Northumberland Coastal Run, 27th July 2025

A longer than usual Sunday Runday for Julie Cross out at the coast, with just over a half-marathon to conquer:

“We often know why we like a race, but I did question my life choices soon after midday on Sunday on the beach, the very rutted beach, towards Alnmouth. Luckily the moment of doubt soon passed & here I am reflecting on a lovely day out up the coast with some super folk.

The trepidation before Sunday had been all around the weather: will it be too hot? Too sunny? Too windy? Thankfully all three were crossed off the worry list while we huddled around in Beadnell waiting to start the race. Moving up the worry list for me was a nagging knee pain, very stiff legs and whether doing ‘Anton’s strides’ on Friday had been a wise move.

One of the last CPD sessions I went to at work advised that we ‘get granular’ in our approach…in a bid to glean a little something from the 45 minutes one could, at a push, argue a race demands a granular perspective. Every step, every little sea stream, paddle, climb up the soft sand, easy coastal path, rocky path round Dunstanburgh, all carefully navigated, but also what views, indisputably an absolutely stunning place to run…ditch the granular and think how lucky am I to live so close to such a cracking coastline.

It was certainly a slog at times, that road stretch after Boulmer demanded some mind over matter and I knew I was almost spent when the ‘about 2 miles to go’ sign was met with an inner ‘Really? So far?’

Onto the final long haul over the beach, to the finish line which took AGES to get close to, but it did arrive. I’d like to say I was miffed at being overtaken at the line by a youngster from Heaton Harriers but in reality I couldn’t have cared less.

Disappointment with the t shirts: environmentally rubbish, aesthetically borderline & practically useless compensated in spades by great company over coffee with fellow CRRs, thank you all for that.”

Well done everyone, several people achieving high placings in their respective categories!

Position	Runner	Time
10	Roberto Marzo (2^nd MV40)	1:29:35
16	Mark Anderson (2^nd MV50)	1:33:38
46	Sarah Kerr (2^nd FV40)	1:45:13
78	David Lydall (3^rd MV60)	1:54:01
81	Julie Cross (2^nd FV50)	1:54:46
98	Nicki O’Brien	1:58:34
126	Lynne Cornell (1^st FV60)	2:03:24
163	Rachel Hurdman	2:09:01
167	Hazel Juggins	2:09:37
208	Tara Hipwood	2:15:12