Is it still safe to do the run?

THERE'S nothing quite like the Great North Run. It restores your faith in humanity.

My only experience of running it was six years ago. I staggered round in something over two-and-a-half hours, crossing the line in 26,000th position.

But that didn't matter. It was the taking part that counted. I will never forget being part of the stream of humanity pouring under the Tyne Bridge as we set off. In the confined space beneath the bridge, it was like being in an echo chamber. "Oggi, oggi, oggi!" someone shouted. "Oi! Oi! Oi!" we all bellowed in response, elated.

As the miles ticked past it became harder, but the memories are no less rich.

There was the man dressed as Cleopatra, with legs so hairy he must have suffered wind resistance as he ran; the clutch of Mr Men in massive, ball-shaped costumes; the bloke clad only in a fig leaf; a host of gnomes, fairies, witches and wizards.

There was the blessed relief of the run-through shower set up in a bus station half way round; the water bottles snatched up on the run and, above all, the spectators. "Well done!", "keep going!"; you can do it!" they cheered, dragging us onward with their sheer goodwill.

A marvellous memory: a marvellous event - and a great way to get fit and raise money for charity, too.

So what a desperate shame that this year's 25th anniversary race should have been marked by the shocking death of four competitors, among them 43-year-old York father of two David Mahaffey, from Acomb.

It is early days yet, but the signs are that heat caused problems for competitors on Sunday. Nobody had expected it but on the day, the sun shone strongly, and temperatures reached 64 F, according to the PA Weather Centre.

It was evident that some competitors were struggling.

"The heat certainly didn't help," said Alison Gilray, from Woodthorpe, one of 38,000 runners who completed the race. "It really affected you. There were a lot of people, especially towards the end between about 9 and 11 miles, who had just stopped or were just walking. On one occasion we did pass somebody on the floor."

Terry Ruane, the Evening Press's property sales executive, also saw people lying on the floor, obviously overcome with exhaustion, although all those who were in distress were being cared for by ambulance crews.

"It was definitely the hottest run I've done," said Terry, who was in his third Great North Run. "The sun was out all the time."

He was shocked when he later learned four people had died. "It takes the shine off the race," he said.

Retired Methodist minister the Rev Brian Shackleton, 69, from Sinnington near Pickering, was another who noticed during the race that some competitors were struggling.

"They were not the easiest of conditions," he said. "It is very sad that four people died. There were clearly other people that were very distressed. The ambulances were coming through steadily for the second half of the race."

Inevitably, questions will be asked in the wake of the deaths. Nova International, organisers of the event, have already put out a statement expressing their "great sadness" at the deaths.

"Our sympathies go out to all the families and friends of those involved," a spokesperson said.

Brendan Foster, chairman and founder of the Great North Run, also expressed his condolences.

"Myself and everyone associated with the event are saddened by the news that four people died during the Great North Run," he said. "At this time our only thoughts are with their friends and families."

But Nova International has also stressed there is a meticulous medical plan in place each year which is designed to help anyone who gets into difficulties.

"This includes medical facilities at every half-mile, a fleet of more than 16 ambulances all with defibrillator units, two paramedic bikes and two field hospitals at the finish," said a spokesperson.

"The third facility is a major hospital at South Tyneside within 100 metres of the ten-mile point of the course with dedicated services for the competitors.

"In addition to supplies at the start and finish, there were five water stations on the course and three specially constructed mobile shower units."

Before starting training for the race, all competitors are strongly urged to consult a doctor, Nova International says - and all received comprehensive pre-race information about training, medical points on the course and further day-of-the-race advice.

That, however, may be scant consolation to those whose loved ones were among the four who died.

So do competitors feel enough was done to prepare them and provide for their safety during the race. And should there be changes in future?

Some runners pointed out that at one point, water at one of the water stations near the end of the race ran out.

Mark Sullivan, a sports lecturer at York St John College and member of the Knavesmire Harriers, who ran Sunday's race dressed as Paddington Bear to raise money for charity Action Medical Research, believes everything possible was done to minimise harm to competitors.

"Everything I saw was fine," he said. "Everything they could have done, they will have done."

Alison Gilray agreed - and added that to some extent, runners had to take responsibility for their own health. What happened was very upsetting, she said - but it wouldn't put her off doing the race again.

"You have got to take some responsibility for yourself in terms of training," she said. "And if during the race you are not feeling well - be sensible."

Most runners agree that despite the tragedy on Sunday, this race remains an institution. "Where else can you go running alongside a world record holder and an Olympic champion?" asked Terry Ruane, who raised over £300 for Woodlands in Sunday's run.

The race is also a wonderful way to cope with personal grief over the loss of a loved one, added Brian Shackleton. He ran his first Great North Run in 2002, after his wife Alwyn lost a long battle with leukaemia.

He and members of his family ran for the National Blood Transfusion Service, asking sponsors to donate a pint of blood each. Donated blood in the last years of Alwyn's life gave her four extra years she otherwise wouldn't have had, Mr Shackleton said - and enabled her to see her granddaughter Sara.

Doing the run was a positive thing, he added. "There are a lot of people who run for personal grief reasons - because someone is ill, or someone has died," he said. "It is a great institution, and there is a wonderful sense of camaraderie about it."

It is just such a tragedy four people died this year.

You have to be prepared for the race

Proper preparation is the key to being able to take part in the Great North Run (or any other marathon or half marathon) safely.

Before even beginning training, it is vital to let your doctor know what you are planning to do. They will be able to advise you if you have a condition which would make it unwise.

Once you have decided to run, it is important to begin your training well in advance, says Mark Sullivan, a sports lecturer at York St John College and member of the Knavesmire Harriers.

The team he coached to run in Sunday's event began their training back in April, five months before the race itself.

Start gently, Mark says - a one mile (or 20 minute) run twice a week. For those who haven't run for a while, that will be quite enough. Then build that up gradually, running for 30 minutes at a time then, when you are comfortable with that, 40 minutes and 50 minutes.

As your training progresses, you can go for a slightly longer run at the weekends, Mark says.

Ideally, by the time of the race you should be able to run for two to two-and-a-half hours comfortably, he says.

If the weather is hot on the day of the race (as it was on Sunday) it is important to drink enough water, he stresses. Your urine before you take part in the race should be pale yellow - not dark coloured. If it is dark yellow, you need more liquid or you will run the risk of being dehydrated. Take your last sips of water just 15 minutes or so before the start.

Julian Cole, who has run six Great North Runs, reflects on this year's events

I MADE my excuses this year and didn't take part, having done all the runs from 1999 to 2004.

Going for a measly six-mile run on Sunday felt strange. Surely I should have been making the exodus north, driving up early in the morning, stomach fluttering and legs trembling at the prospect of all those miles.

A half marathon is 13.1 miles or 21 kilometres if you prefer - but whether imperial or metric, it's a long way. So anyone taking part for the first time is advised to follow the training schedule sent out by the organisers.

Most runners would probably agree that if you are going to run a half marathon, you need to complete training runs of at least ten miles, preferably further, and one run of the full distance.

Time spent pounding the pavement will be paid back in a healthier, more enjoyable run. Proper training is vital. The novice runner should start slowly and build up steadily, adding distance gradually. At first, two or three miles may seem well nigh impossible - but eventually such a distance will become easy, and so it goes until running, say, ten miles is no longer a lunatic notion.

Experienced Great North runners will know the grim sight of ambulances pushing through the throng to reach someone who has collapsed. This year's toll of four deaths is grimly shocking and raises questions about the safety of such long-distance races. But the run always appears well organised, with help available along the route from Newcastle to South Shields.

The heat this year won't have helped, not least because this is a hot and very crowded run at the best of times, with no escaping the sun or the other runners, who bunch up around you. My advice is to drink beforehand and to drink the water offered along the route, but don't gulp it down. Take sips - and pour anything left over your head. And run through all the bus stop showers.

Even after such a tragic year, this half-marathon still deserves the 'great' of its title and taking part is a real thrill. To be swept along in such a huge, jogging, sweating mass of humanity is truly uplifting.

Next year's race is scheduled for October 1. Maybe I'll forget the creaky knees and aching ligaments and give it another go.

Updated: 08:34 Tuesday, September 20, 2005