No kidding from Clitheroe

Helen Clitheroe will bring the most fulfilling season of her career to a close in today’s Bupa Great Edinburgh Run and then look forward, not back.

At the age of 37, having made a hugely-belated switch to middle- distance, a summer that saw the Preston-born athlete lift the European indoor title while reaching a world final was much more than she could have wished for. However with the Olympics in sight, the sands of time will not allow her to coast.

“I definitely feel I can improve in the 5k,” Clitheroe admits. “This has been my first year at the event and there are certainly things I can improve on and if I can do that, I will get better.”

Scottish international Freya Murray has been forced to pull out of this morning’s 10-kilometre race, the latest in a long line of ailments which have disrupted her season.

The men’s event, which will be accompanied by an estimated entry of 10,000 fun runners, sees Andrew Lemoncello return to action after missing the world championships in a field that also includes last year’s winner Titus Mbishei.