Come on Nova, show your appreciation; VOICE OF THE NORTH.

WELL said, Anthony Blacker ("Something's not so Great about the run", Voice of the North, October 3).

I am also one of the ever-diminishing group who have completed all 29 Great North Runs (the "every one since '81" club).

For years I have complained about how little recognition Nova gives to our unique club. I sent emails and letters to Nova prior to the 25th GNR suggesting they should do something to recognise the achievement of our group, but was told that free entry into the recently established Great North Run Club, which I regard as a new idea to extract money from any runner who wanted a guaranteed place, was a generous gesture from Nova. The implication seemed to be that I should be grateful for this.

There were 146 of us then. This year there were 126. It's not exactly costing them a fortune.

The book commemorating the first 25 years of the GNR stated that we "have all been invited back again" and "no longer needing to apply for an official entry".

It's news to me because I still apply online and pay my money by December.

Come on Nova. None of us are getting any younger and for a few, next year will be their last GNR as many are past their retirement age. We are all rightly proud of the GNR and the amazing event it has grown into. Prove you are proud of us.

MICHAEL GOWLAND, Cullercoats, North Tyneside