Another thing that really interested me with the Forerunner 405 was its built in virtual trainer feature. This feature allows you to set a certain pace, such as 9 minutes per mile, so when you go out for a run you can keep track of how close you are to your target, and if you start to get behind your goals, you then know you have to pick your pace up or keep it steady if you are on track.

The Forerunner 405 also comes with an optional heart rate monitor, which i haven’t actually tried yet, but this is another great feature which allows you to keep track of your heart rate whilst out running.

The Forerunner 405 has a beautiful touch bazel which you only have to touch or swipe your finger round to control the device. There are only 2 other buttons on the side of the watch. Just by looking at the Forerunner 405 you wouldn’t know that this was such a high end gadget, it just looks like a normal watch and thats what i really like about it. Its not just any normal watch though, as it comes with a lithium battery which gives you about 8 hours of run time with the GPS on. Recharging is easy aswell, with a great little crocodile clip that you attach to the watch which does the charging.

The excellent online “Garmin Connect” web service is built into the Forerunner 405, so every time you sync your runs with your computer, all of your stats are automatically uploaded to the Garmin website. The Garmin Connect website allows you to view your route using Google Maps, and you can even watch a run through of your activity with stats such as, pace, speed, height and calories all listed for you to browse through.

I really couldn’t praise this product any higher, and i think the Garmin Connect online service is just excellent.

The day started with me being dropped off at about 9.30am beside the civic centre for the short walk to the starting line on the central motorway in Newcastle. At this time in the morning, it was cool with beautiful clear blue skys and i just knew the day was going to be a good one, although i knew the temperatures would rise a bit to levels that would make the run a bit uncomfortable.

So after a quick visit to the portaloos, i went to my designated zone in the starting area with just under an hour to go and started warming up and doing a few stretches. Even with abut an hour to go, the Central motorway was absolutely packed. I’d never seen anything like it, it just blew my mind. I was feeling pretty proud to be there.

Then 10.40am arrived and the starting gun was blown by Sting, and we were off, well we were about 10 minutes later when we actually crossed the starting line.

By the time I finally crossed the starting line, it was getting a bit warmer, and for anyone from the North East of England today was just about the best weather we ever get. I was told the temperature got upto about 17/18 celcius, but when you’re running it feels double that.

Running over the Tyne Bridge was the first landmark, but there was still 11.5 miles to go, so i couldn’t really take it in, as i was trying to get my head around finishing this thing.

I’d never actually done any runs in warm weather so i really struggled with the heat. I must have gone through about 6 bottles of water during the run, and the water showers were hugely appreciated.

It just blew my mind though, the amount of people that came out onto the streets to cheer you on, and to have people sat outside their houses giving out oranges, bananas, ice pops, water and other things to help the runners, really did help you get through the run.

From about the 5 mile point, it really started to get tough for me, and i started to feel it, mainly down to the heat, and i just kept thinking, i’m never doing this again, but all the time i just kept of thinking how it would feel to cross the finishing line and thats what kept me going.

My aim for the run was to not stop and walk at any point and i’m glad i managed to achieve that. In the end, i finished the run in 2hrs 15 minutes, which is about 10.5 minutes per mile which is a bit slower to what i had been doing in training where i had been doing between 8.5 and 9 minute miles, but like i mentioned earlier, i had never run in really warm temperatures, plus the course has quite a few hills in it which made it quite tricky. But in the end, i was happy with my time, and it gives me something to aim for and beat next year, but in the end i was just happy to finish.

That feeling of crossing the finishing line will stay with me forever. I instantly went from never wanting to do this again, to wanting to know when the applications for the 2010 Great North Run were opening.

When i got my place for the Run, i knew i would like to raise some money for a good cause, but i wasn’t 100% sure for which charity.

Cancer is a subject which is unfortunately close to me, as my grandmother died of this disgusting disease, so i knew the charity would be related to cancer research. Sir Bobby Robson is also one of my biggest heroes, and back in 2008 the “Sir Bobby Robson Foundation” was created. As it says on the foundations website,

The Sir Bobby Robson Foundation focuses on the early detection and treatment of cancer and the clinical trials of new drugs that will eventually beat it.

There really was no other option in my mind. I had to run for the “Sir Bobby Robson Foundation”

September 20th will be here soon, and i hope i can raise £200-300. It will be an honour to run with their logo on my T-Shirt.