Great Winter Run: Thousands face frosty weather to race
![More than 2500 cross-country runners pounded the pavements of Holyrood Park on Saturday. Picture: Lesley Martin](https://www.scotsman.com/webimg/legacy_elm_43424250.jpg?crop=3:2,smart&width=640&quality=65&enable=upscale)
![More than 2500 cross-country runners pounded the pavements of Holyrood Park on Saturday. Picture: Lesley Martin](/img/placeholder.png)
Double Olympic champion Mo Farah was among the crowds of competitors taking part in a range of running events, with more than 3000 pounding the pavements for the 5k.
Father-of-two Mitchell Hiddleston, from Livingston, signed up as part of his recovery from a near-fatal motorbike accident in 2003.
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Hide AdConsultants had warned the 50-year-old he might never run again – but he defied expectations and completed Saturday’s course around Arthur’s Seat in a respectable 31 minutes. He said: “I’ve proved anything is possible if you put your mind to it.”
![Runners pounded the pavements of Holyrood Park. Picture: Lesley Martin](https://www.scotsman.com/webimg/legacy_elm_43424252.jpg?crop=3:2,smart&width=640&quality=65)
![Runners pounded the pavements of Holyrood Park. Picture: Lesley Martin](/img/placeholder.png)
Farah, 32, was beaten in his first race of the year, finishing two seconds behind American Garrett Heath and completing the eight-kilometre course in Holyrood Park in 25 minutes 31 seconds.
Despite battling through mud and the freezing cold, the athlete was philosophical: “It was tough. But this is cross-country.”