Great North Run
Great North Run: Complete Training and Race Guide
Everything you need to know about the route, how to get a place, a 12 week training outline and how to pace the biggest half marathon in the country.
The short answer
- The Great North Run is a 13.1 mile half marathon that starts on the A167 in central Newcastle upon Tyne, crosses the Tyne Bridge into Gateshead and finishes at South Shields after a final mile along the seafront. Most public places are allocated through a ballot on greatrun.org, with the other main routes in being a charity place or the Great North Run membership scheme.
- The 2026 event is on Sunday 13 September 2026, with the elite men and the main field starting at 10:50am.
- Great Run says 63,000 participants are expected in 2026, making it the biggest edition of the event so far.
- The 2026 ballot has closed and the 2027 ballot had not opened when we checked in July 2026, so join the ballot reminder list on greatrun.org.
- Miles 8 to 12 are the hardest part of the course, so hills and steady running matter more than raw speed.
- A 12 week block with two deload weeks and a proper taper suits most runners who already have a basic running base. Edge builds that plan around your week, your level and your goal.
13.1 miles
Half marathon distance, Newcastle to South Shields
13 Sep 2026
Date of the 2026 AJ Bell Great North Run
63,000
Participants expected in 2026, per Great Run
The Great North Run is the race most British runners have heard of long before they enter one. This guide covers what the event is, what the course does to your legs, how places are allocated, and how to train to enjoy it rather than survive it.
Every event detail below was checked against the official Great Run website in July 2026. Dates, fees, field sizes and entry windows change year to year, so confirm the current details at greatrun.org.
What is the Great North Run?
The Great North Run is a half marathon of 13.1 miles run from Newcastle upon Tyne to the coast at South Shields. It has been staged since 1981, and Great Run describes the 2026 edition as marking 45 years of the event. Great Run calls it the biggest half marathon in the world, and Guinness World Records certified it as the largest half marathon in 2016.
The 2026 event takes place on Sunday 13 September 2026 under the AJ Bell title sponsorship. Great Run states that 63,000 participants are expected, describing it as the biggest Great North Run yet. Elsewhere the official site cites a field of 60,000 runners, so treat 63,000 as the figure specific to 2026.
Great Run's provisional 2026 timetable has elite wheelchair athletes starting at 10:20, elite women at 10:25, visually impaired participants at 10:27, the mass warm up at 10:35 and the elite men and main field at 10:50, with BBC live coverage from 10:00. The timetable is subject to change. The minimum age to enter is 17 at the time of the event.
| Detail | Verified information (checked July 2026) |
|---|---|
| Distance | Half marathon, 13.1 miles |
| Start | A167 central motorway, Newcastle upon Tyne, close to Claremont Road and the university |
| Finish | South Shields seafront, after a final mile-long stretch along the coast |
| 2026 date and start | Sunday 13 September 2026, elite men and main field at 10:50am (provisional) |
| Typical time of year | September |
| Field size | 63,000 participants expected in 2026 per Great Run; the official site elsewhere cites 60,000 runners |
| Entry routes | Public ballot, charity place, Great North Run membership scheme, elite entry by standard |
| Minimum age | 17 at the time of the event |
| First held | 1981; 2026 marks 45 years of the event |
| Entry fee | Set and published by Great Run each year. We could not confirm a current figure from the official site when we checked, so check greatrun.org before budgeting |
What is the route like?
The course is a classic city to coast road race with long, straight sections and very few tight turns. Great Run describes a start on the central motorway in Newcastle city centre, close to the university, followed by road tunnels where the crowd noise bounces off the walls, and then the Tyne Bridge. Once across, you are in Gateshead heading out on the A184 towards Heworth.
From mile 3, marked by Gateshead International Stadium, to mile 8 at the Tyne Tunnel turn off, the route moves from the A184 onto the A194. Great Run flags an incline between miles 3 and 5 and welcome downhill between miles 5 and 8. The hard part comes next. Great Run states that miles 8 to 12 are more uphill and that many runners find this the toughest part of the route, which is exactly where a poorly judged first 10km bites.
The reward is close. At mile 12 you get the first view of the North Sea, then a sharp downhill to the coast and a flat final mile along the seafront to the finish at South Shields. Great Run summarises the profile as mainly downhill for miles 1 to 2, 5 to 8 and 12 to 13.1, with the uphill concentrated in that middle to late block.
Two things follow. The early downhill makes race pace feel far too easy, and thousands of runners spend that free speed and pay later. And the course does not get flatter as you tire, so hill work belongs in your training rather than being an optional extra.
How do you get a place?
Great Run allocates places through a ballot each year. This is the main route for the general public, and it is random, so there is no way to improve your odds beyond applying within the window. As of July 2026 the 2026 ballot has closed and the 2027 ballot had not opened. Great Run runs a 2027 ballot reminder sign up on the event page, which is the reliable way to hear the moment entries open.
A charity place is the second route and it does not depend on luck. Great Run publishes a list of official charities, you secure a place through the charity's own website, and you commit to raising an agreed amount, usually with a fundraising page set up through Enthuse. Alzheimer's Society is the official charity of the AJ Bell Great Run Series. Targets and registration fees are set by each charity, so compare a few before committing.
The third route is the Great North Run membership scheme. Great Run states that members skip the ballot and guarantee a place on the start line, with benefits including a members technical training top in the first year and free medal ceremony photos. Membership covers priority entry to consecutive editions, and members are emailed each November to secure the following year's place. New membership places for the 2026 to 2027 term are sold out. Great Run's support pages indicate the next term runs from 2027 to 2029 with enrolment opening in September 2026, the week after this year's race, which is worth confirming on greatrun.org.
There is a fourth option for fast runners. Great Run operates an elite entry process for athletes who meet published qualifying standards, which are listed on the official site.
How should you train for it?
The outline below assumes a basic running base, meaning you can already run comfortably for around half an hour and have been running two or three times a week for a couple of months. If not, spend four to six weeks building consistent easy running first. Adjust every session to your own level rather than forcing the numbers.
Easy runs should feel genuinely easy, at a pace where you could hold a conversation. The single session each week is where you add intensity, and the long run is the piece that most directly prepares you for 13.1 miles. Strength and mobility work are widely recommended to support half marathon training and help you stay consistent, so two short sessions a week alongside the running is a sensible addition. The plan below has two deload weeks and a two week taper built in, because backing off at the right moments is what lets the harder weeks stick.
| Week | Easy runs | Session | Long run | Focus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 x 30 min | 4 x 3 min steady, 90 sec jog | 5 miles | Settle into the routine |
| 2 | 2 x 35 min | 5 x 3 min steady, 90 sec jog | 6 miles | Build easy volume |
| 3 | 3 x 30 min | 4 x 4 min steady, 2 min jog | 7 miles | Add a third easy run |
| 4 | 2 x 30 min | 3 x 5 min steady, 2 min jog | 5 miles | Deload week, absorb the work |
| 5 | 3 x 35 min | 5 x 4 min at goal half pace | 8 miles | Introduce race pace |
| 6 | 3 x 35 min | 6 x 3 min uphill, jog down | 9 miles | Hill strength for miles 8 to 12 |
| 7 | 3 x 40 min | 3 x 8 min at goal half pace | 10 miles | Longer sustained efforts |
| 8 | 2 x 30 min | 4 x 4 min steady, 2 min jog | 6 miles | Second deload week |
| 9 | 3 x 40 min | 2 x 15 min at goal half pace | 11 miles | Biggest race pace block |
| 10 | 3 x 40 min | 6 x 4 min uphill, jog down | 12 miles | Peak long run and peak hills |
| 11 | 2 x 35 min | 4 x 5 min at goal half pace | 8 miles | Taper begins, volume drops |
| 12 | 2 x 25 min | 3 x 3 min at goal half pace | Race day, 13.1 miles | Rest, sharpen, race |
Great Run also publishes free half marathon training plans on its training pages. Whatever plan you follow, see a qualified professional such as a physio or your GP if you have pain, an injury or a health condition, or if you are unsure whether a programme suits you.
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How should you pace the race?
Pace the Great North Run around its profile rather than an even split. The opening two miles are mainly downhill and the atmosphere through the tunnels and over the Tyne Bridge pulls almost everyone along faster than planned. Run those miles at or slightly slower than goal pace and accept that it will feel absurdly comfortable.
Through the middle, settle in. The incline between miles 3 and 5 is a good place to run by effort rather than by watch, then the downhill from mile 5 to 8 lets you find rhythm. For miles 8 to 12 the plan is to hold effort steady while your pace slows on the climbs. Losing 10 to 20 seconds per mile there and staying strong beats clinging to a number and falling apart.
The last mile and a bit is where the race gives something back. The sharp drop to the coast at mile 12 and the flat seafront finish suit a fast final mile if you have been patient. Wave allocation is based on your estimated finish time, so give a realistic figure when you enter. Great Run allows you to move back to a slower wave on the day but not to a faster one.
What should you know on race day?
Your race number contains your timing chip and Great Run says it arrives from roughly four weeks out. If it does not turn up, collect it from an information point the day before or on the morning, bringing identification. The event guide with your arrival time, arrival route and assembly access by wave colour is published around a month before.
Baggage buses are available in the Runners Hub at the start. Fill in the baggage label found on your race number before you leave home, allow time for the drop off, and collect your bag at South Shields using your number. Every finisher gets a medal, and there is an event village at the finish.
Plan your journey home in advance. With tens of thousands of runners and supporters leaving South Shields at once, Great Run recommends the Metro where possible while warning that waits are long and some stations are closed or restricted after the event. Friends and family can follow you through the free Great Run event day app, which includes live tracking.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Great North Run and how do you get a place?
The Great North Run is a 13.1 mile half marathon that starts on the A167 in central Newcastle upon Tyne, crosses the Tyne Bridge into Gateshead and finishes at South Shields after a final mile along the seafront. Most public places are allocated through a ballot run by Great Run at greatrun.org, and the other main routes in are a charity place secured through an official event charity or the Great North Run membership scheme, which guarantees entry and skips the ballot.
When is the next Great North Run?
The 2026 AJ Bell Great North Run takes place on Sunday 13 September 2026, with the elite men and the main field due to start at 10:50am according to Great Run's provisional timetable. The date of the 2027 event was not confirmed on the official site when we checked in July 2026.
How much does it cost to enter the Great North Run?
Great Run sets and publishes the entry fee each year, and it changes from edition to edition. We could not confirm a current official figure when we checked in July 2026, so check greatrun.org for the fee that applies to the year you are entering. Charity places are handled differently, with a registration fee and a fundraising target set by the individual charity.
Is the Great North Run hilly?
It has both uphill and downhill sections rather than being flat. Great Run describes miles 1 to 2, 5 to 8 and 12 to 13.1 as mainly downhill, with an incline between miles 3 and 5 and a more sustained uphill stretch from mile 8 to mile 12 that many runners find the toughest part of the course. Hill running in training is a sensible way to prepare for that.
How long do you need to train for the Great North Run?
Twelve weeks is a common and workable block for a runner who already has a basic running base of two or three runs a week. If you are starting from less than that, allow four to six weeks of consistent easy running first. Build the long run gradually, keep most running easy, include deload weeks and taper for the last two weeks. Adjust to your own level, and see a physio or GP if you have pain, an injury or a health condition.
Event details in this guide were checked against greatrun.org in July 2026. Dates, fees, field sizes and entry windows change year to year, so confirm current details at greatrun.org. This article is general information and not medical advice.
