Running mad couple to take on Great North Run less than 48 hours after tying the knot

Two running-mad lovers will be celebrating tying the knot by taking on the Great North Run next weekend.

Peter Grimoldby and Kim Simpson met over the mud of the North East cross country courses and will celebrate next week's wedding by both attacking the iconic Tyneside half marathon.

Both of the Gateshead Harriers runners took up running as a result of being infected by Great North Run passion.

Peter said: "One day one of my friends said do you want to do the Great North Run, I'm doing it. I thought why not and did it to raise money for charity and just take part in such an amazing event.

"I did it and after the run, all my friends were impressed with my time and I thought maybe I should take up some running. A little while after I found the Gateshead Harriers and thought let's give it a try. I've not looked back since."

Kim, who has now been running for 20 years, added: "I was at the first year of university when I first ran it and I got addicted. I joined the Gateshead Harriers when I moved up to Newcastle from Durham for medical school and I've never looked back since."

Once both running at Gateshead Harriers and getting more and more into the local running scene, Peter and Kim found each other at a Master's Association Cross Country race in Cramlington just before lockdown in 2020.

Kim explained how she had been on call the night before and had a "horrendous night". With little sleep, she nearly bailed on the hills and mud but went along in the end.

Still flustered from the night before, Kim lost her gloves and car keys in the typical cold and wind that accompanies cross-country races in the North East. The man there to help here was none other than Peter.

Fast forward a cople of years and the two are preparing for their wedding on Friday, September 9 and, less than 48 hours later, will line up at the start line for the Great North Run 2022 - "we'll be well carb-ed up, won't we," Kim, who will run in the elite pack for the first time this year, joked.

Peter added: "We're really looking forward to it. It's a bit surreal, so looking forward to getting married and then the Great North Run itself."