There’s only 10 days to go until the return of the one and only AJ Bell Great North Run! The biggest half marathon in the world is back on Sunday 8 September, with 60,000 runners taking on the 13.1 mile route from Newcastle to South Shields.

There’s still a chance for you to be involved in the North East’s biggest weekend of sport, with limited places still available for the AJ Bell Great North 5K on Friday 6 September! It’s a fun, fast, flat 5K dash around Newcastle and Gateshead’s vibrant Quayside and, like all Great Runs, it’s packed with phenomenal local support and entertainment.

The Great North Run has always been about ordinary people doing extraordinary things. It started back in 1981, when 12,264 pioneers forged the path from Newcastle to South Shields. 43 years on, the event has generated hundreds of millions of pounds in charity fundraising, witnessed some of the greatest road running performances of all time and this year was awarded the World Athletics Heritage Plaque for its contribution to the worldwide history and development of mass participation road running.

The award is so much more than the Great North Run; it’s about every runner, volunteer, charity, supporter, across every single year. It’s about the unwavering support of the people of the North East who get behind this event like no other and inspire the next generation.

This year the class of 2024 will follow in the footsteps of 1.3 million before them, running the same infamous 13.1 mile route. Each runner inspired by someone, some cause, some moment. Each runner on their own road to greatness. The 2024 Great North Run medal and t shirt have been inspired by those 1.3 million runners, forming a special keepsake from a historic day.

If you’re doing the AJ Bell Great North Run – or you know someone who is – the event day app is a must-have. It allows you to search for and track runners, view your results instantly, access your split times, see your official event photos and donate to a worthy cause via an Enthuse charity page. Whether you’re a spectator or on the start line, the Great Run app is easy-to-use, free of charge, and helps you access the data you need to smash your next challenge. Bragging rights coming your way!

Good luck to everyone taking on the challenge.

Image: Great Run Company