Community to 'finish' Great North Run for man who died after the event
The man who tragically died at the 2024 Great North Run on Sunday [8 September] has been named as Sam Weallans – and now, members of his local community are getting ready to lace up their running shoes to complete the race in his memory.
Weallans collapsed and was taken ill on the Great North Run course – which runs from Newcastle to South Shields – just over two miles from the finish line. He was then taken to hospital, where he sadly passed away later that day. His cause of death is not yet known.
The 29-year-old runner from Newbiggin-by-the-Sea, Northumberland, had taken part in the iconic 13.1-mile event to raise money for mental health charity Mind in memory of both his sister and his friend, Matty. His initial fundraising target of £350 has now exceeded £22,000.
The Great Run Company, which organises the Great North Run, said that its ‘thoughts and sympathies are with all those who loved and knew [Weallans]’.
‘We are continuing to support Sam’s close family during this incredibly difficult time,’ continued a spokesperson for the mass participation events organisation.
Weallans was one of around 60,000 runners who had signed up for this year’s Great North Run, which is the biggest half marathon in the world.
To remember Weallans, members of the Newbiggin-by-the-Sea community are now coming together to run or walk 2.1 miles (3.3km) – the distance that Weallans still had to complete before collapsing on the Great North Run route – on Sunday 29 September.
‘This is just our way as a community to remember Sam and support his family and raise awareness of the work of Mind,’ said organiser Karen McNeill Smith, who is part of Newbiggin SAS Running Group.
‘I knew Sam because I used to see him at the gym and he had the most infectious smile – just a lovely, lovely young lad,’ she continued. ‘I put a message on social media just saying, “Let’s come together for Sam and do this 2.1 miles”, and there was this fantastic response and lots of other people are running on that day too all over the country.
‘Running is so good for your health – this seems like such a good way to remember Sam.’
The event will start at 11:00am at Church Point in Newbiggin-by-the-Sea and involve one loop of the promenade. Everyone is welcome to come along to run or walk the 2.1-mile circuit.
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