AJ Bell Great North Run
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If you’re looking for a bucket list running event with an incredible Geordie welcome, the loudest and most supportive crowds around an epic 13.1 mile course jam-packed with entertainment and music, and a finish line party like no other, then look no further than the AJ Bell Great North Run.
60,000 incredible participants run from the heart of Newcastle upon Tyne to South Shields each year to fundraise, have fun, achieve a fitness goal, and join an amazing running community, no matter their experience or ability. From the rush of the Red Arrows flying overhead to the oggy-oggy-oggy chants, Great North Run magic can be hard to understand – until you’ve experienced it for yourself.
The countdown to this year’s Great North Run is on! The 2025 event guide will be published very soon, with all of the event day information participants need. If you missed out on a Great North Run place this year, sign up for updates here and we’ll send an email straight to your inbox as soon the September Ballot for the 2026 AJ Bell Great North Run opens.
For 44 years, ordinary people doing extraordinary things has been the bedrock of the Great North Run. We are the Great North Run, the lifeblood of this iconic event that runs the famous 13.1 miles from city to sea each year.
60,000 of us pounding the streets, over 200,000 lining them in support. waving, cheering, and willing us on as the region comes together in unwavering support. Running for those we love and those we have lost – their names on our backs to push us forward.
Some of us have completed every Great North Run since 1981; for many, this will be the first. Some of us push for PBs; for most, just crossing the finish line is a moment to savour. We stand on the start line alone but run together, united by this great event. Every one of us is a story. But together, we are the Great North Run. #WeAreTheGNR
We are the Great North Run is a poem created by George Caulkin, North East Sports Correspondent for The Athletic/New York Times and a regular Great North Run participant.
60,000 runners and every one of them has a story. Meet some of this year’s inspirational runners below.
1/10
Anthony
Samantha
Rafi
Tracy & Callum
Barry
Margaret & Dave
Luke
Laura
Jacqueline
Jason
2026 Ballot Reminder
Sign up below for updates and we’ll notify you when the September ballot for the 2026 AJ Bell Great North Run opens. We’ll also provide you with useful running information and guidance, special offers, training advice, top tips and exclusive Great Run Series event updates (you can unsubscribe at any time).
2025 Event Guide
We want to help you with any event day questions so that you can focus on the important things: soaking up the atmosphere and enjoying your run on the day!
All the info you need is covered in the 2025 event guide, including start & finish, travel and baggage, so we recommend having a read though it to make sure you’re prepared. Check back on this page regularly for any event updates too.
And don’t forget to download the free event day tracking app for on the day information, live tracking, results and more.
Event Timetable: 7 September 2025
Provisional timetable. Timings are subject to change.
Event Information
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does the Great North Run start and finish?
How difficult is the Great North Run?
How do I track runners at the Great North Run?
When will I receive my race number for the Great North Run?
Can I leave my bag at the start of the Great North Run?
When will I receive pre-event information for the Great North Run?
Where can I download a training plan for the Great North Run?
Where can I celebrate after the Great North Run?
How do I get home?
Great North Run Membership
AJ Bell Great North Run Members skip the ballot and guarantee a place on the start line of the Great North Run for 3 years. A Great North Run membership also entitles you to other benefits, including a technical training top. Click here to find out more about what’s included.
New membership places will go on sale later in the year, but places are limited and we expect them to sell out quickly.
Sign up below and we’ll notify you when new Great North Run memberships (2026-2028) go on sale. We’ll also provide you with useful running information and guidance, special offers, training advice, top tips and exclusive Great Run Series event updates (you can unsubscribe at any time).
Training Advice
View All Training Articles
Know what to expect – your Great North Run route
The Great North Run requires no introduction – but, just in case, here’s a quick explainer. The Great North Run is the world’s biggest and best half marathon, attracting 60,000 runners each year to its iconic 13.1 mile route. And once you’ve experienced that Great North Run magic, it’s… Read More.
How to train for a half marathon
Congratulations – you’ve taken a big step and committed to a half marathon. You’re in good company – half marathons are a popular distance event, and make a perfect next goal to aim for after hitting your 10k stride. There’s no doubt that running 13.1 miles is a challenge, so… Read More.
A runner’s guide to tapering
The idea of tapering – decreasing your training load in the week or two leading up to a big running event – might sound counter-intuitive, but in this case less really is more. And just about every running authority out there stresses the importance of tapering as a vital part… Read More.
How to hit your perfect half marathon pace
Great Run is proud to partner with Runna – your personalised running coach app. As the official training partner of the AJ Bell Great Run Series, Runna is supporting our runners with comprehensive, expert-approved training content. No matter your experience or ability level, Runna’s tips and hints can… Read More.
Find a running club in the North East
The North East is a friendly place, as anyone who’s ever taken part in the AJ Bell Great North Run would agree. And it’s that trademark North East warmth that makes it a fantastic place to join a running group. In fact, just about every club in the region… Read More.
The super simple runner’s exercise routine
Wherever you are on your running journey, building some simple gym or home exercises into your schedule is guaranteed to maximise your performance. And once you start establishing those routines and seeing those benefits, it’s so much easier to keep your motivation levels high. Read on for a quick and… Read More.
Great Places To Run In And Around Newcastle
Whether you are a local or a runner who wants to explore the area before the Simplyhealth Great North Run, Newcastle has plenty to offer. Read More.
10 things to expect at the Great North Run
It’s the world’s biggest and best half marathon and a North East institution – but if you’ve never taken part in the Great North Run, what can you expect when you line up on that start line? On your marks, get set, let’s find out! An unbeatable start-line atmosphere… Read More.
Nirvana, the official travel and accommodation partner of the AJ Bell Great North Run, have a range of hotels and accommodation options available in great locations, fully integrated with start and finish line shuttle and transfer services. Let Nirvana take the stress out of your run logistics!
Our Runners in Action
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What You Get
The Medal
The Photos
The App
The Discounts
We have made the decision to introduce optional finisher tees to our Great Run events. You can choose to forgo a finisher tee shirt at the point of entry, and in lieu of this we will make a donation to the National Trust Woodlands Appeal. We will donate a portion of the fulfilment costs for each runner who chooses this option to the fund and commit that this donation to be approx. £20,000. To view our full Environmental Strategy, please click here.
By taking your place on the AJ Bell Great North Run start line, you’re already part of something really special. Obviously you’ll have bragging rights for the foreseeable, but you’ll also get…
Run for Charity
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AJ Bell Great North Run
Charities
British Heart Foundation is the official charity of the AJ Bell Great Run series this year and we could not be more proud.
When you run for BHF, you can help us achieve our vision of a world free from the fear of heart and circulatory diseases. You run for the people you love. You run to help us fund lifesaving research and support people affected by heart and circulatory diseases. You run to help keep families together for longer.
It’s because of you, BHF-funded research is possible. Together, we can make the impossible possible. Thank you.
Join forces with the team that will get you to the finish line. We’re the only ones fighting over 200 cancer . Our life-saving work is funded entirely by the generosity of our supporters, so every step we make towards beating cancer relies on every pound, and every runner. One in two people now survive cancer. Together we’ve achieved so much, but we won’t stop until we’ve beaten it altogether. Join the team today and we will beat cancer.
The Bobby Moore Fund was set up in memory legendary footballer Bobby Moore, who sadly died from bowel cancer aged just 51.To date the Bobby Moore Fund has raised over £20 million. The funds are spent on world class bowel cancer research carried out by leading scientists working across the UK. With your support, bowel cancer stands no chance. Let’s make Bobby proud and help beat it sooner. Join the Bobby Moore Fund team today.
By 2025, there will be 1 million people in the UK living with dementia. Alzheimer’s Society are there for everyone living with dementia and their loves ones – wherever they are, whatever they’re going through. We campaign for change, fund life-changing research and give help and hope to those living with dementia. Join team Alzheimer’s Society today.
We’re Blood Cancer UK, a community dedicated to beating blood cancer. We do this by funding research and supporting those affected. Since 1960, we’ve invested over £500 million in blood cancer research, transforming treatments and saving lives. Run with us at the Great North Run and every pound raised will help beat blood cancer, because the finish line’s in sight.
We’re Breast Cancer Now, the charity that’s steered by world-class research and powered by life-changing care. We’re here for anyone affected by breast cancer, the whole way through, providing support for today and hope for the future. Join our team today and you can help us be there for anyone facing breast cancer.
At Guide Dogs we’re here to help people with sight loss live the life they choose. 1 in 5 people will live with sight loss in their lifetime and every day 250 people in the UK start to lose their sight. This is equivalent to one person every six minutes. Our guide dogs give these people the confidence to get out and about safely and we campaign to make sure children and adults with sight loss can live actively, independently and well.
At Macmillan, we give people with cancer everything we’ve got. If you’re diagnosed, your worries are our worries. We will move mountains to help you live life as fully as you can. And we don’t stop there. We’re going all out to find ever better ways to help people with cancer, helping to bring forward the day when everyone gets life-transforming support from day one. We’re doing whatever it takes, but we couldn’t do what we do without you, thank you so much for your support.
We’re Mind. We’re here to fight for mental health. We produce trusted information all about mental health problems. We support people through our helplines and online Side by Side community. We campaign with the government to get a better deal on mental health. And we speak out when something isn’t right, demanding mental health support respects our rights. There’s so much we do – and we couldn’t do it without you, so thank you.
NHS Charities together supports and provides services to our NHS where it is needed most. By signing up for the Great North Run you are helping make a difference to NHS staff, patients, and families over and above what the NHS alone can fund
Join Prostate Cancer UK’s legendary Great North Run team to raise funds for lifesaving research and support services for the most common cancer in men. Run with us and help save men’s lives.
The Stroke Association are the UK’s leading charity dedicated to conquering stroke. We deliver stroke services across the UK, campaign for better stroke care, invest in research and fundraise to expand our reach to as many stroke survivors as possible. There are over 1.2 million stroke survivors in the UK with 100,000 strokes happening in the UK each year. That’s one stroke every five minutes. We believe in life after stroke and rely on your support to change lives and prevent stroke. With your support, together we can conquer stroke. and prevent stroke.
We are the leading charity stopping the heartbreak and devastation of baby loss and making pregnancy and birth safe – for everyone. Half of adults in the UK have experienced baby loss or know someone who has.Tommy’s fund vital research into miscarriage, stillbirth and premature birth, so we can keep saving babies’ lives.
