How Great North Run day unfolded as iconic half marathon celebrated 40th staging in 2021
and live on Freeview channel 276
This year’s Great North Run was the 40th staging of the event – an occasion which was originally due to be celebrated last September. The 2020 race – along with countless other charity events – had to be cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
But the half marathon returned for 2021 on an amended route, and with other Covid safety controls in place – including staggered start times.
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Hide AdFor the first time, the Great North Run finish line was not in South Shields. Instead, the route took a loop back to Newcastle to end at the city’s Great North Road.
Scroll down for our team’s updates on Sunday’s event and see if you can spot any familiar faces in our pictures.
Great North Run 2021: How race day unfolded as iconic half marathon returned
Key Events
- This year’s staging of the Great North Run celebrates the event’s 40th birthday
- New route and Covid controls in place for 2021 - race started and ended in Newcastle
- Thousands of runners and spectators in the streets to play their part
Sunderland fan Kieran Cramman, from South Shields, has a word with Ryan at the finish line.
He said: “it’s my first time doing it, I’ve been training for about five or six months but today was the furthest that I’ve ran but I got a good time.
“I’m a bit gutted that it didn’t finish in Shields, but I can understand why given there is only one metro station.
“Hopefully it will return next year so businesses can try and recover some of the money that they’ve lost.”
Well done to our James!
One of our football writers James Copley has crossed the finish line! Well done to him, and all of the other runners clocking up those miles today
Meet the heroes
The starters of this year’s Great North Run are four local heroes who went above and beyond to help the community during the pandemic.
Pictured from left to right are; Clinical Ergonomics Advisor Debbie Southworth from Gateshead NHS Foundation Trust, Community Nurse Dorathy Oparaeche from Northumbria Healthcare, Charge Nurse Jade Trewick from the RVI Newcastle, and Dr. Mickey Jachuck Consultant Cardiologist from South Tyneside District Hospital.
