Great North Run
The Great North Run is a half marathon from Newcastle upon Tyne to South Shields, held in North East England each September since 1981. It is the world’s largest half marathon, with participation growing from 12,000 runners in its first year to over 50,000 currently. Brendan Foster, Olympic 10,000 m bronze medallist and BBC Sport commentator, conceived the race, and it remains focused on mass participation rather than solely elite runners. Junior and mini races are also held on the Saturday before the main event. The course begins on the A167 in Newcastle, crosses the Tyne Bridge into Gateshead, and follows main roads east toward South Shields. Runners proceed along the Felling Bypass, turn toward Leam Lane, pass through Harton and Marsden, finishing on the seafront at South Shields. The race has also featured significant elite performances: it hosted the first IAAF World Half Marathon Championships, and course records are 58:56 for men (Martin Mathathi) and 1:04:28 for women (Brigid Kosgei). However, the majority of participants are club runners, charity participants, first-time runners, and individuals aiming to complete the distance from the city to the coast.
