First look at Great North Run 2025 medal as ‘work of art’ design revealed with weeks to go

An ‘art of illusion’ artist has created the new design for the Great North Run medal which runners will be awarded this September 7

Organisers of the Great North Run have revealed the design for this year’s medal which will be awarded to the tens of thousands of people taking part in this year’s event. As recently reported, excitement is building in the region ahead of the world-famous half-marathon which will bring around 60,000 runners – including celebrities and an Olympics icon – plus about 200,000 spectators to the region on Sunday, September 7.

The medal that awaits the runners when they complete the 13.1-mile Newcastle to South Shields route is always a highlight: a mark of achievement and a cause for celebration. Each year the medal handed out is different and special, with previous designs becoming souvenirs for many.

Now organisers of the AJ Bell Great North Run have revealed the design for 2025’s medal which has been created in collaboration with Newcastle-based artist Howard Lee. And it no doubt will delight those pouring past the South Shields finish line this September.

Organisers say that Howard, described as an ‘art of illusion’ artist, was a fitting choice to design the medal for the Great North Run in its 44th year of ‘ordinary people doing extraordinary things’. And Howard, who says he felt “privileged” to be involved, has come up with a new design incorporating the iconic Tyne Bridge in gold- while poetry features on the medal too.

Shown behind the bridge are lines from a poem called ‘We are the Great North Run‘ by George Caulkin, a sports correspondent and regular participant in the run whose words are being adopted as this year’s theme. Artist Howard – a former art teacher and an adopted Geordie, having moved to Newcastle almost 20 years when his wife took a job in the region – is known for his ‘real versus fake’ style, with his work and videos posted on Instagram and online having attracted TV and world attention.

He says: “Because my work is viewed in video form, there are a lot of ways to experiment with creating illusions or playing around with perception. Realism is already a type of artistic illusion but the video creates a certain way of seeing it, adding another level for the audience.”

His video on Instagram shows a real image of half a medal and the other half being drawn in pencil. And viewers see an identical-looking end-result.

Howard adds of his approach to his medal design: “The starting point for this type of artwork is almost always to find a range of art materials that can be blended to accurately match the colours in the real piece. The depiction of the Tyne Bridge and surrounding poetry took quite a lot of colour mixing!

“I feel very privileged to have been involved in the process of revealing this year’s medal. It really is quite a striking design!”

For a guide to this September’s Great North Run see here. Those interested in taking part next year can sign up online to receive early news, when released, of the upcoming 2026 entry ballot.

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