New ultra running tour set to challenge Edinburgh visitors

A NEW 50km running tour of Scotland's capital city is to be staged later this year.

Radical Road event to be staged in October. Picture: Contributed

Rat Race Adventure Sports has announced the Ultra Tour of Edinburgh.

Jim Mee set up Rat Race Adventure Sports in 2004 and has seen it grow into one of the UK’s largest operators of mass participation, wilderness adventure challenges.

He said: “We are looking for around 500 runners to take up the challenge of the inaugural ’Ultra Tour’.

“This is a fully waymarked journey through the city streets and outlying countryside that includes historic urban landscapes and evocative landmarks, parklands, hills, rivers, cycleways, foot paths, canals and coastal waters.

“It truly is a tour-de-force of Edinburgh sightseeing, all wrapped up into an achievable but challenging Ultra Run event format.”

The Ultra Tour of Edinburgh aims to give both visitors and residents an alternative and all encompassing impression of Edinburgh in just a few hours.

From a Braveheart style start down the Royal Mile, the mixed terrain route takes runners through the streets and alleyways of the city centre, onto hills, up crags and past monuments, museums, and s of Royalty and Government.

It will also taking in hill top views of the Pentland Hills to the harbours of Leith.

From there runners will head to the New Town and on to the finish at Murrayfield Stadium, home to Scottish Rugby.

Runners will be supported during the run with three pit stops on the route offering a variety of sweets, food and drinks at each.

Toilets will also be available. Kit bag return, showers and a hot meal will be available to all finishers, as well as a bar for that well-earned post event drink at the event’s finishline at Murrayfield Stadium.

The Ultra Tour of Edinburgh also provides a perfect opportunity for spectators and supporters to take on this special tour of Edinburgh as they follow the runners round.

They will be able to visit some of the key tourist sites and attractions on the route in between cheering their participating friends and family on their way.

Organisers will look to provide guidance on travel times between the main spectator points and pit stop locations and how long runners are expected to take between each.

Rat Race Adventure Sports has partnered with Children with Cancer UK for the event.

www.childrenwithcancer.org.uk.

They aim to raise £1 million for the charity over three years and are already over half way to that target.

Runners looking to tame the challenge of The Ultra Tour of Edinburgh should head to the website for more information and to sign up: http://ratrace.com/ute/

Entry prices range from £99.00 / solo entry or from £94 / entry in a team of five in April to £135 / solo entry or £130 / entry in a team of five.