Great North Run: Part 2

:00:33. > :00:40.Not only is it more than I ever believed, we did not believe that

:00:41. > :00:46.the British public would take to distance running like they have done

:00:47. > :00:50.full when I look to it now, and I see it early beginnings, we

:00:51. > :00:58.genuinely did not know what we were doing. It is just incredible. I have

:00:59. > :01:03.said it before, but it is ordinary people doing extraordinary things,

:01:04. > :01:07.it's the people, it is the numbers, the fact that it is the elite

:01:08. > :01:13.athletes and the rest who make it what it is. There was a moment in

:01:14. > :01:20.that event last year, when they were coming past Gateshead Stadium, you

:01:21. > :01:25.had heavy debris Selassie, the greatest distance runner of all

:01:26. > :01:28.time, and then there was Mo Farah. Three of them running together past

:01:29. > :01:38.the Gateshead Stadium and you will not get much better than that. But

:01:39. > :01:44.the idea to have a million, to beat New York and London and Berlin and

:01:45. > :01:52.Chicago, it is fantastic. It is kind of the icing on the cake. STUDIO:

:01:53. > :02:07.Yes quite a day for Brendan, we welcome back on BBC Two. There is

:02:08. > :02:12.the countdown, is it going to go to six, it is working, between here and

:02:13. > :02:19.South Shields and the start in Newcastle, the millionth finisher is

:02:20. > :02:30.on the way. You tried keeping up with that clock as it starts getting

:02:31. > :02:30.on the way. You tried keeping up vanishing the crossing line. It will

:02:31. > :02:36.reach its peak. That will be in quite a while yet, plenty of people

:02:37. > :02:47.to head towards the finish line, lots of people riding for so many

:02:48. > :02:53.good causes, Brendan and the rest of us a whole team of people coming

:02:54. > :03:00.here, ?270,000 for the Bobby Moore Fund. So many people out there with

:03:01. > :03:04.so many stories of their own. Just keep watching that clock. Keep

:03:05. > :03:12.watching it tick. Towards the magic number. My daughter is out there,

:03:13. > :03:18.not looking for a personal best, plenty of people trying to break

:03:19. > :03:23.their best? My sister and is out there, running again, they have

:03:24. > :03:31.never given her a mention, varies your mention Hannah, good luck

:03:32. > :03:37.today, James Hunter, Helen Wallace. Others raising money for children,

:03:38. > :03:45.with illnesses, holiday of a lifetime. Paper and all of the

:03:46. > :03:53.family running together, my sister is running for cancer care. Just

:03:54. > :03:59.giving a mention as well to Caroline Ridley who is out there, running for

:04:00. > :04:03.the motor neurone Association, we saw a little peace with them in the

:04:04. > :04:10.beginning, sadly Caroline 's dad passed away a couple of years ago,

:04:11. > :04:16.and it is an emotional day for lots of people, lots of thoughts to those

:04:17. > :04:22.who have passed on. So many stories, of those we have been bringing to

:04:23. > :04:29.you. Trying to do that over the next couple of hours or so, it is one of

:04:30. > :04:36.the features, we love Mo Farah and Mary Khatami but we'll say like to

:04:37. > :04:45.see pictures like this. -- but we love to see pictures like this. The

:04:46. > :04:50.technology is so good these days. Is it a little bit by fortune but also

:04:51. > :04:55.by design, that we have a dual carriageway, that is why we can have

:04:56. > :05:00.such an enormous field, we can have 40,000 running down it, broad

:05:01. > :05:03.thoroughfares all of the way. We honestly did not believe that the

:05:04. > :05:08.dual carriageway would have a lot to do with it. Clearly, we did not

:05:09. > :05:13.think anything like this would ever happen. It is amazing when you are

:05:14. > :05:17.further down the field, it is a common all running event, if you

:05:18. > :05:24.want to run a quick time, then you will get too

:05:25. > :05:32.-- then you will get close to the front but otherwise you will be

:05:33. > :05:34.skipping around. I did notice, the time that you need to be an elite

:05:35. > :05:44.runner. The finish line has got onto the grass now, and it

:05:45. > :05:49.really is a huge crowd that comes through down the four channels. That

:05:50. > :05:54.was moved across about one hour and 20 minutes from the elite finish, if

:05:55. > :06:02.you think that you will be finishing on the road, you have got to get to

:06:03. > :06:08.one hour and 20 minutes. It is up to you to tell us where you will be

:06:09. > :06:14.finishing? I will be finishing on the sand, they move it further out

:06:15. > :06:21.to the North Sea after three hours. Plenty of people out there, a lot of

:06:22. > :06:24.people running for cocoa, so many people running with inspirational

:06:25. > :06:36.stories, if it inspires you then make sure you visit the BBC website,

:06:37. > :06:41.get inspired on twitter. We tried to make sure that we make good links

:06:42. > :06:46.between the elite part of sport and the participate read part of sport,

:06:47. > :06:53.that is what these events are about. There are not really too many events

:06:54. > :07:00.where you can line up with the Olympic champions, if we look back

:07:01. > :07:06.towards the roundabout, these people are yet to pass the halfway point,

:07:07. > :07:12.about 40,000 have gone through five kilometres. Down there somewhere,

:07:13. > :07:19.there is Sam Rawcliffe, running in memory of his doubts, who passed

:07:20. > :07:26.away a few years ago. All of those people, are they meant to be on the

:07:27. > :07:38.other side? They are meant to be where they are, seriously, but

:07:39. > :07:43.cystic fibrosis, Lindsay Porter, she is running for the first time today.

:07:44. > :07:54.Helen Bull, running for the take heart charity, somebody else for the

:07:55. > :08:00.Mac Millan charity, one or two Mac others to mention. There so many

:08:01. > :08:05.national charities, disability North, I know that Sue Paxson and

:08:06. > :08:10.others are out there, good luck to them raising money for disability

:08:11. > :08:17.North, and Helen Stafford running her very first great North run in

:08:18. > :08:19.memory of her dad, she is running for age UK who helped them so much

:08:20. > :08:27.when they were going through difficult times. All of the way back

:08:28. > :08:34.over, the landmarks, looking exactly at where they are, and you can see

:08:35. > :08:38.Gateshead Stadium, it goes from the finish line back to Gateshead

:08:39. > :08:50.Stadium, which means that is a ten mile queue to get over the finish

:08:51. > :08:52.line. At South Shields. We have planned to do that helicopter

:08:53. > :08:59.tracking shot for a couple of years but the weather has never been quite

:09:00. > :09:03.good enough, and Paula Radcliffe is alongside me, a former record-holder

:09:04. > :09:09.of the Great North Run, what is it like to run? It is a brilliant race,

:09:10. > :09:11.the atmosphere is really good, when you get there at the start and you

:09:12. > :09:14.really feel the energy you get there at the start and you

:09:15. > :09:18.making their way along the route, to you get there at the start and you

:09:19. > :09:22.South Shields, all of the way along, that is what people come out of

:09:23. > :09:26.their houses, sit on their chairs and few drinks and offer you in

:09:27. > :09:32.courage and, and then when you get onto the front, in South Shields you

:09:33. > :09:36.can see how big the crowds are, it is also being able to say that you

:09:37. > :09:41.are taking part in the Great North Run and what it means with the

:09:42. > :09:47.history. And the history leading up to today, and the millionth finish,

:09:48. > :09:51.it is really quite something? It is a huge occasion to mark the fact

:09:52. > :09:54.that 1 million people will have taken part in the Great North Run,

:09:55. > :10:00.shared that experience and joined that family of runners. On Thursday

:10:01. > :10:06.evening we were both at the opening ceremony on the banks of the Tyne,

:10:07. > :10:11.it really was a fitting start to what was a historic weekend? It was

:10:12. > :10:15.a really good night, they put on a very, very good show, and they

:10:16. > :10:21.should, because Newcastle and the north-east should be very proud of

:10:22. > :10:25.what they have achieved. Yes it is all about, the amount of work that

:10:26. > :10:31.they have been into but it is about the north-east and how much work

:10:32. > :10:39.they have been in. It was a great shows. The opening ceremony, a bit

:10:40. > :10:44.later on in the programme, it just shows you how important it is, to

:10:45. > :10:50.have the elite races to get people involved in sport? It is important

:10:51. > :10:55.to have the elite races and the mass races, people need to have a target

:10:56. > :11:00.to work towards, so many people take part in their first five K and ten

:11:01. > :11:05.K, people want to move on, but pretty soon they want to try a half

:11:06. > :11:10.marathon. When you grow up watching events like the Great North Run, it

:11:11. > :11:15.really inspires you, and accomplish your goals. So many people today

:11:16. > :11:20.will be turning into this finishing straight, we can see the millionth

:11:21. > :11:24.finish, but they will not be aiming for that, they will be aiming for

:11:25. > :11:29.their times to check the clock and see what their pace is. It is a good

:11:30. > :11:34.point, that this millionth counter, you cannot see it from the other

:11:35. > :11:37.side otherwise you would have a queue, you would have a sprint

:11:38. > :11:40.finish to see if you could be the millionth finish. We saw two Mac

:11:41. > :11:52.very good men and women's you must have been very impressed?

:11:53. > :11:58.Yes, ready to attack that mark. She knows from skip the gap very well.

:11:59. > :12:02.And I think that she wanted to show that she could get close to that, I

:12:03. > :12:07.think this is a tough course, probably tougher than the Barcelona

:12:08. > :12:10.core so she had a very strong run, she attacked hard from the beginning

:12:11. > :12:19.and was able to maintain that and she ran really well, I think that we

:12:20. > :12:24.will see fast runs from her. And Mo Farah ran? Yes part of me was

:12:25. > :12:28.thinking that maybe working together with Mike Keegan to try and crack

:12:29. > :12:33.that 60 minute mark, he was very tired in the closing stages and was

:12:34. > :12:42.not able to do that. And then somebody was almost scared to go

:12:43. > :12:47.past. Maybe, when you get that close, it was 60.01, you just want

:12:48. > :12:53.to go into that 59 minute territory but it will come. Catching up with

:12:54. > :13:00.the elite races, but first of all the wheelchair races with Andrew

:13:01. > :13:07.Cotter. The men's and women's wheelchair racers went off together,

:13:08. > :13:16.the mens rea was expected to be between Simon Lawson and the two Mac

:13:17. > :13:23.Spaniards. There was Geordie Madeira, and it developed into a

:13:24. > :13:29.battle between Simon Lawson, and Geordie Madera, Simon Lawson

:13:30. > :13:39.finished runner-up, before, and it was Madiera who made his move, and

:13:40. > :13:47.it was a fine effort. And in the women's race. It was Shelly Woods.

:13:48. > :13:53.Was a long way to rock the rest, we thought it might be a battle between

:13:54. > :13:58.Shelly Woods and Jane Jones, but Jane Jones was a long way behind and

:13:59. > :14:20.Shelly Woods was winner for a sixth time. There is confirmation of the

:14:21. > :14:25.results. First of all thanks for the entertainment in the men's

:14:26. > :14:33.wheelchair race, it was really close, Jordi Madeira first of all

:14:34. > :14:43.tell me how much you enjoyed it? For me, it is more happy, a perfect day

:14:44. > :14:47.for racing. It is a beautiful day, I am happy. Excellent, well done on

:14:48. > :14:50.your win, Simon what is it like to be in a duel where you are pushing

:14:51. > :15:06.for a prestigious title. It was really good, I haven't been

:15:07. > :15:11.able to live with the top guys until today. We shared the work along the

:15:12. > :15:21.way, each of us doing a bit at the front. Really pleased with it.

:15:22. > :15:29.Does that give you believe going forward? Yes, the bridge is where

:15:30. > :15:39.they normally drop me. It gave me a bit of confidence in the race. Well

:15:40. > :15:46.done on the victory, Jordi. Congratulations. Shelley,

:15:47. > :15:52.congratulations, another Great North Run victory, 6 and counting. How was

:15:53. > :15:57.this one? I really enjoyed it. It was tough out there, I wanted to get

:15:58. > :16:05.out front, push myself and see what I could do. I was aiming for sub 50,

:16:06. > :16:12.I think I just missed it. I was looking on the way and I was close,

:16:13. > :16:17.I dug as deep as I could, but, no, it's great to win this race again. I

:16:18. > :16:22.love being here, racing in Newcastle, it's great. What is it

:16:23. > :16:26.like when you have won it so many times, you have all that experience

:16:27. > :16:29.to call on, and you are trying to push yourself to new heights. Are

:16:30. > :16:37.you drawing on the memories of the past? Yes, doing this course a few

:16:38. > :16:41.times helps. It's a course I really enjoy, it's a tough course. If you

:16:42. > :16:47.are really fit and you go out and give it all you can, you can do well

:16:48. > :16:49.on this course. I really enjoy it. You draw from past experience. It

:16:50. > :16:54.took me a while to win You draw from past experience. It

:16:55. > :16:57.Great North Run, I was always chasing Tanni Grey-Thompson and

:16:58. > :17:02.Great North Run, I was always Francesco, I was motivated to go

:17:03. > :17:07.fast. I tried to raise the boys today. Well, catch some of the boys.

:17:08. > :17:14.Once you have got rid of the girls, go as fast as you can. If I go out

:17:15. > :17:18.and do my race and go for it, I seem to get the best results. That is

:17:19. > :17:23.what I wanted to do today. I just want to say thanks to my coach,

:17:24. > :17:29.Jenny Archer, and David Weir who has been working with me this year. It

:17:30. > :17:33.has up and down year. This win is for everyone who has believed in me

:17:34. > :17:37.so far to help me get to where I am today. Wonderful to see you on top

:17:38. > :18:01.of the podium. Congratulations. Thank you.

:18:02. > :18:14.. Mary Keitany set herself up very early. Gemma Steel wasn't fazed by

:18:15. > :18:17.the pace that was being set by Keitany. Indeed she went past the

:18:18. > :18:23.Olympic champion and had a brilliant second place, but at the front it

:18:24. > :18:28.was all about Mary Keitany who by one second set a new course record,

:18:29. > :18:34.breaking Paula Radcliffe's record which has stood since 2003. For

:18:35. > :18:37.Gemma Steel, a big personal best. The third fastest ever time by a

:18:38. > :18:39.British woman over the half marathon. Tiki Gelana took third

:18:40. > :18:53.spot. A new personal best for Mary

:18:54. > :18:57.Keitany. What a future Gemma Steel might have over this distance, and

:18:58. > :19:06.perhaps the marathon. The Olympic gold medal marathon runner from 2012

:19:07. > :19:10.in third, Tiki Gelana. A great run from Charlotte Purdue in eighth.

:19:11. > :19:18.Susan Partridge, 10th in the Great North Run.

:19:19. > :19:24.Mary, first of all, congratulations on a new course record, beating

:19:25. > :19:34.Paula Radcliffe's old record. What is your reaction? I am happy because

:19:35. > :19:38.of the race today, my first time to come to Great North Run, and I am

:19:39. > :19:46.happy because at least I have run... Course record of my

:19:47. > :19:59.colleague, Paula, of which I was not expecting, but at last I break it so

:20:00. > :20:05.I am happy. Also maybe I tell my colleague, sorry, but at least I am

:20:06. > :20:11.happy again because I think this is my first half marathon since I come

:20:12. > :20:15.from a long break. I thank God for that. It was a wonderful

:20:16. > :20:30.performance. How difficult did you find the course today. In Kenya,

:20:31. > :20:40.when we are training, we train in a hilly place... Like this one, this

:20:41. > :20:48.Great North Run. So I think it never stopped me a lot, but I just go on

:20:49. > :20:55.all the way. So the next thing for you, marathon, record in the

:20:56. > :21:00.marathon may be as well? For the marathon now, I don't know. Since

:21:01. > :21:09.then, I was supposed to come for half marathon to test myself but

:21:10. > :21:12.it's OK, I have seen it's OK, so what is now is to go back to Kenya

:21:13. > :21:20.for one week and then my manager will tell me if I will have to go

:21:21. > :21:26.this season for full marathon or maybe next year in spring. Good luck

:21:27. > :21:35.with all those plans and once again well done on a new record today.

:21:36. > :21:41.Thank you so much, also I am happy. Gemma, you talked about your

:21:42. > :21:43.new-found confidence from being in America, taking big chunks off your

:21:44. > :21:48.personal best. You have done it again today, how was it? I felt

:21:49. > :21:53.comfortable for the first ten miles and picked it up a bit, I left it

:21:54. > :21:57.too late to catch Keitany obviously, I didn't want to go off

:21:58. > :22:01.at that pace, when I found that she broke the course record I was glad

:22:02. > :22:06.that I didn't. Really pleased, it has been a long time coming. Really

:22:07. > :22:13.pleased. Well done, you are also in the top three of all time of British

:22:14. > :22:18.half marathon runners. Yeah, that has equalled my ten K time as well,

:22:19. > :22:27.third on that, but to do it in the half marathon as well, it cements my

:22:28. > :22:33.place up there. Road running... I am glad. What about from now on in? You

:22:34. > :22:36.are doing amazing things on the half marathon, people are trying to push

:22:37. > :22:41.you to the marathon and you are not so sure. What do you think the

:22:42. > :22:45.future holds? I felt I was doing the right tactics to run the marathon

:22:46. > :22:50.today. A tactical race, just stayed in contention for the first ten

:22:51. > :22:55.miles and didn't do anything silly. The tactics for the marathon are

:22:56. > :23:00.instinctively in there, I think, with the survival instincts and

:23:01. > :23:03.everything, not going too fast, pacing myself. I definitely have it

:23:04. > :23:08.in me to do the marathon, I just have to wait until I'm ready to do

:23:09. > :23:11.it and the time is right, really. Today has built my confidence a lot.

:23:12. > :23:16.I just need to build on this and make more steps, a few more half

:23:17. > :23:23.marathons consistently running this time... Just basically experimenting

:23:24. > :23:29.with how fast I can go in the half marathon. Like I say, I ran

:23:30. > :23:37.conservatively for the first ten K also today. Just need to have more

:23:38. > :23:41.confidence on that. I can't complain today. You have done wonderfully

:23:42. > :23:46.well, enjoy the experience of being in the top three in Britain all

:23:47. > :23:52.time, and good luck going forward. Thank you, cheers.

:23:53. > :23:58.A great performance from Gemma Steel. That paved the way for Mo

:23:59. > :24:04.Farah to follow suit and give us a great British day to celebrate at

:24:05. > :24:08.the Great North Run. Mo looked serene early on, nice and relaxed.

:24:09. > :24:15.The leading group soon whittled down after a fairly pacey start. Ten

:24:16. > :24:22.kilometres, pretty quick pace, 28 minutes 19. It was just the two of

:24:23. > :24:26.them, Kigen and Farah, who would pull clear. It looked at one point

:24:27. > :24:28.as As many as are of the opinion, say "aye". To the contrary, "no".

:24:29. > :24:35.Might break Mo Farah, but he raised a bit of a sprint. -- it looked at

:24:36. > :24:40.one point as though Kigen would break Mo Farah, but he raised a bit

:24:41. > :24:46.of a sprint. They crossed the line in exactly one hour, a new British

:24:47. > :24:54.best, personal best for Mo Farah. He gets the win that eluded him last

:24:55. > :25:01.year. Both of them given the same time, although there was a yard

:25:02. > :25:06.between them. Stephen Kiprotich, the Olympic marathon champion and world

:25:07. > :25:12.champion, in third place. Another good run for Andy Vernon to round

:25:13. > :25:17.off a great summer. Jonny Hay in ninth place for Great Britain.

:25:18. > :25:26.Well done to Mo Farah, Great North Run champion. Paula, also a great

:25:27. > :25:30.race from Gemma Steel. A very good run. 68 minutes 13, and the way she

:25:31. > :25:35.ran, she wasn't afraid to go with the very fast early pace of America

:25:36. > :25:43.Tani, and was then able to pace the effort right. -- Mary Keitany. She

:25:44. > :25:46.kept the pace going through the finish. She came into today saying

:25:47. > :25:50.she was still scared of the marathon, she needed some

:25:51. > :25:53.confidence, she needs to raise well over the half marathon and that will

:25:54. > :25:58.have done her a lot of good today. -- to race well. You can't move to

:25:59. > :26:04.the marathon until you are ready to attack it, and you want to have that

:26:05. > :26:08.challenge. I think she is moving closer to that point. We are going

:26:09. > :26:15.to continue our build-up to the 1 millionth finisher. The scene was

:26:16. > :26:22.set perfectly with the opening ceremony on Thursday, which included

:26:23. > :26:31.all sorts of north-east royalty, Sting, Jimmy nail, we grab them for

:26:32. > :26:34.a few of their thoughts. I was in Northumberland County Championship

:26:35. > :26:41.100 yards in 1966. I haven't run since. I have run the Great North

:26:42. > :26:48.Run quite a few times, quite a while ago, ten years ago. I have a couple

:26:49. > :26:57.of medals in my drawer. You have got the legs for it. Thank you. I have

:26:58. > :27:00.painful memories, I shook hands with thousands of people, I ended up with

:27:01. > :27:07.a blister and I couldn't play the guitar for a month! But it was

:27:08. > :27:11.great. Pain. You see the sea and you think, thank God, it's over, and

:27:12. > :27:17.then you get to the seaside and there is a dogleg to the left and

:27:18. > :27:21.there is about another mile. That last mile, a lot of swearing

:27:22. > :27:31.involved in the last mile. It's such a famous race worldwide. The 1

:27:32. > :27:37.millionth this weekend, it's a huge achievement. We are happy to be a

:27:38. > :27:41.part of it, support it, we love Tyneside, proud to be of the

:27:42. > :27:45.community and do anything when we are asked. I just saw a salmon

:27:46. > :27:52.rising in the middle of the time. As I child -- a child it used to be

:27:53. > :27:57.called the Black River, to see a salmon in the River Tyne is really

:27:58. > :28:05.inspiring. There could be a song in it.

:28:06. > :28:13.I feel you need a bit of support. I can't figure of anyone I would

:28:14. > :28:17.rather have support me! You look wonderful in your getup, Minnie

:28:18. > :28:21.mouse, looking beautiful. Tell us why you are dressed like that. I am

:28:22. > :28:27.running for Saint Oswald 's Hospital in Gosforth, I have run -- I have

:28:28. > :28:33.won this for 22 years. Some people know me as Minnie and I have stopped

:28:34. > :28:38.and said people to say hello along the route. I don't know them but

:28:39. > :28:46.they are always there. You have done 22. I have done 22 in this, 34

:28:47. > :28:52.altogether. So you have done them all, while! You might be the 1

:28:53. > :28:57.millionth runner. That would be fab. Lovely to meet you.

:28:58. > :29:08.Hats off to that lady, or should I say loan s off? Taking on the half

:29:09. > :29:15.marathon is no easy challenge. -- ears off?

:29:16. > :29:32.I have got a coma, it's -- I have got to our coma, and eye condition.

:29:33. > :29:38.My dad has also got glaucoma, he is totally blind, so have my brother

:29:39. > :29:43.and sister. We have been unlucky, really. I thought it was just me, it

:29:44. > :29:47.would have been harder to cope growing up, but knowing other people

:29:48. > :29:54.are going through it with me makes it easy. They learn a lot from us,

:29:55. > :30:03.we teach them a lot. They get a lot of support. There's always somebody

:30:04. > :30:07.worse off than us. That is true. People can talk to you differently

:30:08. > :30:10.at first because people don't understand that physical disability

:30:11. > :30:16.is different from mental disability. They assume you can't do anything

:30:17. > :30:20.when that's not true. I am studying IT at Newcastle College, I got a

:30:21. > :30:28.distinction on my year one, I year two in December. So I know a or two.

:30:29. > :30:36.I couldn't be any prouder. -- I know a thing or two. They are doing

:30:37. > :30:39.really well. Just having a cup of tea, we heard the Great North Run on

:30:40. > :30:45.the radio, we thought, oh, wouldn't it be good to do it? We talked

:30:46. > :30:49.ourselves into it. Me, my dad, my sister, we had a conversation,

:30:50. > :30:58.thinking, we could do that. And then, we could, became, why not? It

:30:59. > :31:03.has snowballed. Being totally blind, I won't be running on my own, that's

:31:04. > :31:17.for sure. Without they support of a guide... It is a matter of me and

:31:18. > :31:19.the guide working together. It is just a matter of working together

:31:20. > :31:29.and getting your pace right. It is great. I think running with a

:31:30. > :31:34.guide really helps, not only because of the site aspect but also running

:31:35. > :31:38.support, because if you have got somebody saying come on. It is a

:31:39. > :31:45.simple thing but it is ready nice having someone encouraging you. It

:31:46. > :31:49.is a really good charity, the support that useful vision provide

:31:50. > :31:50.is definitely a lot more essential when you are growing up, because you

:31:51. > :32:02.are needing all of that, all of the

:32:03. > :32:09.stories, about other families. You are sopping stories. We need more

:32:10. > :32:13.fun than what you are getting, -- swapping stories. Because the work

:32:14. > :32:18.does deserve it. I'm going to enjoy every minute of it, I'm not nervous

:32:19. > :32:21.but I'm excited. I'm feeling really nervous about actually doing it, I

:32:22. > :32:27.am a little bit excited about finishing it, but it is mainly just

:32:28. > :32:32.nervous at this point. But even if I had to walk or crawl, I will finish

:32:33. > :32:38.it. Thinking about the people who will benefit it. At the end I think

:32:39. > :32:52.I will just feel really pleased, that I have managed to do something

:32:53. > :32:56.for someone else. It is a lovely day out here and I have got two Mac

:32:57. > :33:02.people who are so enthusiastic and enjoying the atmosphere, Darren and

:33:03. > :33:08.Angela, how is it going? It is going not too bad, I think that we are

:33:09. > :33:12.trying to keep a steady pace, but we are not doing too bad. We are doing

:33:13. > :33:19.really well, we are on target for under four hours and we were looking

:33:20. > :33:24.for five hours initially. The public has been amazing, people have been

:33:25. > :33:30.cheering us on, people who don't know me also cheering. But, everyone

:33:31. > :33:37.is so supportive and it has been amazing. He has been loving it, we

:33:38. > :33:43.are going to do it next year? Yes we are definitely going to try I think,

:33:44. > :33:49.more training definitely for next year. Yes. Brilliant job that you

:33:50. > :33:50.are doing, it will be fantastic, I don't know where you are amongst the

:33:51. > :34:03.group but you are doing OK. You are doing all right.

:34:04. > :34:08.We saw Colin speaking queue at the start, a special day, the millionth

:34:09. > :34:13.finish, how was the atmosphere? It was amazing, it was very special I

:34:14. > :34:21.think all so for Mo Farah at the front and some people at the back,

:34:22. > :34:26.cheering everyone on. I got called Steve and Matthew if you times but

:34:27. > :34:30.apart from that it was OK. How did you do personally, I know that you

:34:31. > :34:36.are trying to better your personal best? I guess I had an acceptability

:34:37. > :34:46.of 125, I knew I could do that and then I went for 120, I think I was

:34:47. > :34:50.between 120 and 121, it is the sharp end of what I wanted and if you are

:34:51. > :34:53.that close to breaking your barrier then it is a bit annoying. I saw Mo

:34:54. > :35:03.Farah doing his interview, he that at I said I lost you at about

:35:04. > :35:10.five miles, where did you come? And he said I won! You have done more

:35:11. > :35:19.than OK for the charity, it is something dear to your heart, it

:35:20. > :35:23.keeps you moving on? Absolutely, I passed a party last night, I gave

:35:24. > :35:25.them some tips so you may see them blowing up halfway across the

:35:26. > :35:35.course. It is an unseen injury, blowing up halfway across the

:35:36. > :35:40.takes a lot of support, for the family and the victim of a trauma

:35:41. > :35:49.injury or an illness. Great to see you always, thank you. No, thank

:35:50. > :35:55.you. Marines have been carrying the flag all of the way from the start.

:35:56. > :36:00.We are standing by to get them and they cross the line. The Royal

:36:01. > :36:05.Marines to give them their full title, proudly carrying this flag,

:36:06. > :36:09.it is a big year for the Royal Marine celebrating 350 years, as

:36:10. > :36:14.ever they are looking like they have just been out for a bit of a canter

:36:15. > :36:18.on the moors, in terms of exercises, this must rank as one of

:36:19. > :36:22.the easiest things they do but what an honour for them and what a great

:36:23. > :36:28.job they do. Some of them running in standard issue boots as well, hard

:36:29. > :36:32.on the feet. But they are used to it. The hardest of men. A great

:36:33. > :36:36.honour, they have been pointed in the right direction, the band are

:36:37. > :36:40.standing by. Some of them look a bit fresher than the others, some are

:36:41. > :36:49.wearing trainers, some are in full military garb. It has been a

:36:50. > :36:53.tremendous procession from them. We talk about military position, I have

:36:54. > :37:00.a horrible feeling that the marines who carry the flag, they are on the

:37:01. > :37:05.wrong side. We just hopefully, it is all coordinated. There they are, I

:37:06. > :37:12.think that they are in the right place as you would expect. And the

:37:13. > :37:17.salute for them will be I am sure roundly cheered by the huge crowds

:37:18. > :37:23.here. In South Shields. There is the flag. That will be presented, in

:37:24. > :37:27.maybe one hour or so, when the 1,000,000th finish crosses the line,

:37:28. > :37:42.they will have the honour of receiving this flag. Well it was a

:37:43. > :37:45.short but sweet fanfare. Well done to them, they do not look as though

:37:46. > :37:50.they had even broken sweat, as you would expect, fine physical

:37:51. > :37:54.specimens. Well done to the Royal Marines. Let us just have a look at

:37:55. > :38:10.what else they have been doing to celebrate their 350th year. 2014 is

:38:11. > :38:14.that 350th anniversary of the robbery in so I decided to create a

:38:15. > :38:18.challenge that would be fitting to celebrate that, in true commando

:38:19. > :38:23.style, that is by physical and mental exertion. Each element of the

:38:24. > :38:29.challenge, I tried to devise it to equal 1664, tours or miles, that was

:38:30. > :38:36.when the call was formed. The motto means by sea and by land. The 6064

:38:37. > :38:40.challenge tries to encapsulate that, it was to ski the length of

:38:41. > :38:48.Norway, from southern Norway we sailed to the south of Spain, 1666

:38:49. > :38:54.miles, we then cycles the length of France and Spain to the channel,

:38:55. > :39:01.1666, and then we did Normandie to Portsmouth. We then ran over the

:39:02. > :39:08.course of two Mac months, 1664: Matters. The challenge was tough, it

:39:09. > :39:13.was meant to be tough, being in the robbery and was all about being

:39:14. > :39:17.tough and the will to succeed -- being in the Royal Marines. They

:39:18. > :39:22.were skilled and determined to do it and they cracked on, that is what

:39:23. > :39:26.raw marines do, they cracked on, they did it with courage and

:39:27. > :39:32.determination, with cheerfulness in some pretty difficult situations.

:39:33. > :39:37.The Royal Marines trust fund is why we did this, they support breathed

:39:38. > :39:44.families, service personnel, especially following Iraqi and

:39:45. > :39:49.Afghanistan. Also the fulcrum is an dating back to World War II, there

:39:50. > :39:51.are veterans around, you cannot just forget them. That is what the Rome

:39:52. > :40:04.arena -- warm greens trust fund is about.

:40:05. > :40:11.Over 4200 Royal Marines, took part in the challenge in one week. Six

:40:12. > :40:14.guys did the whole challenge. That is absolutely remarkable and

:40:15. > :40:20.extraordinary, I am very proud of all six of them. I was chosen for

:40:21. > :40:22.endurance, my own attitude, I enjoy getting up every day and carrying on

:40:23. > :40:30.with the task. I think it was mental, I

:40:31. > :40:33.suppose the most physically demanding aspect was the jury

:40:34. > :40:42.should, it is like running a marathon every day for six months.

:40:43. > :40:45.Knowing that we were helping breed families and veterans, that was a

:40:46. > :40:51.strong motivation for each of us and when we did not feel like getting up

:40:52. > :40:58.and skiing 25 miles, it was on those days that the charity kicked in and

:40:59. > :41:05.drove us and motivated a. I have been in the ROM greens 35 years, --

:41:06. > :41:10.Royal Marines, throughout my career I have been immensely proud to be

:41:11. > :41:16.part of it and it has been very honouring for me to organise the

:41:17. > :41:23.1664 challenge which has been the pinnacle of my career. It is a huge

:41:24. > :41:34.privilege for us to lead of the great North run, and complete this

:41:35. > :41:37.amazing event together. Congratulations on a tremendous

:41:38. > :41:46.performance, from your perspective, what was it like on the course? It

:41:47. > :41:51.was brilliant, 13 miles, it was brewing to hear the rules every

:41:52. > :41:55.time. The flag, it has been one of the biggest occasions, it was a big

:41:56. > :42:02.occasion for the Royal Marines, also raising a lot of money for a great

:42:03. > :42:06.cause? That is right, we are raising attention for the fact that the

:42:07. > :42:11.Royal Marines had a huge number of wounded in Afghanistan and we need

:42:12. > :42:16.to look after them for life, we need about ?1.5 million to support an

:42:17. > :42:20.amputee through life, and these guys have supported the core and the

:42:21. > :42:27.charity, and we are confident that we can raise the money. I just

:42:28. > :42:34.wonder in this special anniversary, is there a greater warmth than ever

:42:35. > :42:38.in the crowd for you? Yes, we ran 1664 kilometres all around the UK

:42:39. > :42:44.and we got a great reception, there was a lot of awareness of what the

:42:45. > :42:53.Royal Marines do. Thank you very much, for carrying the flag, thank

:42:54. > :43:00.you. Thanks a lot, Cheers. Ladies it is great that you have stopped, it

:43:01. > :43:08.must be easy for you? We are missing mile five, have we passed it? . It

:43:09. > :43:14.is that way. Tell us about George charity? We are running for the

:43:15. > :43:17.Nolan trust, for people who suffer from leukaemia, and we are in

:43:18. > :43:20.courage in people to be on the bone marrow transplant

:43:21. > :43:26.courage in people to be on the bone memory of my dad, who we lost to

:43:27. > :43:35.leukaemia. I have never seen people so happy at halfway? Well we have

:43:36. > :43:44.seen actual Colin. We are really enjoying it. And a big shout out to

:43:45. > :43:51.Tom and to everybody at home. That way, way that way. And I am near the

:43:52. > :43:55.finish line, you can see that the runners are coming through thick and

:43:56. > :43:59.fast, the atmosphere is simply incredible, it has been a record

:44:00. > :44:04.number of people taking part in the North run this year, and if you just

:44:05. > :44:12.look up there, you can see the counter is ticking over, as we

:44:13. > :44:22.prepare, for the millionth finish. It is very exciting, but who will it

:44:23. > :44:27.be? We will have two wait and see. That was the actual Denise Lewis,

:44:28. > :44:32.I'm giving her a wave, about one hour to go out we think until the

:44:33. > :44:36.millionth finish, and now hospital stories always feature large in the

:44:37. > :44:41.great North run, so many people running because they are indebted to

:44:42. > :44:46.that, somebody wants to say thank you to the Freeman Hospital in

:44:47. > :44:52.Newcastle, and for what they did to her son. My name is Abigail Haynes

:44:53. > :44:59.and I'm running for the children's heart unit fund for the freedom

:45:00. > :45:04.Hospital in Newcastle. I am running because they saved my son Charlie's

:45:05. > :45:12.like, he has had two Mac open-heart surgeries and he's only two and he's

:45:13. > :45:17.only two and a half years old. MUSIC we had no idea what was wrong with

:45:18. > :45:23.him, but when he would eat, his lips were turning blue. And within the

:45:24. > :45:32.month, he was having open-heart surgery. They really encourage the

:45:33. > :45:41.kids to recover, they were encouraging him to go up to the

:45:42. > :45:44.playroom and play. Paddy Walshe from the Freeman Hospital, she is the

:45:45. > :45:53.liaison and she can't do enough to help. She is an incredible woman. We

:45:54. > :45:57.pride ourselves in the Children's Heart Unit Fund that we have a team

:45:58. > :46:06.that worked extremely well together and make it as easy as possible for

:46:07. > :46:10.the child. It is very tight-knit, the nurses remember you, they have

:46:11. > :46:16.these awesome activities and it gets kids happy and a bit of normality

:46:17. > :46:21.back into their life. A lot of people think that if your child is

:46:22. > :46:26.coming back in for repeated ad missions, maybe it gets easier

:46:27. > :46:29.because you get used to it, but as any parent will tell you, the older

:46:30. > :46:36.the child gets, the more stressful it gets in hospital. Charlie isn't

:46:37. > :46:40.out of the woods yet, but it's really comfortable to know that the

:46:41. > :46:43.Freeman Hospital is going to be there and Charlie is going to get

:46:44. > :46:52.the best care and they will give him the best treatment. A huge personal

:46:53. > :46:58.change that I made in my life after Charlie being ill, I was determined

:46:59. > :47:03.to lose some weight. It made us realise, who am I to abuse this body

:47:04. > :47:08.that is healthy? Charlie has done nothing wrong and he has got this

:47:09. > :47:13.broken body that needs fixing. I lost nearly eight stone. I promised

:47:14. > :47:19.myself I would run the Great North Run. Every year, we have parents who

:47:20. > :47:23.put themselves through the trauma of the Great North Run to raise money

:47:24. > :47:28.for the Children's Heart Unit Fund. We are just so grateful. I certainly

:47:29. > :47:33.wouldn't have been as determined if I didn't have such an awesome cause

:47:34. > :47:39.to run for. Seeing Charlie getting healthier and healthier everyday

:47:40. > :47:45.because of them, it has been what's pushed us.

:47:46. > :47:53.Abigail, an inspiration to all of us, and best of luck to her little

:47:54. > :47:59.one. The Great North Run has turned into a great North weekend. We will

:48:00. > :48:05.look back to yesterday, and this great -- and the great North city

:48:06. > :48:09.games. A great sense of fun in the 150 metres. Asha Phillip took the

:48:10. > :48:15.race ahead of Allyson Felix and Jodie Williams. A great run from a

:48:16. > :48:20.woman who was part of the record-breaking relay team.

:48:21. > :48:26.Christine Ohuruogu ran the rarely run 500 metres, beating Eilidh Child

:48:27. > :48:31.and Lynsey Sharp. Another Olympic champion, Greg Rutherford. He said

:48:32. > :48:36.he had a bit of man flu, but he ended up taking the long jump on the

:48:37. > :48:41.Newcastle side of the quayside. That was the great North city games.

:48:42. > :48:48.There was also the mile races, the junior run as well. Tina was there,

:48:49. > :48:52.she has the story. The Great North Run weekend is a festival of sport

:48:53. > :48:57.for the whole family. There is something for everyone and this is

:48:58. > :49:01.also where you might find the Mo Farahs of the future. Thousands of

:49:02. > :49:06.children aged between three and 16 taking part in the junior races.

:49:07. > :49:14.What is the best thing about being here today? I like running! Running.

:49:15. > :49:19.Getting medals and running. How do you think you're going to get on

:49:20. > :49:27.today? Good, yeah, because we are best friends. After the

:49:28. > :49:32.3-8-year-olds go in the mini race, the juniors go and there is a

:49:33. > :49:39.special group in the 9-16 -year-olds.

:49:40. > :49:48.Oliver is an amazing young man. Nine years old. When he was ball he was

:49:49. > :49:53.diagnosed with a brain tumour. He had radiotherapy and chemotherapy

:49:54. > :49:57.and thought that one. In January this year, his Juma came back. --

:49:58. > :50:08.his tumour came back. When he had his operation in

:50:09. > :50:13.February, the children wanted to do something that would show Oliver how

:50:14. > :50:17.much they loved and supported him. A few of the children came up with

:50:18. > :50:21.different ideas and suggestions, none of them could really agree on

:50:22. > :50:24.one thing until one of the children said, why don't we run the Great

:50:25. > :50:34.North Run? That's how the story started.

:50:35. > :50:47.It grew from just a few of his friends in his class to his whole

:50:48. > :50:52.class to other classes and it really evolved into this huge army of 135

:50:53. > :50:56.children. We started a 12 week programme and it's been an

:50:57. > :51:00.incredible emotional journey, as well as physical. And now we are

:51:01. > :51:11.accomplishing the four K and we are going to run that on Sunday.

:51:12. > :51:16.Oliver is an inspiration to all of the children who come along and

:51:17. > :51:21.support him. He is a complete fighter. No matter how we feel, we

:51:22. > :51:34.take our inspiration from Oliver. He is a great character, he's so

:51:35. > :51:40.funny. He makes us laugh at times when maybe we shouldn't laugh. He is

:51:41. > :51:50.just the best character, a real fun loving young man.

:51:51. > :52:04.It's been inspirational, emotional, very rewarding. Something that we

:52:05. > :52:08.will continue to do. Oliver 's Army will run in the Great North Run next

:52:09. > :52:13.year, and the year after, and the year after. We have started, and

:52:14. > :52:17.this is just really the beginning. Some of the children are going to

:52:18. > :52:20.shave their hair for the race, that includes boys and girls, and they

:52:21. > :52:25.are just a great inspirational bunch of selfless children who just wanted

:52:26. > :52:36.to show Oliver as much support and as much love as they could.

:52:37. > :52:50.What do you think the best thing is about the Great North Run? The

:52:51. > :53:00.runners, all my friends. Having fun? Yes. Getting fit? Mm-hm. What else?

:53:01. > :53:10.Raising lots of money for charity? Mm-hm. Oliver and myself have been

:53:11. > :53:16.overwhelmed by all of the support. The support all parents have given,

:53:17. > :53:21.both to Oliver and ourselves, but the charity as well. We wanted to

:53:22. > :53:24.really just say a huge thank you to everybody who has donated money, and

:53:25. > :53:28.especially thanks to the children and the adults who are actually

:53:29. > :53:32.going to run. I think we are looking forward to a nice big party on

:53:33. > :53:42.Sunday night as well, aren't we? Had you got any dance moves? Yeah!

:53:43. > :53:50.Oliver, how does it feel to have so much support here today? Very good.

:53:51. > :53:57.Some of your friends have shaved their hair, how much does that mean

:53:58. > :54:05.to you? It means a lot, that they care about us. They don't want me to

:54:06. > :54:09.be the only one without hair. You are an inspiration to us, all of

:54:10. > :54:22.you. I think you should give yourselves a big cheer. Olly, Olly,

:54:23. > :54:27.Olly! He is a popular chap. We can look at pictures of him yesterday,

:54:28. > :54:32.competing in the mini run. Very, very brave indeed. As Tina was

:54:33. > :54:37.saying, an inspiration to us all and he deserves a huge round of

:54:38. > :54:46.applause, running for Click Sergeant. We were just hearing a

:54:47. > :54:50.wonderful story about Abigail and the Freeman Hospital running for her

:54:51. > :54:56.son Charlie, and she has made it to halfway, with Colin. You feel nice

:54:57. > :55:01.and strong, you must be having a good run. I am enjoying it, feeling

:55:02. > :55:06.better than I thought I would. I thought I was a couple of miles

:55:07. > :55:12.back, so I am happy. Yellow people people are saying the support has

:55:13. > :55:20.been fantastic, have you felt it? It has been amazing. How much money do

:55:21. > :55:30.you think you have raised? A lot, a few hundred pounds, which to me is a

:55:31. > :55:33.lot. Well done indeed. I have some bad news, though. The finish is a

:55:34. > :55:45.couple of miles that way. I will see you there. Chow! She was there or

:55:46. > :56:06.thereabouts, halfway. We have had 12,233 kilometres at the

:56:07. > :56:12.finish line... They carry on streaming down the seafront at South

:56:13. > :56:17.Shields. Craig Pugh, John Adams, well done, guys, running for the

:56:18. > :56:25.British Heart Foundation. Laura McEwan, running for Mind. Others

:56:26. > :56:30.running for leukaemia and lymphoma research. Derek Jackson dressed as a

:56:31. > :56:35.gorilla. David Blair, running for Mind. Alexander Scott, running for

:56:36. > :56:44.that great charity the teenage Cancer trust. Katie, running for

:56:45. > :56:52.eating disorders. Jeff Harwood, for Gemma's Hospice in Leeds. People

:56:53. > :56:55.coming to the assistance of runners who have found it tough going, but

:56:56. > :56:59.everyone getting to the finishing line. Some of the celebrities... Oh

:57:00. > :57:03.dear, there is a man running in front of me with nothing but a pair

:57:04. > :57:11.of speedos, which I will raise from my memory with heavy drinking! Black

:57:12. > :57:19.and white stripes. You really hated them! James Cracknell, as we saw, 1

:57:20. > :57:23.hour 20 minutes 55. He has gone sub three hours in marathons before.

:57:24. > :57:27.Kevin Kilbane, a favourite player of Steve's, a former Sunderland player

:57:28. > :57:35.I'm on many other clubs, one hour 32 minutes 50. -- among many others.

:57:36. > :57:40.Ewan Thomas has gone backwards this year, one hour 46, it catches up

:57:41. > :57:46.with us all! Greg James, the DJ, lots of help from the sponsors, he

:57:47. > :57:55.was looking to go below two hours. One hour 54 minutes 29, well done,

:57:56. > :57:59.Greg. I am sure you and Thomas will have a word with you afterwards. Ian

:58:00. > :58:14.Gordon is running for Marie Curie Cancer Care. He has done ten

:58:15. > :58:20.space-bar ten Ks. -- he has done ten ten Ks, dressed as a Mexican

:58:21. > :58:31.wrestler. I have no idea what that looks like. I do. Ashley, running

:58:32. > :58:37.for Kid Scan. Emma and Michael, running for Parkinson 's. Mark for

:58:38. > :58:43.the bedroom or Cancer fund. Mark Wells, running for cardiac risk in

:58:44. > :58:47.the young. He won a bronze in the double sculls in Beijing. George,

:58:48. > :58:57.running for Sue Ryder. Kelly, leukaemia research. So they flood

:58:58. > :59:01.through, and they will do for a good couple of hours yet. We will be here

:59:02. > :59:06.for the 1 millionth finisher, we are trying to work out when that will

:59:07. > :59:13.be. I have to stress, there is no ticker on the side as the runners

:59:14. > :59:17.come down, so they can't lurk there. They are going up in fives and

:59:18. > :59:22.sixes, so it would be very difficult to make saw you were exactly the 1

:59:23. > :59:28.millionth finisher. You would have to come out within view of someone

:59:29. > :59:32.who could relate it to you to have any chance of trying to judge it.

:59:33. > :59:36.But most people will be going for their own personal bests to get

:59:37. > :59:41.under the two hours mark, to get under two hours ten, so to be honest

:59:42. > :59:45.I don't think they will be overly concerned about whether they are the

:59:46. > :59:50.1 millionth finisher, it's just taking part in the race that sees

:59:51. > :59:59.the 1 millionth finisher cross the line. It's great to see you again.

:00:00. > :00:05.Fourth year you have been running this event. I know it means so much

:00:06. > :00:09.to you. Absolutely, fourth year running, blue skies, absolutely

:00:10. > :00:12.wonderful to be running not just by myself but a super team behind me,

:00:13. > :00:19.who are all here to raise money for our charity, the John Eggen trust.

:00:20. > :00:23.Fantastic to be here. How has the atmosphere been on this historic

:00:24. > :00:32.day? It is my first Great North Run, the atmosphere has been great.

:00:33. > :00:41.It was tough conditions today in the sun. It was a bit warm, yes all of

:00:42. > :00:47.the way around, it was great support and it got you through it, it was

:00:48. > :00:54.brilliant. Great to see you looking fresh top who I date the lit but

:00:55. > :00:58.thank you very much. Remarkable scenes, people streaming behind me

:00:59. > :01:05.as they make their way towards the parity village, it is a sea of

:01:06. > :01:13.humanity, tens and tens of thousands. 978,000, that thing will

:01:14. > :01:20.overheat I think soon. Hopefully not before it gets to 1 million. It all

:01:21. > :01:25.began before the opening ceremony. Is

:01:26. > :01:38.the world 's greatest half marathon. I enjoy it, I want to come back each

:01:39. > :01:47.year. I remember doing it when I was 19 years old and it completely blew

:01:48. > :01:51.me away. You know the Great North Run, is more than a run. When you

:01:52. > :02:02.come here and compete, it is something lovely. This Sunday, the

:02:03. > :02:16.1,000,000th runner will pass the finishing line. We never believed

:02:17. > :02:25.that we would reach this number, we never aimed that we would reach this

:02:26. > :02:52.number. It is quite an achievement. We won. We have beaten New York, and

:02:53. > :02:56.Boston marathons, within next hour we will see the millionth finish, we

:02:57. > :03:01.will probably also really the opening ceremony from Thursday

:03:02. > :03:24.night, things do not happen by accident, let us meet the creative

:03:25. > :03:28.geniuses behind it. MUSIC I was first approached by Brendan Foster,

:03:29. > :03:32.who asked me to go and meet Bradley Hemmings who was correcting the

:03:33. > :03:35.whole thing, I went to meet him on the banks of the

:03:36. > :03:46.Tying. And I sat up and I wondered what this thing was, somebody was

:03:47. > :03:51.jumping into the river and I thought the river is sending a message you

:03:52. > :03:57.have got to do this thing. I'm very excited to be working in what is

:03:58. > :04:00.this extraordinary and incomparable arena, it contains the most

:04:01. > :04:04.beautiful bridges in the world and unlike a traditional opening

:04:05. > :04:08.ceremony which takes place in a stadium that could be almost

:04:09. > :04:12.anywhere, this one is an absolute icon, it is a stadium that is bigger

:04:13. > :04:16.than an Olympic stadium which includes these iconic buildings and

:04:17. > :04:27.objects, bridges that we can play with, fantastic. When I was crossing

:04:28. > :04:32.the river as a kid, of course I never thought of it as an arena but

:04:33. > :04:36.then when I thought there is going to be this event, you realised, this

:04:37. > :04:40.must be one of the world 's great arenas between the wonderful Tyne

:04:41. > :04:45.Bridge and the millennium Bridge, it has got the boats and the wonderful

:04:46. > :04:49.quayside, and you have got the water itself, what better setting could

:04:50. > :04:59.you have for a place like this, it is an extraordinary setting. The

:05:00. > :05:03.1,000,000th finish is an extraordinary global first for the

:05:04. > :05:08.north-east, so going from the dawn of time, right through to the

:05:09. > :05:12.1,000,000th, we look at the unique happenings in the north-east, we

:05:13. > :05:15.talk about Armstrong and the extraordinary traditions of

:05:16. > :05:21.engineering, shipbuilding, and we also tell the story of Joseph Swan

:05:22. > :05:25.and the worlds first light bulb which was created in Gateshead. Of

:05:26. > :05:28.course it is not finished, just like a run, you keep on running, thereof

:05:29. > :05:40.1 million runners who keep on running, and it is energy

:05:41. > :05:44.that takes us into the future. It is a fairly big brief to create and

:05:45. > :05:49.capture the magic of the Great North Run. We have heard something of the

:05:50. > :05:54.concept, but what about the execution? We will bring you the

:05:55. > :05:58.ceremony in four parts, told the beginning and the history of the

:05:59. > :06:09.north-east from the beginning of time, narrated by a couple of

:06:10. > :06:26.north-east luminaries. Five, four, three, two, one X Commissioner

:06:27. > :06:34.listen to this Northern light, listen to this voice, I am the voice

:06:35. > :06:43.upon the air, between the water and the stars, I am the voice between

:06:44. > :06:52.salmon and the lark, I cross the bridges, pound the streets, link

:06:53. > :07:02.this gleaming modern city to the ancient shining sea, I sing the

:07:03. > :07:11.music of the ever turning Earth, and the common tongue. And the lads and

:07:12. > :07:18.lasses, and the voice of others, I am me and I am you, I am every

:07:19. > :07:21.single one of us, I am the millionth runner, I am all of the runners gone

:07:22. > :07:28.before and all of the runners still to come, run with me now,

:07:29. > :07:35.leap like a salmon, dance like water and shine like stars, open your

:07:36. > :07:41.heart and sing with me now and run with Michu when the running started.

:07:42. > :08:52.-- run with me to the run has begun, it is the

:08:53. > :09:02.birthing place of all that is, darkness is the source of all that

:09:03. > :09:07.is light, and just watch them come, creations fragments, scattering,

:09:08. > :09:15.blazing, boiling, running, they dance the dance of space and time,

:09:16. > :09:20.they sing the song of everything, nebulae, galaxies and solar

:09:21. > :09:29.systems, and the planets and their moons, and now, gorgeous spinning

:09:30. > :09:31.Earth, this land, water, air and light, and then this north. This

:09:32. > :11:10.lovely North. ATMOSPHERIC Speak in it with me, now before the

:11:11. > :11:16.city with the lads and the lasses, great big forests, swampy things of

:11:17. > :11:28.wondrous trees. Their roots in clouds. The sun blazes down, with

:11:29. > :11:37.fire and leaves and stems and trunks. Nothing can last forever,

:11:38. > :11:45.all must move and change, forests fall and turn to pulp. Pulp crushes

:11:46. > :11:53.pulp, and turns to stone, to Perth itself, and deeper down it goes. --

:11:54. > :12:05.to Earth. Down into the dark. It has gone. It is lost. Is this what is

:12:06. > :12:15.called destruction? Leave the black and light down there for now. Run

:12:16. > :12:19.quickly on with me, see time with ships, sea beasts

:12:20. > :12:31.that crawl and walk and climb. Sing songs, sing stories of the bards, B

:12:32. > :12:42.fired, into this present world. Speak the script of Jarrow Steed,

:12:43. > :12:47.seeing with Edith on Lindisfarne, the patient civilise who makes Marx,

:12:48. > :12:56.forms words, casts glorious light upon his pages. Eliminating the

:12:57. > :13:22.whole world from his cell on a tiny island, by a northern shore.

:13:23. > :13:40.DRAMATIC MUSIC I hear them come, Barbarians, see them pour across the

:13:41. > :13:59.sea into the Tyne, see them with blazing swords, setting blazing,

:14:00. > :14:06.turning dark. At! You think you have got us but you are wrong, you don't

:14:07. > :14:16.destroy us, trudging through the ages, telling us that we are

:14:17. > :14:23.finished, that we are done, hear this, where we are is only to

:14:24. > :14:35.prepare for where we go, to prepare us for what we will do. Step aside,

:14:36. > :14:41.let us through. That is the song to sing in chorus, as a million of us

:14:42. > :14:48.run through time, creation is quicker than destruction's dread,

:14:49. > :14:56.it's Clint is brighter than that blew. We will not be caught and

:14:57. > :15:33.overcome, we will not be destroyed. Dance on, run, on.

:15:34. > :15:39.That was just part one, three more to come. Brendan, the good thing

:15:40. > :15:44.about watching it back, everything you missed when you were there, you

:15:45. > :15:48.think, did that happen? It looks like Disneyland. A beautiful

:15:49. > :15:57.evening, stunning. What a great job but Bradley Hemmings did. He is a

:15:58. > :16:00.renowned production guy. He did the opening of the Paralympics and we

:16:01. > :16:04.were very fortunate he responded to the idea of coming here and doing

:16:05. > :16:09.that. And the beautiful words by David Armen, the award-winning

:16:10. > :16:18.writer from the North of England. The video was stunning. And Tim

:16:19. > :16:24.Healy... And the lesser names like Sting, Mark Knopfler, pretty

:16:25. > :16:28.inspiring really! You look at the counter and you were worried there

:16:29. > :16:34.were not enough digits, but I think we are OK! Over half the field have

:16:35. > :16:42.finished, and the 1 millionth finisher is somewhere between 15 K

:16:43. > :16:49.and 20 K. They can't see the counter, which is quite good, but it

:16:50. > :16:55.is looking good. Pretty exciting. Your emotions, I guess, as that

:16:56. > :16:59.counts up towards 1 million. When you are an athlete, you aim for

:17:00. > :17:04.things and you try to do things, you get emotionally tied up in being the

:17:05. > :17:07.best you can be. But this was not a race we entered until a year or so

:17:08. > :17:15.ago. We didn't know there was a target for 1 million. We pretty much

:17:16. > :17:22.embraced it in the last few months, the last year. It's pretty exciting,

:17:23. > :17:27.but what is great is athletics, our sport, combining elite athletes like

:17:28. > :17:30.Mo Farah, and ordinary people doing extraordinary things. Bringing those

:17:31. > :17:37.two worlds together, our sport is pretty unique in doing that. If this

:17:38. > :17:43.gives some status to the mass participation world, then to be

:17:44. > :17:46.honest that's for good. If you watch people in the Olympics, you know you

:17:47. > :17:49.can't do that, but if you watch somebody in the London Marathon, the

:17:50. > :17:53.Great North Run, you think, maybe I could do that. If sport could be

:17:54. > :18:01.more inclusive and open its arms to more people, it is good for the

:18:02. > :18:04.nation. It is. A couple of BBC Breakfast presenters have finished,

:18:05. > :18:10.Bill Turnbull and Steph McGovern have been speaking separately to

:18:11. > :18:17.Phil and Denise. If it wasn't bad enough to get up at the crack of

:18:18. > :18:21.dawn to do Breakfast, Bill does this time and again, the Manchester run,

:18:22. > :18:28.here, marathons. It is one today, does it take its toll? I was worried

:18:29. > :18:37.early, but it clouded up halfway around and it was OK. It was all

:18:38. > :18:42.right in the end. The north-east is known for its warm welcome and it

:18:43. > :18:49.seems better than ever, this 1 millionth finisher weekend. No gaps

:18:50. > :18:55.today, people are always great. Very emotional experience. Considering

:18:56. > :19:02.who we are running for today. They really kept us going, terrific,

:19:03. > :19:06.really enjoyed it. Tell us the story if you can gather yourself for a

:19:07. > :19:11.second, I know it is an emotional time. Allison was our editor last

:19:12. > :19:17.year, she died of cancer and we miss her very much. 20 of us have run

:19:18. > :19:22.today to raise money in her honour, really. Running, you always get a

:19:23. > :19:25.bit emotional... Sorry. I was thinking about her on the way round

:19:26. > :19:33.and I never got to tell her how much I loved her and admired her. So

:19:34. > :19:37.today has been about her. I am sure she is looking down, hearing that,

:19:38. > :19:42.and she will have known that in her heart. She was a great woman, we all

:19:43. > :19:47.loved her. Well done to you today and sorry to put you on the spot,

:19:48. > :19:53.but you did a great job. I am just a baby really, thanks so much. Look

:19:54. > :20:00.who I have found, Steph McGovern from BBC right first. How are you

:20:01. > :20:06.feeling? I feel all right, feel tired. I enjoyed it, it was fun and

:20:07. > :20:11.the crowd is amazing. It was boiling hot, I thought I was in the

:20:12. > :20:17.Caribbean! Is this Newcastle? It doesn't feel like it! Brilliant. How

:20:18. > :20:22.was your preparation going into this? It was going well, I was

:20:23. > :20:27.training but last weekend I got an injury on my calf in Middlesbrough.

:20:28. > :20:32.You know if your head just thinks, oh, I don't know if I can do it, I

:20:33. > :20:39.had to stop a couple of times, but here I am at the end. Raising money

:20:40. > :20:45.for a great charity. Breakthrough breast Cancer in memory of our boss

:20:46. > :20:49.for a great charity. Breakthrough Ford. Well done to everyone who is

:20:50. > :20:55.running, it's so hard. Everyone is running, it's so hard. Everyone is

:20:56. > :20:58.get a bit weepy when you see the different people who have died and

:20:59. > :21:04.things, it's quite sad but great that everyone is doing this. You

:21:05. > :21:07.have earned a recovery and a rest. Get a massage. I will get a glass of

:21:08. > :21:18.wine. Get one for me! Emotional stuff there. We will look

:21:19. > :21:26.back now again at Thursday's opening ceremony. In this part, Tim Healy

:21:27. > :21:37.evokes an age of coal as a joint pithead floats down the River Tyne.

:21:38. > :21:48.Lost sons, blackened brightness, cleansed from darkness deep below.

:21:49. > :21:56.Down go our time travellers, Pitt men, each six feet of earth, 1

:21:57. > :22:04.million years, deeper and deeper, down they go. To resurrect the

:22:05. > :22:15.timber turned to carbon. Shaft by shaft, seam by seam, picked by pic,

:22:16. > :22:24.blast by blast, trolley by trolley. We bring the past into the present.

:22:25. > :22:33.We haul it out into the light. And send it across the seas on our

:22:34. > :22:40.ships. This is the stuff from the North's dark heart. The stuff that

:22:41. > :23:04.fires a revolution. The blazing stuff that transfigured the world.

:23:05. > :23:41.Why the Great North Run, you might well ask. Tap your feet and hear

:23:42. > :23:47.this. It's because we are human beings, man. Because we were born to

:23:48. > :23:53.run. A little lad called Jackie White was the ten mile world record

:23:54. > :24:06.holder in 1863. Jimmy Rowe, a foundry lad, was champion of the ten

:24:07. > :24:17.mile, six mile and 100 yards. Alf Tupper of the North won Olympic gold

:24:18. > :24:27.in 1966. Athletes here such as Tanni Grey-Thompson. And Steve Cram. The

:24:28. > :24:41.River Tyne, the champion rara. We are in the land of Milburn, Gazza,

:24:42. > :24:48.Robson, Shearer. Believing in angels, heart and sport. And then

:24:49. > :25:04.there's a lad, Mr Brendan Foster, Olympic medallist, world record

:25:05. > :25:20.holder, wor love letterren. -- wor Bren. Canny bairns, running like

:25:21. > :25:27.Grete Waitz. Hundreds in their wheelchairs, Superman, gorillas and

:25:28. > :25:33.Darth Vader. Brendan's dream has come to pass, first of 1 million

:25:34. > :25:46.bodies to cross the famous finish line. Every year we hit the drum.

:25:47. > :26:15.The cables shake. We run, we run... And yes, we bloody run!

:26:16. > :27:26.Nobody says Steve Cram white like Tim Healy! Two parts down, two more

:27:27. > :27:30.to go. -- quite like Tim Healy! Four finals, not all of them used at the

:27:31. > :27:34.same time, but when it comes to the 1 millionth finisher, it will just

:27:35. > :27:40.be the one with the counter, it. At 1 million. It's not going to be that

:27:41. > :27:45.easy to know who the 1 millionth finisher will be. They will have to

:27:46. > :27:50.look at the photo finish. Steve Cram, you have called some races in

:27:51. > :27:55.your time, how about this one? I am glad it is not my job to decide

:27:56. > :27:59.exactly who the individual is. As Jonathan says, there will be a bit

:28:00. > :28:02.of a hiatus while the checks are made and everyone has a chip on

:28:03. > :28:12.their shoe... The first thing we have to do, make sure everyone has

:28:13. > :28:21.completed the distance. There are mats at five K, ten K, 15 K, that is

:28:22. > :28:27.how I can tell you that 41,552 people are already through ten K. We

:28:28. > :28:33.have 38,000 through 15 K. They are progressing well towards the finish

:28:34. > :28:42.line. It is a countdown... Or is it a count up towards the millionth

:28:43. > :28:52.finisher? Not many more than 10,000 to go. It's a great site. Hall and

:28:53. > :28:59.Andrew, sitting and watching with me, -- Paula and Andrew. It's a

:29:00. > :29:03.great site. You appreciate it so much more now. You can look at the

:29:04. > :29:11.Sea of runners stretching back down the seafront. It's an impressive

:29:12. > :29:14.sight. The of support there on the banks, friends and family who have

:29:15. > :29:21.made their way down to support the runners. -- the amount of support.

:29:22. > :29:27.And to take part in the celebration. Looking at the various

:29:28. > :29:30.outfits, there was a guy carrying a fridge, a guy carrying an ironing

:29:31. > :29:40.board and an iron, stopping every few places to do a bit of ironing,

:29:41. > :29:43.but he has finished now. He looked a bit flat when he

:29:44. > :29:47.but he has finished now. He looked a Anyway, let's find out who Colin has

:29:48. > :29:59.with him at the halfway point. Mr karaoke... I will use your mic! Who

:30:00. > :30:02.are you running for? I like running and I like singing, so I thought I

:30:03. > :30:09.would combine it for the breast Cancer campaign, a fantastic charity

:30:10. > :30:12.funding research into breast cancer. Still 12,000 people per year die of

:30:13. > :30:17.breast cancer in Britain so it's got to get better. That is why I am

:30:18. > :30:20.doing this! Give us a blast as you disappear.

:30:21. > :30:33.Here is one for Mo. # I can't sing!

:30:34. > :30:38.# I can't dance! Use but who cares? # I will run like Farah! It's for

:30:39. > :30:50.breast cancer! Good effort though. Let us move on

:30:51. > :30:56.to part three of the ceremony, this is where we see Sting and Jimmy

:30:57. > :31:15.nail, we have got some really great electricity staff and fireworks.

:31:16. > :31:32.Roar of fire, belch of steam, iron, steel, stone, boom, crash, proper

:31:33. > :31:40.pay, proper rights, we will not be destroyed. We forged metal links

:31:41. > :31:50.across the earth, and we forged a better world with it, and we lived

:31:51. > :32:04.that world to the moon, and one day, we will lift it to the stars. 10,000

:32:05. > :32:13.workers pouring through the gates, the sparkle of welders like stars on

:32:14. > :32:20.the earth. Hibernia, Northumbria, bringing each closer to each other.

:32:21. > :32:37.Our ships bring cargoes in their holes, and with skill and fire in

:32:38. > :34:17.life, what we have done makes way for what we do. MUSIC

:34:18. > :36:16.MUSIC the River tells that nothing is finished, nothing is done, the

:36:17. > :36:26.salmon leaps again beneath our bridges, strong like hearts against

:36:27. > :36:33.the sky. The great port of Tyne links us as it always have, with all

:36:34. > :36:40.other sees and all other nations, the engine speed to gain in Neptune

:36:41. > :36:44.yard. Our cables reach across the oceans, offshore engineers,

:36:45. > :36:47.explorers of the subsea, where engineers of wire, steel, genetic

:36:48. > :36:57.codes, the imagination, the endless human

:36:58. > :37:17.net of thought and dream and labour, rises like exhorting larks, like a

:37:18. > :37:22.flame, like electricity. Image, glass, electron, filament and

:37:23. > :37:30.switch. Great Manhattan and Shanghai, burn bright with light

:37:31. > :37:39.that has come out from Gateshead, to proclaim our presence with the

:37:40. > :39:32.stars. Look around you now, and see Swan's lights, the beams of heaven,

:39:33. > :39:38.brought to Earth. MUSIC look at them just running through now in their

:39:39. > :39:44.thousands, and the counter is moving towards 1 million very, very quickly

:39:45. > :39:50.indeed. Quite some site, I have been joined by Steve, who has made his

:39:51. > :39:53.way, before we talk about that ceremony. Brendan mentioned at the

:39:54. > :39:57.top of the show, you run at Great North

:39:58. > :40:05.Run? Yes, it was not that bad, everybody just cared away including

:40:06. > :40:13.him and it took me nine miles to catch him, and he was down the road,

:40:14. > :40:17.and when I caught him, I was shattered and he was knackered, but

:40:18. > :40:22.it was great. We finished further down, it was longer than a half

:40:23. > :40:25.marathon actually, it is incredible what we have arrived today, less

:40:26. > :40:28.than 7000 people away from the millionth finished.

:40:29. > :40:38.Rhino, Brendan was a great run it has become -- he has become quite

:40:39. > :40:41.cultural? Yes it is a surprise to many of us, we are going to see a

:40:42. > :40:46.bit of film a minute, you many of us, we are going to see a

:40:47. > :40:52.working there, it was fabulous to see that show. It was a very

:40:53. > :40:55.ambitious thing to do, it was carried off brilliantly, but

:40:56. > :41:01.actually Brendan has been trying in recent years, it is like the Olympic

:41:02. > :41:06.Games, the opening ceremonies, sport is about people, and people enjoy

:41:07. > :41:11.dancing and music, it is part of culture. And trying to marry the two

:41:12. > :41:15.together is a good idea because not everybody wants necessarily to run,

:41:16. > :41:20.they want to write about it and sing about it. You mentioned being out

:41:21. > :41:37.and about, there was the great North exhibition. It is a celebration of

:41:38. > :41:41.all things great for the north-east, we are looking at the industrial and

:41:42. > :41:46.sporting heritage, against contemporary heroes, the main focus

:41:47. > :41:53.are five sporting and industrial greats. How do you think this links

:41:54. > :42:00.into this year, the 1,000,000th finisher? We are the first event of

:42:01. > :42:04.our kind to reach 1 million in the world so we thought it was a great

:42:05. > :42:06.opportunity to celebrate what else the north-east is great for, what it

:42:07. > :42:15.is known. The theme is what the opening

:42:16. > :42:20.ceremony was all about, it is about our heritage, what has made us so

:42:21. > :42:26.proud and great and it is about looking forward to the future, who

:42:27. > :42:32.are the next million people? Big themes, innovating, keep on

:42:33. > :42:36.inspiring and innovating. The nice thing about this is this link

:42:37. > :42:39.between the great characters of the north-east, some people don't

:42:40. > :42:47.understand, Joseph Swan and the role that he played, in electricity. In

:42:48. > :42:52.the light bulb. Sunderland shipyard is close to my heart. There are more

:42:53. > :42:59.people there, than watch the football these days. People are

:43:00. > :43:04.choosing their own Great North Road its comic says Brendan Foster but I

:43:05. > :43:10.think it is his handwriting! -- it says. There are lots of famous

:43:11. > :43:17.people like Bobby Robson and Jimmy nail, but a lot of people say my

:43:18. > :43:24.mother and my father. This is the image that most people, I guess.

:43:25. > :43:40.Interestingly, they take that same photograph every year. They just

:43:41. > :43:43.superimpose it on. Sporting events by the very fact that they are

:43:44. > :43:48.turning a spotlight on an area already city, if you are hosting

:43:49. > :43:55.given pixel the Games, it does give an opportunity to widen the event?

:43:56. > :44:00.Exactly right, bigger and better, people who might not normally think

:44:01. > :44:05.about art and sport, it get them together, the Great North Run

:44:06. > :44:09.effectively opens avenues. What the culture can do, is keep on telling

:44:10. > :44:21.the stories and all of the amazing things. Fascinating exhibition and I

:44:22. > :44:29.guess what is great, for the north-east is what they and their

:44:30. > :44:33.ancestors contributed? Yes, so many people came away from the ceremony,

:44:34. > :44:38.people forget how many great people have come from this area. Some of

:44:39. > :44:43.the great things they have done, particularly in the world of

:44:44. > :44:48.industry, not just industry. That exhibition is a great widening out

:44:49. > :44:56.of what we are about, what we have contributed, to the country and to

:44:57. > :45:01.the world. It is not something, that we are very good at doing. I think

:45:02. > :45:05.the Great North Run itself, is a great platform and showcase for

:45:06. > :45:08.telling everybody that we are a good place. You need to run the gauntlet

:45:09. > :45:32.back, thank you very much. We have seen five Scooby Doos, two

:45:33. > :45:45.of Spiderman, one Batman. Two of wonder woman. A man with an ironing

:45:46. > :45:55.board. Fred Flintstone. Three bumblebees. You could have been the

:45:56. > :46:02.one from Despicable Me! If people are thinking of getting into

:46:03. > :46:06.running, how would you get started in preparing for something like

:46:07. > :46:11.this? The easiest way is to get together with a group, whether it is

:46:12. > :46:15.a group of friends, or join your local running club and make it fun,

:46:16. > :46:21.make it a social get-together to get out and do the training, work

:46:22. > :46:26.towards the half marathon distance, building in short events, starting

:46:27. > :46:33.out with five K, ten K, ten miles and up to the half marathon distance

:46:34. > :46:41.gradually. Is weekly training very different for this from five K, ten

:46:42. > :46:45.K? You need to do a bit more to enjoy it, you need to have run the

:46:46. > :46:50.distance in training, but not a lot of times, probably four or five

:46:51. > :46:54.times beforehand similar distances, 12 or 13 miles, and then taper down

:46:55. > :46:59.before the event and picked a good one that is going to inspire you,

:47:00. > :47:03.keep you motivated and interested as you are running along. Of course the

:47:04. > :47:07.perfect preparation is to get married the day before the Great

:47:08. > :47:08.North Run and then take part, as a bizarre but very happy couple have

:47:09. > :47:18.done, talking to Phil. I have been invited to a wedding

:47:19. > :47:23.party. And here is a wedding party! Starting with the groom, the bride,

:47:24. > :47:26.the best man at the end, the vicar, the priest, the bridesmaid. You have

:47:27. > :47:31.lost somebody. the priest, the bridesmaid. You have

:47:32. > :47:37.bride is back there somewhere. And one of the bridesmaids. Hopefully he

:47:38. > :47:41.will get round in the expired or ten minutes! Well done, it is great that

:47:42. > :47:45.you have entered into the spirit, why did you put all of this

:47:46. > :47:50.together? We try to get married in September, we have this five years

:47:51. > :47:55.on the trot. -- we decided to get married. We thought we would put

:47:56. > :48:01.them together. It has just been incredible. All the way round,

:48:02. > :48:07.people congratulating us, waving, giving us oranges, it has been

:48:08. > :48:12.absolutely incredible. So when is the actual wedding day? Yesterday,

:48:13. > :48:19.the town hall just behind us. A very reserved reception! Only a few

:48:20. > :48:26.drinks! So tonight you can make up for it? Definitely! Well done, enjoy

:48:27. > :48:30.the celebrations and congratulations from all of us at the BBC.

:48:31. > :48:40.Happy honeymoon! This way, isn't it! About 400 to go, now it is time

:48:41. > :48:45.for part four of the opening ceremony. 4000! Just as well I have

:48:46. > :48:51.nothing to do with that counter. An amazing fiery runner symbolising the

:48:52. > :48:53.1 millionth finisher, Chase and status who I had never heard of but

:48:54. > :49:07.I like them now, and more fireworks. We are a realm of art and science,

:49:08. > :49:17.industry and philosophy. Poetry, theatre, music, sport. A realm of

:49:18. > :49:25.light and space and beauty that. The breath -- that will stop the breath.

:49:26. > :49:33.The firmament, a fingertip away. Like salmon, we will always leap.

:49:34. > :49:45.Like the lark, we will always rise. Our skip is quicker than

:49:46. > :49:55.destruction's dread. Our light shines brighter. We won't be done

:49:56. > :49:57.until the darkness takes us back into itself. We are the ever moving

:49:58. > :50:12.Great North Run! So now let's gather in a single

:50:13. > :50:29.flow, like particles of light, like human cells, like genes in code.

:50:30. > :50:32.Like common words flung out on some -- and sunk, between the salmon and

:50:33. > :50:37.the Larks, between the water and the bridge, between the soil and the

:50:38. > :50:46.sky, between this earth and all of that immensity. Blazing fragments of

:50:47. > :50:57.the big bang's Summit, each single one of us, each lad and lass, 1

:50:58. > :51:13.million runners joined as one. We run from the nilness to the start. I

:51:14. > :51:19.am me and I am you. Each of us is each of us. Run now and keep running

:51:20. > :51:23.this lovely northern road between the sparkling city and the shining

:51:24. > :51:48.sea. # The rain is pouring down on me

:51:49. > :51:54.# And the sky is the only thing I see

:51:55. > :52:00.# It's just me and the ground beneath my feet

:52:01. > :52:13.# I feel so alone # I feel so alive!

:52:14. > :52:49.# Oh! My my! # Yes, the rain is pouring down on

:52:50. > :53:02.me # I know it's the only thing I see

:53:03. > :53:12.# It's just me and the ground beneath my feet

:53:13. > :53:15.# Oh, I feel so alive! # Oh! My my!

:53:16. > :53:40.# Oh, I feel so alive! Is walk the world

:53:41. > :53:46.# There is nowhere to run, buy # Chance to chance

:53:47. > :53:50.# We've come too far and we're not going to lose it

:53:51. > :53:57.# Feel so alive # I feel so alive

:53:58. > :54:08.# I feel so alive! # Oh! My my!

:54:09. > :54:28.# I feel so alive! # Feel so alive

:54:29. > :54:42.# Feel so alive # Walk the world

:54:43. > :54:49.# There is nowhere to run # Chance to chance

:54:50. > :54:51.# You can run if you want # We've come so far and we're not

:54:52. > :55:06.going to lose That was the opening ceremony on

:55:07. > :55:23.Thursday. The counter, just under 2000 to go.

:55:24. > :55:29.How are you feeling? There are enough digits on there! It's taking

:55:30. > :55:33.up gently and slowly. A few anonymous people coming up the road

:55:34. > :55:37.and one of them is going to be the 1 millionth finisher, it's nice that

:55:38. > :55:43.it is an ordinary person. We have had Mo Farah with a British record,

:55:44. > :55:49.a female record-breaking run, a beautiful day, but the ordinarily

:55:50. > :55:56.guy is going to be in for... We are going to make them famous for ten

:55:57. > :56:02.minutes! A bit longer than that. I guess 1 million is a great symbol of

:56:03. > :56:04.participation. I don't want this to turn into the Brendan Foster

:56:05. > :56:09.Fanclub, but it's a turn into the Brendan Foster

:56:10. > :56:14.man. 34 years ago, somebody has to sit down and have the idea. I know

:56:15. > :56:18.he would be the first to say that this has been a magnificent team

:56:19. > :56:24.effort, every year it's got bigger and bigger, but it starts off with

:56:25. > :56:28.something. That catalyst has been the 1 millionth person today and

:56:29. > :56:33.that is sensational. If they all remain in our sport, that's even

:56:34. > :56:39.better. Where did the information come from? Like Sebastien Makro

:56:40. > :56:49.said, all great ideas start with a bowl of salad! -- like Sebastien

:56:50. > :56:53.said. I saw a raise in New Zealand with Dave Moorcroft when we were

:56:54. > :57:00.training for the 1980 Olympics. -- a race. A lot of pressure on Britain

:57:01. > :57:04.in 1984 as not to go to the Olympics, we have been training our

:57:05. > :57:08.whole lives so we went to train in New Zealand. Dave and I ran in a

:57:09. > :57:14.race in Auckland, run along the coast and finished at the seaside. I

:57:15. > :57:18.said to David, that was great. We had never seen an event of that

:57:19. > :57:22.size, 10,000 runners they had. I said, when I retire after the

:57:23. > :57:26.Olympics, I am going to see if we can do something like that at home

:57:27. > :57:30.in the north-east. We started with the city, Newcastle, across the Tyne

:57:31. > :57:35.Bridge, coming to the seaside. This is where I used to come as a kid,

:57:36. > :57:40.South Shields. Steve Cram was the same, this is our seaside, and it

:57:41. > :57:45.seems to work quite well. Steve was having a go at you earlier, saying

:57:46. > :57:50.that he didn't catch you up until nine miles in the first race. That

:57:51. > :57:54.is true, he called me at nine miles and started running alongside me,

:57:55. > :57:58.talking. He was on his way to becoming an Olympic runner and I was

:57:59. > :58:04.an old has-been. After a minute listening to him talking, I said,

:58:05. > :58:14.Steve... We have all done that! It is the oldest one in the book. The

:58:15. > :58:20.counter has gone red. I thought it was going to be black and white, not

:58:21. > :58:24.red and white! What was your first memories, you must have been aware

:58:25. > :58:30.it was happening? I think it was only six weeks after the London one,

:58:31. > :58:37.it was earlier in the year. Chris Brasher was planning the London

:58:38. > :58:44.Marathon in April. It was at a time when a lot of cities were beginning

:58:45. > :58:48.to do it. You talked about the race in New Zealand, I can remember some

:58:49. > :58:54.of the runs developing in the 70s in the states. Portland, Falmouth, New

:58:55. > :59:01.York. It was the world starting to run. Off the back of a successful

:59:02. > :59:07.British athletics team at the time, we came out of the Moscow games, a

:59:08. > :59:14.good 1981 season, people were just caught up... In a way, just joined

:59:15. > :59:19.the imagination of how far this could go. Every year, it's got

:59:20. > :59:25.bigger and better and the sponsors realised this was something that was

:59:26. > :59:32.worth supporting. Looking back, they were fairly modest affairs. The

:59:33. > :59:38.London Marathon, you know, it was a few thousand. The first year, the

:59:39. > :59:42.London Marathon was 6000 and we were 10,000. But I tell you what, the

:59:43. > :59:46.London Marathon is the finest marathon in the world, the jewel in

:59:47. > :59:51.the crown, the one we aspire to. But here we are in the north-east of

:59:52. > :59:56.England, on the coast, the number is ticking up, Jonathan... Somebody is

:59:57. > :00:02.going to tell me to go to Steve Cram very soon. What do you think the

:00:03. > :00:08.hook is? It is not easy, a great sense of achievement, but they are

:00:09. > :00:13.knackered. I think it's more accessible, if I am being honest,

:00:14. > :00:17.than the marathon. It is more within most people's range of comfort. I

:00:18. > :00:21.shouldn't say this, but you don't have to train for quite so long.

:00:22. > :00:27.It's something within the framework of reference. I think there is a

:00:28. > :00:32.unique community spirit here, and I can say it as an outsider, you two

:00:33. > :00:36.know the area far better than I do, even from the 70s when I was coming

:00:37. > :00:41.up here, this is an area that just gets sport, it understands it, it's

:00:42. > :00:46.passionate about it and is more to it than just simply a competitive

:00:47. > :00:55.outing. The time has come, Steve, it's all yours.

:00:56. > :01:01.As you say, the moment has come, somebody in that group of people

:01:02. > :01:06.heading towards the finish line will be the 1,000,000th finisher in the

:01:07. > :01:10.Great North Run. 34 years we have come and

:01:11. > :01:20.Watched. We have marvelled at the great and the glorious and the

:01:21. > :01:22.ordinary, ordinary people doing extraordinary things, many people

:01:23. > :01:28.never thought this was something that they could achieve, they have

:01:29. > :01:32.joined a long, long list of so many people, enough of them have run

:01:33. > :01:43.enough miles to go halfway from planet Earth to Venus, 13 million

:01:44. > :01:49.miles and more. We have seen one of the oldest today of course, from all

:01:50. > :01:54.ages, and all over the north-east, there must be hardly a family from

:01:55. > :02:04.the north-east who has not taken part in the great North West run.

:02:05. > :02:09.And counting up to 1 million, someone is soon going to be the

:02:10. > :02:19.lucky person, only one can be the millionth across the line. Here it

:02:20. > :02:25.is. Tend to go. 1 million! 1 million runners! 1 million stories. And a

:02:26. > :02:29.million smiles as well, whoever you are, we salute you and you represent

:02:30. > :02:37.all of those that have gone before you. It is a fantastic moment for a

:02:38. > :02:43.fantastic race. The Great North Run, truly is great, and 1 million people

:02:44. > :02:54.can now say that they have done it. And still they come. Well it was 33

:02:55. > :03:01.years ago, this is the 34th running of it, we gathered here when we all

:03:02. > :03:06.finished, none of us could have thought of what was to come over the

:03:07. > :03:19.ensuing years. It seems such a long time ago, 1981. I think this is one

:03:20. > :03:25.of the best organised races I have ever seen. It could be a blueprint

:03:26. > :03:30.for other races like this. I am glad that I was in the first Great North

:03:31. > :03:57.Run. It is the beginning of something very, very bit here. --

:03:58. > :04:01.very big. The greatest, the friendliest, a colourful and joyous

:04:02. > :04:13.celebration of regional identity and spirit. People are asking us if we

:04:14. > :04:17.will do it again next year, but we don't have the choice, we have got

:04:18. > :04:26.to do it because that is what people do mundane. -- are demanding. 1

:04:27. > :04:30.million finishes, in fact that is not true any more, because it is

:04:31. > :04:35.probably about one million and a thousand and it will keep on ticking

:04:36. > :04:40.for years to come. I suppose we will have two do it again next year,

:04:41. > :04:45.where does this all finished? Well we have got the second million

:04:46. > :04:52.already, Sebastien has suggested a really neat idea. I was saying,

:04:53. > :04:57.wouldn't it be nice to send back the millionth who was across, to send it

:04:58. > :05:03.back to New Zealand, where they got the idea from. I'm glad that I'm not

:05:04. > :05:07.in charge of the budgets. I think that is a good idea, we will

:05:08. > :05:14.definitely do that. They need to hold boys to go with them. So

:05:15. > :05:20.Michael cloud was the first winner in 1981, I have asked this a few

:05:21. > :05:26.times, the emotions when you saw that ticking over, the little group

:05:27. > :05:31.ushered away, now being vetted, to see who is at the photo finish. It

:05:32. > :05:37.is lovely, it is really good, but we organise these things, but this is

:05:38. > :05:42.absolutely true, it is the people who have turned up who have made the

:05:43. > :05:47.million. We could have organised and worked as hard as we had done and it

:05:48. > :05:56.might be 750,000, people have embraced it. And I think the look,

:05:57. > :06:01.they look quite shocked. To say that they have run for 3.5 hours already.

:06:02. > :06:07.We have seen the counter, they cannot see it. They look very

:06:08. > :06:11.excited, and slightly shocked. It has been an amazing journey for

:06:12. > :06:21.you, here are a few thoughts that you have had. When I first started

:06:22. > :06:26.this event, the biggest event in Britain had 1300 runners in it. In

:06:27. > :06:30.our first year we had 11,000 runners, that made it immediately

:06:31. > :06:37.opens biggest ever mass participation event. And when I have

:06:38. > :06:41.seen it grow, watched it grow, and become the most popular and you get

:06:42. > :06:47.50,000 runners and a million finishes. Not only is it more than I

:06:48. > :06:51.could believe, it is more than they could believe. We did not believe

:06:52. > :06:56.that the British public would take to distance running like they have

:06:57. > :07:01.done. When I look at it now, and I see, it starts from those early

:07:02. > :07:08.beginnings. We did not know what we were doing. It is just incredible. I

:07:09. > :07:14.have said it before, it is ordinary people doing extraordinary things.

:07:15. > :07:20.It is the people, it is the numbers, it is the elite athletes and the

:07:21. > :07:25.rest. That make it what it is. There was a moment in that event last

:07:26. > :07:29.year, coming across Gateshead Stadium, which was my stamping

:07:30. > :07:35.ground, we have the greatest distance runner of all time, and we

:07:36. > :07:39.had the Challenger and we had Mo Farah. Three of them running

:07:40. > :07:45.together, and I thought it will not get any better than that. But the

:07:46. > :07:49.idea of getting 1 million, it is a race that we only entered a couple

:07:50. > :07:56.of years ago and we realised it was getting close to a million, to beat

:07:57. > :08:04.London, New York, Tokyo, and for people to recognise it is the icing

:08:05. > :08:09.on the cake. Here it is the millionth finisher, can you believe

:08:10. > :08:16.it? I am gobsmacked, totally shocked. What happened? I kept on

:08:17. > :08:21.going and I was trying to find my parents, my dad is somewhere in the

:08:22. > :08:27.crowd, and I assumed that it was a girl behind me and then I was mobbed

:08:28. > :08:35.with the rest of them. I know how the VIPs feel now. Tell us about

:08:36. > :08:40.yourself, where are you from? I started running in 2013 after my mum

:08:41. > :08:43.passed away, and I thought that I would raise funds for children's

:08:44. > :08:48.charities because children meant so much to her, for the last two years

:08:49. > :08:56.I ran the Great North Run, last year I ran for great warm and, -- great

:08:57. > :09:01.warm in, and this year for the hospice, good going the north-east

:09:02. > :09:05.and I'm really proud. If you look at the screen, we can see the moment

:09:06. > :09:13.when you were told that you were the millionth finisher of the great

:09:14. > :09:16.North run. LAUGHTER There you are, being ushered up, to

:09:17. > :09:27.meet me and Sebastian and Brendan, you are going

:09:28. > :09:34.to go down in history. That is amazing, I never get anything right.

:09:35. > :09:39.He wants to say something to you, Brendan. Fantastic, well done, it

:09:40. > :09:43.looks as though you enjoyed that moment, we will make you famous for

:09:44. > :09:54.ten minutes. Thank you. My moment of fame. I made it! Over there, there

:09:55. > :09:58.is a special ceremony area, there is a special flag that is going to be

:09:59. > :10:03.commissioned and a whole bunch of marines, that sounds good. This is

:10:04. > :10:09.amazing, I am in awe of all of this. My moment of fame. How was the run

:10:10. > :10:15.for you? I think it was incredibly hot, a lot of runners have struggled

:10:16. > :10:19.terribly with a heat, cramping, not taking on enough fluid, I did

:10:20. > :10:25.struggle today too. Mostly, I think that I lost my body weight in

:10:26. > :10:30.perspiration to be honest. And in terms of the crowd out there, the

:10:31. > :10:35.atmosphere? This year worth a nominal, last year the weather was

:10:36. > :10:39.cold and a bit wet, we did not have quite enough support but this year

:10:40. > :10:44.they did us proud. Amazing, you get to the point when you are feeling

:10:45. > :10:47.low and all of a sudden, there is a spurt of enthusiasm from the

:10:48. > :10:54.sidelines, it is amazing, thank you. Many congratulations, you will

:10:55. > :10:58.go away with these two big gentlemen, Lord Coe and soon to be

:10:59. > :11:11.so Brendan Foster I would hope. Very well done. -- Sir Brendan Foster.

:11:12. > :11:17.Well congratulations Tracy, when you crossed the line we did not know who

:11:18. > :11:20.it was, but it is fair to say that she represents everybody in

:11:21. > :11:24.celebrating this special day for the Great North Run, she is the

:11:25. > :11:29.1,000,000th finisher, and as Brendan rightly pointed out, we are already

:11:30. > :11:37.moving well into the second million. A lot of people probably don't even

:11:38. > :11:41.know or maybe don't even care, they are still on a personal journey.

:11:42. > :11:48.They will be having that ceremony very quickly. But, you see the

:11:49. > :11:54.review all of the way up the seafront, Paul and Andrew are still

:11:55. > :11:57.with me. Paul and Tracy is very typical of the person, who comes in

:11:58. > :12:04.the Great North Run and makes it such a great occasion? Absolutely so

:12:05. > :12:08.many people out here today, that represents the event, and represent

:12:09. > :12:12.the family of runners so well. They have all set out with their own

:12:13. > :12:16.personal targets, they have helped each other along, going through

:12:17. > :12:21.difficult points at difficult stages in the race and people around you

:12:22. > :12:26.keep you going and help you keep moving through that difficult patch

:12:27. > :12:30.and into the smoother waters ahead. Because of the coverage as well,

:12:31. > :12:35.people watching this and think that is fantastic and I will target that

:12:36. > :12:42.for next year. I'm going to go and dress up as Sylvester and run 13

:12:43. > :12:46.miles or so in the heat. It is the mass participation, it is a very

:12:47. > :12:49.comical event, especially if you are finishing down at this point, you

:12:50. > :12:53.are running with people around you all of the time, you are chatting

:12:54. > :12:58.away, you get to the finish and you shake hands, and that is the feeling

:12:59. > :13:02.that you take away. It is an elite event, it is not really a race,

:13:03. > :13:07.looking at the timing, it is not about that, it is about getting out

:13:08. > :13:13.there with thousands of other people and enjoying the experience? It is a

:13:14. > :13:18.festival, it is about completing the Great North Run, taking part in a

:13:19. > :13:22.festival of celebration of running, and making that journey from

:13:23. > :13:29.Newcastle out here to South Shields. You see some wonderful finishes, in

:13:30. > :13:33.the last wild meters or so. Everybody, some people have

:13:34. > :13:38.something left in the tank and other people not so. Finishing and doing

:13:39. > :13:42.it in their rain pace, a wonderful sight to see. -- their own pace.

:13:43. > :13:52.Della mac what a moment it was, the sight to see. -- their own pace.

:13:53. > :13:55.millionth finisher. Tracey Cramond, as is Amanda, she is running the

:13:56. > :14:04.Great North Run and not so long ago it would have felt like an

:14:05. > :14:09.impossible dream. It was 2002 when I took ill, before that things were so

:14:10. > :14:13.good, we had celebrated the 10th wedding anniversary, I had had my

:14:14. > :14:20.30th birthday, then it all fell apart. I was literally becoming more

:14:21. > :14:24.disabled by the day, it got to the point where I was so weak I could

:14:25. > :14:30.not even lift a fork to my mouth, I was feeling very unwell. And then

:14:31. > :14:34.finally, it actually took 18 months before I was diagnosed, it was

:14:35. > :14:44.actually a relief to be finally told, that's the name of the illness

:14:45. > :14:49.was ME. Nine years bedbound, in a darkened room because I had such

:14:50. > :14:53.severe light sensitivity, and I developed a very severe food

:14:54. > :14:57.allergies and it made my face well up and break out in boil like saws

:14:58. > :15:01.and bring me to the point where I could not even look into the mirror

:15:02. > :15:10.without crying because I could not recognise my face any more.

:15:11. > :15:18.Everything of who I was, had been stripped away, it was so difficult,

:15:19. > :15:23.I think that I felt guilt, I felt so bad that somehow, our marriage had

:15:24. > :15:26.become this because of me. My worst fear was that I would get beyond the

:15:27. > :15:28.point where Steve could care for me and I would have to be careful by

:15:29. > :15:42.strangers. -- cared for. That was very strong in my mind.

:15:43. > :15:46.Suddenly in July 2011, I decided this was going to be the moment, we

:15:47. > :15:50.were going to try and leave the house for the first time in nine

:15:51. > :15:56.years. Steve had to carry me down the stairs. The first place we went

:15:57. > :16:01.was the church, where everybody had stood by us for nine years. When I

:16:02. > :16:04.got into church, I had to be lay across three chairs but I didn't

:16:05. > :16:11.care because I had made it, I was out of the house for the first time

:16:12. > :16:15.in nine years. Just as I began to sing, I felt a strength come into my

:16:16. > :16:20.body and I managed to sit upright for an entire hour and a half, and I

:16:21. > :16:24.suddenly realised I was holding my arms up in the air and these were

:16:25. > :16:31.arms that normally couldn't lift a forked my mouth, so I knew something

:16:32. > :16:36.very special was happening. When I got out of church, all of the energy

:16:37. > :16:41.drained away and I was bedbound all week, so it was massive perseverance

:16:42. > :16:46.to go back to church, but I was so glad I did persevere, because after

:16:47. > :16:51.eight months, I got up out of my wheelchair. With my husband on one

:16:52. > :16:55.arm and a friend on the other, I walked a distance of almost 100

:16:56. > :17:01.metres. What was so amazing about that, all of my muscles had wasted

:17:02. > :17:04.away while I was bedbound and my legs were skin and bone, and yet

:17:05. > :17:10.here I was walking for the first time in all those years. After

:17:11. > :17:15.that, I was able to use a walking frame. Every I would practice

:17:16. > :17:18.walking lengths of the bedroom to strengthen my muscles. I wasn't

:17:19. > :17:23.fully healed, but I had moved forward a long way. In June of last

:17:24. > :17:31.year, I set off on the walking frame in the Dublin ten K half marathon,

:17:32. > :17:36.half way round I handed the walking frame to Steve, ran over the finish

:17:37. > :17:39.line into Steve's arms, I felt absolutely wonderful and I have

:17:40. > :17:44.never had to use a walking frame since that day. From that moment on,

:17:45. > :17:49.I have never had another ME symptom and it's now more than a year since

:17:50. > :17:58.then. The charity I am running for is Action for ME. They were like a

:17:59. > :18:06.lifeline for me and Steve when I was bedbound. Because of the ME, I have

:18:07. > :18:11.not been able to go back to Newcastle for almost 13 years. For

:18:12. > :18:13.me and Steve, both from up there, that has been like a hole in our

:18:14. > :18:33.hearts. Amanda is still out on the course,

:18:34. > :18:37.but this is the moment when she came back to Newcastle with her husband.

:18:38. > :18:42.She talked about the fact it was 13 years she hadn't been back because

:18:43. > :18:46.of her illness, her ME. Quite a remarkable recovery. I do hope she

:18:47. > :18:49.is doing well out on the course, because it certainly is a big

:18:50. > :18:57.challenge after all she has been through. Paula, the Great North Run

:18:58. > :19:01.continues, Amanda is still out there, she is going to be the 1

:19:02. > :19:06.millionth and whatever finisher, and the magic goes on. It is not about

:19:07. > :19:09.which number, it is the fact they have made this journey, they have

:19:10. > :19:14.completed the preparation and they have finally done the Great North

:19:15. > :19:18.Run journey from Newcastle out here to South Shields and completed a

:19:19. > :19:23.half marathon. That is an achievement. The 1 millionth runner

:19:24. > :19:28.has been through, it was an amazing moment actually. You wondered what

:19:29. > :19:34.it was fantastic. I asked Brendan and Seb, I will ask you, what do you

:19:35. > :19:38.think it is about running that has captured the imagination that we are

:19:39. > :19:42.here to celebrate such a milestone? It is hard to put into words.

:19:43. > :19:46.Obviously those of us who are runners, we enjoy doing it and we

:19:47. > :19:53.enjoy the buzz in a race or training. How many sports are there

:19:54. > :19:58.where you can say you have taken part in the same event as 1 million

:19:59. > :20:04.other people? People can say they have completed the same race on the

:20:05. > :20:08.same day as 40,000 people. Not many sports where you can do that. So it

:20:09. > :20:12.really is that big family atmosphere of belonging, helping each other

:20:13. > :20:16.through it on the cause and in preparation and in training, in the

:20:17. > :20:22.running club is all across the country. -- on the course. The

:20:23. > :20:23.ceremony is coming up shortly. Do you know what? The thing that has

:20:24. > :20:33.made it possible is running. Running isn't a sport for pretty

:20:34. > :20:38.boys, it's about the sweat in your hair and the blisters on your feet.

:20:39. > :20:42.It's the frozen spit on your chin and the nausea in your gut. It's

:20:43. > :20:48.about cramps at midnight strong enough to wake the dead. It's about

:20:49. > :20:51.getting out the door and running when the rest of the world is only

:20:52. > :20:56.dreaming about having the passion you need to run each and every day.

:20:57. > :21:00.It's about being on a lonely road and running like a champion, even

:21:01. > :21:04.when there's not a single soul in sight to cheer you on. Running is

:21:05. > :21:10.all about having a desire to train and persevere, until every fibre in

:21:11. > :21:14.your legs, mind and heart has turned to steal. And when you have finally

:21:15. > :21:22.forced hard enough, you will become the best runner you can be. And

:21:23. > :21:27.that's all that you can ask for. So, the lovely Tracy has crossed the

:21:28. > :21:31.line, she is the 1 millionth finisher. It's time for the

:21:32. > :21:38.ceremony. Your master of ceremonies is Brian burn-out. Three minutes

:21:39. > :21:41.ago, we celebrated their historic moment when Tyneside officially

:21:42. > :21:50.became a host to the first ever event of its kind to achieve a 1

:21:51. > :21:53.millionth finish. Two flags, 1 representing the International

:21:54. > :21:59.Association of the and is, and one representing Tyneside, ceremonially

:22:00. > :22:04.united by four flag-bearers from the Marine Corps. Earlier today, the

:22:05. > :22:07.unified flag was run along the Great North Run coast by those Marines.

:22:08. > :22:14.It's here with us now at the finishing line in South Shields to

:22:15. > :22:19.welcome our 1 millionth finisher. A few minutes ago, we discovered the

:22:20. > :22:26.identity of that 1 millionth finisher. So it gives me great

:22:27. > :22:32.pleasure to welcome the Great North Run's 1 millionth finisher, Tracey

:22:33. > :22:38.Crawford! To make the presentation, the inspiration behind this

:22:39. > :22:40.fantastic race, Brendan Foster and the vice president of the

:22:41. > :22:41.International Association of the, Seb Coe.

:22:42. > :23:00.APPLAUSE Tracey from Darlington, our 1

:23:01. > :23:01.millionth finisher. I would like to invite Lord Coe to present Tracey

:23:02. > :23:17.with a unique finisher's medal. Brendan Foster, presenting a limited

:23:18. > :23:30.addition print of the Great North Run finish by Jim Edwards.

:23:31. > :23:39.And now, ladies and gentlemen, we will raise the Great North Run 1

:23:40. > :23:42.million flag, accompanied by the Royal Marines buglers, playing a

:23:43. > :23:48.piece specially composed for the occasion by the Royal Marines band,

:23:49. > :24:13.called the Great North Road Millionth Runner.

:24:14. > :24:36.Ladies and gentlemen, Tracey, our 1 millionth finisher.

:24:37. > :24:43.A great moment for Tracey. She looks a little bit bemused, doesn't she?

:24:44. > :24:47.She said she crossed the line and was suddenly mobbed by a load of

:24:48. > :24:52.people. She would have had no idea when she was coming down, 100 metres

:24:53. > :24:57.to go. We could predict the 1 millionth finisher would be in that

:24:58. > :25:03.zone, but she didn't know until she crossed the line. A quick recap on

:25:04. > :25:09.the elite races. Your course record went to Mary Pattani. Records are

:25:10. > :25:15.made to be beaten and she ran really well. -- Mary Keitany. Gemma Steel

:25:16. > :25:21.in second, a huge personal best and showing potential for the future.

:25:22. > :25:29.And breaking the streak, getting a British winner in this event for the

:25:30. > :25:33.first time since 1985. An important win for Mo, his training partner was

:25:34. > :25:38.pushing him all the way. To have lost that race after the year he has

:25:39. > :25:42.had would have been tough. Watching the race, it was hard to work out if

:25:43. > :25:48.they were working together. A couple of points where I think Kigen could

:25:49. > :25:52.have attacked. He had a bit of a gap, but when Mo gets into the last

:25:53. > :26:03.mile, he knows he is not going to be out kicked. He was close to dipping

:26:04. > :26:07.under into the 59s, which is very fast running. 60 flat is fast, but

:26:08. > :26:12.he would like to go under that barrier next time. We are nearly

:26:13. > :26:17.done on BBC Two, but there is more sport in half an hour. It is going

:26:18. > :26:23.to be the burly horse trials and the World Equestrian Games on BBC Two

:26:24. > :26:39.from 3pm. -- the Burleigh horse trials.

:26:40. > :26:45.Starting next Wednesday, Prince Harry's big idea, the Invictus

:26:46. > :26:50.Games. VOICEOVER: The Invicta 's warriors

:26:51. > :26:53.are coming, more than 400 international competitors, no

:26:54. > :26:57.strangers to battle, or have served their country. Prince Harry has

:26:58. > :27:01.challenged them, now they will challenge each other. Pushing their

:27:02. > :27:08.bodies to the limit in the quest for glory. The stage is set. The

:27:09. > :27:14.Invictus warriors are ready, let the games commence. Starting with the

:27:15. > :27:19.countdown, tonight at 9:15pm on BBC Two and BBC Two HD.

:27:20. > :27:26.A final thought on the millionth finish and what the Great North Run

:27:27. > :27:30.has become. It is special that the sun has shone so much today on this

:27:31. > :27:35.race and the man of people who have prepared and run this race over the

:27:36. > :27:39.years since it started in 1981. -- the amount of people. It is about

:27:40. > :27:44.everybody who has joined the family of Great North Run is. The Great

:27:45. > :27:49.North Run is always an incredible day. The elite running incredibly

:27:50. > :27:54.fast, the gritty determination of the masses. The 1 millionth

:27:55. > :27:57.finisher. It started on Thursday with the amazing opening ceremony

:27:58. > :28:02.which brought the play is alive and it was Tracey who crossed the line,

:28:03. > :28:06.the 1 millionth finisher. An amazing journey, hats off to Brendan

:28:07. > :28:18.Foster, thanks for your company and see you next year.

:28:19. > :28:43.It's a 1 in a million day for the Great North Run.

:28:44. > :28:55.# Baby, looks as though we run, we run...

:28:56. > :29:00.1 million runners, 1 million stories!