run) beer was the last thing I wanted.

As we approached the end there’s a lovely steep downhill section that I was able to use and re-gain some of my lost momentum. It also overlooks the sea and provides some much needed inspiration in the final stretch of this race. For some this is too little too late, and attempt to walk the final mile. The crowd has other ideas. There were thousands of spectators lined up along this final straight and as soon as anyone attempted to walk, they would shout out your name (from your race number) along with cheers of encouragement. I don’t think anyone managed more than a few steps of walking before being encouraged (or shamed) into running again.

As you cross the line you're funnelled into medal collection. For so many runners, I was very surprised by how efficient this was. There was no waiting around at all. Unfortunately the same could not be said about the busses back into Newcastle. The queues were insanely long. Supposedly extra bus services has been put on, but evidently not enough.
The alternative is the metro. The walk is substantial after having run a half marathon, but there are hundreds of other people doing the same so the atmosphere along the walk is great. The queue for the Metro was around 30-45 minutes but was well organised and tickets were sold to people while still queuing.

All in all, it's a great race with an atmosphere that cannot be beat. The scenery after the first few miles leaves a lot to be desired but is offset by the start and finish which takes you through the centre of Newcastle, across the iconic Tyne Bridge and then deposits you on the shore line of South Shields.

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