Simplyhealth Great Run Day – Be Part Of It

For more information on Simplyhealth Great Run Day and to log your activity on 9-10 September, visit greatrun.org/greatrunday

ORGANISERS of the Simplyhealth Great North Run plan to make the weekend of the world’s biggest half marathon a huge celebration of running and activity – and everyone is invited.

The Simplyhealth Great Run Day will take place over the weekend of the Simplyhealth Great North Run on 9 and 10 September 2017, which includes the Simplyhealth Junior and Mini Great North Runs, the Simplyhealth Great North 5k, the inaugural Unlimited Great North Wheelchair event and the Simplyhealth Great North Run itself, with more than 60,000 people taking part.

Event organisers The Great Run Company want to make this one of the UK’s most active weekends and are calling on everybody to get moving over the weekend and log their activity wherever they are.

The Simplyhealth Great Run Day has been launched as a celebration of running and movement, with the intention of getting more people active using the flagship running event, now in its 37^th year, as an inspiration.

Research by Strava, the social network for runners and cyclists, revealed that the day of last year’s Great North Run was the most active day of the year on its platform.

The Simplyhealth Great North Run half marathon is over-subscribed every year, with a ballot taking place to select 57,000 runners from more than 100,000 applications.

The Simplyhealth Great North Run, through its live broadcast on BBC One and its reputation as the world’s biggest half marathon, inspires many people each year to get active and the event organisers, who organise events of all distances from Aberdeen to Portsmouth, want to inspire as many people as possible to get active over that weekend.

A website – greatrun.org/greatrunday – has been launched for the event, and people can register and log their movement either manually or by connecting to Strava. All participants are entered into a prize draw for a chance to win sports vouchers to spend on any kit or equipment that will help get them moving.

The website also contains hints and tips for those wishing to get active, along with case studies featuring some of the most inspiring stories across all Great Run events.

Brendan Foster CBE, founder of the Simplyhealth Great North Run and chairman of The Great Run Company, said: “The Simplyhealth Great North Run is the result of our passion for running. We want to inspire people to challenge themselves and push their limits.

“Over 60,000 people will take part in the Simplyhealth Great North Run weekend in 2017, but with the event at capacity every year, we recognise that not everyone can be there. So this year we want to extend an invitation to millions more of you to take up a challenge.

“We want to share our passion for getting active and what it can do to help you feel alive and live a healthier, happier life.”

Simplyhealth Great Run Day forms a key part of title partner, Simplyhealth’s #millionsmoving campaign. Simplyhealth aims to inspire individuals, families and communities to simply move more. This is close to Simplyhealth’s belief that movement is the cornerstone to good health.

Romana Abdin, Chief Executive of Simplyhealth said: “We know that moving more is great for everyday health, both physically and mentally. It doesn’t matter whether for you that means running a half marathon, or just taking that first step to getting active.

“We want to use the power of the Simplyhealth Great North Run to inspire people to do more than they did yesterday. So don’t just watch it on television and think ‘perhaps one day’. This is your opportunity to be part it – let’s make this the UK’s most active weekend!”