And, as expected, it's Mary Keitany that has gone storming out at the start. She's got the slenderest of leads as the others struggle to keep pace as they reach the one mile mark.

Paula Radcliffe
Women's marathon world record holder on BBC TV

The marathon was a bit of a wake up call for Vivian, when she couldn’t stay close to Keitany. Its’ a different story over the half-marathon. I think her plan will be to stay with her as much a possible and then finish faster than her across the seafront here.

London Marathon winner Mary Keitany, who broke Paula Radcliffe's women's-only marathon world record back in April, is a two-time winner in Newcastle.

She's part of a strong women's field along with Olympic 10,000m silver medallist Vivian Cheruiyot and Britain's Alyson Dixon, who competed in the Olympic marathon in Rio last year.

There'll also be tough competition from Betsy Saina, who came fifth in the Olympic 10,000m, and this year's Great Ireland Run winner, Gemma Steel.

Jo Pavey has some handy advice for all those competing this year...

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The elite women's race has just begun - it's a cracking field this year.

Steve Cram
BBC athletics commentator on BBC TV

This is a good field for Sammi Kinghorn. She will tuck in alongside some of the male racers. Manuela Schar will be the favourite and you'd suspect Sammi will get close to her.

Among the elite wheelchair racers is Sammi Kinghorn, a double World Para-athletics sprint champion who has swapped the track for the road today.

The Scot is getting ready for the 2018 Commonwealth Games, which features the marathon and 1500m.

"It's a big change moving from track to the road," Kinghorn said.

"I've not done a marathon before at all so the Great North Run is a half (13.1 miles) and that's a good place to start.

"I want to see first if I can do the half and then we plan to try the Chicago Marathon (on 8 October)."

Image source, PA

The starting pistol goes, and the first of today's Great North Run events is under way.

Image source, Getty Images

Whether it's you or your family members and friends taking part in the Great North Run today - tweet your pics and vids of the day with the hashtag #GreatNorthRun and we'll include the best in our live text.

It's your race, so get involved!

First up to take on the 13.1 miles are the elite wheelchair athletes.

Among them are Britain's Simon Lawson, who won this year's Great Manchester Run in 43.06, Paralympian Patrick Monahan and T54 world record holder Brent Lakatos.

Canada's Josh Cassidy, who won the 2010 London Marathon, and last year's Great North Run runner-up, Bret Crossley, are also in action.

Britain's Samantha Kinghorn and Liz McTernan are the British interest in the women's field, along with Paralympian Manuela Schar.

Image source, Getty Images

Despite some pretty dire forecasts earlier in the week, it looks as if Newcastle is being spared the worst of the weekend's wet weather.

So there may be the odd drop this afternoon, but otherwise - cool, not too windy - not bad conditions at all for distance running.

The Great North Run starts on the Town Moor in Newcastle, down the central motorway and across the Tyne Bridge into Gateshead.

Passing the Gateshead stadium, it runs along South Tyneside and finishes on the coast at South Shields.

Image source, Great North Run

Welcome to our coverage of the 37th Great North Run.

Hope you've been enjoying the warm-up from the live BBC One coverage at the top of this page.

We'll give you some of the background stories of those taking part, live reports from the course and news from the elite races.

Here's the schedule:

• 10:10 BST - Elite Wheelchair start
• 10:15 BST - Elite Women start
• 10:40 BST - Elite Men & Mass start

So let's get straight on with the action!