Great North Run

Great North Run
Great North Run Logo
Date and location	5 October 2008 Newcastle upon Tyne and South Shields, United Kingdom
Race type	road
Distance	Half marathon
Official site	www.greatrun.org

The Great North Run is the world's second most popular half marathon road running event.^[1] Participants run between Newcastle upon Tyne and South Shields in England. The run was devised by former Olympic 10,000 m bronze medallist and BBC Sport commentator Brendan Foster. Foster was inspired after running in the Round the Bays Race in New Zealand in 1979, and has built upon the Great North Run with a series of other Great Run road races.

The first ever Great North Run was staged on the 28 June 1981, when 12,000 runners participated. By 2003, the number of participants had risen to 47,000. The 2008 event saw an announced field of 52,000. Counting only real finishers (many are entered through their company and don't show up) the number was 35,777 in 2007, the largest half marathon and the 13th largest running race that year^[2].

For the first year it was advertised as a local fun run; twenty years on it has become one of the biggest running events in the world, and the biggest in the UK. Only the London Marathon (Britain's second biggest road race every year since 1981) comes close to attracting 'similar' numbers of athletes each year.

In recent years, a Great North Mile has also been held.

In the 2004 Great North Mile race on Saturday 25 September, double Olympic Gold medalist Kelly Holmes made her first appearance in Britain since returning from the 2004 Summer Olympics. Holmes also fired the gun to start the main event on Sunday 26 September, and waved and shook hands with many of the 50,000 starters.

In addition the The 'Tunnel 2K' international warm up race, on the day before the Great North run sees wheelchair athletes competing over a 2km course run through the Tyne Tunnel between North Shields and Jarrow.

Winners of the men's race

Amateur runners taking part in 2006

• 1981 Mike McLeod,  United Kingdom, 1:03:23
• 1982 Mike McLeod,  United Kingdom, 1:02:44
• 1983 Carlos Lopes,  Portugal, 1:02:46
• 1984 Øyvind Dahl,  Norway, 1:04:36
• 1985 Steve Kenyon,  United Kingdom, 1:02:44
• 1986 Michael Musyoki,  Kenya, 1:00:43
• 1987 Rob de Castella,  Australia, 1:02:04
• 1988 John Treacy,  Ireland, 1:01:00
• 1989 El Mostafa Mechchadi,  Morocco, 1:02:39
• 1990 Steve Moneghetti,  Australia, 1:00:34
• 1991 Benson Masya,  Kenya, 1:00:28
• 1992 Benson Masya,  Kenya, 1:00:24
• 1993 Moses Tanui,  Kenya, 59:47
• 1994 Benson Masya,  Kenya, 1:00:02
• 1995 Moses Tanui,  Kenya, 1:00:39
• 1996 Benson Masya,  Kenya, 1:01:43
• 1997 Hendrick Ramaala,  South Africa, 1:00:25
• 1998 Josia Thugwane,  South Africa, 1:02:32
• 1999 John Mutai,  Kenya, 1:00:52
• 2000 Phaustin Baha Sulle,  Tanzania, 1:01:57
• 2001 Paul Tergat,  Kenya, 1:00:30
• 2002 Paul Malakwen Kosgei,  Kenya, 59:58
• 2003 Hendrick Ramaala,  South Africa, 1:00:01
• 2004 Dejene Berhanu,  Ethiopia, 59:37
• 2005 Zersenay Tadese,  Eritrea, 59:05
• 2006 Hendrick Ramaala,  South Africa, 1:01:03
• 2007 Martin Lel,  Kenya, 1:00:08
• 2008 Tsegaye Kebede,  Ethiopia, 59:45
• 2009 Martin Lel,  Kenya, 59:32

Winners of the women's race

Paula Radcliffe and Kara Goucher heading the pack in the 2007 race

• 2003 Paula Radcliffe,  United Kingdom, 1:05:40 ^[3]
• 2004 Benita Johnson,  Australia, 1:07:55
• 2005 Derartu Tulu,  Ethiopia, 1:07:33
• 2006 Berhane Adere,  Ethiopia, 1:10:03
• 2007 Kara Goucher,  United States, 1:06:57
• 2008 Gete Wami  Ethiopia 1:08:51
• 2009 Jéssica Augusto  Portugal 1:09:08

Winners of the men's wheelchair race

• 2005 David Weir,  United Kingdom, 42:33
• 2006 Kurt Fearnly,  Australia, 42:39
• 2007 Ernst Van Dyk,  South Africa, 42:35
• 2008 Josh Cassidy,  Canada, 44:10
• 2009 David Weir,  United Kingdom, 41:34

Winners of the women's wheelchair race

• 2005 Shelly Woods,  United Kingdom, 50:04
• 2006 Diane Roy,  Canada, 50:33
• 2007 Shelly Woods,  United Kingdom, 50:33
• 2008 Diane Roy,  Canada, 51:18
• 2009 Amanda McGrory,  United States, 49:47

2005 Great North Run

In the 2005 Great North Run, the race celebrated its twenty-fifth anniversary. Events to mark the anniversary included the launch of the Great North Run Cultural Programme at the Sage Gateshead

On race day itself, four participants died en-route to South Shields. An inquest into the four deaths from 2005 began on Monday 5 June 2006 at Gateshead Council Chambers.

2006 Great North Run

Following the death of four runners in 2005, more emergency service personnel were brought in to ensure there was adequate cover, although on race day itself, one participant died en-route to South Shields.

2007 Great North Run

The 2007 Great North Run was held on 30 September and was started by Sir Bobby Robson. Kara Goucher defeated Paula Radcliffe in an impressive victory for the American. Goucher's winning time was 1:06:57.

2008 Great North Run

The 2008 Great North Run was held on 5 October and was started by Tony Blair.

2009 Great North Run

The 2009 Great North Run was held on 20 September and was started by Sting.

References

External links

• BUPA Great North Run Official site for entry and information.
• Four men die in Great North Run, BBC News, 18 September 2005.
• Tragedy hits 26th Great North Run, BBC News report on the 29 year old, unnamed Yorkshire man who died in the 2006 run.
• BBC Tyne's coverage of the Great North Run at BBC Online

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