Our Projects

Great Run Company: Evaluating the economic and social impacts of Great Run events

View all projects

The Great Run Company is famous worldwide, inspiring over 250,000 people to take part in events and campaigns each year.

We utilise our expertise in measuring impacts to let them know how their events affect people, places and the economy.

We’ve evaluated the world’s biggest half marathon, the Great North Run, on several occasions (most recently in 2019), but in 2014 – 2016 we looked at 15 of the Great Run Company’s main events across the year.

The work gives Great Run Company a thorough understanding of the role and impacts of their events, to demonstrate to partners and stakeholders the immediate and wider, longer term importance of their work to the UK and its regions. We explore the economic benefits using the EventImpact model; changing perceptions of the host areas and related tourism impacts; and attitudes to health and fitness for people in the area.

The research also generates insight into participant behaviours and attitudes, used by Great Run Company in their work with sponsors etc.

Get in touch if you’d like to chat about how our research could help you and your organisation.