Since the first race, a massive 642,221 people have crossed the finish line in South Shields, including a host of sports stars, celebrities, and fund-raisers – each with their own story to tell.
The event is broadcast live on the BBC from 9.30am and covers the race for four hours, all the way from the Central Motorway, over the Tyne Bridge, along the Felling bypass and to the coast.
A total of 8,027,758 miles have been run since the race began, that's about 308 times around the world.
Event founder and chairman of run organisers Nova International, Olympic gold medallist Brendan Foster, said: "It is a milestone that I am immensely proud of and I can safely say that it is an event that is here to stay. I am sure the Great North Run will be around longer than I will."
Among the famous faces taking part this year is former Doctor Who star Christopher Ecclestone.
The actor, who ran his first Great North Run in 1993, and again in 1998, is back for more punishment this year.
He said: "I love it when you see people flagging and other runners going past them giving them a pat on the back to encourage them. It's not really a race in that sense. Everybody is in it together."
A new book celebrating a quarter of a century of the event has been created, tracing its history from idea to world-famous race.
It includes contributions from some of the best athletes of recent times, including Paula Radcliffe, and Dame Kelly Homes, all of whom have been charmed by the spirit of the run.
Also new this year is a a Great North Run Cultural Programme, with exhibitions, galleries and film screenings around the North East to celebrate the occasion.
The Great Mile Tour is heading to Mowbray Park in the build-up to Sunday, with organisers of the run looking to clock up one million race and training miles.
All the usual favourites, including the Great North Pasta Party and the Junior Great North Run, are taking place throughout the weekend.


Get set for some fascinating race facts

The charity Scope pick up three van-loads of discarded clothing from the start area of the Great North Run each year.
It takes 3.24km of ribbon to hang the medals around finishers necks.
The metal in the medals given to Great North Run finishers weighs a massive 2.9 tonnes.
The metallic space blankets found in the goody bags take 88,000 square metres of heat retaining silver foil to produce, enough to cover 12 football pitches.
l5.5km of barriers are used to close off the roads.
More than 3,200 traffic cones are used on the event.
Leigh Allsop, Sarah Europe-Finner and Richard Norton, runners in this year's event, were all born on the day of the first Great North Run – June 28, 1981.
The male/female split for this year's run is 59 per cent/41 per cent
In 2001, Victoria Walton became the 500,000th Great North Runner to cross the finish line.
More than 2,500 workers and volunteers are employed on BUPA Great North Run race day.
More than 85,000 litres of Aqua Pura Water will be drunk by competitors at this year's BUPA Great North Run.
In 2001 one Great North Runner, Andrew Shippey, single handedly raised £385,000 in sponsorship money for Cancer Research UK.
The average age of BUPA Great North Runners is 35 years and nine months.
If all the BUPA Great North Runners stood head to toe their combined height would be 10 times the height of Mount Everest!
The 25th BUPA Great North Run will be seen by millions of people in a special four-hour live broadcast from 9.30am to 1.30pm.
About 25 miles of cloth is used to make the BUPA Great North Run souvenir T-shirts.
Every postcode in the country is represented on the startline.


KEY MOMENTS IN GNR HISTORY

1981
Less than 5,000 runners were expected to take part in the inaugural race – held on Sunday, June 28 – therefore organisers were astounded when more than 12,500 applied and more than 10,000 of them completed the first Great North Run.

1982
After the brilliant success of the previous year more than 50,000 fun runners applied for the 20,000 available places.

1986
The stature of the event was recognized when it became the final of the Pearl Assurance half marathon series and also hosted the AAA National Championships.

1988
The entry limit was increased to 27,000.

1989
In the most dramatic finish to that point in its history Mike McLeod missed out on his third Great North Run win.

1992
Incorporating the first ever World Half Marathon Championships, Benson Masya won the race in a world record 60 minutes 24 seconds and Liz McColgan won the women's race.

1994
Benson Masya came in first in a UK All-Comers record time of 60 minutes 02 – which still remains as the fastest half marathon so far in this country.

2000
The Millennium Race was celebrated in marvellous fashion when Paula Radcliffe eclipsed Grete Waitz's long standing record of 68 minutes 49 seconds set in 1988. The new heroine of British athletics went even further, setting a European record time of 67 minutes 07 seconds.

2002
A massive 35,142 runners crossed the finishing line at South Shields, when Paul Kosgei hit a new course record, slashing 4 seconds from Benson Masya's 1994 time to come in under the one hour mark at 59 minutes and 58 seconds.

2003
Paula Radcliffe, pictured, scorched to a world best and new course record time of 1:05:40 leaving a world class field in her wake. Paula's victory capped a fantastic year which saw her set a new world record over twice the distance in the London Marathon.

2004
The course record was broken in 2004 by the first Ethiopian winner of the Great North Run Dejene Berhanu in 59 minutes and 37 seconds, slashing 21 seconds off the previous record set in 2002 by Paul Kosgei.


25 not out for John

ENERGETIC John Ford is pulling on his trainers as he takes part in his 25th Great North Run.
Mr Ford, from East Boldon, first crossed the finishing line in 1981 completing the very first half marathon.
And as the 58-year-old takes his place among 50,000 other runners this Sunday he will be proud knowing that he is part of a handful of competitors who have ran every single race.
"It first started when a couple of friends said they fancied doing it, and the rest they say is history," he said.
"Over the years they stopped doing it so I'm the only one left."
After a seven-year stint in the Army, by 1981 Mr Ford said he was 33, felt out of shape and needed the motivation, one of the reasons he signed up for the 13.1 mile challenge.
"My wife got me a tracksuit for Christmas and it stayed in the wardrobe for months. Then when I heard about the Great North Run, I thought it would be a good opportunity to wear it, get out and get fit again," the self-employed mechanic added.
"Running really helps to clear your mind. The trick is not to push yourself too far when you first get started and if possible, find someone to run with."
Mr Ford has already raised thousands of pounds for his charity Cancer Research UK, which he will be supporting again.
He said:"Although I've said this will be my last run, never say never it all depends if I don't get injured."


Mum in a dash to the start

HOSPITAL worker Jackie Boyle is rushing straight from the airport to the start line on Sunday morning.
Fresh from her holiday and due to land in Newcastle at 8.15am, the mum will rush straight through arrivals to compete in the race.
The 44-year-old, who lost her 19-year-old son John to meningitis in January last year, is running to raise money for Meningitis UK.
Jackie says: "John was really fit and healthy, even now more than a year and a half on I still can't quite believe it. I never thought I would lose my son at such an early age."
Jackie, who is married to James and has two other children, Gary, 23, and Hannah, 10, added: "I have had huge support from all my family, friends and colleagues.
"I want to raise £21,000 by September 30. John would've been 21 that day so it is an important landmark for us all."
Nicola Fisher, communications officer for the charity said: "Meningitis UK relies solely on charitable contributions from our many friends and supporters across the UK like Jackie and her family and friends."


THE Great North Run is the brainchild of former Olympic 10,000m bronze medallist Brendan Foster.
He was inspired with the idea for the Great North Run after he competed in the Round the Bays Race in New Zealand in 1979.
Two years later the North East had its own race, which is now in the Guinness Book of Records as being the largest half marathon in the world.


CELEBRITY RUNNERS FOR 2005
Big Brother's Dermot O'Leary
Travel presenter Craig Doyle
Jockey Richard Dunwoody
Chef Gordon Ramsay
Model Nell McAndrew
Spin doctor Alistair Campbell
Actor Jimmy Nail
Football commentator John Motson
Actor Christopher Eccleston
Radio 1 DJ Chris Moyles (walking)