We get the inside scoop on this year’s Great North Run with Course Director, Sharon Angell

The event showcases the ‘North East spirit’ on a national scale as the rich culture and sense of community are on display for everyone to see. That is the basis of what makes the Great North Run special.

Olympic fever is still rife, and it’s inspired people to get up from their sofas and get active.

And what better inspiration this week than the heartwarming and uplifting stories that come out of one of the biggest events in the North East, The Great North Run.

The half marathon, which takes place this Sunday, September 8th, from Newcastle to South Shields, recently was awarded the prestigious World Athletics Heritage Plaque. It joins iconic races like the Boston, LA, and the London Marathon.

The event is one of the biggest races in the country and constantly attracts a huge audience, which is a testament to the big team of organisers, including Course Director Sharon Angell.

“The North East spirit sets this event apart from others in the country. People love coming to the North East to take on their running achievements. It’s also an event where they can run on the same course as elite athletes from across the world,” said Sharon.

She added, “Another element is the support they receive on the route from the local communities. People come out of their homes to support the runners, bring snacks, and make homemade signs.”

Sharon’s interest in events started when she was swimming for a local club and they would volunteer at local events, bringing goodie bags and handing out bottles of water.

Straight from studying Sport Management at University, Sharon got involved in the Great Run and progressed through the ranks. Over 25 years in the role, the job has provided her with incredible memories including running events in Australia and Ethiopia

The event has been held annually since 1981 and Sharon remembers it being a red letter day on her family’s calendar.

“When I was a young girl, we used to go out each year and watch the Great North Run with our neighbours,” said Sharon. “I also used to take part in the Junior Great North Run on the Saturday and then watch the main Great North Run on the Sunday. As someone from the North East, it’s always been a highlight of our calendar.”

The Great North Run takes place over four hours, but the preparations take a whole year to plan, and the logistics to organise a race with over 60,000 runners is no easy feat.

“The processes involved in closing roads are carefully planned and ensure they’re opened on time and routes cleansed, said Sharon. “There is a lot of efforts that come from a lot of people, not just from Great Run but from people up and down the region.”

The event showcases the ‘North East spirit’ on a national scale as the rich culture and sense of community are on display for everyone to see. That is the basis of what makes the Great North Run special.

The event is also made special by the hard work of the organisers, who are always looking for new ways to evolve and improve the experience for the runners.

“We want to be seen as the biggest and best event. We use our event expertise to improve the experience of every participant so we can go above and beyond offerings at other events,” said Sharon. “We are looking at course entertainment around the route and how we can improve it. We have excellent bands on the programme and Heart DJs.“

Furthermore, Sharon and her team survey each runner to get their feedback on how they can improve and take this onboard to take forward to future events.

A marker of the event’s success and world-renowned reputation was encapsulated last year when Olympic legend Mo Farah ran his final professional race at the Great North Run.

“It was such an honour. It felt like the full weekend was a celebration, not just the Great North Run itself”, said Sharon. “We had tremendous spectator audiences for that day as well, it felt like it was full of colour and celebration.”

Mo Farah was testament to the continued growth of the event but the true heartbeat of the race will always be the general public that are racing for good causes.

This is something that motivates and drives Sharon as she often has to take a step back to see the inspiring stories that come from this event.

“You can get so caught up in the detail of organising the event but when you hear those stories it is good to remind yourself day in, day out to give people that platform to raise money for charity or achieve their own personal goals in life,” said Sharon.

Not only does the event give runners an opportunity to raise money and run a half marathon but there is also the incredible benefit that it has on the local community that may often go under the radar.

Over 1,100 volunteers participate in the event every year, many of them coming from organisations like Scouts, Guides, and local athletics clubs. Some volunteers have worked at the Great North Run for over 40 years and still get a buzz from helping out.

“That comes from the North East feel of the event, people want to be on the side of the road at drink stations. They come from far and wide to enjoy the experience of the day,” said Sharon.

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