The Monthly Mile

South Shields, Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Alister Robson

This started a few months ago, a local coach, Luke Adams, who’s not too shabby a runner himself (parkrun PB – 15.59) and a former Event Director of South Shields parkrun, decided to setup an event over the even shorter but classic event of one mile.

The format is similar, but different to parkrun, you register online at themonthlymile.co.uk then collect your number from the Sanddancer pub from 6.30pm.

The first event was held in absolutely filthy weather in January with a howling wind and sleet but remarkably nearly 80 runners took part. Since then it’s gone from strength to strength, runners taking pack in 3 packs Beginners (aimed at 8 minutes plus and off at 7pm), Intermediate (6-8 minutes off at 7.10pm) and Advanced (sub 6 minutes off at 7.15pm).

The course runs around Bents Recreation ground and Exhibition park in a C shape and is ever so slightly downhill along Beach Road. Like parkrun all marshals, timekeepers etc are volunteers.

This was a glorious evening so well worth the half hour drive from Durham with Jacquie. Richard Hall (senior) also met us there. Richard and Jacquie faced their chances in the Intermediate pack clocking 6.51 and 6.20 respectively before I (foolishly) went with the Advanced pack although that did drag me to 6.07, with definitely something to beat next time!

I’d recommend this event to anyone who fancies something a bit different and to know what real lactic effort feels like 🙂

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