Thousands of people pushed through rainy weather to take part in the 43rd Great North Run. Around 60,000 runners joined the famous half marathon, starting in Newcastle, passing through Gateshead and South Tyneside, and finishing in South Shields.
Despite the rain, large crowds with umbrellas still showed up along the route to cheer on their friends and family. Weather reports predicted rain and wind for most of Sunday, with cool temperatures.
Drivers were told to plan ahead due to several road closures, including a major part of the M62 in Greater Manchester.
The elite wheelchair race started at 10:25 BST, followed by the elite women and visually impaired runners. The main race began just before 11:00 BST.
Olympic silver medallist Kieran Reilly had the honor of starting the race. North East mayor Kim McGuinness, Sara Davies from Dragon’s Den, and TV presenter Adele Roberts also joined the event.
On South Shields beach, artist Claire Eason and the Soul 2 Sand team made a good luck message in the sand for the runners that read, “Just keep going, howay the lads and lasses!”
Entrepreneur Lines Behind, who helped with the project, offered a “friendly Geordie reminder to enjoy every moment.”
Kim McGuinness said it was a “privilege” to be at the starting line, calling the race “the best of our great North East.”
Chris Johnson, a runner from Sunderland, has raised over £40,000 for a children’s charity since being diagnosed with incurable cancer. He said this would be his last race: “I can’t really run anymore, but I’ll get around somehow, and I know I’ll get lots of support.”
Debbie Bowling-Mowatt, whose late wife Lindsay was a firefighter, is running in honor of her. She and a team, including her wife’s former colleagues, are raising money for The Brain Tumour Charity. “It’s almost been a year since Lindsay passed, so this means the world to me and everyone running,” she said. “I just want to cross that finish line.”
Several roads were closed, including the A167(M) and the A194. A section of the M62 in Greater Manchester was also shut until 6:00 BST on Monday for construction work, affecting some people heading home.
AA spokesman Tony Rich advised runners from the North West to check the diversion routes to avoid heavy traffic and keep their race plans on track.
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