CHASING THE GREATS
SUSIE CHAN LINES UP WITH THE ELITES ATTHEGRE AT NORTH RUN,BUT IS CARRIED TO THE FINISH BY THE MASSES
GREAT NORTH RUN
Susie and friend Sophie with race founder Brendan Foster
Conditions were perfect. Not too hot, not too cold, with cloudy skies that lend themselves well to running a half. This September, I stood on the start line of the biggest half marathon in the world, The Great North Run, alongside 57,000 others.
This race is the brainchild of Olympian and legendary sports commentator Brendan Foster. Back in 1981, he set the event up and it welcomed some 12,000 runners. Now it’s one of the most popular fixtures in the running race calendar every year and the most iconic half in the UK.
I arrived the day before, when a series of children’s races are hosted as part of the event. As I came out of the station, hundreds of glowing children were wearing their finishers’ medals. I retraced their steps to find the Tyne Bridge – an emblem for the race, emblazoned on the event’s logo. It set the scene well. Everywhere I looked I saw runners around the city centre. It felt like it was going to be a race to remember.