A new 90-metre floor mural celebrating 45 years of the Great North Run has been unveiled on Newcastle's Quayside, created by local street artist Mul (Alex Mulholland). Sir Brendan Foster, founder and president of the event, visited the site on June 24, 2026, to inspect the progress of the artwork, which features the iconic Tyne Bridge and Mul's signature Running Heart character.
Record-Breaking Event
The Great North Run was first staged on June 28, 1981, and has grown into the world's largest half marathon. This year's event on September 13 will be the biggest ever, with 63,000 runners after an additional 3,000 spaces were allocated. Sir Brendan said: "This Sunday we celebrate a big milestone, the 45th birthday of the Great North Run. In that time, we've had over 1.4 million finishers and helped raise hundreds of millions of pounds for charity."
Mural Details
The mural, delivered in partnership with NE1, spans 90 metres of the Quayside and will be seen by thousands during the Great North Run weekend. Mul's Running Heart character, which features on the mural, will also appear on finishers' T-shirts and medals this year. Mul said: "It's a true honour to have been invited by The Great Run team to contribute to the legacy of such an iconic North East institution. To know my artwork will form part of The Great North Run's history is a genuine bucket-list moment."
More Installations to Come
This mural is the first of several city installations planned to mark the milestone. Sir Brendan added: "The Quayside is the perfect location for this installation as it is home to many of our running celebrations across the Great North Run weekend. Mul's street art is designed to be accessible to everyone and his Running Heart personifies our event."
