Great North Run

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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.

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.

1 Winners of the men's race
2 Winners of the women's race
3 Winners of the wheelchair race
4 2005 Great North Run
5 2006 Great North Run
6 External links

[edit] 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

[edit] Winners of the women's race

2003 Paula Radcliffe, UK 1:05:40
2004 Benita Johnson, Australia 1:16:55
2005 Derartu Tulu, Ethiopia 1:07:03
2006 Berhane Adere, Ethiopia 1:10:01

[edit] Winners of the wheelchair race

2006 Diane Roy, Canada

[edit] 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.

[edit] 2006 Great North Run

Following the death of 4 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.