Great North Run 12 Week Plan
The complete beginner training plan for 13 September 2026. Week-by-week schedule, course mile-by-mile, hill sessions for the Tyne Bridge and John Reid Road, race-day timeline, kit list, and nutrition guide.
The Direct Answer
To train for the Great North Run with 12 weeks to go, run 4 times a week, peak at a 16 to 18 kilometre long run three weeks before race day, and taper across the final 14 days. The Great North Run is half marathon distance (21.1 km, 13.1 miles), runs from central Newcastle to South Shields on a rolling profile dominated by the Tyne Bridge climb in the first kilometre and the long John Reid Road climb around miles 8 to 10.
Before starting this plan you need to be able to run 5 kilometres continuously without stopping. If you cannot yet do that, add four to six weeks of base running before week one. The course is not flat: the John Reid Road section at miles 8 to 10 is where first-timers run out of steam, and almost every runner who blows up in the final miles traces it back to going out too fast on the Tyne Bridge descent in the opening kilometre. Twelve weeks of course-specific hill training will prepare you for that section better than any amount of flat long runs.
About the Great North Run
The Great North Run is the world's largest half marathon. More than 60,000 runners complete the course each year, running from the heart of Newcastle upon Tyne across the Tyne Bridge and through Gateshead to the finish on Ocean Road in South Shields. The race was founded in 1981 by Olympic gold medallist Brendan Foster and has grown to become one of the landmark days in the British sporting calendar.
The race has an extraordinary charity culture. Roughly two-thirds of all finishers run for a charitable cause, and the Great North Run has raised more than a billion pounds for charity across its history. If you have a charity place, the fundraising commitment is part of the journey; many runners find that the responsibility to supporters becomes a powerful training motivator during hard weeks.
The 2026 race is scheduled for 13 September 2026. The event starts near the Central Motorway East in Newcastle city centre and finishes on Ocean Road in South Shields with the North Sea as a backdrop. The Red Arrows display team traditionally performs a flyover as the leading runners approach the finish, making for one of the most recognisable sporting finishes in Britain.
Prerequisites Before Week One
This plan is built for a first-timer who meets these three starting conditions. If any condition is not met, address it before starting rather than trying to catch up mid-plan.
You can run 5 km continuously
This means 5 km at any pace without walking breaks. It does not need to be fast. If you can cover 5 km in 40 minutes with shuffling steps, you qualify. If you cannot yet run 5 km without stopping, do four to six weeks of run-walk intervals (Couch to 5K) first, then start week one.
You have 12 weeks to race day
The Great North Run 2026 is on 13 September. Week one of this plan begins on or around 22 June 2026. If you are reading this later, the plan works on a relative basis: count 12 weeks back from your race date and begin there. Do not compress the plan below 10 weeks; the injury risk rises significantly.
Your running shoes have fewer than 500 km on them
Running shoes lose their cushioning before the sole visibly wears out. Shoes with more than 500 km are a common source of knee and shin pain. If yours are older than 12 months of regular use, replace them in week one and break them in during the first three weeks of the plan before wearing them for long runs.
The 12-Week Training Schedule
Four runs per week: Tuesday easy, Wednesday quality session, Thursday easy, Saturday long run. Sunday, Monday, and Friday are rest or optional cross-training. All paces should feel controlled; you should be able to speak in sentences on easy days. The long run should feel hard in the final third only.
| Week | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Saturday (Long) | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W1 | Easy 4 km | Rest or walk | Easy 4 km | 6 km easy long run | 14 km |
| W2 | Easy 5 km | Tyne Bridge Reps (6 x 90s hill) | Easy 4 km | 8 km long run | 17 km |
| W3 | Easy 5 km | Rest or cross-train 30 min | Tempo 5 km (comfortably hard) | 10 km long run | 20 km |
| W4 | Easy 5 km | Westgate Road Power Hill (8 x 60s) | Easy 4 km | 10 km long run | 19 km |
| W5 | Easy 6 km | John Reid Simulation (20 min treadmill 4% grade) | Easy 5 km | 13 km long run | 24 km |
| W6 | Easy 6 km | Tyne Bridge Reps (8 x 90s hill) | Easy 5 km | 14 km long run | 25 km |
| W7 | Easy 6 km | Tempo 6 km | Rest or easy 4 km | 16 km long run | 28 km |
| W8 | Easy 7 km | John Reid Simulation (25 min treadmill 4% grade) | Easy 5 km | 16 km long run | 28 km |
| W9 | Easy 7 km | Westgate Road Power Hill (10 x 60s) | Easy 5 km | 18 km peak long run | 30 km |
| W10 | Easy 6 km | Easy 5 km | Easy 4 km | 16 km long run (taper begins) | 31 km |
| W11 | Easy 5 km | Short hill session (4 x 90s) | Easy 4 km | 12 km long run | 21 km |
| W12 | Easy 4 km | Easy 3 km shakeout | Rest | RACE DAY: 21.1 km Great North Run | 28 km race week |
Week 9 (orange highlight) is your peak week. Week 12 is race week. The plan intentionally dips in week 10 before a final bump in week 11. This mirrors the taper pattern used in most evidence-based half marathon plans.
Long Run Progression Explained
The long run is the most important session of the week. It builds the aerobic base, conditions your musculoskeletal system to handle half marathon distance, and teaches your body to burn fat as fuel. Here is how the progression works and why each step matters.
Weeks 1 to 2 (6 to 8 km)
Base buildingThese early long runs are about establishing the habit and letting your tendons, ligaments, and joints adapt to sustained running before the intensity increases. Run slowly. Slower than you think you need to. The aerobic benefit happens at lower intensities than most runners believe.
Weeks 3 to 4 (10 km)
Comfort zone expansion10 km is the distance where many new half marathon trainees first feel "this is hard." That feeling is progress. The goal here is to finish each 10 km long run feeling tired but not destroyed. If you finish feeling fine, add 1 km. If you finish unable to walk properly the next day, stay at the same distance another week.
Weeks 5 to 6 (13 to 14 km)
First long distance shockYour first run beyond 10 km feels disproportionately hard. This is normal. The body has to learn to use fat as a fuel source when glycogen runs low. Carry a gel and use it at the 10 km mark on these runs. Walk for 60 seconds if needed. The important thing is to finish on two feet.
Weeks 7 to 9 (16 to 18 km)
Peak long run blockThree weeks of 16 to 18 km long runs. Your 18 km peak run is the hardest training session of the plan. Do it in three weeks before race day. Use two gels during this run: one at 10 km and one at 15 km. This run should take everything you have. A good 18 km in training means a confident finish in the race.
Weeks 10 to 12 (16, 12, race)
TaperThe taper feels wrong. Your mileage drops sharply and many runners feel sluggish, heavy, or worried. This is normal and temporary. Glycogen stores are filling, muscles are repairing, and neuromuscular sharpness is returning. Trust the taper. The last hard run was week nine. Week ten onward is recovery dressed up as running.
Course-Specific Hill Sessions
Three named hill sessions designed around the actual challenges on the Great North Run course. Each is referenced in the weekly training table and scheduled at the points in the plan where your legs are strong enough to absorb them.
Tyne Bridge Reps
Simulates the race-opening bridge climb
6 to 8 repetitions of 90 seconds uphill at race effort (you can speak in short sentences but not hold a conversation). Jog or walk back down for recovery. Total session including warm-up and cool-down: 35 to 40 minutes.
Find a local hill with a steady gradient around 4 to 6 percent. A road overpass works if you lack hills nearby. Focus on driving your knees and keeping your posture upright, not on speed.
John Reid Long Climb Simulation
Prepares your legs for the longest sustained hill on the course
20 to 25 minutes continuous running on a treadmill set to 4 percent incline at a pace about 45 seconds per kilometre slower than your target race pace. Alternatively, find a local hill long enough to run uphill for 20 minutes without repeating the section.
This session teaches patience. The goal is not to go hard; it is to keep moving at a controlled effort when your legs are tired. If you can finish the session feeling like you could have done more, you nailed it.
Westgate Road Power Hill
Builds leg power and neuromuscular strength for the early course undulation
8 to 10 repetitions of 60 seconds on a steep hill (6 to 8 percent gradient) at hard effort, feeling like you could not speak a full sentence. 2 minutes of walking recovery between each rep. Total session: 30 to 35 minutes.
These are short and sharp. Do not run through the recovery. Walk it completely. The quality of each rep matters more than the total volume. If rep six feels as strong as rep one, you have found the right pace.
The Course: Newcastle to South Shields
Understanding the course before you run it removes the biggest variable on race day. Here is what each section of the route looks and feels like, with pacing advice for each.
The race begins near the Central Motorway East and immediately funnels onto the Tyne Bridge approach. The climb over the bridge is around 18 metres of elevation in the first kilometre. Hold back here. The excitement of 60,000 runners will push you to run faster than your plan. Bank the energy instead.
The route drops off the bridge into Gateshead and runs through the High Street. This section is mostly flat to slightly downhill. Resist the urge to accelerate here as well. Keep your effort, not your pace, steady. Crowds are thick through Gateshead and the atmosphere is electric.
The course opens up on the bypass road. This is the flattest section and a good place to settle into your race rhythm. Breathing should be comfortable. If you are talking yourself, you are at the right effort level. Take on water at the aid stations. Do not wait until you are thirsty.
A quiet stretch through residential Gateshead. Crowds thin slightly here. Mile seven is a useful checkpoint: if you feel comfortable, you have paced the first half well. If you are already struggling, back off the pace now before the hill. The next section is where races are won and lost.
The most important section of the course. John Reid Road is a long, gradual climb that goes on for nearly two miles. The gradient is not severe but the distance drains energy you need for the finish. Walk if you need to; many experienced runners walk this section strategically. Maintain effort, not speed. At the top there is a slight false summit before the road levels out.
The road begins to descend toward the coast. If you have fuel left, this is the section to use it. The air smells of sea salt, the crowds build again, and the noise picks up. First-timers often get emotional here. That is fine. Keep moving forward.
The Red Arrows typically perform a flyover as leading runners approach the finish on Ocean Road. The crowds pack the barriers and the noise is extraordinary. The finish line is on the seafront with the North Sea behind it. Give whatever you have left here. Cross the line, collect your medal, and find your baggage. You have just run the Great North Run.
12 Weeks To The Tyne Bridge. Make Every Mile Stick.
Every long run in this plan is a chance to claim territory across your city. Motera turns your 14-kilometre Saturday run into a real-world strategy game on a live Apple Maps view. Capture the streets, unlock your local leaderboard, see the Fog of War clear as you explore new routes. Running with a goal beyond the finish line makes the hard weeks stick. Every week of this 12-week plan is a week of territory built.
MoteraPacing the Great North Run
The most common mistake at the Great North Run is starting too fast. The crowd, the music, the Tyne Bridge, and 60,000 runners around you create an atmosphere that makes your target pace feel far too easy in the first mile. You will be tempted to bank time early. Do not.
Run the first two miles by feel, aiming for a pace around 30 seconds per kilometre slower than your target race pace. By mile three you will feel the pace is about right. From miles three to seven, settle into your target pace. The John Reid Road climb at miles eight to ten is where you switch from pace management to effort management: do not stare at your watch on the climb. Run at the effort level where you could speak three to four words between breaths.
| Target finish | Target pace per km | First 2 miles pace per km |
|---|---|---|
| 1 hour 45 | 4:59 /km | 5:29 /km |
| 2 hours 00 | 5:41 /km | 6:11 /km |
| 2 hours 15 | 6:24 /km | 6:54 /km |
| 2 hours 30 | 7:07 /km | 7:37 /km |
| 2 hours 45 | 7:49 /km | 8:19 /km |
The conservative first 2-mile pace is 30 seconds per kilometre slower than your target. This counterintuitive restraint is the single most reliable predictor of a strong finish for first-timers.
Charity Fundraising Tactics
Around two-thirds of Great North Run finishers run for a charitable cause. If you have a charity place, your fundraising minimum is part of the entry agreement. Beyond the minimum, there are practical strategies that raise significantly more money than a single JustGiving link shared on the day of registration.
Race Day: Morning to Finish
Race day is a logistics operation before it is a running event. Knowing exactly what time to wake, eat, travel, queue, and start removes anxiety and lets you focus on the run itself.
Alarm goes off. Your body needs two to three hours between eating and racing. Do not skip this step even if you are not hungry.
Porridge with banana and a small coffee (if you train with caffeine). 500 ml of water. Nothing new or experimental. Eat what you practised in training.
Pin your race number while sitting down. Apply Body Glide or petroleum jelly to inner thighs, armpits, and any seam that rubs during long runs. Sun cream if clear weather is forecast.
The Tyne and Wear Metro runs from early morning on race day. Head to Monument or Central Station. Allow extra time; trains are busy. Have your ticket or contactless card ready.
Baggage trucks are at the start area. Follow signage for your race number range. Drop your bag, confirm the collection point at the finish, then warm up.
Use the toilet now even if you do not feel the urge. Queues grow from 9:30 onward. Light 5-minute walk or jog. Drink 200 ml of water. Eat a small gel or banana if you feel empty.
Find your wave corral based on your predicted finish time. First-timers aiming for 2:15 to 2:30 will be in a later wave. Being in the right wave means less weaving through the crowd.
Waves start every few minutes. Your gun time may be 11:00 to 11:30 depending on your wave. Chip timing means your personal time starts when you cross the start mat.
Depending on your pace. Cross the line, collect your medal from the volunteers, keep moving through the finish funnel, collect your goody bag, retrieve your baggage, and find your meetup point.
Kit List for September Newcastle
September weather in Newcastle is variable. Race morning temperatures typically range from 10 to 18 degrees Celsius. It can be overcast and cool at the start and warm and sunny by the South Shields finish, or the reverse. Plan for both. The kit list below covers the realistic range.
Your Great North Run charity vest counts. Make sure your race number is pinned to the front before you leave home. Use four pins at all corners.
September in Newcastle averages 13 to 17 degrees Celsius. Shorts are fine on most race days. Bring thin tights to warm up in if the morning is cold.
No new socks on race day. Use the socks you have run your long runs in. Blisters from new socks are a common and avoidable cause of dropped paces at mile ten.
Do not race in brand new shoes. Race shoes should have between 50 and 400 km on them. If you are buying new race shoes, do it in week one and run your long runs in them.
Apply to inner thighs, armpits, nipples (male runners), and anywhere a seam sits. At 21 km, even minor friction becomes a wound.
Kilometre splits keep you honest. Do not rely solely on the mile markers on course. Set your watch to alert you every kilometre with your pace.
Take gels at miles 5, 9, and optionally 12. Only use gels you have practised with on your long runs. The Great North Run provides Lucozade on course; test this brand in training if you plan to use it.
September sunshine is real and can be strong. Apply to face, neck, and arms. Reapplication mid-race is not practical; apply generously before the start.
A cheap long-sleeve top or hoodie to wear in the start corral and throw to the side after the first kilometre. Great North Run organisers collect discarded clothing for charity.
For the Metro, food after the race, and any unforeseen need. Keep it in a small waist pack or zipped pocket.
Nutrition: Night Before and Race Morning
The Night Before (12 September)
Eat a larger-than-usual carbohydrate meal by 7 PM. Pasta, rice, or potatoes with a simple protein and minimal fat. Do not experiment with new foods. The restaurant your running group books will almost certainly serve something suitable; just avoid heavy sauces, excess alcohol, and anything your gut has not handled before on a long run day.
Drink 500 to 700 ml of water with your evening meal. Your urine should be pale straw colour by 9 PM. Avoid alcohol the night before; even one drink increases dehydration and disrupts sleep quality.
Lay out your kit, pin your number, and set two alarms. Getting everything ready the night before reduces decision fatigue on race morning and ensures you do not forget anything important.
Race Morning (13 September)
Breakfast two to three hours before your start time. Porridge (oats with water or milk) with a banana and a small amount of honey is the most reliable pre-race meal for most runners. 400 to 500 calories of carbohydrate. Avoid high-fibre or high-fat foods; they slow gastric emptying and can cause stomach discomfort mid-race.
Caffeine is a proven legal ergogenic aid. If you train with coffee, have one cup with breakfast. Do not add caffeine if you do not usually consume it; race day is not the time to experiment with stimulants.
During the race: aim for one gel at miles 5 and 9. Take the gel with water, not Lucozade, to avoid too much sugar in your gut at once. The Great North Run provides water and Lucozade Sport on course. If you plan to use the on-course Lucozade, test it on training runs before race day.
Six Rookie Mistakes (and How to Avoid Them)
Going out hard on the Tyne Bridge descent
The downhill off the Tyne Bridge in Gateshead invites runners to open up their pace. Hold back. Running downhill too fast trashes your quads and you will pay for it on the John Reid Road climb seven miles later. The first two miles should feel almost embarrassingly easy.
Skipping the toilet stop before the race
By 9:30 AM the toilet queues at the start area are 15 to 20 minutes long. Go at 9:00 AM when the queues are short, even if you do not feel the urgent need. Missing this step and needing to stop mid-race costs more time than the queue does.
Wearing brand new shoes or kit on race day
Nothing new on race day is a rule that applies to shoes, socks, shorts, GPS watches, headphones, and nutrition gels. All kit should have been tested on at least two long runs. The race is the wrong time to discover that your new vest chafes at the shoulder.
Starting in the wrong wave corral
Entering a faster wave means running into a wall of slower runners and spending the first three miles weaving. Entering a slower wave means getting pushed from behind and going too fast too early. Enter the corral that matches your honest expected finish time.
Not practising race-pace nutrition
Taking a gel for the first time at mile five of a race can cause stomach cramps, nausea, or simply do nothing useful because your gut is not trained to absorb carbohydrates at running effort. Practice taking gels at pace on your week seven, eight, and nine long runs.
Ignoring the taper
Weeks eleven and twelve cut your mileage significantly. Many first-timers feel unfit during the taper and try to squeeze in extra runs. Do not. The taper is when your muscles repair and your glycogen stores fill. Going into the race with heavy legs from a rushed week ten ruins twelve weeks of work.
After the Race: South Shields to Recovery
The finish area on Ocean Road is one of the most atmospheric finishes in British running. You will collect your medal from a volunteer, move through the funnel to collect your goody bag (typically including a post-race drink and snack), and then face the challenge of finding your baggage and your meeting point for friends and family.
Baggage collection is organised by race number range and is clearly signed. Give yourself 20 minutes to reach it through the finish crowds. Mobile signal in South Shields after the race is notoriously poor due to the volume of runners trying to message at the same time. Agree on a specific meeting point with friends before the start: the beach, a named pub, or a landmark, rather than relying on phone coordination after the finish.
The shuttle buses back to Newcastle are free and run from several points in South Shields. Expect queues of 30 to 45 minutes on a typical race day. The Tyne and Wear Metro runs extended services from South Shields station to Newcastle Central. Many runners walk the short distance to the Metro station rather than wait for a bus.
The North Sea is right there and there is a long-standing informal tradition of runners paddling or walking into the water. It is not an ice bath in the therapeutic sense (the North Sea in September is around 15 degrees Celsius), but it is a memorable way to mark the finish. Whether you do it depends entirely on how your feet feel after 21 kilometres.
Strength Training Appendix for Half Marathon
Strength training twice per week is one of the most evidence-backed interventions for half marathon performance. It reduces injury rate by approximately 50 percent and improves running economy, which means you use less energy at the same pace. The six exercises below require minimal equipment and target the specific muscle groups loaded by the Great North Run course.
Single-leg calf raises
3 x 15 each legStrengthens the calf complex that absorbs every landing. Especially useful for the John Reid Road descent where eccentric calf load spikes.
When: After any easy run, twice per week from week two onward.
Bulgarian split squat
3 x 10 each legBuilds single-leg quad and glute strength that directly transfers to climbing. More race-specific than bilateral squats for runners.
When: Once per week on a non-long-run day. Replace one easy run with this and a core session.
Copenhagen plank
3 x 20 seconds each sideHip adductor strengthening. Prevents the lateral knee pain that often appears in weeks six to eight when mileage increases.
When: Twice per week. Takes less than five minutes and prevents one of the most common training injuries.
Romanian deadlift (light to moderate weight)
3 x 12Hamstring and glute strength for the hill sections. Runners chronically under-train the posterior chain and then wonder why the back of their legs give out at mile ten.
When: Once per week, weeks three through nine. Drop to maintenance (once per fortnight) during the taper.
Dead bug
3 x 8 each sideCore anti-rotation stability that maintains running form under fatigue. When your core gives out, your form collapses. Dead bug is simple, requires no equipment, and takes four minutes.
When: Three times per week, any time of day. Good to do the evening before a long run.
Glute bridge march
3 x 10 each sideSingle-leg glute activation that translates directly to propulsion. Many runners are quad-dominant and underuse their glutes. This exercise corrects that pattern in six weeks.
When: Twice per week as a warm-up activation exercise before any speed or hill session.
Programme recommendation: do exercises 1 to 3 after your Wednesday hill session and exercises 4 to 6 on Saturday evening after your long run. Do not strength train the day before your long run; your legs need to be fresh for the most important session of the week.
What to Do in the 30 Days After the Race
Post-race recovery is the most neglected phase of half marathon training. Returning to running too soon is the single most common cause of injury in the month after a first half marathon. This phased return schedule is built around the evidence on recovery timelines for first-time half marathon finishers.
No running. Walk slowly if needed. Ice your quads, calves, and IT band for 15 minutes twice per day. Sleep as much as you can. Stay hydrated and eat more carbohydrates than usual to replace glycogen.
Easy 20 to 30 minute walks. Light swimming or cycling if you feel ready. No running yet. The rule of thumb is one rest day per mile raced, which puts your first easy run around day 14.
Optional 20 to 30 minute easy jog if legs feel ready. No pace targets. The run should feel effortless. If it does not, wait another three days.
Three to four runs per week, all easy pace, building from 20 to 35 minutes. No speed work, no hills, no long runs longer than 10 km yet.
Reintroduce one slightly faster session per week. Long run grows back to 12 to 14 km. This is the time to decide if you want to enter another race and start a structured block.
By week eight post-race, most runners are back to full training volume. Set a new race target. The fitness you built for the Great North Run is a foundation. Build on it rather than starting from scratch.
The fitness you gained from 12 weeks of Great North Run training decays much more slowly than it built. You are not back to zero after a rest period. Three weeks of easy movement preserves the vast majority of your aerobic base. Rest properly now and your next training block will start from a significantly higher base than this one did.
Charity Fundraising Checklist
A week-by-week fundraising action list to run alongside your training. Most first-timers raise more money than they expect when they apply consistent, low-effort outreach across the 12 weeks rather than a single push in week 12.
Create your JustGiving or Enthuse page. Write a personal story of 100 to 150 words. Add a photo of yourself. Share the link once on personal social media and once by direct message to 15 to 20 close contacts.
Email your workplace. Check HR intranet for corporate matched giving schemes. Ask your manager or HR department how to apply. One matched giving approval can double your total at no extra cost to donors.
Post your first training update. Something specific: "I ran my first 10 km this morning. 10 weeks to go." Include the link. Specificity outperforms vague updates every time.
Contact local businesses you use: gym, coffee shop, local pub. Ask if they would like to put a collection tin on the counter for the charity. Many will say yes. Small amounts add up over six weeks.
Midpoint update. Share your longest run to date, how training is going, and something personal about why the charity matters. This is the update that prompts donations from people who meant to give earlier.
Peak long run post. Share your 18 km long run. This is your most sharable training moment. People respond to the concrete achievement of "I ran 18 kilometres this morning" in a way they do not respond to general posts.
Final push. Share a "one week to go" post. Remind people the page is still live. Send a final direct message to anyone who intended to donate but has not yet. Do not be embarrassed to follow up once.
Share your race day start time and wave. Many supporters will follow tracking apps on race day. After the finish, post a photo from South Shields with your medal. The post-race moment drives a significant spike in late donations.
Predicted Finish Times with Mile-by-Mile Splits
Five goal finish times, each broken into key checkpoint splits so you know exactly what time to see on your watch at each stage of the course. The John Reid Road miles (8 to 10) are shown with an adjusted slower split to reflect realistic effort on the climb.
| Checkpoint | Sub-1:30 | Sub-1:45 | Sub-2:00 | Sub-2:15 | Sub-2:30 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tyne Bridge (Mile 1) | 0:06:49 | 0:08:00 | 0:09:09 | 0:10:18 | 0:11:27 |
| Gateshead Mile 3 | 0:20:28 | 0:24:00 | 0:27:28 | 0:30:56 | 0:34:24 |
| Halfway (Mile 6.5) | 0:44:22 | 0:52:00 | 0:59:32 | 1:07:05 | 1:14:37 |
| Mile 7 checkpoint | 0:47:44 | 0:56:00 | 1:04:07 | 1:12:15 | 1:20:22 |
| John Reid start (Mile 8) | 0:54:33 | 1:04:00 | 1:13:13 | 1:22:26 | 1:31:38 |
| John Reid top (Mile 10) | 1:10:00 | 1:21:30 | 1:33:30 | 1:46:00 | 1:58:00 |
| Seafront Mile 12 | 1:21:41 | 1:36:00 | 1:50:09 | 2:04:09 | 2:18:10 |
| Finish Ocean Road | 1:30:00 | 1:45:00 | 2:00:00 | 2:15:00 | 2:30:00 |
The John Reid Road rows (shaded red) account for a realistic pace drop of 15 to 25 seconds per km on the climb. Runners who hold their flat pace through this section almost always blow up at mile 11. The table builds that slowdown in so you plan for it, not regret it.
September Newcastle Weather: What to Plan For
September in Newcastle is one of the more unpredictable months for race conditions in Britain. The average high for the second week of September is around 17 to 19 degrees Celsius, with overnight lows around 9 to 11 degrees. Race morning (the 7 AM to 9 AM window) typically sits between 10 and 14 degrees. By the South Shields finish at midday, temperatures can reach 18 to 22 degrees on a clear year, or stay at 13 to 15 degrees under cloud cover.
Drizzle probability for the second Sunday of September in the North East is historically around 40 to 50 percent. Light rain does not significantly affect performance and can make the John Reid Road climb more comfortable in warm conditions. Heavier rain increases chafing risk significantly; if heavy rain is forecast, apply petroleum jelly more liberally and consider a lightweight waterproof that you can tie around your waist after mile two.
Wind is a factor on the Tyne Bridge. The bridge sits exposed above the river, and a headwind of 15 to 25 km/h is not unusual at the 7 AM to 8 AM hour. By race time the wind typically moderates, but the approach to the bridge in your corral can feel cold if you have shed your throwaway layer too early. Keep it on until the last minute in the corral.
Kit tip: the throwaway layer you wear in the corral is your insurance policy. Even if conditions look warm, September mornings in Newcastle with 60,000 stationary runners can feel cold once the adrenaline settles. Keep a thin hoodie or long-sleeve charity top and discard it at mile one. Great North Run organisers collect discarded kit for local charities.
Course Elevation Profile: Where the Metres Go
The Great North Run has approximately 130 to 160 metres of total elevation gain (425 to 525 feet), with the net finish being around 35 metres lower than the start. The course is not flat, but it is not a mountain race either. The challenge is concentration: key climbs appear exactly when your legs are tiring.
| Section | Gain (m) | Loss (m) | Approx altitude at end | Character |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mile 1 (Tyne Bridge) | +18 m | -4 m | 22 m | Sharp bridge climb |
| Miles 2 to 3 (Gateshead) | +6 m | -18 m | 10 m | Mostly downhill off bridge |
| Miles 4 to 5 (Team Valley) | +8 m | -2 m | 16 m | Flat, slight rise |
| Miles 6 to 7 (Low Fell) | +22 m | -8 m | 30 m | Rolling, gradual rise |
| Miles 8 to 10 (John Reid Road) | +55 m | -6 m | 79 m | Sustained long climb |
| Miles 11 to 12 (descent) | +5 m | -62 m | 22 m | Long coastal descent |
| Mile 13 (Ocean Road finish) | +2 m | -24 m | 0 m | Flat seafront to finish |
Miles 8 to 10 (John Reid Road, shaded red) account for roughly 40 percent of the total elevation gain in 25 percent of the course distance. This is why training for that section specifically, rather than just logging flat kilometres, makes a measurable difference to your finish time.
Hydration Stations: Where and What
The Great North Run provides multiple hydration points on course. Knowing exactly where they are lets you plan your gel and fluid timing before you reach the start line. The event has historically been sponsored by Lucozade Sport, which is available alongside water at most stations.
First station. Take water here even if you feel fine. Sipping early prevents the deficit that builds silently in miles five to seven.
Take your first gel here with water, not Lucozade. Mixing gel sugar with Lucozade sugar can cause stomach discomfort. Chase the gel with water only.
The last comfortable station before the John Reid Road climb begins. Drink well here. The stations on the hill are present but harder to navigate while climbing.
Mid-climb station. This is where most runners take their second gel. Grab a cup of water, pinch the top, squeeze to sip while still moving. Do not stop unless you have to.
The descent section. A third gel here is optional for runners targeting sub-2:00 but not necessary for most first-timers if you have fuelled well at miles 5 and 9.
Last station before Ocean Road. If you feel empty, take water. If you feel okay, you can run through. At this distance your next source of nutrition is the finish line goody bag.
If you plan to use the on-course Lucozade Sport, you must test it in training. Lucozade Sport is a 6 to 7 percent carbohydrate solution, which sits at the upper end of tolerable gut concentration during running. Test it on your week seven or eight long run to confirm your stomach handles it at race effort. Many runners use Lucozade without issue; some do not.
Mo Farah and the Great North Run
Sir Mo Farah is the dominant figure in the modern history of the Great North Run. The double Olympic 5000m and 10000m champion won the Great North Run six times between 2013 and 2019, a record for the men's race in the modern era. His connection to the event and to the North East crowd created some of the most electric finishes in British road running history.
Farah's course record at the Great North Run stands at 59 minutes and 22 seconds, set in 2016. That time translates to a pace of 2:49 per kilometre for 21.1 kilometres across a course with 130 to 160 metres of total elevation gain. To put that in terms any runner can feel: while you will spend 90 seconds running a kilometre at a solid first-timer pace, Farah was covering the same distance in less time than it takes to tie your laces.
Beyond the results, Farah brought a different quality to the Great North Run: the experience of running for something bigger than a personal best. He was vocal about the impact of the Geordie crowds, particularly the wall of noise down the final stretch of Ocean Road. First-timers who run that section will understand what he meant. That final kilometre in South Shields, with the crowd ten deep on both sides and the North Sea ahead of you, is unlike any other race finish in British running.
The Red Arrows Flyover: What to Expect
The Red Arrows flyover at the Great North Run finish is one of the most iconic moments in British mass participation sport. The Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team has performed at the event for several decades, becoming as much a part of the Great North Run as the Tyne Bridge itself. The display typically happens as the leading men's elite runners approach the finish on Ocean Road, which places the flyover at approximately 10:35 to 10:45 AM on race morning.
For most first-time runners, the flyover is not directly overhead at the moment they finish. You will be somewhere between miles 8 and 11 at that point. But you will hear it, and the crowd noise that accompanies the display travels far down the course. It is one of those moments that reminds every runner on the road, however tired, that they are part of something genuinely extraordinary.
If you are running with a charity vest and have supporters on the course at South Shields, tell them the Red Arrows timing: they should be at the finish area no later than 10:30 AM to see the flyover, regardless of your own expected arrival time. The display lasts approximately 5 to 8 minutes. The red, white, and blue smoke trails over the North Sea coastline, with the finish line below and 60,000 runners still spread across the course, make for one of the more extraordinary sights in British sport.
Note for supporters: the finish area in South Shields fills up from 10 AM onward. If you are watching at the finish, arrive by 9:45 AM to get a good position on Ocean Road. The last kilometre is where runners need the most encouragement and the noise makes a genuine difference.
South Shields Finish to Newcastle: The Actual Reality
The information you receive before the race tells you to take the Metro or the shuttle bus back to Newcastle. What it does not fully communicate is that the Metro queue at South Shields station after the race is a significant wait. On a typical race day with 60,000 finishers all finishing within a three-hour window, the queue at South Shields Metro can be 45 minutes to 90 minutes long. This is not a failure of organisation; it is simple mathematics. You are one of 60,000 people trying to board a handful of trains from a single station in the same two-hour window.
The practical solution most experienced Great North Run veterans use: do not rush to the Metro immediately after finishing. You have just run 21.1 kilometres. Your body is ready to stop moving, and the queue will be longest in the first 45 minutes after you cross the line. Instead, walk to the seafront, put your feet in the North Sea (a genuine tradition and surprisingly refreshing even at 15 degrees), find your baggage, locate your supporters if any, and then find food.
South Shields has a long stretch of seafront with fish and chip shops, cafes, and pubs along Ocean Road and the beach front. Colman's of South Shields, on the seafront near the finish, is one of the most famous fish and chip restaurants in the North East and has been serving runners and their families after the Great North Run for decades. Expect a queue here too, but it moves faster than the Metro. A post-race fish supper on the South Shields seafront is a genuine Great North Run tradition worth building into your post-race plan.
By the time you have collected your baggage, found your supporters, eaten, and done the North Sea paddle, 60 to 90 minutes will have passed. The Metro queue will be significantly shorter. The journey from South Shields to Newcastle Central is around 25 minutes on the Metro. You will be back in Newcastle by mid-afternoon, the city will still be buzzing, and Geordie pubs near the station will be full of finishers. That evening is one of the better evenings in British running.
Collect medal, goody bag, walk through finish funnel. Do not rush. Keep moving slowly to prevent legs seizing.
Retrieve baggage from your number-range truck. Agree a meeting point with supporters near a named landmark, not a vague "near the finish." Mobile signal will be poor.
Walk to the seafront. North Sea paddle optional but traditional. The cold water reduces leg swelling marginally and is memorable regardless.
Food: Colman's or any seafront chip shop. Eat carbohydrates and protein within 60 minutes of finishing to start the recovery process. You have earnt it.
Metro or shuttle bus back to Newcastle. The queue will be substantially shorter than in the first 45 minutes. South Shields station is a short walk from the finish area.
Training in Your Own City When You Do Not Live in Newcastle
The majority of Great North Run entrants do not live in Newcastle. Many travel from London, Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds, Bristol, and further afield. Training for a course-specific race when you cannot run the course itself is a common challenge, and the John Reid Road climb is the section that catches non-Geordie runners by surprise most often on race day.
The key metric to replicate is not the location but the stimulus. The John Reid Road section rises approximately 55 metres over two miles at a gradient of around 2 to 3 percent. This is a moderate gradient sustained for 15 to 20 minutes of running effort. Any hill in your city that takes 15 to 20 minutes to climb at a moderate gradient will provide equivalent training stress. You do not need Tyneside hills; you need any hill that is long enough and sustainable.
If you train in London
Parliament Hill on Hampstead Heath (100 metre climb) or the Brockwell Park loop (moderate gradient) work well for the hill rep sessions. For the long climb simulation, a treadmill at 3 to 4 percent for 20 minutes replicates the John Reid effort more precisely than most London outdoor options.
If you train in Birmingham
The Lickey Hills offer sustained climbs of 100 to 150 metres that exceed the John Reid gradient. Any 15 to 20 minute climb in that area at moderate effort is excellent preparation. The Clent Hills offer similar terrain within easy reach of the city.
If you train in Manchester or Leeds
Both cities are within easy reach of Pennine terrain. A 45-minute drive from Manchester or Leeds gives access to sustained climbs that far exceed the Great North Run gradient. Even local park hills such as Rivington Pike or Otley Chevin provide more elevation than the John Reid Road section.
If you train on flat ground
A treadmill set to 3 percent incline is the most reliable simulation for flat-based runners. Run your John Reid Long Climb Simulation sessions (weeks 5 and 8) entirely on the treadmill at 3 to 4 percent for 20 to 25 minutes. Add 1 percent to 2 percent to your easy runs one day per week from week three onward. Running on a treadmill incline specifically trains the hip flexors and calves for the hill effort in a way that flat road running cannot replicate.
General rule for non-Geordie runners: if you can run for 20 continuous minutes on a 3 to 4 percent gradient at a pace where you can speak short sentences, you are ready for the John Reid Road section. The Tyne Bridge climb (mile one) is shorter and steeper but over in 90 seconds. Any local overpass, railway bridge approach, or car park ramp you can run repeatedly provides the same training stimulus for that section.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is the Great North Run?
The Great North Run is a half marathon, covering 21.1 kilometres (13.1 miles). The route runs from central Newcastle upon Tyne to South Shields on the coast. It is the world's largest half marathon by finisher count, with more than 60,000 runners crossing the finish line each year. The course is measured to IAAF standard and finishes on Ocean Road in South Shields.
Can a beginner train for the Great North Run in 12 weeks?
Yes, provided you can already run 5 kilometres continuously before week one. Twelve weeks is enough time to bridge from a solid 5K base to half marathon distance if you follow a plan that peaks at around 18 km in week nine and tapers for two weeks. Runners who cannot yet complete 5K without stopping should add four to six weeks of base building before starting this plan.
What is the Great North Run course like?
The Great North Run is a rolling course, not flat. The first kilometre includes the climb over the Tyne Bridge from the Newcastle side. Miles three to five run through Gateshead on a relatively flat section. Miles eight to ten include the John Reid Road climb, which is the longest sustained hill on the course and the section where most first-timers lose pace. Mile twelve opens onto the South Shields seafront before the final stretch down Ocean Road to the finish.
What pace should I aim for at the Great North Run?
First-time runners should target a comfortable conversational pace through the first six miles, then hold that effort on the John Reid Road climb rather than chasing a time. A 2:15 to 2:30 finish time (around 6:25 to 7:10 per kilometre) is realistic for a first-timer who has completed this 12-week plan. Walking sections of the John Reid Road climb is not failure; it is tactics. Many sub-2:00 runners walk that hill and still finish well inside two hours.
When is the Great North Run 2026?
The Great North Run 2026 is scheduled for 13 September 2026. The race traditionally takes place on the second Sunday in September. Entries typically open in October the year before through the Great Run ballot, with charity places available year-round through the Great North Run charity partners. The start is in central Newcastle near the Central Motorway East.
How do I get back to Newcastle after the Great North Run finish?
The Great Run organisation runs free shuttle buses from the South Shields finish area back to central Newcastle. The journey takes around 45 to 60 minutes depending on traffic. Tyne and Wear Metro also runs extended services on race day between South Shields and Newcastle Central Station. Baggage is transported by the event from the start to a collection point near the finish. Do not attempt to drive to South Shields on race day; road closures make it impractical.
