WHY THIS CHORE
SHOW UP READY.
A genuine mass-participation institution — one of the few races where "everyone runs this eventually" is close to literally true in the UK.
WHAT TO EXPECT
VERIFIED EVENT DETAILS · DAILY CHORE EDITORIAL COMMENTARY
The World's Biggest Half Marathon
Devised by Olympic medallist Brendan Foster and first run in 1981 with 12,000 participants, the Great North Run has grown into the largest half marathon on the planet — 60,000 runners on one route, open to every ability level.
The Course
Newcastle upon Tyne to South Shields, crossing the iconic Tyne Bridge early in the route — a genuinely famous image in UK running, repeated on start-line photos every September for over four decades.
Daily Chore Take
Ballot demand reflects the scale — this isn't a small local half marathon, it's closer to a national institution. Worth entering the ballot early rather than assuming a late application will work.
WHO IT'S FOR
KNOW WHAT YOU'RE SIGNING UP FOR.
- DIFFICULTY
- Beginner
- FIRST-TIMERS
- Suitable for a first attempt at this format.
- BEGINNER FIT
- 4/5
DAILY CHORE TAKE
OUR TAKE, OUT OF 10.
THESE ARE OUR OWN EDITORIAL ASSESSMENTS, NOT OFFICIAL RATINGS.
