Compiled and fact-checked by Tommo, Verus founder · Last verified August 2026 · Spot an error?
Running · 5Ks
Great North 5K 2026
- Race day
- Friday, 11 September 2026
- Location
- Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
- Distance
- 3.11 mi / 5.0 km
Great North 5K: 11 September 2026. Entry, the flat Newcastle Quayside evening course, a pace calculator.
Great North 5K Race Timeline
1 day to go
Mileage is right down. Focus on sleep, hydration, and getting your kit and travel plan sorted rather than any last-minute training.
Great North 5K 2026: quick answers
When is Great North 5K 2026?
Great North 5K 2026 takes place on Friday, 11 September 2026, starting at Evening — exact start time not published at the time of writing..
What time does Great North 5K start?
Great North 5K starts at Evening — exact start time not published at the time of writing. from Newcastle Quayside, opposite The Glasshouse International Centre for Music.
Where does Great North 5K start and finish?
Great North 5K starts at Newcastle Quayside, opposite The Glasshouse International Centre for Music and finishes at Newcastle Quayside, opposite The Glasshouse International Centre for Music.
How many miles is Great North 5K?
Great North 5K is 3.11 miles (5km).
How much does Great North 5K cost to enter?
Entry price wasn't confirmed in sources checked at the time of writing — some listings suggest the event may close entries relatively early, so check the official Great Run site directly.
How can I track a runner at Great North 5K?
No dedicated live-tracking app confirmed for this event.
Key Race Metrics & Overview
- Date
- Friday, 11 September 2026
- Distance
- 3.11 miles / 5.0km
- Location
- Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
- Start Point
- Newcastle Quayside, opposite The Glasshouse International Centre for Music
- Finish Point
- Newcastle Quayside, opposite The Glasshouse International Centre for Music
- Start time
- Evening — exact start time not published at the time of writing.
- Surface
- Closed road
- Age requirement
- 14 or over on race day.
- Tracking app
- No dedicated live-tracking app confirmed for this event.
Not published by the organiser at the time of writing: cut-off time. Verus records these as unconfirmed rather than estimating them — check the official race website closer to race day.
Direct Entry Summary
Entry price wasn't confirmed in sources checked at the time of writing — some listings suggest the event may close entries relatively early, so check the official Great Run site directly.
Ballot Policy
No ballot mentioned — entry is direct via Great Run.
Great North 5K Race Day Weather
Fetching today's forecast for race day…
Great North 5K Route Map & Elevation Profile
Starting at Newcastle Quayside, opposite The Glasshouse International Centre for Music and finishing at Newcastle Quayside, opposite The Glasshouse International Centre for Music. Total elevation gain is not published for this event, and Verus does not estimate one.
Is Great North 5K flat?
Yes — a flat, fully closed-road quayside loop.
Great North 5K Course Profile
Elevation change not published for this event.
Tap a point on the course for details.
Newcastle Quayside, opposite The Glasshouse International Centre for Music
Start line.
Where Great North 5K starts and finishes
Great North 5K starts at Newcastle Quayside, opposite The Glasshouse International Centre for Music and finishes at Newcastle Quayside, opposite The Glasshouse International Centre for Music. We haven't been able to place those on a map accurately enough to show one — a pin in the wrong place is worse than no pin.
These are the start and finish points, not the route. Verus doesn't hold course files for this race, and drawing a line between two pins would be a guess you might end up training on. The official course map is the one to use: view it on the organiser's site .
Full Great North 5K Route Breakdown
A flat, fully closed-road loop along the Tyne, starting and finishing at Newcastle Quayside — passing the Tyne Bridge, along Sandhill, across the Swing Bridge into Gateshead, and back to Newcastle Quayside.
Great North 5K Pace Calculator & Splits
Great North 5K Pace Calculator
Enter a target finish time to see your pace and projected splits.
Average pace / mile
1:17:10
Average pace / km
47:57
Great North 5K Pace Chart
Split markers calculated for standard checkpoints — no official pacers are confirmed for this event.
| Target | Pace /mi | Pace /km | 5K | Finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3:00 | 57:53 | 35:58 | 2:59:49 | 3:00:00 |
| 3:15 | 1:02:42 | 38:58 | 3:14:48 | 3:15:00 |
| 3:30 | 1:07:31 | 41:57 | 3:29:47 | 3:30:00 |
| 3:45 | 1:12:21 | 44:57 | 3:44:46 | 3:45:00 |
| 4:00 | 1:17:10 | 47:57 | 3:59:45 | 4:00:00 |
| 4:15 | 1:22:00 | 50:57 | 4:14:45 | 4:15:00 |
| 4:30 | 1:26:49 | 53:57 | 4:29:44 | 4:30:00 |
| 4:45 | 1:31:38 | 56:57 | 4:44:43 | 4:45:00 |
| 5:00 | 1:36:28 | 59:56 | 4:59:42 | 5:00:00 |
| 5:30 | 1:46:07 | 1:05:56 | 5:29:40 | 5:30:00 |
| 6:00 | 1:55:45 | 1:11:56 | 5:59:38 | 6:00:00 |
| 6:30 | 2:05:24 | 1:17:55 | 6:29:36 | 6:30:00 |
| 7:00 | 2:15:03 | 1:23:55 | 6:59:35 | 7:00:00 |
Great North 5K Finish Time Estimator
Enter a recent 5K, 10K or Half Marathon time to estimate your Great North 5K finish time.
Your 5K time
Estimated Great North 5K finish
25:02
An estimate only, based on Pete Riegel's race-time prediction formula. Real marathon performance depends on endurance, training specificity, pacing and race-day conditions — not just your speed over a shorter distance.
Training for a different distance? Try the full pace calculator, race time predictor or pace chart.
Got your target time? Save it to your profile.
Tag Great North 5K, set your goal pace, and let Verus track your countdown, training and fundraising in one place.
Start Your Verus JourneyGreat North 5K Race Day Checklist
Tap items to mark off your race-day readiness.
- Race number attached, and any timing chip fitted per your race pack instructions
- Weather-appropriate kit, plus something warm and disposable to discard before the start, given the evening timing
- A plan for reaching Newcastle Quayside — exact transport guidance was not published at the time of writing
- A meeting point agreed with family/friends at the Quayside for after the race
Training Strategy for Great North 5K
4-8 weeks is enough for a 5K, whether it's your first or you're chasing a PB. Short, sharp interval and tempo sessions matter more here than overall mileage.
This is a largely flat course, so most of your long runs can mirror that — flat and steady, building time on feet rather than hill strength.
Ease off mileage in the final few days, keeping a short, sharp race-pace effort or two to stay sharp. Arrive at Newcastle Quayside, opposite The Glasshouse International Centre for Music fresh, energized, and primed — not fit, fresh.
Lock in your target pace using the interactive splits calculator below — no official pacers are confirmed for this event, so a pace band on your watch is the more reliable option.
Test your race-day fuel and hydration plan on your long training runs, not for the first time on race day — check the Race Day Checklist below for what's actually on this course.
5K Nutrition & Fueling Plan
A modest increase in carbohydrate intake over the 2-3 days before the race is the sensible approach for a race of this length.
For an evening race, a light, carb-focused meal a few hours before the start works well — stick to something you've already tested in training.
A 5K rarely needs on-course fuel — water stations, if any, are the main provision at this distance.
Post-race recovery starts with carbohydrate and protein, ideally within the first hour.
Great North 5K Charity Places 2026
Not published specifically for the 5K — check the official site for current charity partnerships.
Lead with your personal story — explain why the charity matters to you. Personal connection generates 3x more support than a generic link broadcast.
Share key training milestones on Instagram (first 10-miler, peak week, race week) with your fundraising link in bio. Publicly thanking donors prompts secondary gifts!
Running Great North 5K for charity?
Link your JustGiving page to Verus and show up right here alongside other Great North 5K fundraisers — goal, progress and story, all in one place.
Add Your Fundraiser to VerusWhere to Stay for Great North 5K
Newcastle city centre
Closest to the Quayside and the widest hotel choice.
Can book up given the wider Great North Run weekend.
Travel & Logistics
Newcastle Central station serves the city, within reach of the Quayside start/finish.
Closed-road event along the Tyne, crossing into Gateshead — exact closure times not published at the time of writing.
Spectator & Cheer Guide
The Quayside and the Tyne/Swing Bridge crossings give scenic, easy-to-reach viewing points.
Newcastle Quayside is compact and well served by public transport for spectators moving between points.
No dedicated live-tracking app confirmed for this event.
Great North 5K Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know for race weekend.
People Also Search For
Similar races
Great North Run
Newcastle upon Tyne to South Shields, UK
Brighton Beach 5K
Brighton, Melbourne, Victoria
Bishop's Stortford Running Festival
Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire, UK
Great North 10K
Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
Charterpoint Canberra 5K
Canberra, Australian Capital Territory
Richmond RunFest 10K
Kew, London, UK
Race details independently compiled and fact-checked by Tommo against the official Great North 5K site , last verified August 2026. Always confirm official timings and policies directly prior to race day.