EDINBURGH is preparing for its biggest ever marathon with more than twice as many entrants as last year.
More than 12,500 runners had signed up for the event before the deadline at midnight last night.
The marathon on Sunday, May 25, is expected to raise more than £3 million for charity as well as providing a £3m boost for the local economy. It has b
een voted Scotland's best running event by Runners World magazine.
Runners will start in Regent Road then head along the coast to East Lothian, before finishing at Musselburgh Racecourse. Organisers say the success of last year's event has led to thousands more people taking part.
Around 4000 runners finished the race last year, but this year 9500 will be setting off on the full course, with a further 3000 competing as members of relay teams. Entrants will be coming from all over the world, representing 40 different countries.
Damien O'Looney, marketing manager, said: "People really enjoyed it last year and a lot of runners are taking part again. It's been pretty steady for the past five years but it's really grown a lot this year. One of the reasons it's so successful is it's been voted the best in Scotland.
"It's also one of the fastest marathons in the UK for the average runner. This is because there's about a 55-metre drop between the start and finishing line."
The route has been changed for this year because of tram work on Princes Street and the start will be at the Burns Monument on Regent Road.
Chris Bell, 31, a teacher from Bruntsfield Gardens, said he hopes to complete the race in around four hours in aid of Cancer Research UK. He said: "This is my first marathon, although it's something I've always wanted to do. I've been training pretty hard. It's going to be a tough challenge mentally as well as physically. It should be a really nice course along the coast."
The race is supporting three official charities, Myeloma UK, Kidney Research UK and Hope for Children.
For those daunted by the prospect of a full 26.2 miles, the Chevrolet Hairy Haggis Team Relay is also proving popular. This splits the full marathon course into four sections – two eight-mile legs and two five-mile legs.
Organisers are still calling for more volunteers to help on the day. They will receive goody bags and a free lunch, as well as a donation to their chosen charity. For more information call 01620-890 444.
www.edinburgh-marathon.comThe full article contains 433 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
