Get in on the running with a Great Late Night
Sep 18 2010 by David Whetstone, The Journal
David Whetstone recommends a late night to put any Great North Runner in the mood.
IF you are staying on Tyneside for the Bupa Great North Run, the Great Late Night promises a great way to get in the mood for those 13 miles - whether you are planning to run them or stand and cheer.
The exhibition celebrating 30 Years of the Great North Run is on at the Great North Museum: Hancock (a short walk from Haymarket Metro station) until October 17 but is specially open late tonight from 6.30 to 9pm.
Admission is free and there are healthy smoothies on offer and the chance of a free health check if you are dithering about taking your place at the start tomorrow morning.
The best thing about The Great Late Night is that it offers an eve-of-run chance to see the anniversary exhibition, In the Long Run...
It is a comprehensive survey of an event which started off big and grew massive so that it is now the world’s biggest half marathon.
On display are examples of all the medals and T-shirts dating back to the first running in 1981.
You can also see famous running strips, such as the silver tracksuit once sported by Sir Jimmy Savile and the national strip worn by Ethiopian running legend Haile Gebreselassie who is taking part in the run tomorrow.
The exhibition, part of the cultural programme, now an important element of the event, focuses on the elite athletes and the fun runners.
One of the first celebrity participants was Kevin Keegan who, back in 1981, threw his running shoes into the crowd.
They were picked up by 11-year-old Edward Hope who later got them autographed. Now they feature in the exhibition.
And there’s a reminder that Keegan diplomatically ran in a shirt which was 50% black and white and 50% red and white stripes.
The exhibition features prints by celebrated artist Sir Peter Blake called The Running Suite, featuring Great North Run images bordered by the flags of all the nations represented in the event over the years. There’s a film, too, the latest product of the annual Great North Run moving image commission. It is called Girl Blue Running Shoe and it was made by Claire Leona Apps.
Next week sees the start of a series of free Great North Talks by people closely connected to the event.
Run founder and chairman Brendan Foster sets the ball rolling on Friday, September 24 (6-8pm) talking about the origins and development of the run.
Then come Dave Newton, managing director of run organisers Nova International, on September 29 (2.30-3.30pm); Nigel Gough, the race director, on October 2 (2.30-3.30pm); and David Almond, writer and author of short story Harry Miller’s Run, which was commissioned for the event in 2008 and published in The Journal, on October 9 (4-5pm).
Booking for the talks is advised. Call 0191 222 6765 to reserve a place.
More details of the above can be found on www.greatnorthmuseum.org and www.greatnorthrunculture.org
