From Newcastle to South Shields: Why the Great North Run Means So Much to the North East

A dense crowd of runners in charity vests and running tops filling the full width of a road in bright sunshine on the Great North Run

Great North Run week

Forty-five years, thirteen and a bit miles, and one very good day for the North East. From the heart of Newcastle to the sea at South Shields — and why this run means what it does.

There are some events that simply feel like they belong to a place. And for the North East, the Great North Run is one of them.

Every September, Newcastle, Gateshead and South Shields come alive as tens of thousands of runners take to the streets, thousands more line the route to cheer them on, and the whole region seems to pull together for one unforgettable day.

Whether you're running it, supporting someone who is, volunteering, watching from the sidelines or simply enjoying the atmosphere, there's something rather special about Great North Run weekend.

And this year, it's bigger than ever.

Forty-five years of the Great North Run

1981

12,000

runners lined up in Newcastle for the very first event

The UK's biggest mass-participation running event almost overnight.

This year

63,000

runners take on the famous 13.1-mile course

The world's biggest half marathon.

On this page

45 years The route The atmosphere Stories we love Win afternoon tea

45 years of the Great North Run

It began in 1981, when 12,000 runners lined up in Newcastle for the very first event.

It was the brainchild of North East running legend Sir Brendan Foster and a small group of fellow organisers, who could hardly have imagined what their idea would become. That first race was already a record-breaker, becoming the UK's biggest mass-participation running event almost overnight.

Fast forward 45 years and the Great North Run has become the world's biggest half marathon, attracting runners from across the UK and around the world.

And it isn't just the elite athletes who make it special.

It's the thousands of ordinary people doing something extraordinary.

People running their first ever half marathon. People running for charities close to their hearts. People running in memory of someone they love. People chasing a personal best. People who have spent months training. And people who perhaps signed up thinking, “It'll be a good laugh…” and are now wondering why their legs hurt every time they walk downstairs!

63,000 runners. 13.1 miles.

The iconic route: city to sea

Part of what makes the Great North Run so memorable is the route itself.

The green steel arch of the Tyne Bridge over the River Tyne with a Great North Run banner hung across it, seen from the Newcastle Quayside on a sunny day

Follow the course, stage by stage

The start

The heart of Newcastle

The race begins in the heart of Newcastle, before runners head towards one of the North East's most recognisable landmarks.

The landmark

The Tyne Bridge

Crossing that bridge with thousands of other runners must surely be one of those moments you never forget.

Over the river

Into Gateshead

From there, the route heads into Gateshead, passing landmarks including Gateshead International Stadium.

Heading out

Towards the A194

…before continuing towards the A194, and the long middle stretch of the course.

The hard part

The middle miles

The middle section is where those legs really start to know they've entered a half marathon! There are climbs, descents and plenty of miles to get through before the course begins its final push towards the coast.

Around mile 12

The sea

At around mile 12, runners get their first glimpse of the North Sea. After 12 miles of running, fundraising, determination, aching legs and wondering exactly why you thought this was a good idea, that first sight of the coast must feel pretty special!

Downhill

Towards South Shields

From there, it's downhill towards South Shields.

13.1 miles

The final mile

…followed by that famous final mile along the seafront and the finish line.

Stage 1 of 8

Runners seen from behind climbing a long open road on the Great North Run, several in green Macmillan charity vests, under a blue sky with white clouds

And then comes one of the most anticipated moments of the whole race…

The sea.

Wide wet sands and the open water of the North Sea at South Shields, with a ship on the horizon under a pale sky

But it isn't just about the running

Ask anyone who's taken part and they'll probably tell you that the atmosphere is what makes the Great North Run.

A broad sunlit road on the Great North Run route lined with spectators, with runners and walkers spread across the carriageway

The route is packed with supporters, music, entertainment, charity cheer points, costumes, banners, signs and some wonderfully enthusiastic North East encouragement.

Supporters Music Entertainment Charity cheer points Costumes Banners Signs North East encouragement

There are the traditional chants, the high-fives and the strangers shouting your name when you look like you might need a little extra encouragement.

And then there are the stories.

Because behind every runner is one.

Someone might have spent six months training after deciding it was time to get fitter. Someone might be running in memory of a parent. Someone might be raising thousands of pounds for charity. Someone might be attempting something they never thought they could do. And someone else might simply be there because their best friend said, “Come on, we'll do it together.”

That's the magic.

The Great North Run has always been about ordinary people doing extraordinary things — and that spirit has remained at the heart of the event since 1981.

Some stories we love

Over the years, the event has produced some brilliant ones. One of our favourites goes all the way back to the very first race.

Runners in charity vests along a South Shields street on Great North Run day, one of them wearing a full white Elvis jumpsuit

1981

The very first race

Kevin Keegan's borrowed trainers

Football legend Kevin Keegan took part in the inaugural Great North Run wearing his England football trainers. Unfortunately, they weren't quite up to the job!

By mile 10, he was suffering with blisters and stopped to swap shoes with a young spectator at the side of the course.

Finished 490th Donated to charity on a bet

The bet related to the runners who finished ahead of him.

2014

A milestone

Tracey Cramond, the millionth finisher

Then there's Tracey Cramond, who became the Great North Run's millionth finisher in 2014.

A pretty incredible milestone — and one that turned her into something of a local celebrity overnight.

The 1,000,000th finisher A local celebrity overnight

One million finishers, in a race that started with 12,000.

And perhaps that's what we love most about the Great North Run.

It creates stories.

Now it's your turn

At The Running Fox, we want to celebrate all of it. So this Great North Run week, we're giving something away.

A three-tier afternoon tea stand at The Running Fox set for two, with sandwiches, scones, cake and a bottle of prosecco on a wooden table

Afternoon Tea for Two

The prize — at The Running Fox

We're looking for your favourite Great North Run moments.

Maybe you're running. Maybe you're supporting someone. Maybe you've spotted a fantastic costume, captured an emotional finish-line moment or simply got a great picture of the atmosphere.

We want to see it!

We're not necessarily looking for the most technically perfect photograph. We're looking for the photo that captures the spirit of the Great North Run.

How to enter

Tick them off as you go.

Just a checklist to keep track — ticking these boxes doesn't enter you. Your photo and your tag do.

We'll be keeping an eye on your photos and choosing our favourite Great North Run moment to win Afternoon Tea for Two.

So, to everyone taking part this Sunday…

Good luck!

A large crowd gathered on the grass at the Great North Run finish area, many wearing finishers' medals, with meeting point signs behind them

We'll be cheering you on from the sidelines — and we'll have the cake ready for afterwards. 😉

And if you're not running this year, there's still one very important job to do:

Cheer loudly.

Because that's what we do best in the North East.

The cake will be ready

Whenever you make it back up the road, there's a Running Fox waiting.

Five Running Fox stops across Northumberland

Longhoughton For a slow morning by the coast Felton For coffee and something freshly baked

Whether you ran it, cheered it, drove the support car or spent the whole morning holding somebody's coat — you've earned a pot of tea and a slice of something.

Longframlington Powburn Kirkharle Courtyard

Now… who's running for the glory, and who's running for the post-run cake?

Good luck to every single one of you. 🦊

See our menus Book a table

The giveaway: one prize of Afternoon Tea for Two at The Running Fox. The prize is not transferable and there is no cash alternative; full details and the closing date are on our social channels. Run by The Running Fox and not associated with, administered by or endorsed by any social media platform.

Image credits & licences

Great North Run and Tyneside photography sourced from Wikimedia Commons and Geograph Britain and Ireland, reused under Creative Commons licences. The afternoon tea photograph is our own.