About the race
The Great North Run is a half marathon from Newcastle upon Tyne to South Shields in North East England, usually held in September. It is described as the largest half marathon in the world and the biggest running event in the United Kingdom.
History
Olympic 10,000 m bronze medallist and BBC commentator Brendan Foster devised the race after running the Round the Bays event in New Zealand in 1979. The first Great North Run took place on 28 June 1981 with 12,000 runners, and was billed as a local fun run. By 2011 the field had grown to 54,000. The 1992 edition included the first World Half Marathon Championships. Mo Farah won a record six consecutive men's titles up to 2019. Since 2025 the event has shared branding with The Great North, a partnership of elected mayors across Northern England.
The course
The run starts on the A167 just north of the central motorway, beside the Town Moor on the edge of Newcastle city centre. It heads east and south along the motorway, round the eastern side of the centre and across the Tyne Bridge into Gateshead. After going around the east of Gateshead town centre it joins the A184 Felling Bypass towards Sunderland. At about 3.5 miles it turns north-east along the A194 Leam Lane, then east on John Reid Road past Jarrow. The course goes through Harton and Marsden in South Shields until it meets the seafront and turns north. The last mile runs along the seafront road to the finish.
Distance
The main race is 21.1 km, or a half marathon. Junior and mini races take place on the Newcastle Quayside on the Saturday before.
Entry basics
Check the organiser for the current entry process, ballot and time-limit details and the date of the next run.
Where to watch
Good places include the Tyne Bridge crossing out of Newcastle, the run through Gateshead, and the seafront at South Shields, where the final mile follows the coast road to the finish line. All roads on the course are closed several hours before the start.
Weather
September on Tyneside is early autumn. Mornings can be fresh, the day often mild, and sea air at the South Shields finish can feel cooler, with showers possible.
SourcesWikipedia: Great North Run