Northumberland Street, one of Newcastle's most famous shopping streets, will be part of the HogmanHOWAY 5K route on New Year's Eve, marking its first use in a running event in more than 40 years, according to organisers. The event, which debuted successfully last year, will return on December 31 with a slightly revised city centre route.
Route Changes and Capacity
The revised route will take runners along Northumberland Street, a street that has not been used for a running event since the city centre 5ks in the early to mid-1980s. The street, which has undergone significant redevelopment, will now host around 3,000 runners for the event organised by Events of the North.
The HogmanHOWAY 5K, created by Olympic silver medallist Steve Cram, will be twice the size of the original, which involved around 1,500 runners. The 2025 run, which started and finished at Newcastle Civic Centre, took in landmarks linked to its sponsor, the investment company Develop North, and its event partners. It included a prize fund for elite athletes and saw many runners raise money for good causes.
Historic Connection
Steve Cram was part of the elite field in the 1984 Newcastle City Centre 5K, which was won by local athlete Mike McLeod. Now 3,000 runners will follow in those athletes' footsteps, with organisers expecting the event to reach capacity. Already, 1,000 runners have signed up, and thousands more are expected to watch as part of the city's New Year's Eve party.
The run is being hosted in partnership with the North East Mayoral Strategic Authority and Newcastle City Council. Its official charity partner is The Sir Bobby Robson Foundation, which hopes to raise funds for the new Sir Bobby Robson Institute and support cancer research and treatment. Representatives will join the HogmanHOWAY 5K team, North East Mayor Kim McGuinness, and others in the city centre this week for a pre-event campaign encouraging people to share their love of the region through 'Why aye love the North East' messages.
Entry and Next Steps
The current entry price is £20 until October 31. The event aims to add to the city centre buzz and appeal to those looking to round off the year with physical exercise and personal achievement.
