The GNR is the largest half marathon in the world, taking place annually between Newcastle upon Tyne and South Shields. Around 57 000 runners crossed the starting line yesterday.

It was the third time that Gerda ran this race and this time she bettered her time from last year by around 6 minutes. “I loved the race with thousands of supporters next to the road,” said Gerda.

She’s gone from strength to strength in the last couple of months, finishing fourth at the 2017 Comrades Marathon, before recently winning and setting a new 10km PB of 36:14 at the Middlesbrough Tees Pride 10km (New Yorkshire). She now has her sights set on the Valencia Marathon in November.

Britain’s Mo Farah won the men’s race for a record-breaking fourth consecutive year. He broke the tape in one hour and six seconds. New Zealand’s Jake Robertson finished six seconds behind in second place with Ethiopia’s Feyisa Lilesa taking third.

Shortly after crossing the finishing line Robertson proposed to his girlfriend Magdalyne Masai from Kenya, who had just finished fourth in the women’s elite race.

London marathon winner, Mary Keitany won the women’s race comfortably in 1:05.59 with Vivian Cheruiyot finishing second in 1:07.44.