Great North Run Highlights Athletics

The Angel Of The North. It has only been there 16 years but it is

already one of the defining images in the north-east of England. As is

the sight of thousands streaming across the Tyne bridge in the great

North run. The first one was back in 1981, the 28th of June, and at

once, it captured our imagination. The speed of the elite runners, the

gritty determination. It has made us laugh, cry, lifted our spirits and

raised millions for charity. It will do all that again this year. It will

also make sporting history because one of those runners that makes

their way over the Tyne bridge and over to South Shields will be the 1

millionth finisher. It is an unprecedented achievement and one

that will stand forever in the record books.

The great North run, it is all with a day to celebrate. This year, more

so than ever. Yes, it is certainly an amazing and

proud day for the north-east. A global first, and it all kicked off

in Tyne-plastic fashion on the banks of, you guessed it, the river.

It really was an incredible night but now, today, the runners take

centre stage. One of them is destined to become the 1 millionth

finisher. I am from the West Midlands doing my 13th Great North

Run for leukaemia research. I have no other reason to run other than I

work for the South Shields group. I am running for diabetes UK. I would

very much like to be the 1 millionth run a country. Just for

the prestige. A member of our running club has said she will get a

tad too. That would be fantastic. It is a once-in-a-lifetime thing. Such

a huge legacy in the north-east and it would be unbelievable. Just a

dream come true. Going down in history to be the 1 millionth run

over the finish line! It will be such a sense of achievement when I

managed to cross that finish line. Thousands of athletes will stream

through the finishing air at the Great North Run later today but only

one can be the lucky 1 millionth finisher in the history of this

great event. The number currently stands at 964,764. Give it a few

hours and it will move over to that magic 1 million.

Well, I am here with Greg James. I know you have done the Great North

Run before. And because you have done this before, a little bird has

told me you have had professional help in preparing for this year? I

have. I had a session with Lynsey Sharp. A wonderful athlete. She was

brilliant. She just has that amazing steelyness that all athletes have

and you have as well. That amazing ability to become whatever and sort

of be not flustered by stuff. And I'm going to try to channel that

today. The Great North Run is brilliant. I did it four years ago

and I am so pleased to come back and do it again. What a day for it as

well! We expect a personal best from you because Lynsey Sharp has had a

cracking year! It was my first ever half mile of them before and I had

never really done anything. I did not know what to expect. -- first

ever half marathon before. So, hopefully, fingers crossed, I will

be OK and right which she is my personal best. I want to do it under

two hours today. -- and hope I can do my personal best. You look fit

and healthy. I need some advice. I'm going to make the most of this

opportunity. I have two hours before it starts. What can I do? Just

relax. There is nowhere to sit or to go. I just have to stand here! Good

luck! Do you want to run with me? I am now joined by Janice, who is

dressed as a bee. Can I ask you why? Yes, just highlighting the problems

with the bee population. I believe if you look after the small things

in life, the big things will take after them -- look after themselves.

I have raised quite a bit in the last few days thanks to the

brilliant people who have donated. You have had quite a weekend. Are

you planning to take any selfies today? I have had a few people

going, "there is that girl"! So I am hoping to do that. Barack Obama did

happen to photo bomb us on Friday! On a nice family walk at the

weekend. We made our opportunity to make our way across the fields and

have a chance to wave at him and whether we believed he was there,

and all of a sudden he was waving at us and we were walking together and

like having a chat over the garden fence! I hope today is just as

exciting for you. All you need now is to be the 1 millionth finisher.

Wouldn't that be brilliant? It would be! Best of luck. Thank you.

Somebody always has a special place in our heart and that is the eldest

runner. He is a World War II veteran and the British Legion made him a

special presentation to recognise his achievement.

The poppy to me is a symbol of memories. And friends that I've lost

myself. And even watching this one here, I could see the faces of some

of my friends. My friends that the poppies remind me about. You just

draw as a creative person on your own experiences, and the fact is,

when I knew I wanted to do this, I had to use the poppy, and I

remembered the poem On Slander Is -- On Slander's Fields, and for me it

was a member in what that comradeship is all about. I was

called up on the 1st of September and then we went to a little place

for training. And we ended up in France. We marched everyday. 154

miles, I was told, in four days. Half the time without any food. It

was tough. The whole thing about it is, it is about people. The normal,

everyday people. The fact I can give you one of these pieces and

dedicated to him... He should be getting a lot more than that. I can

feel a lump coming up in me. Fantastic. Blow me!

Well, I'm downstairs with a special team who are on quite a unique

mission. I have Sam here and Jonathan. Give us a bit of

background and tell us why and what is happening with you today? We are

here with the 64 Challenge. We have cycled up and back the length of

France and gone across the Channel, then we ran around the UK, to finish

the 1664 challenge. With most of these gentlemen with you? Yes, we

completed the event along with another 4000 Marines jumping in and

out for little bits. He seems to be doing all the work and you are

spending all the money! We are using the 350th anniversary of the Royal

Marines to draw attention to the fact that we were harder hit in

Afghanistan than any other military formation. A higher number of dead

and seriously injured, and so we have 155 seriously injured to

support at the moment, including 30 amputees. It will cost about 1

million, one million pounds, so we owe it to the injured and the

bereaved families and everybody who has suffered with the conflict, and

these guys, through their efforts, are helping us to raise ?2.5 million

per year which we need to do that. Just to make sure you are seen, you

will be carrying this black around, so that will give us some great

aerial shots, too? -- this flag around. Yes. We wish you all the

best and we will see you somewhere on the streets.

And there will be more of the runners later in the show. As

always, the wheelchair athletes have already got under way and now it is

time for the start of the elite women's race. Here are your

commentators, Steve Cram, Andrew Cotter, Paula Radcliffe.

Away they go. And around about 30 women get the chance to have the

road all to themselves. Over the next hour or so. And then the mass

race will start in 25 minutes behind them and start chasing them down.

Paula Radcliffe sitting next to me. You and I were chatting to bill

early on about the prospects today. And certainly with Mary Kay Tani --

Mary Keitany. A quick word from Paul and then we will be moving on. Every

prospect in the Classic. And the Marines have played a big

part in the celebrations over the last two or three days. Abseiling

down the Baltic yesterday and they were involved in the opening

ceremony on Thursday as well. And a great welcome for them. There is the

flag. A special flag great welcome for them. There is the

this very special day. Sorry, Paula. Just to bring you back in. I just

wanted to ask you, would you fancy running a half marathon in boots

like that? I am sure they won't be in good condition by the end of this

race today, but back to the women's race. They are settling in to that

first slightly downhill section, as Andrew talked about, which goes down

through the tunnels and onto the bridge and across the river onto the

Gateshead side, and at the moment, they look as though they are

settling into it at a decent pace but nobody really making any huge

moves, as you would expect at this stage in the race. We are sitting at

the finish line and we can look up the road here, and Andrew? It is

going to be victory for Jordi alginate. And the time is a quick

one. Very close to 43 minutes. -- Jordi Madera. The Spaniard takes

victory in the men's wheelchair race. Just outside 43 minutes.

Second again for Simon Lawson. What a grand effort from him again.

Coming towards the finish is the woman who will win the women's

wheelchair race, and that is Shelly Woods. Just outside 50 minutes.

Victory number six in the great North run the Shelly Woods. -- in

the Great North Run. It really dominant performance from Shelly

Woods. you know whom they all want to beat.

I love running, I love what I do. It is something I genuinely enjoy. When

I run, I just go out there, go in your zone and just block everything,

go out there, and sometimes if don't wake up in the morning and do my

run, I feel like something is missing, I've not done something.

There's loads of times I struggle in training, telling myself, mentally,

"I've got to do this". One more, one more, one more. You've got to be

strong. It is a one in million day for the Great North Run. Lord Coe

sets us on our way. One of the greatest sights in world sport, a

proud day for everybody, I'm sure, on Tyneside, and anybody who's ever

had anything to do with this event. 34 years, this event has surprised

us. It has been one which has played with our emotions over the years,

made so many people famous, and also has given so many people here in our

part of the world, in the UK, and from all of the rest of the world so

much inspiration. You almost feel jealous sitting

here. Even as elite athletes, as we all are in the commentary box, and I

will include Andrew Cotter in that as well. CHUCKLING

This race is about the guys at the front but it is much more about the

thousands, hundreds of thousands, and of course today millions who

have taken part in this race. One we didn't mention right at the

beginning, Mike Kigen, he is well-known to Mo Farah.

He could well have a good performance today, and Kikuchi from

Japan, the Japanese, such great exponents of the marathon and half

marathon and they have found a bright young talent, just 23 years

of age. Another man who has set a new personal best this year. But

plenty of time to talk about the elites at the front. There they go,

streaming across, down the central motorway towards the Tyne Bridge.

Well, they have gone through three miles and this group is already

breaking up. You can see Tiki Gelana is going with this first surge by

America tiny, and that is a very interesting move at this early

stage, because the pace is already fast, it is already good, and Kotani

wanting to push on a bit. Trying for an early bid. That is the way Mary

Kotani often runs, she attacks the race is very hard from the front,

sometimes pulls it off, as she has done when she has run very fast over

half marathon distance and indeed in the London Marathon. As we watch the

men now come across the Tyne Bridge, the crowds are outcome of the groups

together. The sun is shining. And there they are. Gemma Steel, you can

just see there in between Kilel and the quickly tiring Tiki Gelana, the

elliptic champion. This is the stretch that I used to know so much,

I'm sure Brendan ran plenty of miles from here, it is quite a far stretch

of this course, the next mile or two, from six to seven to eight

miles before you turn up the John Reid Road. That is ten kilometres

that have just been passed, not ten miles, ten kilometres from Kotani

and round about 31 minutes and 20 seconds, that is very fast -- from

Keita knee. -- Keitany. At the front, things have been going pretty

quick in the men's race. They ran 4.29 to the first mile, 4.33 for the

second, 4.31, and that is a pretty fast pace. That would be a personal

best for Mo Farah and the others in this group as well. So a good, fast

early pace being said here, and Kigen, who has been used to do that,

I just wonder whether Mo has asked Kigen to help them go a bit quick

today, because he did say yes, I just want to win today, but Mo Farah

never wants to do anything to easily and he is already breaking this

group of. The group is breaking up, Mike Kigen, a training partner of Mo

Farah in the past, so they know each other very well but he is looking

very comfortable there on the shoulder of Kigen, the leader. We

now have a group of three contesting second place here. We see Gemma now

just settling in between Tiki Gelana and Caroline:. Hopefully they can

settle in and find some kind of rhythm and settle in. Jenna in very

good shape. As we said, her personal best over the half marathon up for

some revision, and she wants to get some confidence from this race as

well to be up to decide and make that move forward up to racing the

marathon distance. We have already had about 14,000 people crossed the

start line, and they will continue doing that at a pretty rapid rate

over the next 15 to 20 minutes. And one of those people down there will

be the millionth finisher today. Well, back in the men's race, there

have been one or two developers, the first that Kiprotich has copped off

is pretty good pace set by Kigen. And Mo Farah just for a second was

fidgeting a bit. I Mo looks to be relaxed, he says that

Kiprotich has disappeared into the distance. They have run a pretty

solid first four miles, at around an average of 4.5 minutes, well under

60 minute pace. Like Mary Caetano, maybe they are going a bit too quick

to early -- Mary Keitany. They will be really interesting to see if

Kigen is acting as a bit of a pacemaker and then maybe Mo might

relax, that might be the tactic. But Kigen himself is certainly capable

of running pretty fast. The good news is that Mo Farah has the lead

of the men's race, and running very well in the women's race, just about

to pass through 15, to say, Gemma Steel, who has moved into a clear

second place ahead of the Olympic marathon champion, Tiki Gelana of

Ethiopia. A long way ahead is Mary Keitany, who is still running very

well. She's three seconds ahead of 65.40 pace through the nine mile

mark, so she still looking composed, still looking strong. She does still

have this poll and one more climb up to the 11 mile mark. But pretty much

now she is on a clear run where she can see the road stretching ahead of

her until she makes that dropped onto the seafront here at South

Shields. Meanwhile, the resplendent red arrows adding their superb touch

to a brilliant day. They are as much a part of the Great North Run as the

1 million people who have crossed the finish line. The fast part of

the course here, taking advantage of this flat section from White Mare

Pool, and key gin and Mo Farah just putting the pressure on here,

gradually moving away from the Ugandan. -- Kigen. It was most lets

go a bit quicker, the gap is beginning to open, I don't want to

get caught out as they go through ten K. 2819, and

Mo Farah is delighted to have a bit of company. I tell you what, I think

Gemma Steel, we have seen her dusting wish herself on the country,

we have seen her run well on the shorter road races. This half

marathon, she looks as though she is well on her way -- distinguish

herself. This maybe is an athlete who has a great potential to

represent Great Britain really well. Sedco building up the calluses on

his palm as people come along and high-5 him. -- Lord Coe. He will try

to do as many as possible and inspire them on the way to some

great performances out there today. But look at this, key gym, the man

who has trained with Mo Farah in the past, who is well known to him --

Kigen. He is turning the pressure, turning the screw, and Mo Farah just

struggling a little bit here. He try to say with Haile Gebrselassie last

year and only lost out in the sprinters. He needs to hang onto

Kigen here because at this stage of the race you can't let summer

getaway. You certainly can't, and when the cameras flash at the

finish, and they saw what was happening in the mens rea is, there

was a sigh that went up as they saw Mo Farah losing a few yards to Mike

Kigen, but there are a few signs of Mike Kigen coming under a bit of

pressure, he is rocking and rolling a bit, his form is going a bit, Mo

Farah is staying more consistent. We really have a race on our hands

today. We are well over 41,000 people who have crossed the start

line, which is fantastic, and a record-breaking day for the Great

North Run. Mary Keitany, never beaten over the half marathon

distance, this will be her ninth consecutive win. What sort of time

can cheaper juicier at the Great North Run? She has dominated this

race from the very beginning, set a fast pace, the others dropped away,

could not keep with her. Let it all to her. The question is now issue

going to break the course record? The clock is ticking as she

approaches the finish line. Mary Keitany of Kenya, it is going to be

oh so close, she winds it and ties the record! We will have to get

official confirmation of that -- she wins it. Paula Radcliffe says surely

it gets rounded up to 65.41! She may well be right. We will have to get

official notification of that. It is going to be a long, hard run. No

question about it, Mo Farah a little bit closer, the downhill bit

therefrom Mo Farah was pretty successful but now he is a sprinter,

he knows he can run fast the last 400 metres, he has just got to keep

that yard or two, just has to keep close. Over a 400-metre sprint, Mo

would clearly be the fastest. Now into the last mile, 55 minutes on

the clock, it is going to be very, very close to the 60 minutes, it may

even be close to Mo's personal-best, and if he knows that

information, he is an athlete who gathers bests. Gemma Steel will go

into the top three all-time half marathon times for a British

athlete. Gemma Steel, second place in the Great North Run comic huge

personal best. Well done, Gemma. Great performance from Gemma Steel,

and look out delighted she is and so she should be. Surely Kigen can't

alt click the great Mo Farah? He has never done it in the past and I'm

sure he can't be able to do it here, but here we have 200 to go, and

there goes Mo Farah, Kigen has no answer to this, and Mo Farah moves

three metres clear, four metres clear, continues to go away. One

last look over the shoulder, he is still gritting his teeth, kicking

hard! He has one more look behind, see is being cheered on by the huge

crowd here, it is a huge day for the Great North Run, will it be so full

Mo Farah? Kigen coming back again, only a meeting between them, he has

got to hang on, Mo Farah wins the Great North Run right on the

one-hour mark, a new personal best for Farah. He wins by the smallest

of margins from Kigen. A great race by Kigen, Mo Farah just had enough

in the end but goodness me that was hard work. Mo, you have won the

Great North Run, how does it feel? Weekley it feels great. Keegan is a

great athlete -- Twenty20 is a great athlete. I just had to hang in. You

know Kigen welcome he has done some pacing for you, were you surprised

at how well he was running? Yes, I was really surprised. Early on, our

aim was, because we have the same manager, our aim was to try to get

rid of the others and run come to be ourselves and come home strong. That

was the aim. And then once we dropped everybody, I was thinking,

all right, Kigen, it is just me and you but even the people wanted to

run a fast time, so he kept pushing and pushing. There was a couple of

times when I thought how money more miles, but I just had to dig in.

We had the end of the race with a few hundred to go but then Kigen did

come back at you? Yes. 200 metres to go and I had to push. As soon as I

was going to celebrate I saw him. How does it feel now? And is your

end the ten Kate? Yes. But it just depends how I go after that. I

wanted to put a marker down, run a good time and get a good run in,

similar to what I did in 2011. He was given exactly the same time

as Mike Keegan. -- might Kigen. I am sorry to give Paul of the bad news

but it is a new course record for Mary Keitany. And what are run by

Gemma Steel. She is in second place. Mary, first of all, congratulations

on a new world record, beating Paula Radcliffe. OK, first of all, I am

happy because this was my first time to come to the great North run and I

did a good run and I was not expecting to get the better time

than my colleague, Paula. I am happy. Maybe I will tell my

colleague, sorry! At at least I am happy again as I think this is my

first half marathon since I came from a long break. I thank God for

that. Amazing elite races. But now the

focus is on the 1 millionth finisher and it is getting ever closer. I am

running the great North run for the first time. Looking forward to it a

lot. -- the Great North Run. In memory of a good friend Mark who was

a friend to my sons. I would love to be the finish just so my name goes

down in history. It is better than being the last! I would be

immortalised. My biggest passion is to be the 1 millionth person to do

the BUPA Great North Run. This is my first Great North Run and it would

be amazing if I could become the 1 millionth one. This is my 25th

consecutive Great North Run. Just to say that I've done it and nobody

else has done it before. This is the best half marathon in the world. It

would be great to be the 1 millionth that line. A fantastic

feeling. I have glaucoma and it is a

condition passed on. My brother is registered blind and so is my

sister. And we have been a bit unlucky, really. They get a lot of

support and we often see there is always somebody worse off than us. I

think sometimes people can talk to you a bit differently at first and

they assume you can't do anything. Well, that is not true. It could be

any programme. Just having a cup of tea. And just thinking, wouldn't it

be good to do the Great North Run? And we just decided to do it. We

might be totally blind but it is just knowing he is on my right and I

am on his left. Running really helps and not only for the cited aspect

but the moral support as well. -- sighted aspect. They do need a lot

more funding than what they get because the work is really crucial.

I'm going to enjoy every minute. I am. I'm not nervous but I am

excited. Even if I have to walk and crawl, I am going to finish it! At

the end, I think I'm going to feel really pleased that I've actually

managed to do something for someone else.

And I feel you need a bit of support here, so I am here for you. I can't

think of anybody I would rather support me! Looking beautiful,

Minnie mouse! Tell us what the cause is? I am running for a hospital in

Gosper. People know me because I have won this for the last 22 years.

And I have to keep stopping and saying hello to people who are

always on the route. I don't know them but they are always there!

Brilliant! The kids took over the quayside

yesterday and it is with a great occasion. Tina met a big group of

them running for their friend who has a brain tumour. They call

themselves Oliver's Army. Everywhere you look on the quayside

today you can see these T-shirts. They are running to support their

friend Oliver and raise a charity which has helped Oliver and his

family a lot over the past few months.

Oliver is an amazing young man. Nine years old. And when he was four

comedy was diagnosed with a brain tumour. He had radiotherapy and

chemotherapy and fought that one. And in January of this year, his

tumour came back. -- when he was four, he was diagnosed. When he had

his operation, the children wanted to do something that would show

Oliver how much they loved and supported him, and a few of the

children came up with different ideas and suggestions, and none of

them could really agree on one thing until one of the children said, wide

and we run the Great North Run? And that is how the story started. --

why don't we? It grew from just a few of Oliver's

friends in his class to his whole class, to tricking out to other

classmates, and then it just really evolved into this huge army of 135

children. And we started a 12 week programme and it has been an

incredible emotional journey as well as physical, and now we are

accomplishing the four kilometres and we are going to run that on

Sunday. Now, some of your friends have

shaved their heads to support you. How much does that mean to you? It

means a lot. It means they care about us. And they don't want me to

be the only one without hair. You and inspiration, all of you, to all

of us. It is fantastic you are taking part. I think you should get

yourselves all a big cheer! CHEERING

Well, you can't fail to be moved by that, can you? What an amazing show

of support for their friend. As for the counter, it is at 1 million.

-- it is almost at 1 million. I have found two blushing brides

heel, and is that from the heat of the day? It is! Rachel and Becky. We

are twins! What sort of reaction have you got to you being dressed

like that? We have had a couple of marriage proposals. We have had Here

Comes The Bride sung at us! Any would-be grooms out there? Quite a

few potentials! Just have to find them now!

Angellica, you have just finished, come across the line, and how you

feeling? One hour 52. I can see how much this means to you. I saw you in

the lobby yesterday and you were very nervous. Yes, I have had two

children since I did this last and I was like, can I do this? Can I do

this? Really mental! And then I had Steve as my chaperone. They just

kept me going. I'm also raising money for Sparks, a charity which

basically wants every baby to be born healthy, and I have been lucky

enough to have two healthy children, so that kept me going as well. This

is the greatest run ever. The crowds, the people, the organisers,

it is such a great vibe. And I have to say that Steve Cram and Brendan

Foster only one, because every time they see me, they badger me to run

this! I did not think I could do it! One hour, 52 minutes! I can see what

it means. You either come. And I am sure that Sparks will be grateful

for what you have done. Thank you for supporting me.

And there is the counter counting up to 1 million. Somebody very, very

soon is going to be the lucky person. Only one can be the 1

millionth across the line. And here it is... Tend to go. -- ten. 1

million! 1 million runners, 1 million stories! And a million

smiles as well! Whoever you are, we salute you. And you represent all of

those that have gone before you. I think it is one of the best

organised races I have ever seen. And it could be a beacon for other

races like this. I am glad I was in the first one. It is the beginning

of something very, very big here. The greatest, the friendliest, but,

above all, a joyous and colourful celebration of endeavour and spirit.

People are asking us, are you going to do it again next year? We have no

choice. We have to do it next year. And here is the 1 millionth

finisher, Tracey Cramond. The icing on the cake. Can you believe it,

Tracey? Totally shocked! Abstract! When you cross the line, what

happened? I was drawn to find my parents. My dad in the crowd. A bang

went off behind me and I assumed it was a girl behind me. And I was

mobbed with the rest of them! I now know how the VIPs feel! Tell us a

bit about yourself. Where are you from? When did you start running? I

started running in 2013 when my mum passed away. I thought I would raise

funds for children's charities because children meant so much to

her. Last year I ran for Great Ormond Street and this year I

managed to get a place in our local Butterwick Hospices. I am ready

proud to be in that team. Though, north-east! If you look at the

screen down here, we can see the moment you were told you were the 1

millionth finisher of the great North run. -- of the Great North

Run. Can't believe it! That is Dave. He works with Brendan. And

there is you being ushered up to me and Seb. What can you say? You are

going to go down in history! What can you say? Amazing! I don't

normally get anything right! I know Brendan will want to say something

to you. Really well done. It looked as though you enjoyed that moment. I

did! And we are going to make you famous for ten minutes. My moment of

fame! I made it! TRUMPET FANFARE.

So, Tracey Cramond, the 1 millionth finisher in the Great North Run.

Here's to next year. # Baby, it looks like we have run

out of words. #.