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Jonathan Edwards presents live coverage of the 2013 Great North Run.

The world's biggest and most iconic half marathon will have a record 56,000 entrants this year, in what is the 33rd staging of the race. Leading the men's elite field and fresh from his double haul of 5,000m and 10,000m gold medals at the recent World Championships will be Britain's Mo Farah. In what has been billed as the greatest ever half marathon head-to-head, the double Olympic and world champion Farah will face two former Olympic and world champions - the famous Ethiopians Kenenisa Bekele and Haile Gebrselassie. Farah is a relative newcomer to the half marathon distance, and Bekele will be making his debut at the distance, so both face a formidable opponent in the shape of 2010 Great North Run winner Haile Gebrselassie.

The women's race has an equally intriguing contest, as two great rivals go head-to-head in the shape of Ethiopians Tirunesh Dibaba and Meseret Defar. Dibaba is the reigning world and Olympic champion at 10,000m, while Defar holds both titles for the 5,000m. Both will be hoping to beat the reigning London Marathon champion, Kenya's Priscah Jeptoo, while Gemma Steel leads he British challenge.

There is intrigue in the wheelchair races, too; Britain's David Weir, who won four gold medals at the London Olympics, faces the reigning champion of the Great North Run, Canadian Josh Cassidy. In the women's race, Britain's Shelly Woods - who was runner-up at last year's London Marathon - faces domestic competition from 17-year-old Jade Jones, the rising star of the British Paralympic team.

No Great North Run would be complete without the mass entrants, and this year will see a record number take to the start line to the north of the city centre, before crossing the iconic Tyne Bridge and making their way to South Shields for the finish by the sea. As well as those just taking part for enjoyment, will be many raising money for causes close to them, and we will hear some of those stories during the programme as well as bringing live updates from out on the course with Denise Lewis and Colin Jackson.

Regular course reports from former British athletes Denise Lewis and Colin Jackson; and commentary from Steve Cram and Brendan Foster, who will be joined by the former world marathon and half marathon champion Paula Radcliffe.