:00:24. > :00:30.The Angel Of The North. It has only been there 16 years but it is
:00:31. > :00:36.already one of the defining images in the north-east of England. As is
:00:37. > :00:41.the sight of thousands streaming across the Tyne bridge in the great
:00:42. > :00:47.North run. The first one was back in 1981, the 28th of June, and at
:00:48. > :00:54.once, it captured our imagination. The speed of the elite runners, the
:00:55. > :00:59.gritty determination. It has made us laugh, cry, lifted our spirits and
:01:00. > :01:05.raised millions for charity. It will do all that again this year. It will
:01:06. > :01:09.also make sporting history because one of those runners that makes
:01:10. > :01:14.their way over the Tyne bridge and over to South Shields will be the 1
:01:15. > :01:17.millionth finisher. It is an unprecedented achievement and one
:01:18. > :01:22.that will stand forever in the record books.
:01:23. > :01:23.The great North run, it is all with a day to celebrate. This year, more
:01:24. > :01:43.so than ever. Yes, it is certainly an amazing and
:01:44. > :01:51.proud day for the north-east. A global first, and it all kicked off
:01:52. > :03:24.in Tyne-plastic fashion on the banks of, you guessed it, the river.
:03:25. > :03:31.It really was an incredible night but now, today, the runners take
:03:32. > :03:36.centre stage. One of them is destined to become the 1 millionth
:03:37. > :03:41.finisher. I am from the West Midlands doing my 13th Great North
:03:42. > :03:50.Run for leukaemia research. I have no other reason to run other than I
:03:51. > :03:55.work for the South Shields group. I am running for diabetes UK. I would
:03:56. > :04:02.very much like to be the 1 millionth run a country. Just for
:04:03. > :04:07.the prestige. A member of our running club has said she will get a
:04:08. > :04:16.tad too. That would be fantastic. It is a once-in-a-lifetime thing. Such
:04:17. > :04:20.a huge legacy in the north-east and it would be unbelievable. Just a
:04:21. > :04:28.dream come true. Going down in history to be the 1 millionth run
:04:29. > :04:34.over the finish line! It will be such a sense of achievement when I
:04:35. > :04:36.managed to cross that finish line. Thousands of athletes will stream
:04:37. > :04:40.through the finishing air at the Great North Run later today but only
:04:41. > :04:47.one can be the lucky 1 millionth finisher in the history of this
:04:48. > :04:51.great event. The number currently stands at 964,764. Give it a few
:04:52. > :04:58.hours and it will move over to that magic 1 million.
:04:59. > :05:02.Well, I am here with Greg James. I know you have done the Great North
:05:03. > :05:05.Run before. And because you have done this before, a little bird has
:05:06. > :05:10.told me you have had professional help in preparing for this year? I
:05:11. > :05:16.have. I had a session with Lynsey Sharp. A wonderful athlete. She was
:05:17. > :05:20.brilliant. She just has that amazing steelyness that all athletes have
:05:21. > :05:25.and you have as well. That amazing ability to become whatever and sort
:05:26. > :05:30.of be not flustered by stuff. And I'm going to try to channel that
:05:31. > :05:34.today. The Great North Run is brilliant. I did it four years ago
:05:35. > :05:40.and I am so pleased to come back and do it again. What a day for it as
:05:41. > :05:45.well! We expect a personal best from you because Lynsey Sharp has had a
:05:46. > :05:49.cracking year! It was my first ever half mile of them before and I had
:05:50. > :05:55.never really done anything. I did not know what to expect. -- first
:05:56. > :06:00.ever half marathon before. So, hopefully, fingers crossed, I will
:06:01. > :06:13.be OK and right which she is my personal best. I want to do it under
:06:14. > :06:18.two hours today. -- and hope I can do my personal best. You look fit
:06:19. > :06:23.and healthy. I need some advice. I'm going to make the most of this
:06:24. > :06:29.opportunity. I have two hours before it starts. What can I do? Just
:06:30. > :06:37.relax. There is nowhere to sit or to go. I just have to stand here! Good
:06:38. > :06:44.luck! Do you want to run with me? I am now joined by Janice, who is
:06:45. > :06:49.dressed as a bee. Can I ask you why? Yes, just highlighting the problems
:06:50. > :06:52.with the bee population. I believe if you look after the small things
:06:53. > :06:58.in life, the big things will take after them -- look after themselves.
:06:59. > :07:05.I have raised quite a bit in the last few days thanks to the
:07:06. > :07:11.brilliant people who have donated. You have had quite a weekend. Are
:07:12. > :07:18.you planning to take any selfies today? I have had a few people
:07:19. > :07:26.going, "there is that girl"! So I am hoping to do that. Barack Obama did
:07:27. > :07:34.happen to photo bomb us on Friday! On a nice family walk at the
:07:35. > :07:39.weekend. We made our opportunity to make our way across the fields and
:07:40. > :07:44.have a chance to wave at him and whether we believed he was there,
:07:45. > :07:47.and all of a sudden he was waving at us and we were walking together and
:07:48. > :07:53.like having a chat over the garden fence! I hope today is just as
:07:54. > :07:58.exciting for you. All you need now is to be the 1 millionth finisher.
:07:59. > :08:09.Wouldn't that be brilliant? It would be! Best of luck. Thank you.
:08:10. > :08:14.Somebody always has a special place in our heart and that is the eldest
:08:15. > :08:17.runner. He is a World War II veteran and the British Legion made him a
:08:18. > :08:25.special presentation to recognise his achievement.
:08:26. > :08:38.The poppy to me is a symbol of memories. And friends that I've lost
:08:39. > :08:44.myself. And even watching this one here, I could see the faces of some
:08:45. > :08:52.of my friends. My friends that the poppies remind me about. You just
:08:53. > :08:56.draw as a creative person on your own experiences, and the fact is,
:08:57. > :09:10.when I knew I wanted to do this, I had to use the poppy, and I
:09:11. > :09:19.remembered the poem On Slander Is -- On Slander's Fields, and for me it
:09:20. > :09:28.was a member in what that comradeship is all about. I was
:09:29. > :09:35.called up on the 1st of September and then we went to a little place
:09:36. > :09:43.for training. And we ended up in France. We marched everyday. 154
:09:44. > :09:49.miles, I was told, in four days. Half the time without any food. It
:09:50. > :09:56.was tough. The whole thing about it is, it is about people. The normal,
:09:57. > :10:00.everyday people. The fact I can give you one of these pieces and
:10:01. > :10:07.dedicated to him... He should be getting a lot more than that. I can
:10:08. > :10:18.feel a lump coming up in me. Fantastic. Blow me!
:10:19. > :10:22.Well, I'm downstairs with a special team who are on quite a unique
:10:23. > :10:25.mission. I have Sam here and Jonathan. Give us a bit of
:10:26. > :10:38.background and tell us why and what is happening with you today? We are
:10:39. > :10:42.here with the 64 Challenge. We have cycled up and back the length of
:10:43. > :10:52.France and gone across the Channel, then we ran around the UK, to finish
:10:53. > :10:58.the 1664 challenge. With most of these gentlemen with you? Yes, we
:10:59. > :11:02.completed the event along with another 4000 Marines jumping in and
:11:03. > :11:09.out for little bits. He seems to be doing all the work and you are
:11:10. > :11:11.spending all the money! We are using the 350th anniversary of the Royal
:11:12. > :11:16.Marines to draw attention to the fact that we were harder hit in
:11:17. > :11:21.Afghanistan than any other military formation. A higher number of dead
:11:22. > :11:24.and seriously injured, and so we have 155 seriously injured to
:11:25. > :11:33.support at the moment, including 30 amputees. It will cost about 1
:11:34. > :11:36.million, one million pounds, so we owe it to the injured and the
:11:37. > :11:41.bereaved families and everybody who has suffered with the conflict, and
:11:42. > :11:47.these guys, through their efforts, are helping us to raise ?2.5 million
:11:48. > :11:51.per year which we need to do that. Just to make sure you are seen, you
:11:52. > :11:56.will be carrying this black around, so that will give us some great
:11:57. > :12:04.aerial shots, too? -- this flag around. Yes. We wish you all the
:12:05. > :12:06.best and we will see you somewhere on the streets.
:12:07. > :12:10.And there will be more of the runners later in the show. As
:12:11. > :12:13.always, the wheelchair athletes have already got under way and now it is
:12:14. > :12:20.time for the start of the elite women's race. Here are your
:12:21. > :12:28.commentators, Steve Cram, Andrew Cotter, Paula Radcliffe.
:12:29. > :12:36.Away they go. And around about 30 women get the chance to have the
:12:37. > :12:42.road all to themselves. Over the next hour or so. And then the mass
:12:43. > :12:45.race will start in 25 minutes behind them and start chasing them down.
:12:46. > :12:49.Paula Radcliffe sitting next to me. You and I were chatting to bill
:12:50. > :13:01.early on about the prospects today. And certainly with Mary Kay Tani --
:13:02. > :13:04.Mary Keitany. A quick word from Paul and then we will be moving on. Every
:13:05. > :13:18.prospect in the Classic. And the Marines have played a big
:13:19. > :13:22.part in the celebrations over the last two or three days. Abseiling
:13:23. > :13:26.down the Baltic yesterday and they were involved in the opening
:13:27. > :13:30.ceremony on Thursday as well. And a great welcome for them. There is the
:13:31. > :13:36.flag. A special flag great welcome for them. There is the
:13:37. > :13:41.this very special day. Sorry, Paula. Just to bring you back in. I just
:13:42. > :13:44.wanted to ask you, would you fancy running a half marathon in boots
:13:45. > :13:48.like that? I am sure they won't be in good condition by the end of this
:13:49. > :13:53.race today, but back to the women's race. They are settling in to that
:13:54. > :13:57.first slightly downhill section, as Andrew talked about, which goes down
:13:58. > :14:02.through the tunnels and onto the bridge and across the river onto the
:14:03. > :14:05.Gateshead side, and at the moment, they look as though they are
:14:06. > :14:08.settling into it at a decent pace but nobody really making any huge
:14:09. > :14:15.moves, as you would expect at this stage in the race. We are sitting at
:14:16. > :14:22.the finish line and we can look up the road here, and Andrew? It is
:14:23. > :14:27.going to be victory for Jordi alginate. And the time is a quick
:14:28. > :14:36.one. Very close to 43 minutes. -- Jordi Madera. The Spaniard takes
:14:37. > :14:41.victory in the men's wheelchair race. Just outside 43 minutes.
:14:42. > :14:48.Second again for Simon Lawson. What a grand effort from him again.
:14:49. > :14:52.Coming towards the finish is the woman who will win the women's
:14:53. > :14:56.wheelchair race, and that is Shelly Woods. Just outside 50 minutes.
:14:57. > :15:02.Victory number six in the great North run the Shelly Woods. -- in
:15:03. > :15:02.the Great North Run. It really dominant performance from Shelly
:15:03. > :15:18.Woods. you know whom they all want to beat.
:15:19. > :15:26.I love running, I love what I do. It is something I genuinely enjoy. When
:15:27. > :15:30.I run, I just go out there, go in your zone and just block everything,
:15:31. > :15:33.go out there, and sometimes if don't wake up in the morning and do my
:15:34. > :15:39.run, I feel like something is missing, I've not done something.
:15:40. > :15:45.There's loads of times I struggle in training, telling myself, mentally,
:15:46. > :15:50."I've got to do this". One more, one more, one more. You've got to be
:15:51. > :16:00.strong. It is a one in million day for the Great North Run. Lord Coe
:16:01. > :16:06.sets us on our way. One of the greatest sights in world sport, a
:16:07. > :16:11.proud day for everybody, I'm sure, on Tyneside, and anybody who's ever
:16:12. > :16:19.had anything to do with this event. 34 years, this event has surprised
:16:20. > :16:26.us. It has been one which has played with our emotions over the years,
:16:27. > :16:30.made so many people famous, and also has given so many people here in our
:16:31. > :16:32.part of the world, in the UK, and from all of the rest of the world so
:16:33. > :16:52.much inspiration. You almost feel jealous sitting
:16:53. > :16:56.here. Even as elite athletes, as we all are in the commentary box, and I
:16:57. > :17:00.will include Andrew Cotter in that as well. CHUCKLING
:17:01. > :17:04.This race is about the guys at the front but it is much more about the
:17:05. > :17:12.thousands, hundreds of thousands, and of course today millions who
:17:13. > :17:22.have taken part in this race. One we didn't mention right at the
:17:23. > :17:30.beginning, Mike Kigen, he is well-known to Mo Farah.
:17:31. > :17:37.He could well have a good performance today, and Kikuchi from
:17:38. > :17:40.Japan, the Japanese, such great exponents of the marathon and half
:17:41. > :17:45.marathon and they have found a bright young talent, just 23 years
:17:46. > :17:49.of age. Another man who has set a new personal best this year. But
:17:50. > :17:54.plenty of time to talk about the elites at the front. There they go,
:17:55. > :18:02.streaming across, down the central motorway towards the Tyne Bridge.
:18:03. > :18:06.Well, they have gone through three miles and this group is already
:18:07. > :18:10.breaking up. You can see Tiki Gelana is going with this first surge by
:18:11. > :18:14.America tiny, and that is a very interesting move at this early
:18:15. > :18:22.stage, because the pace is already fast, it is already good, and Kotani
:18:23. > :18:27.wanting to push on a bit. Trying for an early bid. That is the way Mary
:18:28. > :18:32.Kotani often runs, she attacks the race is very hard from the front,
:18:33. > :18:35.sometimes pulls it off, as she has done when she has run very fast over
:18:36. > :18:43.half marathon distance and indeed in the London Marathon. As we watch the
:18:44. > :18:48.men now come across the Tyne Bridge, the crowds are outcome of the groups
:18:49. > :18:58.together. The sun is shining. And there they are. Gemma Steel, you can
:18:59. > :19:01.just see there in between Kilel and the quickly tiring Tiki Gelana, the
:19:02. > :19:06.elliptic champion. This is the stretch that I used to know so much,
:19:07. > :19:11.I'm sure Brendan ran plenty of miles from here, it is quite a far stretch
:19:12. > :19:15.of this course, the next mile or two, from six to seven to eight
:19:16. > :19:20.miles before you turn up the John Reid Road. That is ten kilometres
:19:21. > :19:25.that have just been passed, not ten miles, ten kilometres from Kotani
:19:26. > :19:33.and round about 31 minutes and 20 seconds, that is very fast -- from
:19:34. > :19:38.Keita knee. -- Keitany. At the front, things have been going pretty
:19:39. > :19:45.quick in the men's race. They ran 4.29 to the first mile, 4.33 for the
:19:46. > :19:50.second, 4.31, and that is a pretty fast pace. That would be a personal
:19:51. > :19:55.best for Mo Farah and the others in this group as well. So a good, fast
:19:56. > :20:00.early pace being said here, and Kigen, who has been used to do that,
:20:01. > :20:03.I just wonder whether Mo has asked Kigen to help them go a bit quick
:20:04. > :20:07.today, because he did say yes, I just want to win today, but Mo Farah
:20:08. > :20:13.never wants to do anything to easily and he is already breaking this
:20:14. > :20:16.group of. The group is breaking up, Mike Kigen, a training partner of Mo
:20:17. > :20:19.Farah in the past, so they know each other very well but he is looking
:20:20. > :20:24.very comfortable there on the shoulder of Kigen, the leader. We
:20:25. > :20:33.now have a group of three contesting second place here. We see Gemma now
:20:34. > :20:38.just settling in between Tiki Gelana and Caroline:. Hopefully they can
:20:39. > :20:42.settle in and find some kind of rhythm and settle in. Jenna in very
:20:43. > :20:46.good shape. As we said, her personal best over the half marathon up for
:20:47. > :20:50.some revision, and she wants to get some confidence from this race as
:20:51. > :20:57.well to be up to decide and make that move forward up to racing the
:20:58. > :21:00.marathon distance. We have already had about 14,000 people crossed the
:21:01. > :21:08.start line, and they will continue doing that at a pretty rapid rate
:21:09. > :21:14.over the next 15 to 20 minutes. And one of those people down there will
:21:15. > :21:18.be the millionth finisher today. Well, back in the men's race, there
:21:19. > :21:25.have been one or two developers, the first that Kiprotich has copped off
:21:26. > :21:27.is pretty good pace set by Kigen. And Mo Farah just for a second was
:21:28. > :21:40.fidgeting a bit. I Mo looks to be relaxed, he says that
:21:41. > :21:48.Kiprotich has disappeared into the distance. They have run a pretty
:21:49. > :21:53.solid first four miles, at around an average of 4.5 minutes, well under
:21:54. > :21:59.60 minute pace. Like Mary Caetano, maybe they are going a bit too quick
:22:00. > :22:04.to early -- Mary Keitany. They will be really interesting to see if
:22:05. > :22:08.Kigen is acting as a bit of a pacemaker and then maybe Mo might
:22:09. > :22:12.relax, that might be the tactic. But Kigen himself is certainly capable
:22:13. > :22:16.of running pretty fast. The good news is that Mo Farah has the lead
:22:17. > :22:20.of the men's race, and running very well in the women's race, just about
:22:21. > :22:23.to pass through 15, to say, Gemma Steel, who has moved into a clear
:22:24. > :22:30.second place ahead of the Olympic marathon champion, Tiki Gelana of
:22:31. > :22:37.Ethiopia. A long way ahead is Mary Keitany, who is still running very
:22:38. > :22:41.well. She's three seconds ahead of 65.40 pace through the nine mile
:22:42. > :22:45.mark, so she still looking composed, still looking strong. She does still
:22:46. > :22:50.have this poll and one more climb up to the 11 mile mark. But pretty much
:22:51. > :22:53.now she is on a clear run where she can see the road stretching ahead of
:22:54. > :23:00.her until she makes that dropped onto the seafront here at South
:23:01. > :23:15.Shields. Meanwhile, the resplendent red arrows adding their superb touch
:23:16. > :23:19.to a brilliant day. They are as much a part of the Great North Run as the
:23:20. > :23:28.1 million people who have crossed the finish line. The fast part of
:23:29. > :23:31.the course here, taking advantage of this flat section from White Mare
:23:32. > :23:34.Pool, and key gin and Mo Farah just putting the pressure on here,
:23:35. > :23:42.gradually moving away from the Ugandan. -- Kigen. It was most lets
:23:43. > :23:45.go a bit quicker, the gap is beginning to open, I don't want to
:23:46. > :23:55.get caught out as they go through ten K. 2819, and
:23:56. > :24:02.Mo Farah is delighted to have a bit of company. I tell you what, I think
:24:03. > :24:06.Gemma Steel, we have seen her dusting wish herself on the country,
:24:07. > :24:09.we have seen her run well on the shorter road races. This half
:24:10. > :24:14.marathon, she looks as though she is well on her way -- distinguish
:24:15. > :24:18.herself. This maybe is an athlete who has a great potential to
:24:19. > :24:22.represent Great Britain really well. Sedco building up the calluses on
:24:23. > :24:28.his palm as people come along and high-5 him. -- Lord Coe. He will try
:24:29. > :24:33.to do as many as possible and inspire them on the way to some
:24:34. > :24:39.great performances out there today. But look at this, key gym, the man
:24:40. > :24:46.who has trained with Mo Farah in the past, who is well known to him --
:24:47. > :24:54.Kigen. He is turning the pressure, turning the screw, and Mo Farah just
:24:55. > :24:57.struggling a little bit here. He try to say with Haile Gebrselassie last
:24:58. > :25:01.year and only lost out in the sprinters. He needs to hang onto
:25:02. > :25:05.Kigen here because at this stage of the race you can't let summer
:25:06. > :25:09.getaway. You certainly can't, and when the cameras flash at the
:25:10. > :25:14.finish, and they saw what was happening in the mens rea is, there
:25:15. > :25:20.was a sigh that went up as they saw Mo Farah losing a few yards to Mike
:25:21. > :25:22.Kigen, but there are a few signs of Mike Kigen coming under a bit of
:25:23. > :25:27.pressure, he is rocking and rolling a bit, his form is going a bit, Mo
:25:28. > :25:35.Farah is staying more consistent. We really have a race on our hands
:25:36. > :25:38.today. We are well over 41,000 people who have crossed the start
:25:39. > :25:46.line, which is fantastic, and a record-breaking day for the Great
:25:47. > :25:49.North Run. Mary Keitany, never beaten over the half marathon
:25:50. > :25:53.distance, this will be her ninth consecutive win. What sort of time
:25:54. > :25:56.can cheaper juicier at the Great North Run? She has dominated this
:25:57. > :26:00.race from the very beginning, set a fast pace, the others dropped away,
:26:01. > :26:04.could not keep with her. Let it all to her. The question is now issue
:26:05. > :26:08.going to break the course record? The clock is ticking as she
:26:09. > :26:13.approaches the finish line. Mary Keitany of Kenya, it is going to be
:26:14. > :26:17.oh so close, she winds it and ties the record! We will have to get
:26:18. > :26:29.official confirmation of that -- she wins it. Paula Radcliffe says surely
:26:30. > :26:35.it gets rounded up to 65.41! She may well be right. We will have to get
:26:36. > :26:41.official notification of that. It is going to be a long, hard run. No
:26:42. > :26:43.question about it, Mo Farah a little bit closer, the downhill bit
:26:44. > :26:48.therefrom Mo Farah was pretty successful but now he is a sprinter,
:26:49. > :26:51.he knows he can run fast the last 400 metres, he has just got to keep
:26:52. > :26:58.that yard or two, just has to keep close. Over a 400-metre sprint, Mo
:26:59. > :27:01.would clearly be the fastest. Now into the last mile, 55 minutes on
:27:02. > :27:06.the clock, it is going to be very, very close to the 60 minutes, it may
:27:07. > :27:10.even be close to Mo's personal-best, and if he knows that
:27:11. > :27:16.information, he is an athlete who gathers bests. Gemma Steel will go
:27:17. > :27:19.into the top three all-time half marathon times for a British
:27:20. > :27:23.athlete. Gemma Steel, second place in the Great North Run comic huge
:27:24. > :27:29.personal best. Well done, Gemma. Great performance from Gemma Steel,
:27:30. > :27:38.and look out delighted she is and so she should be. Surely Kigen can't
:27:39. > :27:42.alt click the great Mo Farah? He has never done it in the past and I'm
:27:43. > :27:47.sure he can't be able to do it here, but here we have 200 to go, and
:27:48. > :27:51.there goes Mo Farah, Kigen has no answer to this, and Mo Farah moves
:27:52. > :27:55.three metres clear, four metres clear, continues to go away. One
:27:56. > :28:00.last look over the shoulder, he is still gritting his teeth, kicking
:28:01. > :28:05.hard! He has one more look behind, see is being cheered on by the huge
:28:06. > :28:09.crowd here, it is a huge day for the Great North Run, will it be so full
:28:10. > :28:14.Mo Farah? Kigen coming back again, only a meeting between them, he has
:28:15. > :28:19.got to hang on, Mo Farah wins the Great North Run right on the
:28:20. > :28:26.one-hour mark, a new personal best for Farah. He wins by the smallest
:28:27. > :28:31.of margins from Kigen. A great race by Kigen, Mo Farah just had enough
:28:32. > :28:42.in the end but goodness me that was hard work. Mo, you have won the
:28:43. > :28:49.Great North Run, how does it feel? Weekley it feels great. Keegan is a
:28:50. > :28:56.great athlete -- Twenty20 is a great athlete. I just had to hang in. You
:28:57. > :29:01.know Kigen welcome he has done some pacing for you, were you surprised
:29:02. > :29:06.at how well he was running? Yes, I was really surprised. Early on, our
:29:07. > :29:10.aim was, because we have the same manager, our aim was to try to get
:29:11. > :29:13.rid of the others and run come to be ourselves and come home strong. That
:29:14. > :29:17.was the aim. And then once we dropped everybody, I was thinking,
:29:18. > :29:21.all right, Kigen, it is just me and you but even the people wanted to
:29:22. > :29:25.run a fast time, so he kept pushing and pushing. There was a couple of
:29:26. > :29:31.times when I thought how money more miles, but I just had to dig in.
:29:32. > :29:41.We had the end of the race with a few hundred to go but then Kigen did
:29:42. > :29:48.come back at you? Yes. 200 metres to go and I had to push. As soon as I
:29:49. > :29:59.was going to celebrate I saw him. How does it feel now? And is your
:30:00. > :30:05.end the ten Kate? Yes. But it just depends how I go after that. I
:30:06. > :30:07.wanted to put a marker down, run a good time and get a good run in,
:30:08. > :30:20.similar to what I did in 2011. He was given exactly the same time
:30:21. > :30:27.as Mike Keegan. -- might Kigen. I am sorry to give Paul of the bad news
:30:28. > :30:28.but it is a new course record for Mary Keitany. And what are run by
:30:29. > :30:41.Gemma Steel. She is in second place. Mary, first of all, congratulations
:30:42. > :30:51.on a new world record, beating Paula Radcliffe. OK, first of all, I am
:30:52. > :31:01.happy because this was my first time to come to the great North run and I
:31:02. > :31:06.did a good run and I was not expecting to get the better time
:31:07. > :31:17.than my colleague, Paula. I am happy. Maybe I will tell my
:31:18. > :31:23.colleague, sorry! At at least I am happy again as I think this is my
:31:24. > :31:29.first half marathon since I came from a long break. I thank God for
:31:30. > :31:33.that. Amazing elite races. But now the
:31:34. > :31:38.focus is on the 1 millionth finisher and it is getting ever closer. I am
:31:39. > :31:44.running the great North run for the first time. Looking forward to it a
:31:45. > :31:52.lot. -- the Great North Run. In memory of a good friend Mark who was
:31:53. > :31:56.a friend to my sons. I would love to be the finish just so my name goes
:31:57. > :32:03.down in history. It is better than being the last! I would be
:32:04. > :32:10.immortalised. My biggest passion is to be the 1 millionth person to do
:32:11. > :32:14.the BUPA Great North Run. This is my first Great North Run and it would
:32:15. > :32:20.be amazing if I could become the 1 millionth one. This is my 25th
:32:21. > :32:27.consecutive Great North Run. Just to say that I've done it and nobody
:32:28. > :32:32.else has done it before. This is the best half marathon in the world. It
:32:33. > :32:33.would be great to be the 1 millionth that line. A fantastic
:32:34. > :32:47.feeling. I have glaucoma and it is a
:32:48. > :32:51.condition passed on. My brother is registered blind and so is my
:32:52. > :32:57.sister. And we have been a bit unlucky, really. They get a lot of
:32:58. > :33:03.support and we often see there is always somebody worse off than us. I
:33:04. > :33:06.think sometimes people can talk to you a bit differently at first and
:33:07. > :33:16.they assume you can't do anything. Well, that is not true. It could be
:33:17. > :33:22.any programme. Just having a cup of tea. And just thinking, wouldn't it
:33:23. > :33:30.be good to do the Great North Run? And we just decided to do it. We
:33:31. > :33:36.might be totally blind but it is just knowing he is on my right and I
:33:37. > :33:43.am on his left. Running really helps and not only for the cited aspect
:33:44. > :33:50.but the moral support as well. -- sighted aspect. They do need a lot
:33:51. > :33:54.more funding than what they get because the work is really crucial.
:33:55. > :33:59.I'm going to enjoy every minute. I am. I'm not nervous but I am
:34:00. > :34:04.excited. Even if I have to walk and crawl, I am going to finish it! At
:34:05. > :34:08.the end, I think I'm going to feel really pleased that I've actually
:34:09. > :34:16.managed to do something for someone else.
:34:17. > :34:25.And I feel you need a bit of support here, so I am here for you. I can't
:34:26. > :34:31.think of anybody I would rather support me! Looking beautiful,
:34:32. > :34:36.Minnie mouse! Tell us what the cause is? I am running for a hospital in
:34:37. > :34:41.Gosper. People know me because I have won this for the last 22 years.
:34:42. > :34:45.And I have to keep stopping and saying hello to people who are
:34:46. > :34:48.always on the route. I don't know them but they are always there!
:34:49. > :34:52.Brilliant! The kids took over the quayside
:34:53. > :34:56.yesterday and it is with a great occasion. Tina met a big group of
:34:57. > :35:03.them running for their friend who has a brain tumour. They call
:35:04. > :35:07.themselves Oliver's Army. Everywhere you look on the quayside
:35:08. > :35:10.today you can see these T-shirts. They are running to support their
:35:11. > :35:13.friend Oliver and raise a charity which has helped Oliver and his
:35:14. > :35:21.family a lot over the past few months.
:35:22. > :35:30.Oliver is an amazing young man. Nine years old. And when he was four
:35:31. > :35:34.comedy was diagnosed with a brain tumour. He had radiotherapy and
:35:35. > :35:39.chemotherapy and fought that one. And in January of this year, his
:35:40. > :35:47.tumour came back. -- when he was four, he was diagnosed. When he had
:35:48. > :35:53.his operation, the children wanted to do something that would show
:35:54. > :35:57.Oliver how much they loved and supported him, and a few of the
:35:58. > :36:00.children came up with different ideas and suggestions, and none of
:36:01. > :36:05.them could really agree on one thing until one of the children said, wide
:36:06. > :36:07.and we run the Great North Run? And that is how the story started. --
:36:08. > :36:22.why don't we? It grew from just a few of Oliver's
:36:23. > :36:28.friends in his class to his whole class, to tricking out to other
:36:29. > :36:34.classmates, and then it just really evolved into this huge army of 135
:36:35. > :36:37.children. And we started a 12 week programme and it has been an
:36:38. > :36:41.incredible emotional journey as well as physical, and now we are
:36:42. > :36:42.accomplishing the four kilometres and we are going to run that on
:36:43. > :36:54.Sunday. Now, some of your friends have
:36:55. > :37:00.shaved their heads to support you. How much does that mean to you? It
:37:01. > :37:09.means a lot. It means they care about us. And they don't want me to
:37:10. > :37:13.be the only one without hair. You and inspiration, all of you, to all
:37:14. > :37:16.of us. It is fantastic you are taking part. I think you should get
:37:17. > :37:23.yourselves all a big cheer! CHEERING
:37:24. > :37:30.Well, you can't fail to be moved by that, can you? What an amazing show
:37:31. > :37:36.of support for their friend. As for the counter, it is at 1 million.
:37:37. > :37:47.-- it is almost at 1 million. I have found two blushing brides
:37:48. > :37:59.heel, and is that from the heat of the day? It is! Rachel and Becky. We
:38:00. > :38:05.are twins! What sort of reaction have you got to you being dressed
:38:06. > :38:12.like that? We have had a couple of marriage proposals. We have had Here
:38:13. > :38:18.Comes The Bride sung at us! Any would-be grooms out there? Quite a
:38:19. > :38:23.few potentials! Just have to find them now!
:38:24. > :38:32.Angellica, you have just finished, come across the line, and how you
:38:33. > :38:36.feeling? One hour 52. I can see how much this means to you. I saw you in
:38:37. > :38:42.the lobby yesterday and you were very nervous. Yes, I have had two
:38:43. > :38:48.children since I did this last and I was like, can I do this? Can I do
:38:49. > :38:56.this? Really mental! And then I had Steve as my chaperone. They just
:38:57. > :38:59.kept me going. I'm also raising money for Sparks, a charity which
:39:00. > :39:04.basically wants every baby to be born healthy, and I have been lucky
:39:05. > :39:09.enough to have two healthy children, so that kept me going as well. This
:39:10. > :39:15.is the greatest run ever. The crowds, the people, the organisers,
:39:16. > :39:20.it is such a great vibe. And I have to say that Steve Cram and Brendan
:39:21. > :39:26.Foster only one, because every time they see me, they badger me to run
:39:27. > :39:32.this! I did not think I could do it! One hour, 52 minutes! I can see what
:39:33. > :39:39.it means. You either come. And I am sure that Sparks will be grateful
:39:40. > :39:43.for what you have done. Thank you for supporting me.
:39:44. > :39:47.And there is the counter counting up to 1 million. Somebody very, very
:39:48. > :39:51.soon is going to be the lucky person. Only one can be the 1
:39:52. > :40:04.millionth across the line. And here it is... Tend to go. -- ten. 1
:40:05. > :40:09.million! 1 million runners, 1 million stories! And a million
:40:10. > :40:12.smiles as well! Whoever you are, we salute you. And you represent all of
:40:13. > :40:25.those that have gone before you. I think it is one of the best
:40:26. > :40:31.organised races I have ever seen. And it could be a beacon for other
:40:32. > :40:35.races like this. I am glad I was in the first one. It is the beginning
:40:36. > :41:05.of something very, very big here. The greatest, the friendliest, but,
:41:06. > :41:15.above all, a joyous and colourful celebration of endeavour and spirit.
:41:16. > :41:25.People are asking us, are you going to do it again next year? We have no
:41:26. > :41:29.choice. We have to do it next year. And here is the 1 millionth
:41:30. > :41:37.finisher, Tracey Cramond. The icing on the cake. Can you believe it,
:41:38. > :41:41.Tracey? Totally shocked! Abstract! When you cross the line, what
:41:42. > :41:47.happened? I was drawn to find my parents. My dad in the crowd. A bang
:41:48. > :41:52.went off behind me and I assumed it was a girl behind me. And I was
:41:53. > :41:57.mobbed with the rest of them! I now know how the VIPs feel! Tell us a
:41:58. > :42:04.bit about yourself. Where are you from? When did you start running? I
:42:05. > :42:09.started running in 2013 when my mum passed away. I thought I would raise
:42:10. > :42:13.funds for children's charities because children meant so much to
:42:14. > :42:17.her. Last year I ran for Great Ormond Street and this year I
:42:18. > :42:20.managed to get a place in our local Butterwick Hospices. I am ready
:42:21. > :42:26.proud to be in that team. Though, north-east! If you look at the
:42:27. > :42:29.screen down here, we can see the moment you were told you were the 1
:42:30. > :42:38.millionth finisher of the great North run. -- of the Great North
:42:39. > :42:43.Run. Can't believe it! That is Dave. He works with Brendan. And
:42:44. > :42:48.there is you being ushered up to me and Seb. What can you say? You are
:42:49. > :42:56.going to go down in history! What can you say? Amazing! I don't
:42:57. > :43:01.normally get anything right! I know Brendan will want to say something
:43:02. > :43:07.to you. Really well done. It looked as though you enjoyed that moment. I
:43:08. > :43:09.did! And we are going to make you famous for ten minutes. My moment of
:43:10. > :43:30.fame! I made it! TRUMPET FANFARE.
:43:31. > :43:36.So, Tracey Cramond, the 1 millionth finisher in the Great North Run.
:43:37. > :44:00.Here's to next year. # Baby, it looks like we have run
:44:01. > :44:10.out of words. #.