Prime Minister Andy Burnham has taken a break from running the country – to run in the world’s greatest half marathon.
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He joined 63,000 others in the biggest-ever Great North Run, which is celebrating its 45th anniversary.
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Runners, many in fancy dress, set off on the 13.1 mile route in 20C sunshine – as the Red Arrows put on a colourful display overhead. They headed from Newcastle city centre, across the famous Tyne Bridge into Gateshead, before jogging to South Shields.
Organisers estimate it has raised more than £450m for good causes since 1981, and that figure is likely to reach half a billion pounds in the next two years.
The PM – wearing a number 10 bib – was raising money for Changing Lives, which supports over 14,000 people each year facing the challenges of homelessness.
He said: “I’ve been doing a bit of training, as people might have seen, even in the newspapers. But the dodgy running shorts have definitely been left at home in Manchester. I couldn’t offend all of the great people of the North East. So they’re at home and I bought some new ones.”
The PM wrote on his fundraising page: “I’m running the 45th Great North Run for Changing Lives because I’ve seen the difference they make with my own eyes.
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“A few weeks back I visited Alex’s Place in Newcastle to launch our drive to offer everyone a route off the streets by Christmas. I sat down with residents over a cup of tea and heard what it actually takes to rebuild a life once you’ve lost everything – not just a roof, but people who stick with you while you find your feet again.
“That’s what Changing Lives does. Tackling homelessness is a moral mission for me. It’s why I promised to end rough sleeping on my first day as PM, and why I’m proud to pull on a Changing Lives shirt today. If you can spare a few quid, please chip in and support them.”
The PM has already announced he will give away 15% of his salary to homeless charities after pledging to end rough sleeping.
After finishing the race – in a time of one hour, 57 minutes and 34 seconds – he said: “It was phenomenal. From my point of view it was the best Great North Run I’ve been a part of. The weather, the atmosphere was off the scale.
“This place has some of the warmest people in the world and it comes through on a day like today. More people out than I’ve ever seen before. Everybody supporting each other. It was truly a wonderful occasion.”
Also taking part was Daragh Burke, from Guisborough, the best friend of Matthew Blades, one of the police officers killed on the A66 near Middlesbrough last month.
Daragh – who took Matthew’s place in the race – said: “I just wanted to make sure that his vest makes it over the finish line.”
He said his friend would be “laughing his head off that I’m doing it” as his starting place was just behind the elite runners – despite him having two weeks of training.
He asked onlookers who saw him on the route to give him a shout, saying: “Just think of why I’m doing it. Not for me, for him. He was just the happiest person you could ever meet, always smiling, always up for a laugh and just made time for everyone.”
The event already holds the world record from 2014 as the biggest half marathon in history, when 41,615 crossed the finishing line but will set a new record this year.
First staged in June 1981, the race was founded by ex-athlete Sir Brendan Foster, 78, after he was inspired by taking part in New Zealand’s Round the Bays Race in 1979.
Sir Brendan said: “It has been the biggest mass participation event in the UK for some time and we entered the Guinness Book of Records many years ago. This will be our biggest run yet. In around two years, the money raised for charities will hit the half-billion-pound mark.”
The former long-distance athlete said he is looking forward to England and Newcastle United star Dan Burn starting their biggest ever event.
Other famous faces taking part included Jake Quickenden, Joe Wicks, Chris Kamara, Ben Shepherd, Joe McElderry, Helen Skelton and Peter Reid.
Former Sunderland boss Reid, was raising funds for the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation. He said: “The atmosphere’s fantastic. I’m just humbled that I’ve been allowed to do this – at 70 years of age, brilliant.”
Ex-footballer and TV presenter Kamara, who has been diagnosed with speech apraxia, was running for prostate cancer, said: “The crowds are helping us through, the people are helping us through. Brilliant, absolutely brilliant.”
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Zouhair Talbi, from the USA, won the men’s race in 59:47 while Kenya’s Brigid Kosgei won the women’s race in a time of just over 66 minutes. Brit David Weir won the men’s elite wheelchair race in just over 43 minutes, while Melanie Woods came first with a time of 50:19 in the women’s race.
To support the PM’s charity visit https://justgiving.com/page/andy-burnham-1.