Great Winter Runners brave sub-zero conditions on altered route

The event took place on an altered, 4km route because of the icy conditions, and as participants took their place at the starting line, organisers announced the temperature – minus three degrees.

About 1,500 runners made it to Holyrood Park for Saturday's race, and as the sun shone in clear, blue skies, they were cheered on by tobogganists on the nearby slopes.

Because of the difficulties of clearing the traditional route right around Queen's Drive, runners were directed from the start area close to Holyrood Palace anti-clockwise beneath Salisbury Crags, running uphill on snow-covered grass, before turning back downhill on the gritted road.

Lynsey Stephenson, spokeswoman for organisers Nova International said: "We were working to try and get the original 5K course clear and we had the gritters and snow ploughs out the day before, but the decision was taken that the course wasn't going to be totally safe, so we decided to go with the 4k option as safety is the most important thing for our runners. The feedback we've been getting from runners has been great, and that it's a fantastic setting."

First home was Neil Renault in a time of 12minutes and 41 seconds, while the first woman across the line was Helen Thomson in 16 minutes and 41 seconds.

Also among the runners was former army chef Steven Waterston, 37, who ran in a costume including army boots and khaki trousers. He also carried the white stick he uses to warn others of his tunnel vision, which developed after he survived two strokes, deep vein thrombosis, pneumonia, and blood clots on the lung. Despite his health problems, which came out of the blue with his first stroke in 2003, he was fit enough to make his way safely across the finish line.

He said: "It's emotional. It was difficult running with the boots on in the snow, I don't know what time I got yet, but I finished, I'm glad I got round."

Another of the runners was Mark Cooper, who is currently training to run from Amsterdam to Barcelona to raise money for Edinburgh Headway Group, which supports people with brain injury and their families.

He said: "I thought they'd done really well to get it organised. I thought it was a bit more challenging than normal, because the first two corners you went round were on the snow. I started quite near the front and not many people had run over it, so it was quite powdery. But I think they did the right thing with the route, and I thought they did well to get it organised in such a short period of time."

Crunch of powder drowned out by runners' gasps

By Sue Gyford

I HAD no idea. When they said the Winter Run route would be changed to a shorter course with a bit of cross-country, I was a bit disappointed that it would be less of a challenge. I should have known better

The soothing crunch of powder beneath the feet that I had anticipated was quickly drowned out by the gasps of runners plodding uphill .

By the halfway point, the chill had been replaced by a distinct burning in my thighs, and it was all I could do not to push a small child off a passing sledge and take a short cut to the finish line.

But with brilliant sunshine, the sight of a river of runners against the bright snow spurred me on. Making the most of the Tarmaced downhill straight, I had the pleasure of overtaking a few of the (numerous) others who had passed me on the way up. By the time I crossed the finish line, I was too busy trying to breathe to notice how long it had taken. But with the altered route, this year's race was not about personal bests – just about enjoying a truly wintry Winter Run.