FOR Aly Dixon, there’s no place like home.

The Commonwealth Games marathon, on Australia’s Gold Coast in April, may have been an experience, a world class event to savour.

But for the Sunderland athlete, pounding the streets of the North-East is as enjoyable as it gets.

Dixon was recently at Gateshead Stadium, helping to promote the Great North 10k, which marks it's tenth anniversary on July 8.

And she hopes to join the thousands taking part on the roads of Gateshead and the Quayside in a event she loves.

“The run itself is for everyone – 5,000 runners around the streets of Gateshead and the quayside and it’s great that we’ve got another big event in the region,’’ she said. “The event gets better and better.

“And it’s not about elite runners, good club runners at the front end, it’s about everyone – fun runners, those raising money for charity and everyone. It shows all shapes and sizes can go out and do it.

“The Great Run events here are superb for the region. You get to August and the streets of the North-East are littered with people running, training, preparing for the Great North Run. And now people are carrying it on, aiming for the next event. There’s so many Great Run events across the country now there’s something pretty much every month to aim for if you wanted to.’’

She added: “Get all these people from all backgrounds, we have a great tradition in the North-East of athletes, a great history including Gateshead Stadium. You never know who we might unearth in the future among the thousands of newbies who get into it.

And, while Dixon will be expected to be at the front end of the race as almost 5,000 trail behind her, she would happily jump in with the crowds and enjoy the freedom of running without the pressure of winning.

She admitted: “I’m drawing up my summer schedule and the Commonwealth Games took some time to recover from – 26 miles in extreme conditions was hard. I hope I will be around to do the Great North 10k.

“It’s a few years since I’ve done it and I would like to come back – even if it does include the Slog On The Tyne at the end!

“It all depends on if I do the European Championships in August, or the Great North Run in September. I will happily be out there among the masses and running with people rather than being at the front trying to win it.

“It will remind me why I fell in love with the sport and what it’s all about. I did that in 2014 and it was a great experience – no pressure, encouraging people, and it showed the different side of it for me.

“I wasn’t concentrating on split times, being at the front, and the like. I could go in, relax and just enjoy not being in the elite field.’’

Dixon, a member of Sunderland Strollers, was part of the England team Down Under, but almost didn’t make it.

Worried about a lack of serious preparation, she was ready to pull out. Instead she stuck at it and made sure she was on the start line.

She admitted: “I was happy with my performance in Australia because I was the least prepared I’ve ever been for a marathon. I almost pulled out a few times and had the team manager’s number on my phone ready to ring and say I wasn’t doing this.

“But members of my family had already booked flights to come over and I couldn’t let them down.

“I finished sixth and it was creditable, but I’m not looking back and thinking ‘what if’. I will use it as preparation to come back with something better later in the year.

“The conditions were tough, but I was lucky to have three weeks in Brisbane beforehand to acclimatise. Even that wasn’t enough as the race was on a freak day for weather conditions – we started in 23 degrees and finished in 29 degrees with humidity over 90 per cent. I finished and survived, but it took some time to recover and assess how my body was.

“Conditions like that were hard, worse than Rio. It was hot there, but not as humid. When you are out there running at that level, it’s so different to training and preparation.

“If I do go towards Tokyo then at least I’ve had some very good preparation for it already.

“Tokyo could be a year too far, but let’s see. I’m 40 in September, still loving the sport, running decently and I ran a PB last year. If I can get back to that level then let’s see what happens. If my body can hold up and I want to keep on enjoying it rather than putting myself under pressure to achieve.’’

To take part in the Great North 10k, which starts and finishes at Gateshead Stadium, visit greatrun.org/great-north-10k