On your marks for places in junior run

Entries are now open for a popular children’s run.

Youngsters can now sign up for the hugely popular 2020 Junior Great North Run while entries to the Mini Great North Run will open at 10am on February 25.

Almost 10,000 children plus their families are expected to turn the streets of the Newcastle Gateshead Quayside into a sea of runners on Saturday, September 12.

Thousands of young athletes and fun runners will run along Newcastle Quayside, across the Swing Bridge to the Gateshead side, with a 1.5km course for three to eightyear-olds and a 4km course for ages nine to 16.

And to coincide with the 40th staging of the Great North Run, organisers will unveil an official Great Run Mascot at the event.

They are asking younger participants to demonstrate their creativity and passion for sport, by designing the mascot, giving them a name and a back story – what they like, what they do and where they are from.

For more details and entry forms visit www.GreatRun.org/JuniorMini

A spokesperson said: “The Junior and Mini Great North Run inspires children and young people to be their greatest and gives them the chance to see just how much fun running can be, setting up a love of being active for life.”

The events are part of one of the biggest weekends of sport in the North East’s calendar, starting with the Great North 5k on Friday, September 11 and culminating in the world’s biggest half marathon on Sunday, September 13.