Road race gets set to run back to Capital

THE prestigious Great Caledonian Run has been added to this year’s Edinburgh race calendar, it was revealed today.

The ten-kilometre run, which is organised by the group behind the Great North Run, is set to return to the Capital in May after a seven-year sabbatical in the north-east of Scotland.

The Evening News and BUPA-sponsored event, which is being staged with the backing of EventScotland and the city council, will replace the summer’s Capital City Challenge event.

As well as being televised live on Channel 5, the race is expected to bring world-famous runners to Edinburgh.

Former Olympic athlete Brendan Foster, whose firm Nova International organises the race, said the decision to move the event back to Edinburgh from Balmoral was based on his personal memories of the Capital - where the run was staged from 1993 to 1998.

He said: "Finishing in Princes Street, the route also took in Holyrood Park, Arthur’s Seat then came through the Grassmarket past the back of Edinburgh Castle.

"It proved a major attraction for the many club and fun runners who got involved in a great run."

The course for this year’s race has not yet been finalised, but organisers today said it is likely to be "similar" to the route it took in the 1990s.

The first Great Caledonian Run was held in October 1993, when British and Russian international stars Gary Staines and Lyudmila Borisova were crowned the race champions.

In the following years, Olympic and world champions triumphed in the popular event which, before its transfer to Balmoral, attracted more than 6000 entries each year.

Foster added: "[The Great Caledonian Run] also attracted star athletes and I well remember Liz McColgan’s first of two race victories when ten years ago she flew around the course in a record time of 32 minutes and 27 seconds. There’s nothing like a home victory, particularly coming from the Scot who is greatly respected worldwide."

McColgan, the former World 10,000m and New York, Tokyo and London marathons champion, today was also due to pledge her full support for the return of the Great Caledonian Run to Edinburgh.

At a press conference in the Capital, she was expected to talk of her fond memories of winning the first of two Commonwealth 10,000m gold medals when Meadowbank hosted the 1986 Games.

Nova International organises around 15 races each year, including the Great North Run, the Great South Run and the Great Manchester Run. The company also hosts the David Lloyd Leisure Great Mile event in Edinburgh and the Great Winter Run - held last week in the Capital.

Foster said: "The quality of events in Edinburgh whether track, cross country or road running, has always been extremely high and we intend making this year’s run a high-profile addition to the athletics calendar."

Councillor Ricky Henderson, the city’s sport, culture and leisure chief, said he hoped the new event will be even more popular than the Capital City Challenge, which last year attracted more than 5000 runners.

He said: "We’re delighted the BUPA Great Caledonian Run is returning to the Capital this spring. We’re looking forward to putting on the best Edinburgh 10K ever in partnership with Nova International and EventScotland."

David Williams, chief executive of EventScotland, added:

"The BUPA Great Caledonian Run will entice a host of world-class runners to the Capital in May and encourage club and fun runners to participate alongside them."

Entries for the May 8 event are available online at www.greatrun.org