Thanks to Phillip Craig for writing a race report for this year’s GNR.
Thirsk & Sowerby Harriers were out in force for the 2026 Great North Run, taking on the iconic 13.1-mile route from Newcastle to South Shields. The day started on a high note as most of the squad travelled up together on the train from Northallerton to Newcastle, though Phil Craig added some pre-race tension by boarding with just one minute to spare! Upon arrival, while some runners made a straight line for the start corrals or grabbed a quick pre-race bite, Phil and Laura Till opted to soak up the buzzing atmosphere by relaxing on the grass to watch the opening stages.
Once underway, the conditions quickly proved to be a major factor for everyone on the course. Weather forecasts had promised overcast skies and cloudy cover, but runners were instead met with blistering heat and uncomfortably high humidity. The unexpected warmth caught the entire field out, with members universally agreeing that it was far too hot to run and wishing for those promised clouds.
Despite the tough climate, there were fantastic performances, personal bests, and memorable achievements right across the board. Paul Atkinson led the Harriers home in a fantastic 01:42:50, followed closely by Chris Coates in 01:46:02. Dave Wood clocked 01:46:24, marking his fastest Great North Run in three years, and passed on a huge thank you to TaSH for the focus and training support. Sam pushed through the heat along the coastal stretch to finish in 01:23:00 flat, while Emma McQuillan recorded 01:50:23, coming within an agonizing 7 seconds of her personal best. Leanne Robinson (01:54:04) and Tim Waistell (01:56:01) both ran strong races, and Ruth Pollard achieved a brilliant PB by breaking the 2-hour mark with a finish time of 01:59:17. Pete Jackson (01:57:45) and Blair Wallace (01:59:35) also successfully broke the two-hour barrier.
The strong performances continued right through the squad: Vanessa Arthur finished in 02:05:35, Joe Joyce in 02:10:52, Peter Molyneux recorded a great time of 02:13:02, Louise McVay finished in 02:14:30, and Mark Brodie crossed in 02:15:42. Phil Craig crossed the line in 02:18:50 (1 minute 10 seconds off his time from last year), while Natalie Lyth logged 02:20:58 and Kelly Grieve finished in 02:22:28. Alan Docherty completed the course in 02:24:02, and Ian Ord posted 02:25:39.
One of the most inspiring efforts of the day came from Alan Longmire, who crossed the line in 02:25:47. Having suffered from severe sciatica for weeks leading up to the race and questioning whether he would even make the start line, Alan battled through the pain to raise over £550 for Dementia UK in memory of his mum, thanking the club for all their encouragement since he joined 17 months ago.
Andrew Pollard finished in 02:28:41, while Laura Till celebrated a huge milestone by taking 2 minutes off her personal best to finish in 02:30:59. Nicky Hawkes was happy to complete her 10th (and likely final) Great North Run in 02:38:07, and Michelle Barratt rounded out the club’s entries by successfully completing her very first Great North Run in 02:58:06.
