Tynemouth based poet Kate Fox was Great North Run Culture’s very first poet in residence.

We followed her mental and physical journey as she prepared for the Great North Run, engaging with fellow participants and audiences along the way, demonstrating how sport and creativity don’t have to be separated, but can feed and speak to each other. You can read Kate's poems here.

Kate says, "In common with many writers, the only exercise I usually do involves lifting my pen.. I’d describe myself as being like Sylvia Plath but cheerier, and like Pam Ayres but more miserable. Neither of them were renowned for their niftiness in Nikes, but now I’m prepared to embrace the Loneliness of the Long Distance Punner, and train to do the Great North Run. Not only that, but I’ll be reeling off rhymes while I’m running and spouting sonnets while I’m sprinting. I’ll be feeling the burn...and the Burns.”