The first Great North Run was advertised as a local fun run and was staged on 28 June 1981, when 12,000 runners participated.
ການແລ່ນຄັ້ງທໍາອິດຂອງ Great Run North ໄດ້ຖືກໂຄສະນາເປັນການແລ່ນມ່ວນທ້ອງຖິ່ນແລະໄດ້ຖືກຈັດຂຶ້ນໃນ 28 ເດືອນມິຖຸນາ 1981, ເມື່ອຜູ້ເຂົ້າຮ່ວມ 12,000 ເຂົ້າຮ່ວມ.