The BUPA Great North Run is the world's 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. 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 the UK only the London marathon and British 10K attract 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 ran through the Tyne Tunnel between North and South Shields.
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Winners of the men's race
- 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 Josiah Thugwane,
South Africa, 1:02:32 - 1999 John Mutai,
Kenya, 1:00:52 - 2000 Faustin Baha,
Tanzania, 1:01:57 - 2001 Paul Tergat,
Kenya, 1:00:30 - 2002 Paul Kosgei,
Kenya, 59:58 - 2003 Hendrick Ramaala,
South Africa - 2004 Dejene Berhanu,
Ethiopia, 59:37 - 2005 Zersenay Tadesse,
Eritrea, 59:05 - 2006 Hendrick Ramaala,
South Africa, 1:01:03 - 2007 Martin Lel,
Kenya, 1:00:08
Winners of the women's race
- 2003 Paula Radcliffe,
United Kingdom, 1:05:40 - 2004 Benita Johnson,
Australia, 1:06:55 - 2005 Derartu Tulu,
Ethiopia, 1:07:03 - 2006 Berhane Adere,
Ethiopia, 1:10:01 - 2007 Kara Goucher,
United States, 1:06:55
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
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
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.
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, what some may say, her greatest victory ever. Goucher's times was 1:06:57.
References
- ^ "Great North Run", BBC Sport. Retrieved on 2007-10-01.
External links
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
- North Run inquests warning
- [1]Big Central London charity race of 30,000 each summer.The British 10K
BBC News report on the 29 year old, unnamed Yorkshire man who died in the 2006 run.
- Tragedy hits 26th Great North Run
- Run Great North Run for disabled children's charity Helps disabled children and young adults compete in the race.
External links relating to charities
- Run the BUPA Great North Run for CHILDREN with LEUKAEMIA -- UK's leading charity dedicated to fighting childhood leukaemia


