Sunderland is surrounded by popular running events that cater to runners of all ages and abilities. Local cities and towns hold regular races, or there are opportunities to enjoy the sea breeze with coastal runs or take on challenging terrains in the nearby North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Shorter distances, such as 5k or 10k races, often have a fun, friendly, and family-focused atmosphere and are great for getting involved with the local community. In South Shields, there is a popular 1-mile run on a Wednesday evening every month, or there is a Summer and Winter trail series available. Longer distance races, such as half marathons and full distance marathons, require more training but have a rewarding pay-off. The nearby Great North Run is one of the highlights of the UK running calendar, attracting over 57,000 participants for the half marathon. There is also a Great North 10k earlier in the year, which has a grandstand finish at Gateshead International Stadium.