From the Great North Run to Round the Bays

From the Great North Run to Round the Bays

AW
Published: 30th March, 2015
Updated: 12th March, 2025
BY Athletics Weekly

Tracey Cramond's journey from becoming the millionth finisher of the Great North Run to taking part in the event which inspired Brendan Foster to create his own mass-participation run

Last September Tracey Cramond became the millionth finisher of the Great North Run. Six months later she was in New Zealand, taking part in the Round the Bays event which 35 years ago formed the inspiration for the mass-participation run in the North-East of England.

It was while training in New Zealand in 1980 that Great North Run chairman and co-founder Brendan Foster took part in the 70,000-strong Auckland race and vowed to create an event of his own.

He wished to send the Great North Run's millionth finisher to trace the event's roots. In this video event organisers share Cramond's journey.

You can read more about Cramond's trip to New Zealand here.

» Video via GreatRunTV

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