BUPA Great North run reaches 1 million

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The entry limit for the 2008 BUPA Great North Run has increased to 52,000 people and will therefore reach a landmark by accepting its millionth entry since its first staging in 1981. It is believed that this is the first sporting event in the world to have achieved this milestone.

Brendan Foster, Founder and Chairman of the Great North Run said: “We are very proud to be the first event in the world to reach a million entrants. It is beyond my wildest dreams that the Great North Run could have achieved such an incredible level of popularity over recent years.”

Foster continued: “Being on the point of this milestone gives me the opportunity to thank the many thousands of staff and volunteers who have helped deliver the Great North Run to such a high level of professionalism that will allow us to mark the millionth entry this year.”

The first Great North Run took place on June 28th 1981 where 12,770 took to the streets of Tyneside. It was won by local athletic legend, Mike McLeod.

This year’s BUPA Great North Run will take place on Sunday October 5th and will be the 28th staging of what has become one of the world’s most prestigious running events. The online general entry ballot for the 2008 event will open on Thursday 17th January at 10.00am at www.greatrun.org The millionth entrant will be revealed when the ballot for successful places is drawn in early February.

Last year a record 90,000 applications were received for the event and this year it is expected that the number will exceed 100,000 for the first time.