Great North Run Report

An unusual but brilliant report by Terry Welsh who, despite struggling with a serious injury, heroically got round the course to maintain his streak of having completed every edition of the Great North Run.

A CLAREMONT ROAD RUNNER ENJOYS HIS PINT

I knew that I would end my race,

Somewhere inside a pub in Shields;

Thousands beat me, that’s no disgrace,

Thousands I beat , that’s no big deal;

My best times are in the past,

My times to come, worse than today,

Nobody would care if I’d ran fast

Or ended up walking a lot of the way

No coach, nor good cause got me here

Nor the BBC, nor cheering crowds,

But the anticipation of post race beer

Drove me to the tumult on the roads;

As I jogged along, all that was in my mind,

Was the seat in the pub, and the dreamy sight

Of a lovely glass ,with all the miles behind

And the very best of all in life, this first cold pint,

Terry Welsh

With extra dialogue by WB Yeats