Updated 14th September. Following publication of this race report, news has come to light of the sudden deaths of two young men participating in this year's Great North Run. We are sure that the wider running community would like to join runABC in offering our deepest condolences to the families and friends of those young men.

The AJ Bell Great North Run has always been about far more than the runners at the front, and its 45th edition provided perhaps the clearest demonstration yet. A record field of 63,000 took on the famous 13.1 miles from Newcastle to South Shields today, making this the biggest Great North Run in its history.

Newcastle United captain Dan Burn sent the runners on their way before the familiar flood of colour poured across the Tyne Bridge. The Red Arrows appeared overhead as thousands began journeys built around personal targets, charity fundraising, memories of loved ones and, for many, simply the ambition of reaching that South Shields finish line.

Great Run estimated that more than 200,000 spectators would line the route, while around £25 million is expected to be generated for charitable causes across the weekend. Those numbers help explain why the Great North Run remains much more than a Half Marathon. More than 1.4 million people had already completed the event since its creation in 1981.

There was world class racing at the front. Kenya's Brigid Kosgei produced a commanding performance to win the women's race in 1:06:15, more than two minutes clear of defending champion Sheila Chepkirui in 1:08:19. Ethiopia's Melknat Wudu was third in 1:09:37, with Amy-Eloise Neale the leading British woman in fifth at 1:10:27. Eilish McColgan was forced to withdraw during the race with a foot problem.

Zouhair Talbi took the men's title for the United States in 59:47, holding off defending champion Alex Mutiso of Kenya, who finished in 1:00:01. Japan's Yohei Ikeda was third in 1:00:40, while former champion Marc Scott led the British challenge in eighth with 1:02:10.

British success continued in the wheelchair races. Eight-time previous winner David Weir returned to the top of the podium in 43:06, while Scotland's Melanie Woods won the women's race in 50:19.

Those victories will occupy the record books, but behind them came the defining sight of the day: tens of thousands of ordinary runners following exactly the same road towards the sea.

Forty-five editions after 12,000 runners first made the journey in 1981, the Great North Run has never been bigger. The elite champions provided the speed. The other 63,000 stories provided everything else.

Full results are available via the runABC race hub.

Image courtesy Great Run Company.