The Great North Run is the world's most popular half marathon road running event. Participants run between Newcastle-upon-Tyne and South Shields. 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.

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. 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.

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.

Winners of the men's race

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• 2003 Hendrick Ramaala South Africa
• 2004 Dejene Berhanu Ethiopia 59' 37"
• 2005 Zersenay Tadesse Eritrea 59' 05"

Winners of the women's race

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• 2004 Benita Johnson Australia 76' 55"
• 2005 Derartu Tulu Ethiopia 67' 03"

Winners of the wheelchair race

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2005 Great North Run

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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

Tragically, on race day itself, four participants died en route to South Shields.

External links

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• Bupa GNR

An inquest into the four deaths from 2005 began on Monday 5 June 2006 at Gateshead Council Chambers

• http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/tyne/4257630.stm
• http://icnewcastle.icnetwork.co.uk/eveningchronicle/eveningchronicle/tm_objectid=17167364&method=full&siteid=50081&headline=north-run-inquests-warning-name_page.html

Athletics in the United Kingdom | Half marathons | Sport in Newcastle upon Tyne | Sport in Tyne and Wear