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| Great North Run: 33rd event gets under way | |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| The 33rd Great North Run is under way on Tyneside, with more than 55,000 people taking part despite wet and windy weather. | |
| World 400m champion Christine Ohuruogu and England cricketer Graeme Swann started the event. | |
| Thousands are running the 13.1-mile course from Newcastle to South Shields for charity and crowds are lining the route to cheer them on. | |
| And double Olympic and world champion Mo Farah is among the elite runners. | |
| Among the celebrities taking part are former Spice Girl Mel C and presenter Radio 2 presenter Jo Wiley. | |
| Thousands gathered at the start line and along the route to cheer wheelchair racers and the elite women runners, who were the first to go. | |
| 'Tail wind' | |
| The main group of runners got off on time at 10:40 BST. | |
| BBC weather forecaster Jay Wynne said: "It will be quite cold at the start of the race, particularly standing around in the wind. | BBC weather forecaster Jay Wynne said: "It will be quite cold at the start of the race, particularly standing around in the wind. |
| "There will probably be around 5mm of rain during the race and maybe some heavier bursts. | "There will probably be around 5mm of rain during the race and maybe some heavier bursts. |
| "It will be windy as well and there will probably be gusts of 30-40mph, maybe a little bit higher. | "It will be windy as well and there will probably be gusts of 30-40mph, maybe a little bit higher. |
| "For the main bit of the race down to South Shields the wind should be with them as a cross tail wind and a blustery cross wind when they run along the coast." | "For the main bit of the race down to South Shields the wind should be with them as a cross tail wind and a blustery cross wind when they run along the coast." |
| Double world and Olympic gold medalist Farah will be aiming to win the men's event against a world-class field including Haile Gebrselassie and Kenenisa Bekele, while London 2012 Paralympic sensation David Weir is favourite for the wheelchair race. | |
| British athlete Gemma Steel is taking part in the race, from Newcastle to South Shields, alongside other elite female runners including the Ethiopian pair of Tirunesh Dibaba and Meseret Defar. | |
| From just 12,000 runners at the first run in 1981, the event has now grown to more than 55,000 accepted entrants from more than 100,000 applicants. | From just 12,000 runners at the first run in 1981, the event has now grown to more than 55,000 accepted entrants from more than 100,000 applicants. |
| The Bupa Great North Run will be live on BBC One and BBC One HD on Sunday morning from 09:30 with a highlights programme at 16:50 on BBC Two. BBC Tyne and Wear will also have live updates between 08:00 and 16:00. | The Bupa Great North Run will be live on BBC One and BBC One HD on Sunday morning from 09:30 with a highlights programme at 16:50 on BBC Two. BBC Tyne and Wear will also have live updates between 08:00 and 16:00. |
| If you are going to be at the event, please send us your pictures. | If you are going to be at the event, please send us your pictures. |
| Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. | Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. |
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