THE Great North Run is now firmly established as one of the centre-pieces of the North-East’s sporting calendar.

At the elite end, the half-marathon attracts some of the world’s greatest distance runners, and Sir Mo Farah will attempt to make history tomorrow by becoming the first male to claim five successive Great North Run victories. As a passionate supporter of the event, we hope Mo rewrites the record books.

But the Great North Run has always been much more than an elite running race. Tomorrow, 57,000 participants will attempt to complete the 13.1 mile route between Newcastle and South Shields. Each will have their own story to tell; each will win their own battle if they make it to the finish line.

It is an event that celebrates the strength of the human spirit, as well as the power of personal resolve. Young and old, male and female, able-bodied and disabled. The Great North Run is open to everyone, and tomorrow’s field will contain plenty of people who didn’t believe they could complete a half-marathon before they really put their mind to it.

It will also feature thousands of runners raising money for local charities, many of which rely heavily on the race for their funding.

If you’re competing tomorrow, we wish you all the best. Stay refreshed, don’t go off too fast, and try to keep a smile on your face.

If you’re watching on television, sit back and admire a remarkable North-East success story. Then pull on some trainers and pledge it’s going to be you next year.