A programme of community engagement encouraged local people to lend memorabilia, and share their recollections of the Great North Run, to complement existing collections held by the Great North Museum: Hancock.

The public was invited to record their own run experiences through creative writing, drawing and model-making workshops. A lecture series examined themes such as the history of the race, and the development of sport in the region.

The project also ‘adopted’ a number of runners taking part in the 2010 race, and charted their progress in the lead-up to the event through podcasts and social media.

In The Long Run aimed to engage a wider audience with the cultural heritage of the half-marathon, collect personal stories and objects to support research, and conserve and preserve the history of the event for future generations.