Great Run is a series of road running events around the United Kingdom, which includes the Great North Run. Great Run is a part of The Great Run Company, which was launched by retired athlete Brendan Foster.[1] The group specialises in road running events, from a 5k up to a marathon.
Bupa was title partner of the Great Run Series for 18 years, one of Britain’s longest ever sports sponsorship agreements, which ended in 2014.Morrisons took over sponsorship of this series of events in 2015.[2] In 2017, Simplyhealth became title sponsor of the Great Run series of events [3] and following the expiry of the sponsorship, ExpressTest by Cignpost sponsored the 2021 events, and AJ Bell took over in 2023 as part of a five-year deal.[4]
In the early 2000s, the series expanded beyond the UK and established Great Run races in the Republic of Ireland, Ethiopia and Australia.
| Event name | Location | Distance | Founded | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Great Edinburgh Winter Run | Holyrood Park, Edinburgh | 5K | 2005 | |
| Great Edinburgh XCountry | 9K, 4K | |||
| Great Ireland Run |  Phoenix Park, Dublin | 10K | 2003 | |
| Great Edinburgh Run | Edinburgh city centre | 10 Miles | 1993 | |
| Great Birmingham 10K | Birmingham city centre | 10K | 2015 | |
| Great Bristol 10K | Bristol city centre | 10K | 2008 | |
| Great Manchester Run | Manchester city centre | 10K | 2003 | |
| Great Women's 10K | Glasgow | 10K | ||
| Great North 10K | Gateshead | 10K | 2009 | |
| Great Tees 10K | Stockton | 10K | 2018 | |
| Great Newham London Run | Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, London | 10K | 2015 | |
| Great Newham London Family Run | 2K | |||
| Great Newham London Marathon Relay | 10.54K | |||
| Great Yorkshire Run | Harrogate | 10K | 2007 | |
| Great Aberdeen Run | Aberdeen | Half Marathon, 10K | 2017 | |
| Great North 5K | Quayside, Newcastle upon Tyne/Gateshead | 5K | ||
| Great North Run | Newcastle upon Tyne-Gateshead-South Shields | Half Marathon | 1981 | |
| Great Bristol Half Marathon | Bristol city centre | Half Marathon | 1989 | |
| Great Scottish Run | Glasgow city centre | Half Marathon, 10K | 1991 | |
| Great Birmingham Run | Birmingham city centre | Half Marathon, 10K | 2008 | |
| Great East Run | Ipswich city centre | Half Marathon | 2017 | |
| Great South 5k | Southsea, Portsmouth | 5K | ||
| Great South Run | 10 Miles | 1990 | ||
| Great Ethiopian Run |  Addis Ababa | 10K | 2001 |