Key START points to REMEMBER
PLAN YOUR JOURNEY
There will be thousands of other people heading towards the assembly area which is 1km long in itself so please leave yourself plenty of time to get to the start, especially if you are looking to use the baggage buses located on Claremont Road (adjacent to the start). Please approach the start area from Claremont Road, which brings you safely down to the A167 Central Motorway.
PARKING
No event parking is available at the start. Please use only designated car parking areas in the city and do not park in areas which have police restrictions in place. Main event parking is on the Leas in South Shields, please see the Travel Guide for full details.
INFORMATION OFFICE
No late entries are possible on the day, and all queries should be dealt with in advance by emailing
info@greatrun.org. On the day the information cabin will handle general enquiries from the Town Moor just up from the start line (see start map above).
POCKET GUIDE
On the day runners should use the Pocket Guide for information and we ask that your friends and family to use the magazine race guide – there are lots of useful travel tips for them in the guide which will help them enjoy their day just as much as you!
TOILETS
Toilets at the start are located adjacent to the baggage buses and at the information cabin on the Town Moor. Men's urinals are also available. We recommend that you don’t forget to pack some toilet tissue with you, just in case you get caught short!
BAGGAGE BUSES
38 baggage buses are provided at the start for the safe storage of your belongings, which are then transported to the finish for your convenience. Any clothing etc. left on the carriageway at the start will be removed during the clean up operation by CICD and donated to charity to allow the re-opening of roads as quickly as possible.
TOP 7 BAGGAGE BUS TIPS
1. The night before Complete all the details on your baggage label (this is attached to your race number) and make sure you tie it to your bag the night before the race.
2. Arrive early Make sure you allow sufficient time to get to the buses to deposit your bag as they leave at 10.10am prompt. If it’s a cold day bring some old clothes to wear while you wait to start that you don’t mind discarding before the run. These will be collected by a clothing charity.
3. Valuables Please remember not to bring any valuables with you to the event. If you bring your mobile phone, please switch it off before you leave your bag. The organisers cannot be held responsible for the loss, damage or theft of belongings on the baggage buses or at the end of the race however caused.
4. Remember your bus number The baggage buses are colour coded so please deposit your baggage accordingly. E.g. If you have a green race number, please deposit your bag on a bus marked up for ‘green baggage’. Don’t forget to remember the number of the bus you left your bag on. Stewards will stamp the bus number on your race number to help you remember.
5. I missed the bus If you miss the buses that depart at 10.10 don’t panic, you will be asked to put your bag on one of the late baggage vans at the Grandstand Road end of Claremont Road (see map). These vehicles will be clearly marked and will set off for the finish once the race has started. Any late baggage will be available for collection from the late baggage vans on their arrival at the finish, or the baggage information cabin.
PLEASE NOTE: AS THESE VEHICLES LEAVE THE START LATER THAN THE BUSES IT MAY BE THAT YOU GET TO THE FINISH BEFORE THEM.
6. At the finish At the finish the buses will be located on the grass by Bents Park Road (see map) – please be aware that for security reasons access will only be possible for runners wearing their race number.
7. Lost property If you can’t find your bag at the finish please check at the baggage information cabin. After the event any lost baggage enquiries will be handled via the Bupa Great North Run hotline: 0845-389 2200.
ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO START ASSEMBLY
On arrival familiarise yourself with the map in your pocket guide – most importantly the location of your coloured Assembly Zone, Baggage Buses, Toilets and Information point.
Follow the signs which lead to the Baggage Buses (along Claremont Road) if you wish to use them. (Please study the Top 7 baggage bus tips above).
Follow the signs to the coloured Assembly Zones – your coloured race number/alphabetical letter corresponds with your coloured Assembly Zone.
Once at your coloured Assembly Zone you will be asked to show your Coloured Race Number to gain entry. Please be considerate to your fellow runners and assemble according to the colour/alphabetical letter of your race number.
On the day signs will be clearly visible to direct you accordingly.
When in your zone please move forward as far as possible to leave room for others to assemble behind you. Prior to the race starting make sure you deposit any rubbish or bin liners to the side of the road so as not to cause an obstacle to other runners. Behind the start line there will be four big screens which will advise you of any last-minute race information.
After 9:30 these screens will show periodical live footage taken from the BBC.
Please listen and watch out for any last-minute details given either by the PA announcer or alternatively detailed on the big screen.
1. WHAT HAPPENS IF I NEED TO LEAVE THE ASSEMBLY ZONE?
To allow safe management of assembly, each zone has a limit to the number of runners allowed in.
If you leave your assembly zone, you will be allowed back in by showing Race Stewards your number up to 10:30.
2. WHAT IF I WANT TO RUN WITH A FRIEND WITH A DIFFERENT COLOURED RACE NUMBER?
It is important that people stick to the coloured assembly zones. However, if you must change, here are the rules:
You can move to a zone further away from the start line but not nearer. (i.e. if you have a white number and your friend a green number you can move to the green zone but your friend would not be allowed in the white zone as this is nearer the start line).
3. WHAT DO I DO WHEN I HEAR THE START GUN?
Please be patient once the gun has gone and soak up the atmosphere while you make your way to the start line.
Don’t worry about your time! Your championchip will not activate until you cross the start line giving you an accurate time over the 13.1 miles.