THE HISTORY OF THE GREAT NORTH RUN The Morrisons Great North Run is the premier event in the Great Run series and is firmly established as the world’s most popular half marathon. 1981 Less than 5000 runners were expected to take part in the inaugural race – held on Sunday June 28 – therefore organisers were astounded when over 12500 applied and over 10000 of them completed the first Great North Run. Winner of the half marathon, from Newcastle to South Shields, was local international Mike McLeod. Three years before he won the Olympic 10 000m silver medal, the Elswick Harrier crossed the line in 63 minutes 23 seconds. The local police estimated over 200000 spectators lined the route as he beat Norway’s Oyvind Dahl by the huge margin of 1 minute 11 seconds. Former South Shields Harrier, Karen Goldhawk of the Royal Air Force, made it a great day for North East athletics by winning the Women’s race in 77 minutes 36 seconds. 1982 After the brilliant success of the previous year, more than 50000 fun runners applied for 20000 available places. Producing another great run, Mike McLeod won in 62 minutes 44 seconds, the fastest time ever achieved for a half marathon in Great Britain. The first woman across the line was London Olympiad’s Margaret Lockley, who clocked 77 minutes 43 seconds. 1983 A year before winning the Olympic marathon title, Carlos Lopez became the first overseas winner of the Great North Run. The Portugese athlete ran in 62 minutes 46 seconds, beating British schoolteacher Ray Smedley, who finished in 64 minutes 34 seconds. Crawley’s Julie Barleycorn took the Women’s title in 76 minutes 38 seconds. 1984 Oyvind Dahl improved on his 1981 performance and crossed the finish line in 64 minutes 34 seconds. Fellow Norwegian, world marathon record holder Grete Waitz, ran a superb UK All-Comers (what does this mean, Philippa?) record of 70 minutes 27 seconds, slicing over six minutes from the course record and coming 18th overall in the event. 1985 Salford’s Steve Kenyon equalled Mike McLeod’s 1982 course record and McLeod was second in 63 minutes 31 seconds. The Women’s record was smashed for the second successive year. Rosa Mota from Portugal covered the streets of Tyneside in 69 minutes 54 seconds, the first time the 70 minute barrier had ever been broken by a woman. 1986 The stature of the event was recognised when it became the final of the Pearl Assurance Half Marathon series and hosted the AAA National Championships. On course, there was even greater cause for celebration! Olympic 10 000m bronze medallist Mike Musyokithe won, in the world record time of 60 minutes 43 seconds. This struck 12 seconds off the previous record, achieved in 1985 by Mark Curp in Philadelphia. Behind him, Steve Jones set a British record of 60 minutes 59 seconds. There was also a new Commonwealth and UK All-Comers mark for Australia’s Lisa Martin who covered the 13.1 miles in 69 minutes 49 seconds. In addition, Cwmbran’s Chris Hallam set a new wheelchair course record of 61 minutes 15 seconds. 1987 There was an Australian double as Rob de Castella, the World and Commonwealth champion, won by 20 seconds, ahead of Scotland’s Allister Hutton, in 62 minutes 4 seconds. The Women’s title was won by Lisa Martin for the second successive year. For the first time, the Junior Great North Run preceded the senior race and on the first Great North weekend, Steve O’Gara from Wallsend was the winner. 1988 With the entry limit increased to 27 000, victory went to 1984 Olympic marathon silver medallist John Treacy, who ran in 61 minutes. Languishing 58 seconds behind the Irishman was Steve Jones. Grete Waitz returned to Tyneside for the second time and set a UK All- Comers’ mark for the second time, with 68 minutes 49 seconds. Moreover, there was a British Half Marathon record for Bristol schoolteacher Susan Tooby who ran in 69 minutes 56 seconds. 1989 In the most dramatic finish in its history, Mike McLeod missed out on a third win. Clocking the same time of 62 minutes 39 seconds, victory was given to Morocco’s El Mostafa Nechadi. There was a third win for Lisa Martin, who beat Holland’s Carla Beurskens by 5 seconds in a time of 71 minutes 3 seconds and travelling from his family home in Benidorm, John Rollins won the Junior Race. 1990 It was a world record time for Steve Moneghetti, of 60 minutes 34 seconds, who beat Douglas Wakiihuri by eight seconds. The Australian’s winning time had been bettered by Matthews Temane and Zithulele Sinqebut at that time, South Africa was not being affiliated to the International Amateur Athletic Federation and their performances were not recognised. Rose Mota won the Women’s race in 69 minutes 33 seconds, finishing well clear of Carla Beurskens, in70 minutes 24 seconds, and Grete Waitz, in 70 minutes 51 seconds. 1991 A virtually unknown ex-boxer Benson Masya won the race in 61 minutes 28 seconds, the third fastest time in the world that year. The Kenyan later became the Great North Run’s most successful contestant, holding off the challenge of Cannock’s Paul Davies-Hale by nine seconds. Pre-race favourite Moses Tanui, winner of the World 10 000m gold medal in August 1991, dropped out after 10 miles. There was an amazing performance from local athlete Jill Hunter who was on course for a world record for the first 10 miles, before eventually placing third in 72 minutes 24 seconds. Victory went to Norwegian runner Ingrid Kristiansen in 70 minutes 57 seconds, ahead of Torbay’s Andrea Wallace who ran in 71 minutes 36 seconds. 1992 Incorporating the first ever World Half Marathon Championships, Benson Masya won the race in a world record of 60 minutes 24 seconds, on a course certified by the International Amateur Athletic Federation. “I could have gone even faster,” said Masya who, along with Paul Tergat and Joseph Keino, led Kenya to a team victory ahead of Great Britain and Brazil.The Women’s race provided a superb win for the host nation. Liz McColgan pulled away at the 10 mile marker, winning in 68 minutes 53 seconds and missing Grete Waitz’s course record by four seconds. She also won a team silver medal, behind champions Japan, while Romania finished third. 1993 Having become the first man to break one hour, when he won the Stramilano Half Marathon in 59 minutes 47 seconds, Moses Tanui won the Great North Run. In emphatic style, the Kenyan won in a UK All-Comers’ record time of 60 minutes 15 seconds, ahead of Britons Paul Evans and Richard Nerurkar, who ran season’s bests in 61 minutes 45 seconds and 61 minutes 53 seconds. It was a double victory for the Kenyan nation. ’Tiny‘ Tegla Loroupe broke away, two miles from the finish, to win in 72 minutes 55 seconds, ahead of Russia’s 1988 Olympic 10 000m gold medallist Olga Bondarenko in73 minutes 13 seconds and South Africa’s Zola Budd-Pieterse in 73 minutes 30 seconds. 1994 After his World Championship victory, Benson Masya’s prediction that he could finish the Great North Run even faster came true. In a nailbiting finish, it took several minutes before he was credited with victory in the UK All-Comers record time of 60 minutes 2 seconds, which is still the fastest Half Marathon in this country. Separating the pair of Kenyans was an almost impossible taskbut a video replay found Masya in favour, by the skin of his teeth. Unlike the almost dead-heat between Nechchadi and McLeod five years earlier, this one was decided by the thickness of the athletes’ vests. In third place was Paul Tergat in 60 minutes 42 seconds after opening miles of 4 minutes 9 seconds and four minutes 27 seconds. Rosanna Munerotto won the Women’s event in 71 minutes 29 seconds. After challenging strongly during the whole race, Andrea Wallace finished second, only five seconds after the winner. In third place was Mauela Machado from Portugal, who clocked 71 minutes 48 seconds. 1995 Moses Tanui returned after the disappointment of 1994 to win the event in 60 minutes 39 seconds, with Benson Masya in second with 61 minutes 59 seconds. A Kenyan ‘clean sweep’ of the medals was claimed, with James Kariuki coming third in 62 minutes 29 seconds. But all eyes during the race were on Liz McColgan. Back in action after a two year injury, the ’Flower of Scotland‘ beat Ethiopian Fatuma Roba and Manuela Machado of Portugal. Britain’s greatest ever distance runner’s time was 71 minutes 42 seconds, 23 seconds ahead of Roba, with Machado clocking 73 minutes 22 seconds. 1996 Disappointed by his performance the previous year, Benson Masya returned to the North East to win his fourth title in 61 minutes 43 seconds. Second place went to Paul Evans with 61 minutes 55 seconds while Spain’s Antonio Serrano came third in 61 minutes 58 seconds. Liz McColgan won for a second year in 70 minutes 28 seconds. 1997 Tail winds were the order of the day! Hendrikk Ramaala won in 60 minutes 25 seconds, with Wilson Cheruiyot in 60 minutes 41 seconds, only two seconds ahead of fellow Kenyan Sammy Korir. A Kenyan was also first in the Women’s race, with Luciana Subano finishing in 69 minutes 24 seconds. For the first time, Marian Sutton beat Liz McColgan, her time of 69 minutes 41 seconds beating the Scot by 27 seconds.