Great South Run - Portsmouth - miserable city

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Great South Run - Portsmouth - miserable city

39 posts & 19 voices | Started 6 months ago by slimjim78 | Latest reply from bigdaddy

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slimjim78 - Member

Anyone else run this yesterday?

Is it just me or are the locals the most miserable bunch of inhabitants?
It was like running through a morgue.
And then the TV coverage I saw subsequently kept talking about the fabulous atmosphere?!
I actually heard runners shouting to the crowd asking the crowd for support!..

However, the bands were great, in particular the Portsmouth Batala band, ive never heard a more infectious beat! havent stopped listening to them since I got back. Brazillian Reggae Samba is where its at!

Posted 6 months ago #
mattbee - Member

I live just outside Portsmouth, right on the Bedhampton/Drayton border. I rarely venture on to Portsea island as it is so depressing. Having grown up in Barnsley and Walsall then lived in Wrexham and Smethwick, I feel able to judge what Grim is and Portsmouth definately fits the bill. I would imagine the concept of running for fun, rather than away from Gun Wharf security is alien to most of the residents...

Posted 6 months ago #
aleigh - Member

*ahem* I used to live near Portsmouth and whilst it's not the best place in the UK, it's certainly not the worst! Oh and I am not miserable for the record

Posted 6 months ago #
deadlydarcy - Member

I visited a mate down there a few times - when he lived in Havant, and then Waterlooville - dire places the lot of 'em. Chichester is nice though.

Posted 6 months ago #
Elfinsafety - Member

Look there's Aleigh!!!! (Gets a little bit too excited. Falls over)

Portsmouth is cool cos it's a proper important historic sea port, and there's such lovely places as Havant and Waterlooville nearby, and the beautiful Hayling Island*.

(*I have never bin there)

Posted 6 months ago #
singletrackmind - Member

Its better than it used to be . The docks and Spinnaker tower area are much improved . Its not the nicest city in the country , but it is far from the worst .
Was a grim day , and with the roads closed you stopped all the Corsas from hooning aroung , and the 1995 3 series beemers from getting to Aldi / Matalan, hence the resentment.

Posted 6 months ago #
singletrackmind - Member

One day , when the sun shineth at its azimuth we shall conviene on the Tropical Island of Hayling for a riding of bicyles and drinking and eating a feast known as a bbq.
* waves * Hi Ali * waves *

Posted 6 months ago #
Elfinsafety - Member

*Explodes*

Posted 6 months ago #
wwaswas - Member

the beautiful Hayling Island

been camping there a couple of times. we went to the beach once and there was a local festival on.

The entertainment seemed to consist entirely of 16 stone 12 year old girls wearing turquoise skinsuits, throwing batons in the air and then failing to catch them. It was enthralling, if only for their lack of self consiousness if nothing else.

Posted 6 months ago #
DezB - Member

Waterlooville

Of course Elfin knows this is where friendly people, such as myself, live.
And that darcy, he knows nuttin

Posted 6 months ago #
singletrackmind - Member

wwaswas.- Sounds like the major event on the Island that is the Hayling Carnival .
Its about as good as a soaking wet bog roll.
That is all.

Posted 6 months ago #
Harrison the handpuppet - Member

For my sins I too live in Havant its not three bad as in a about 10 mins I can be out on the southdowns but Portsmouth/Southsea I don't get the fasination wih people wanting live there.

I used to live onHayling Island its where old people go to die bit like an elephant graveyard.

Hay MattBee I too was once a resident of Wrexham and it did have it redeeming features like its own brewery

Posted 6 months ago #
deadlydarcy - Member

And that darcy, he knows nuttin

Tell us something we don't know DezzieBee

Posted 6 months ago #
tod456 - Member

lol at sj, that was me!!

They were only quiet out at the back of town, everywhere else was ok.

I was going to ask “who died?” but it didn’t seem appropriate as a lot of people were running in memory of love ones….. so I started to give the crowed a clap as i ran past them if they were quiet, i think they then woke up!!!

Posted 6 months ago #
DezB - Member

Hayling Island its where old people go to die

That means YOU, STM!!

Posted 6 months ago #
trailmonkey - Member

Is it just me or are the locals the most miserable bunch of inhabitants?

in fairness who can blame them. the whole conurbation that takes in portsmouth, havant and southampton has to be the bleakest area of england that i've ever had the misfortune of visiting - and i've been to hull.

i spent a lot of time there when working away shopfitting. hayling island is the only place i've been to where someone has shit themselves in the pub and not been thrown out. southampton was the first and only place i've been to where there's been a bouncer on the door of a chinese takeaway.

Posted 6 months ago #
DezB - Member

^^^stm again?

Posted 6 months ago #
singletrackmind - Member

Maybe.............

Posted 6 months ago #
slimjim78 - Member

LOL - love the descriptions above.

Like I said though, what struck me most was the nonsense spouted by the commentry/pundits/guest runners ''oh its so great here, the locals are so nice, what an atmosphere!''
what a pack of lies! (in general, of course there are always diamonds)

My mate moved to southampton a few years ago and has been trying to convince me ever since to move down.
I havent the heart to tell him that every time I visit I count the minutes until I can dash back up the M3..

Posted 6 months ago #
aleigh - Member

Great to read that some people are from Havant *waves at the Havant peeps*

Hi Rob

Posted 6 months ago #
CaptJon - Member

I lived in Portsmouth for three years while a student and absolutely loved it - summer from April to October, Southsea Common, beaches, a hoover craft, near to London, South Downs...

I suspect i liked it so much because i was a student, though.

Posted 6 months ago #
aleigh - Member

A hoover craft....?

Posted 6 months ago #
splashdown - Member

.....so you come to Pompey on a wet miserable day with 30,000 other runners, manage to clog the place up and close the seafront and then you wonder why no one was excited!...

Posted 6 months ago #
Harrison the handpuppet - Member

*Waves back at aleigh*

Posted 6 months ago #
superfli - Member

Probably because the OP was one of the boring runners not in costume. Now if you'd been dressed in a mankini, I'm sure you would have experienced the true Pompey flavour

I was there cheering and clapping, but it did seem quiet'ish - lots of bands though. Probably did have something to do with the weather, it was a grim day.

TBF Pompey has got lots better in the last 10years, summer very pleasant.
Waterlooville (da ville) is a bit of a hole. Denmead on the other hand is truly majestic, its where the finest people from the area live

Posted 6 months ago #
bikebouy - Member

I live down the coast from p'mth and I avoid it. Gunny's ok for a curry, spinaker towers a rip off full of tourists, the restaurants are ok, but generic (which is such a shame because it could have been quite a nice place had they put any thought into it) and, lets be honest here.. Gunnys an outlet shopping ctr with "bargins galore".
But..
Old p'mth and old Southsea is actually a nice place, no seriously you may laugh your pants off but it's full of little exqusite shops, antiques/cafes/nick nacks/ trendy clothes etc. and it's a great place for finding a decent place to eat. The Uni(s) are very well respected dispite what you've probably heard.
But.. move further north out of the city and it is quite grim indeedydoo's. But then it has always been short of space, had a naval influence since Napoleon first donned a sash and found he had a cold hand.. But if you are after naval history you can't really ignore it's heritage.
But it is an island, and it has an island mentality.. chav tastic man.
Oh yeah.. don't forget the ousting of the doctor who was a peadiatrician who was working at QE Hospital, where the locals hounded this doctor out with banners boasting "peado out"
Indeed.
However, turn left or right and you are into some of the most beautiful areas in the UK. Both harbours either side of Hayling are stunningly beautiful, wildlife abundant, amazing views, sailing heavan and not bad for cycling eithers. But you can't really bring Hayling into the same conversation as p'mth.
I hate to say this, but p'mth isn't really worth the effort of a days visit..

Posted 6 months ago #
slimjim78 - Member

Actually I wore a rainbow coloured outfit and a big smile!

Dont get me wrong please, check what I actually commented on..
Of course the history of the docks is there to be absorbed, and of course there are nice areas, as per most cities.
in fact I rode home from IOW, through P'mouth and up hampshire back to sunny surrey last June and it was a glorious ride in stunning countryside.

Yes we 'closed the seafront and the roads' - this never stopped the cheering in any of the other cities/towns ive run in before?

The bands were great & there were of course some great cheering locals but in general, it were proper miserable.

Raised nearly £500 for Children With Cancer though!
I'm still going to do it again next year.
Probably.

Posted 6 months ago #
buzz-lightyear - Member

I lived in Portsmouth for three years while a student and absolutely loved it - summer from April to October, Southsea Common, beaches, a hoover craft, near to London, South Downs...

I suspect i liked it so much because i was a student, though.

Likewise.

Posted 6 months ago #
Taff - Member

I was racing this weekend too and didn't find the environment that miserable. Yes a few competitors were shouting for encouragement in certain places but other times the crowd were quite noisy. I suppose it depends how close to a pub it was too. There was constant clapping all the way around. I work at the top end of Portsmouth it there are some awesome areas but also some dives. Had a lot of good times in the city and know what it can be like at a time like the Albert Road festival etc.

How did you guys get on then? Was my first running race in 12years (school) and quite enjoyed it apart from the fact that people in front of me kept getting in my way. Definately think I should've done more than 20miles training but I'm going to train for the next event just hope i haven't caught the running bug!!

Posted 6 months ago #
slimjim78 - Member

Yes, I found other runners getting in the way more than other races ive entered, weird.
I only managed 1h42m but had chronic cramp of the right butt cheek for the last mile and lost over 3 mins.
How'd you get on after 12 years?

Ok, so maybe I was overreacting just a smidge... but it was strangely quiet in a lot of areas

Posted 6 months ago #
Taff - Member

Managed a 1:16 but I now need some new skin for the arches of my feet! Don't get these kind of injuries on a bike!! Well done on your time though. I took some of my energy gels with me. I normally cramp up on the bike if I don't take them and don't fancy ending up in a heap shrieking like a girl!

Posted 6 months ago #
Elfinsafety - Member

Raised nearly £500 for Children With Cancer though!

Top man! Well done!

hayling island is the only place i've been to where someone has shit themselves in the pub and not been thrown out

Even I have not witnessed such wonders. But it begs the question; do you go to a lot of places where people shit themselves in pubs?

Imagine. Someone pooing themself in a pub. Then staying there!

Posted 6 months ago #
DezB - Member

But it is an island, and it has an island mentality.. chav tastic man.
Oh yeah.. don't forget the ousting of the doctor who was a peadiatrician who was working at QE Hospital, where the locals hounded this doctor out with banners boasting "peado out"

Not to be pedantic, but it's QA hospital and the paedo "riot" was in Paulsgrove which isn't on the island. But hey-ho

@ Elfin - yeah every pub I've been in where someones shat emselves they've always been kicked out!

Posted 6 months ago #
wwaswas - Member

yeah every pub I've been in where someones shat emselves they've always been kicked out

What do you say to these people that elicits this reaction?

Posted 6 months ago #
bigyinn - Member

Best things about Portsmouth? Erm, M275.
Mind you if think Portsmouth's bad, hop on the harbour ferry and experience the wonders of Gosport.....

Posted 6 months ago #

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