Runners set for first Scottish kilomathon

IT offers the chance to be crowned Scotland's first champion of the metric marathon and elite athletes a rare shot at breaking a world record.

So when the starter pistol sounds at the inaugural Kilomathon Scotland road race tomorrow 2,500 runners will be aiming to pencil their name into the history books.

The race, a new concept in endurance running, is described as a "stepping stone" between a half-marathon and the standard Olympic distance with entrants pounding the pavements over 26 kilometres rather than 26.2 miles.

For the imperial-minded athlete it still amounts to an arduous 16.4 miles and is tipped to be the next staple of the Scottish sporting calendar.

The 8am event starts and ends at Ingliston's Royal Highland Show Ground and takes competitors through Kirkliston, South Queensferry and a visually spectacular trek across the Forth Road Bridge, before doubling back to take in Dalmeny on the way home.

Neil Kilgour, kilomathon race director, said the maiden competition - which is being televised on Sky Sports - would provide a unique challenge for runners.

"For many runners, particularly those preparing to run marathons, it will be an ideal opportunity to test themselves at a distance beyond half marathon," he said. "But the course is so stunning that we think most will be taking part because they want to race across the Forth Road Bridge."

The kilomathon debuted earlier this year in a race between Nottingham and Derby. Five thousand runners entered the competition which was won by Woverhampton's Martin Williams - the 2009 Edinburgh Marathon champion. He established the record time of one hour and 26 minutes over this new distance.

The Commonwealth Games athlete from Wolverhampton has even made an 11th hour change of plan to contest this weekend's Scotland race before heading out to Delhi.

He said: "Running over the Forth Road Bridge will be quite spectacular and I hope it is not too windy on the day."

His main rival is expected to be Richard Kay who finished third to Williams' second place finish at the Edinburgh Marathon Festival Scottish Half Marathon in May this year.

In the women's elite field, Samantha Amend from Belgrave Harriers who also finished third in the Scottish Half Marathon is among the favourites, along with Scottish hopeful Fiona Matheson from Falkirk and Jane Munro.

Another runner, this time in the amateur field, is Loadhead author Stephanie Taylor who is running in for the Scottish Association of Mental Health (SAMH) having suffered bouts of depression in the past.

She said: "I am a believer in the phrase 'healthy body, healthy mind' and its extra exciting to be part of the very first kilomathon in Scotland."