GB Lubricants Team Takes on the Great North Run for St Oswald’s Hospice

The GB Lubricants team is gearing up for an exciting challenge as they prepare to take part in the Great North Run 2026, raising money for St Oswald’s Hospice, the company’s chosen charity for the year.

With just weeks to go until race day, team members have been putting in the hard work, clocking up the miles and overcoming a range of training challenges as they prepare to tackle the world’s largest half marathon.

As the countdown continues, the reality of the event is beginning to sink in for many of the runners. With five weeks to go, Paul Crozier, Technical Manager, said:

“It’s starting to feel real now that the race information has started coming through! I’ve got a mental block with my training, so need to push on.”

The recent spell of hot weather has added another obstacle for the team to overcome. Despite the early starts, the summer temperatures have made training runs particularly demanding. Paul Booth, Managing Director of GB Lubricants, has continued to put in the miles, completing 28km across three runs this week.

“I’ve managed to do 28kms over 3 runs this week. Having to go out early to avoid the heat, although it’s still very hot even at 6am! Training may be tough, but donations coming in for the team are helping spur me on.”

Kevin Ndala, Administration and Business Support Manager, has also been working hard as part of his ongoing fitness journey, entering week 33 of his boot camp programme. Having completed 27km across two runs this week, Kevin remains positive and is confident that the team’s determination will carry them through on race day.

The famous Great North Run course presents its own unique challenges, including several testing inclines along the route. To prepare, team members have been incorporating hill training into their schedules. Jack Humphreys, Technical Administrator, is focused on building strength and endurance ahead of the event.

“Having to really ramp up the training now that it’s less than a month. A very hilly 5k right after work to make the inclines we’ll see during the race a bit easier.”

While the training has been demanding, the team has drawn motivation from the support they have received and the opportunity to raise funds for a worthwhile cause. Every mile completed brings them one step closer to the start line and helps support the vital work carried out by St Oswald’s Hospice.

Everyone at GB Lubricants is incredibly proud of the team’s efforts and commitment. We wish them the very best of luck as they continue their preparations and count down to race day.

If you would like to support the GB Lubricants team, please visit their fundraising page: https://ajbellgreatnorthrun2026.enthuse.com/pf/gb-lubricants

To learn more about the invaluable work of St Oswald’s Hospice, visit: https://www.stoswaldsuk.org/