A 10k run will follow a landmark route through the city centre this summer, revealed Sir Brendan Foster as the Great North Run founder announced a new partnership between two iconic Newcastle names.
The Great Run Company and the Newcastle United Foundation - charity arm of Newcastle United - have teamed up for the first time and on Thursday jointly hosted a relaunch of the Great North 10k - with an entirely new route that has the Tyne Bridge at its heart in what Sir Brendan called an "amazing" first for the city.
This year's event, to take place on July 2, will in part follow in the footsteps of the Great North Run by crossing the Tyne Bridge - believed only the second official run to do so since the half-marathon launched in 1981 - and will pass other city landmarks including Grey's Monument. As the new route was unveiled for the annual run, which previously has been focused around the quayside, Sir Brendan said the course takes in the Town Moor, Tyne Bridge and all the local landmarks, adding: "It's a fantastic design."
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He said he is "delighted" at the new route, which starts at Central Motorway and ends at the Town Moor, and excited about the partnership between what he termed "major players" - the half-marathon being the biggest event in the region and the foundation being part of the biggest brand - which have the same aim in the city.
He said: "The mission is the same - the Great North Run's to improve people's lives through running and Newcastle United Foundation's mission is to improve people's lives, particularly youngsters', through sport and football is a major part of that. These two organisations coming together and getting a chance to create something is particularly exciting.
"We've got here a course, for the first time in the city of Newcastle and running across the Tyne Bridge, which is amazing. " Sir Brendan added: "We're looking forward to a fantastic city centre run."
While the Great North Run is the world's biggest half-marathon, other locations hosting big runs mostly have city centre runs too but none of them, he said, has a city like the "great" Newcastle. And he says there is now an opportunity for runners to earn two iconic medals this year, through the Great North 10k and the Great North Run, while helping to raise money for a good cause.
The new route which loops over the Tyne Bridge and back again, also passing the likes of Newcastle Civic Centre, Central Library and Old Eldon Square, was unveiled at NUCASTLE, Newcastle United Foundation's purpose-built community space - which opened last year close to St James' Park - which runs 40 programmes offering sports, health and wellbeing opportunities to all ages. There, foundation chief executive Steve Beharall and former Newcastle United player Steve Harper, who is a trustee of the foundation and director of the Newcastle United Academy, welcomed the partnership, seeing it as an opportunity to boost the work of the organisation which provides a whopping million hours of physical activity a year.
With the foundation now an official partner on the event, Steve Beharall said this is a chance to tell its story and raise awareness of its community work encouraging involvement in sports and boosting health. Steve Harper, who during his role as trustee has seen huge improvements in those helped by the foundation, including in confidence levels, said of the partnership: "This will really help."
While he is not a runner, so will not be doing the 10k himself - joking that crossing the Tyne Bridge "would probably be as much as I could manage", he said: "Hopefully people will raise a lot of money for the foundation."
Marketing and communications manager Charlotte Bowe said that a team of staff and apprentices will be taking part in the 10k, wearing black and white vests for the occasion, and she hopes supporters of the foundation's work will follow suit. "This is vital for us, to branch out and encourage people to get into sport, health and welbeing," she said.
And she called it a "unique and amazing" opportunity to raise funds which will be ploughed straight back in to the community it supports, which includes helping find work opportunities for young people.
Among those helped by the foundation is 16-year-old Lee Dawson, now an apprentice there, who says the organisation has turned his life around. He had been involved in anti-social behaviour when he was about 12 and was arrested around the age of 13-14 which resulted in a referral via the youth offending team to its YOLO - You Only Live Once - programme with health and wellbeing manager Jacqueline Dawson. Both of them will be part of the foundation's 10k team.
Now involved with learning all aspects of the foundation's programme with a view to a future full-time job, Lee said: "It's changed me for life." The 10k run, which is being sponsored by AJ Bell, is set to feature a new-look Après Run village at the finish line, complete with charity stalls, retailers, street food vendors and interactive sports games.
Runners interested in fund-raising for the foundation will be issued with a special run number featuring the club's famous black and white stripes. A 20% early bird discount is available for anyone entering before 9am on Monday, January 9. For more information or to enter visit greatrun.org.
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