Your Guide to the Great North Run

In light of the sad news of the death of Queen Elizabeth II, there will be a number of planned changes to this year’s Great North Run. 

Paying our respects
The event has traditionally been a celebration of the extraordinary achievements of ordinary people, this year it will be an opportunity for us to come together and express our condolences, whilst celebrating the life of our extraordinary Queen. 

To mark our respects, the following events will take place ahead of the mass start at 10:45am: 

• A message from Great North Run Founder and President, Sir Brendan Foster 
• A time of reflection led by a collection of Newcastle’s local faith leaders: 

• • • The Right Reverend Mark Wroe – Bishop of Berwick and Acting Bishop of Newcastle 
    • Bishop Robert Byrne – Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle 
    • Rabbi Aaron Lipsey – United Hebrew Congregation Newcastle 
    • Jaswinder Singh – North East Sikh Service 
    • Hari Shukla – Former director of the Tyne and Wear Racial Equality Council 
    • Abdul Basith Mohammed – Imam at Newcastle Central Mosque 
    • Fariba Hedayati – Bahá’ís Newcastle 

• One minute silence 
• Singing of the National Anthem, God Save the King 
  

Start line music & out on the course 
Whilst we want you to enjoy the day, elements of the runner and spectator experience will be more subdued.   

The start line music will reflect the mood of the nation, setting the tone for what will be a poignant moment of remembrance for Queen Elizabeth II, whilst also celebrating the coming together of people raising much needed funds for worthy causes. 

Out on the course there will be 30 charity support zones and 18 music zones.  You can of course, also expect unrivalled support from the people of the North East who will line the 13.1 mile route to South Shields. 

Charities & fundraising
Thousands of you taking part are expected to raise an estimated £25 million in much needed charitable donations, a fitting tribute to the Queen, who lived her life in the service of our country and its people. 

Charities big and small will be represented on the start line, along the route, and in the charity village at the finish, offering their thanks and support to all of the fundraisers.  It’s a huge part of what makes the event so great. 

Red Arrows 
Unfortunately, the Red Arrows flypast and display has been cancelled, as has all RAF display flying during the official mourning period. 

What can you do?
We will be encouraging everyone to be mindful of the very sad and special circumstances in which the event will be taking place. We encourage you to communicate your respect in whichever way you feel appropriate. 

For some of you this will mean wearing a black armband, for others it might be a message on your race number – please consider your plans to ensure they are respectful of the occasion. 

We will also ask you to join us in a one minute silence and in singing the National Anthem, or to be respectful during this period. 

Your moment
The Great North Run is also about personal achievement, personal goals and personal memories.  This is your chance to put all of your hard work and training into practice on the 13.1 mile journey from city to sea. 

We’ll be waiting for you as you cross the finish line to hang your hard-earned medal over your head, a long-time tradition of the Great North Run. 

We look forward to welcoming runners from all over the UK and the world to the North East this weekend for what will be a very special Great North Run.