The Great North Run is the worlds largest half marathon with about 57,000 runners. The 13.1 mile route which starts in Newcastle upon Tyne and takes runners through the city centre towards the River Tyne to cross over the iconic Tyne Bridge, where if you're lucky, you might get a glimpse of the Red Arrows passing overhead.

From there runners will travel through Gateshead while being entertained by many bands on the run. The route, lined by thousands of supporters, leads runners to South Shields where at the top of Prince Edward Road the view of the sea is one of the most welcoming sights along the whole course.

From that point there is just over a mile to go and the crowds get louder as runners make their way down the final straight towards the finish gantry.

St John's Hospice

St Johns hospice treats people with life shortening illnesses and provides four clinical services: an inpatient ward, hospice at home team, clinical nurse specialists and a day therapy centre. We also offer many other services such as bereavement support, physiotherapy, occupational therapy and social workers. Together these provide wrap around care for patients, their families and carers. For 365 days a year our teams are providing care, compassion and support from Grasmere to Garstang, from Sedbergh to Morecambe, at home and in the hospice.

It costs £14,077 per day to keep St Johns open. The NHS contribute around one third of this, leaving us to raise over £9,000 every day this year in order to continue to care for patients and their families