Great North Run - FAQs
By choosing to run for WaterAid you are helping raise much needed sponsorship to provide some of the poorest people in the world with clean water, sanitation and hygiene education.
Every £15 raised can help provide clean water and effective sanitation for one person for life.
Find out all you need to know about the Great North Run with our FAQs:
Who organises the Great North Run? (back to top)
It is organised and managed by Nova International, who are responsible for everything to do with the actual run, including issuing your Running Number.
What's the administrative process for being a Great North Runner? (back to top)
The process of being involved in the Great North Run is as follows:
- Online registration for the WaterAid team (closing date 24 June 2011)
- Acknowledgement email
- WaterAid office confirms acceptance of application
- Acceptance email and request for registration fee
- On receipt of the non-refundable registration fee (£50), your place in the team is confirmed. You will receive an email with an online token to officially register your place with NOVA, please refer to the information below about filling in the NOVA online form
- You will then need to redeem your token to get your running place and a confirmation email will be sent by them to confirm it
- When you have registered with NOVA you will be issued with a welcome pack and a running number
- You will receive regular e-newsletters from WaterAid giving up to date information about the run
- Take part in the run and join us for a celebratory drink afterwards
- Send us your sponsorship money!
Is there a registration fee? (back to top)
Yes. Please send £50 (which includes VAT but is non-refundable) to us at WaterAid, Elvington WTW, Elvington, York, YO41 4BA.
Is there a minimum sponsorship requirement? (back to top)
We ask that WaterAid place runners pledge to raise £300 for WaterAid. This money goes towards providing clean water, sanitation and health education to some of the poorest people in the world. If you are not confident that you can raise that amount, we can support you with fundraising ideas and publicity suggestions. There is no minimum pledge for Own Place runners.
When will I get my WaterAid runner welcome pack? (back to top)
Your pack will be issued to you when we receive your registration fee.
When is the closing date for registering for the 2011 run? (back to top)
24 June 2011.
Do you have any running tips as I prepare for the run? (back to top)
We have a page dedicated to essential running tips as you prepare for the run including advice on training, diet and nutrition.
Where can I find information regarding accommodation and travel arrangements? (back to top)
Accommodation gets booked up very quickly so you are encouraged to book as soon as you can. The Great North Run website (opens in a new window) has information and provides a booking service for accommodation.
How do I fill in the NOVA online registration form? (back to top)
NOVA International requires you to complete their registration process. We have 100 places and will issue you with an online token for you to complete their forms electronically. If you don't fill in the electronic form, you will be unable to run. There will be a deadline for filling in the form and if you are unable to fill it in by that deadline date, please let us know, as we can extend it for you. The process is very straight forward, taking you through a series of questions, which only takes a few minutes to complete.
Please note: In the section titled 'Running for a charity', answer no. You will be automatically registered with us when you complete this form through the token.
How do I get another vest size? (back to top)
If the vest we send you is the wrong size, please return it to us and we will replace it. If you have worn it, we ask that you pay for the replacement vest at a cost of £6.50, cheques made payable to WaterAid. Please contact us via email at greatnorthrun@wateraid.org or by phone on 0845 120 1293.
How can I raise sponsor money? (back to top)
We have lots of fundraising tips on our website. Plus you will be sent some resources in the welcome pack. If you have any suggestions or success stories of great fundraising ideas that we could share with the rest of the team don't hesitate to let us know. Ideas are always welcome.
Can I raise sponsorship online? (back to top)
You can create an online personalised fundraising page on the internet to direct your friends and family to, so that they can sponsor you wherever they are in the world! Go to our Justgiving guide which explains how to set one up. If you have any problems you can contact us at greatnorthrun@wateraid.org or phone us on 0845 120 1293. Not only is this process easy, safe and secure; the added advantage of a Justgiving page is that Gift Aid can be claimed on your behalf. It automatically adds a fantastic 25% to the total raised by all UK Taxpayers, our guide has the full details.
When will I get my runner number? (back to top)
Nova International is responsible for issuing the running numbers and you should receive it no later than four weeks before the run date. If you haven't received it by then, please contact us and we will chase it for you. WaterAid does not have any influence on running numbers nor which wave you are placed in, NOVA International are solely responsible for this element of the Great North Run.
When should I expect to receive the e-newsletters? (back to top)
We send out three e-newsletters at 4-6 weeks intervals before the run. If you don't receive them, it may be that your email is filtering them out into your spam box. Some email systems can alter the display of the message, if you experience any problems please let us know and we will send the newsletters in a different format. These e-newsletters are important as they give you any updates about the event. The last one will include a map of where the hospitality marquee is after the run.
What if I want to cancel my place? (back to top)
Own place: If you have an Own Place (you obtained this directly from NOVA International) you need to let them know immediately. They should give you the option to defer your place until the following year, which will guarantee you a place then. Please also let us know if you are unable to run so we can make a note of it in our records.
WaterAid place: WaterAid is allocated a number of guaranteed places, please let us know as soon as possible if you're unable to run, so that we can reallocate the place.
I cannot run – can I 'give' my place to someone else? (back to top)
Please note that under no circumstances can WaterAid condone the swapping of places – NOVA International apply very strict and stringent rules to ensure that they know who is running under which number. Swapping numbers is prohibited and can result in the runner being barred from other NOVA events, and the charity being censured. If you cannot run please contact us as soon as possible and we will try and help you find a solution. You can email us at greatnorthrun@wateraid.org or phone us on 0845 120 1293.
My friends and family want to come and support me – where do I find information to help them get the most out of the day? (back to top)
Information regarding where spectators can get the best from the day is on the Great Run Website, www.greatrun.org (opens in a new window). If you want to meet them at the WaterAid finishing marquee at the end please see the information below.
What happens at the end of the run? (back to top)
We are pleased to inform you that we have a hospitality marquee in the Charity Village. Download a map to see where (
PDF 116Kb), in 2009 we were number 80 and marked as WaterAid! (This is still subject to confirmation for the 2010 run). As a runner, we would like to invite you to join us for refreshments and a well earned rest to say thank you for running for us. We will also send you a map through the post in our final correspondence before the run happens.
What do I do with my sponsorship money? (back to top)
When you have collected all your sponsorship money, please send it to us at: WaterAid, Elvington WTW, Elvington, York, YO41 4BA. If you receive cheques early on in your fundraising efforts, please send them to us as soon as you can. This avoids problems with the banks who don't always accept cheques older than 6 months.
Is there a deadline for paying in sponsorship monies that I've raised? (back to top)
Yes, we usually encourage all sponsorship money to be sent to us within two months of the run taking place.
What happens if I don't raise enough money? (back to top)
If you find you are experiencing difficulties in reaching the fundraising target please contact us by email greatnorthrun@wateraid.org and we will endeavour to offer you our help. Please also see our fundraising tips and resources for practical advice. If you have other questions please email or call us 0845 120 1293.
I have a question not answered by any of the above (back to top)
If your query is directly related to your Great Run – please contact NOVA International on 0845 389 2200. If you're unsure where your query lies, or if it's related to anything to do with WaterAid, please contact us on greatnorthrun@wateraid.org or 0845 120 1293.
Thank you so much for taking part in the Great North Run. We wish you every success and look forward to cheering you on at the finish line!
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