OLYMPIC hero Mo Farah will lead a field of celebrities and more than 50,000 others, each with their own inspiring story to tell, as the Great North Run returns this weekend.

The double Olympic and world champion will defend the men’s crown he claimed in 2014 as the 35th edition of what has become the world’s biggest half-marathon hits the streets of Tyneside on Sunday.

OUR GREAT NORTH COVERAGE

TOMORROW
Follow all the action online at www.thenorthernecho.co.uk

Tweet us your stories and pictures, #greatnorthrun

MONDAY
All the fun, emotion and excitement of the main and junior runs

TUESDAY
Where did you finish. All local runners, positions and times in a 12-page souvenir

As always, there will be a star-studded celebrity field, including television presenter Professor Brian Cox, BBC presenter Steph McGovern, retired cricket coach Geoff Cook, author Terry Deary, Olympic rower James Cracknell, ex-Sunderland players Michael Gray and Kevin Kilbane and Darlington’s own Tracey Cramond, who last year unexpectedly found fame as the millionth finisher in GNR history.

Having since then completed the Round the Bays race in Auckland and the Great North 10k, the Butterwick Hospice fundraiser will wear a gold-coloured one million race number and hopes to finish in less than two hours 30 minutes.

The Northern Echo:

Across the field, there are too many stories to tell.

Paratrooper Major Chris Collier and policemen Rob James and Jim Saunders, of North Yorkshire will run in riot gear; Margaret Bradshaw of Eggleston, County Durham will tackle her fourth GNR aged 89; Nik Lamont and Tracy Young will don their lycra minutes after getting married at the Great North Museum; and 94-year-old Dunkirk veteran “Jarra Jim” Purcell, who was devastated his ageing legs will not allow him to run, will be pushed round in a wheelchair.

The information point on the Town Moor opens at 8am, the start assembly area opens at 9.30am, baggage buses depart for the finish at 10.05am, the elite wheelchair race starts at 10.10am, the elite women’s race and the mass warm-up starts at 10.15am, the assembly area closes at 10.30am and the elite men’s race and the GNR start at 10.40am, with the Red Arrows flying overhead for the iconic Tyneside image.

First-time sponsor Morrisons is promising a huge weekend of sport, with the Great North 5k, Mini Great North Run, Junior Great North Run and the Junior Great North Wheelchair Race all taking place on Saturday (September 12), plus the now-traditional pasta party to get the nervous runners fed up for their big day.

Robbie Jones, whose family raised thousands of pounds for charity after he lost both legs to meningitis as a young child, will run the Mini Great North Run using his prosthetic limbs, accompanied by sister Abbie.

Also taking place on the Saturday, between 2pm and 4pm, is the Great North City Games, with sprints, hurdles, long jump, pole vault and longer races.

Controversially, Sunderland’s home match against Tottenham Hotspur has been switched to the Sunday so the 1.30pm kick-off can be broadcast live on Sky Sports.

Superintendent Gillian Mitchell, from Northumbria Police, warned of disruption and delays for people travelling throughout Tyne and Wear and asked those attending either the match or the GNR to plan their journeys in advance.

“We will continue to work very closely with the Great North Run organisers and Sunderland football club and put plans in place to try and keep the delays and disruption to an absolute minimum,” she added.

The half-marathon route from Newcastle to South Shields will mean the following road closures are required: A167 Central Motorway from Cowgate roundabout to B1318 Great North Road interchange, 8pm Saturday to 5pm Sunday; A167 Central Motorway from B1318 Great North Road interchange to A184 Park Lane, 8.45am to 5pm; A184 Park Lane from A184 Felling bypass to White Mare Pool interchange, 9am to 5pm; the A194 Leam Lane from White Mare Pool interchange to John Read Road roundabout, 9.45am to 4pm; A1300 John Reid Road, to Prince Edward Road, to Redwell Lane, 9.45am to 4pm; A183 Redwell Lane/Coast Road roundabout to Coast Road roundabout with Sea Road and Mowbray Road, 9am to 5pm; Bents Park Road in South Shields, 2.45am to 5pm.

Walkergate and Mill Road car parks will be temporarily closed.

For those travelling to the GNR by public transport, Haymarket Metro station is 15 minutes’ walk from the start and South Shields station is 15 minutes from the finish.

Haymarket bus station is 15 minutes from the start and shuttle buses will run between the start and finish.

BBC One will broadcast live from the Great North City Games from 2pm to 4pm on Saturday and the GNR on Sunday from 9.30am to 1.30pm. BBC Two will show Sunday’s highlights from 6pm to 7pm.

  • Follow The Northern Echo’s live coverage on Sunday at thenorthernecho.co.uk. Tweet us your stories and pictures, #greatnorthrun