Newcastle upon Tyne to South Shields · September · Half marathon
Great North Run: it finishes somewhere else
The Great North Run starts in Newcastle city centre and finishes thirteen miles away on the coast at South Shields. That single fact creates every logistical problem of the day, because runners end up in a different town from wherever their supporters were standing.
Between the start in Newcastle and the finish at South Shields, on a day when the roads between them are closed or heaving and the local transport network is carrying tens of thousands of people in one direction at once.
Why this is harder than a loop course
London finishes near where the crowds can gather. This one does not.
City centre, morning
Where runners assemble, and where the atmosphere begins.
On the coast
Thirteen miles away, and where everyone needs to be by lunchtime.
From runners
You cannot easily see the start and the finish. Choose one, or plan properly.
Before any of that
This is an overnight trip, and probably a two-night one.
Kent to Tyneside
One of the longest journeys we run. Times include the rest breaks required by law.
| Pick-up area | Distance | Each way |
|---|---|---|
| Bromley & Orpington | 300 miles | 5h 30m – 6h 40m |
| Sevenoaks & Tonbridge | 303 miles | 5h 35m – 6h 45m |
| Dartford & Bluewater | 306 miles | 5h 40m – 6h 50m |
| Gravesend & Northfleet | 311 miles | 5h 45m – 6h 55m |
| Maidstone & Aylesford | 316 miles | 5h 50m – 7h |
| Rochester & Chatham | 321 miles | 5h 55m – 7h 5m |
| Canterbury & Ashford | 345 miles | 6h 20m – 7h 35m |
How the weekend works
The only sensible format from Kent, and the one every group we take ends up using.
| When | What happens |
|---|---|
| Friday or Saturday | Travel up. Six to seven hours, so leave in good time |
| Saturday | Newcastle. Number collection, and the city is very good indeed |
| Sunday morning | Drop runners near the start in Newcastle |
| Sunday, during | We reposition to South Shields ahead of the finish |
| Sunday afternoon | Collect finishers and supporters at an agreed point off the seafront |
| Sunday or Monday | Home. Monday is far more comfortable |
Planning the Great North Run
The vehicle solves the point-to-point problem
This is the clearest practical argument for booking transport for this particular race. A group with a vehicle and a driver drops runners in Newcastle, moves to South Shields while the race is on, and is waiting near the finish. Without one, supporters are competing with tens of thousands of people for local transport in a single direction, and finishers are doing the same in reverse.
Agree the South Shields collection point in advance
The seafront at the finish is closed and crowded, and mobile signal in that many people is unreliable. We fix a specific point back from the front, with a short walk to it, before you travel. It is worth ten minutes of conversation at the booking stage and it is the difference between a smooth finish and an hour of confusion.
Come home on the Monday if you can
Six to seven hours south after a half marathon on the same day is a genuinely poor end to a weekend. A Sunday night in Newcastle or on the coast, and a relaxed run home on Monday, costs less than most people expect in September and turns the trip into something worth having done.
Newcastle is a large part of the reason to go
Setting the running aside, this is one of the best cities in England for a weekend and it is at its best when the run is on. Groups who travel three hundred miles for a Sunday morning and drive straight back have, in our view, missed the point of the exercise.
Great North Run questions
Two towns, one race.
Where does the Great North Run start and finish?
It starts in Newcastle city centre and finishes thirteen miles away on the coast at South Shields. The gap between them creates every logistical problem of the day.
How do supporters get from the start to the finish?
With difficulty on public transport, which carries tens of thousands in one direction at once. With a vehicle and a driver it is straightforward: we drop in Newcastle and reposition to South Shields during the race.
How far is Newcastle from Kent?
Around three hundred to three hundred and forty-five miles, roughly five and a half to seven and a half hours each way including required rest breaks.
Can we do it in a day?
No, not sensibly. This is an overnight trip and preferably a two-night one, travelling up on the Friday or Saturday.
Should we come home on the Sunday?
We would suggest Monday. Six to seven hours south on the same day as a half marathon is a poor end to the weekend, and September rates on Tyneside are reasonable.
Where do you collect at the finish?
At a point agreed in advance, back from the closed and crowded seafront, with a short walk to it. Mobile signal in that crowd is unreliable, so we fix it before you travel.
Is Newcastle worth staying in?
Very much so, and it is at its best on race weekend. Driving three hundred miles for a Sunday morning and going straight home misses most of the trip.
Is the fare fixed?
Yes, agreed before travel, including the repositioning between start and finish.
Running events and the north east
Races and long journeys.