Great North Run 2025 guide: route, start times, waves, and more
Places have been confirmed, training plans are in full flow and now more information has been released about the 2025 Great North Run.
After a huge number of people entered the ballot for this year’s event, it was clear the 2025 edition of the world’s largest half marathon was set to be a special one, and the build up to the huge weekend of action is well underway.
With most participants hitting the pavements a few times a week to get miles in the legs ahead of the September run, the race organisers have released further information for those heading between Newcastle and South Shields.
This comes as participants have started to recieve their race numbers in the post. These will also be used to track runners on the day.
The race’s event guide was released recently, giving runners an insight into the day.
Before the race
There are two runners areas at the start of the race where participants can leave their bags to collect at the end. This is likely to be in order to keep the start areas near the Town Moor easier to organise.
The event guide says there are four main waves, these are the ‘striped numbers’ for the fastest runners, orange, green and pink waves.
The striped numbers, orange wave and pink wave will be asked to head to the Town Moor while green wave runners should head to Claremont Road on the other side of the Central Motorway.
How to get to the start line
The closest metro stations to the start are Haymarket and Jesmond, although services on the morning are expected to be very busy as usual. Newcastle Central Station is a 20-30 minute walk away, while many bus routes come to an end at Haymarket bus station which is a short walk from the start line.
What is the start time of the Great North Run?
The race will oficially get underway at 10:50am although the guide says different waves have different estimated start times due to the amount of runners.
Those in the orange wave are expected to get underway between 10:50am and 11:20am while green wave runners are expected to cross the start line between 11:25 and 11:55. Pink wave runners are likely to start after 11:55am.
How can I find my Great North Run wave?
The wave can be found by checking the colour of your race number, which are being posted to participants. The event app has also been updated for this year, meaning anyone can search their name and see their number and wave from the tracking information.
What is the Great North Run route?
Starting in Newcastle, the route follows the central motorway through the city centre before heading out onto the Tyne Bridge and into Gateshead.
Runners then take a left onto Park Lane and head along the A184 into South Tyneside before taking another left onto Leam Lane towards Jarrow.
As the route approaches Simonside in South Shields it takes a right onto John Reid Road which turns into Prince Edward Road in South Shields which takes runners down to the coastline. The final mile runs north along the coast to the finish line.