2016 Great North Run Entry Ballot Now Open
The general entry ballot for the world’s greatest half marathon, the Great North Run, is now open.
The annual spectacular, which this year will be staged for the 36th time, will take place on Sunday 11th September.
The Great North Run provides a huge positive economic and social impact for the region. A report from Bluegrass, a leading economic research company, conducted at the 2014 event revealed that the Great North Run had a positive economic benefit of almost £24 million for the region, excluding the additional benefits associated with TV coverage.
The report also found that 52% of visitors attending the event left with a more positive view of the region than before they arrived and 93% rated it as a good or excellent place to visit.
The Great North Run will be the highlight of a spectacular weekend in the region which also features the iconic Great North CityGames, the Great North 5k plus the Junior and Mini Great North Runs.
Last year double Olympic and World champion Mo Farah thrilled the huge crowds and the live BBC TV audience by winning the Great North Run for the second consecutive time. Many of the world’s greatest distance runners including Haile Gebrselassie, Paula Radcliffe, Liz McColgan, Derartu Tulu and Kenenisa Bekele have triumphed over the years.
To register for the ballot prospective applicants should go to www.greatrun.org. The ballot will close at noon on Monday February 8th with all applicants being notified by email on or before Thursday 11th February.