FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
One Week to Go to The 2014 Edinburgh Marathon Festival - A Preview
More than 30,000 runners from Scotland, England, Ireland, Wales and from
over 100 countries are counting down the final days until the much awaited
2014 Edinburgh Marathon Festival. The UK's leading festival of running gets
underway on Saturday 24th May, 2014 at 9am with the 10k, first of the seven
races, from Holyrood Park in the centre of Edinburgh.
One woman who is gearing up for race weekend is mum Sam Robson, 40, who is
taking part in the Marathon to raise money for the EMF Official Charity,
Macmillan Cancer Support. Borders-born Sam is taking on the challenge to
thank Macmillan for the help it gave her two-years ago when her 11-year-old
son Ben was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin lymphoma. She said: "Now Ben is fit
and healthy I thought I would give something back to the fantastic people
who helped us. It's a goal that I would like to achieve and also something
in which I can help others. Already I feel really emotional just thinking
about being on the starting line. It feels kind of strange but it will
bring a lot back. Thinking of what Ben has been through will keep me going
through the race."
Sam will line up alongside some of the world's fastest marathon runners as
well as some of the members of Team Scotland who are taking part in races
as part of their pre Commonwealth Games race build up.
David Toniok, 30, from Kenya starts as favourite to win the 2014 Edinburgh
Marathon with the fastest PB among the confirmed elite runners recording a
time of 2:10:39. This is almost five minutes ahead of the current course
record set in 2005 by Zachary Kihara of Kenya with 2:15:26. Another Kenyan,
Linus Maiyo, 31, took bronze last year in the Barcelona Marathon with a
personal best of 2:11:34 and will also be in contention in the lead pack.
The pack should also feature Ebisa Merga from Ethiopia who is the reigning
champion of the Bournemouth Marathon (2:16:41), as well as Sufa Chala from
Ethiopia who recorded an impressive finish time of 2:12:44 at the Dubai
Marathon earlier this year.
The women's contest is equally as strong with some of the brightest female
marathon stars. Risper Kimaiyo, from Kenya is back to defend her 2013
Edinburgh marathon female champion win which saw her set a time of 2:35:57.
The ever young Scottish running star Hayley Haining takes part in the half
Marathon as part of her preparation for the Marathon at the Commonwealth
Games in Glasgow. Commenting on her place in the race Hayley said: "The
Edinburgh Half Marathon is an ideal race for my build up to the Glasgow
2014 Marathon. It has a fast international field and is an ideal
opportunity to race on home soil before Glasgow." Fellow Scottish runner,
Derek Hawkins, who is also selected for the Glasgow 2014 Marathon, takes
part in the EMF 10K race on Saturday 24th May as part of his preparation
for Glasgow alongside Harry Summers, 23, reigning Australian road 10k
championship who said:" I am delighted to be taking part in the EMF 10k.
I'll be celebrating my 24th birthday while in Scotland and thought a trip
over before the Commonwealth Games would be the ideal way to get a feel for
the atmosphere and taking part in Edinburgh is a huge bonus."
The Edinburgh Marathon on Sunday 25th May is set to run from the city
centre of Edinburgh through East lothian, beginning both at London and
Regent Road in Edinburgh; passing Arthurs Seat in Holyrood Park beside the
Scottish Parliament and Palace of Holyrood, the Queen's official residence
in Scotland; heading east along the Portobello Promenade fronting on to
white sand beaches with views of the Firth of Forth; passing the
picturesque Musselburgh Racecourse and the pretty coastal village of
Longniddry as well as the elegant neo-classical mansion of Gosford House
before reaching Prestonpans and Musselburgh Links, officially recognised by
the Guiness Book of Records as having the oldest golf course in the world.
The Marathon ends in playing fields by Pinkie St Peter's Primary school,
Musselburgh. The school was opened by the late Queen Elizabeth, the Queen
Mother, in 1956. It was named after the Battle of Pinkie which took place
nearby in 1544.
A full weekend of activities for the whole family is scheduled including
the 10k, 5k and two junior races on Saturday 24th May and team relay, half
Marathon, and of course the full Marathon on Sunday 25th May. One of the
oldest marathon runners is Graham Brooks, 82, from Turnbridge Wells
Harriers said: "I like the course very much - it's nice and flat - ideal
for me. The city of Edinburgh is fascinating too - well worth a visit."
Runners are taking part for a variety of reasons - as a goal for fitness,
fundraising or as part of a fun weekend with the family. Amber and Craig
Bullingham, from Gloucester, are both running the Edinburgh Marathon as
part of their honeymoon. This is their first Marathon and they plan to
cross the finish line at the same time! Amber said: "We picked Edinburgh
because of its reputation, recommendations from friends and family that the
city is a beautiful place to visit, and it was perfectly positioned 10
weeks after our wedding. This did, however, mean we had to juggle Marathon
training with wedding planning - often running was a welcome relief from
wedding stress!"
Neil Kilgour, Edinburgh Marathon Festival director, said: "Scotland is
preparing to welcome the world and we look forward to delivering another
outstanding Edinburgh Marathon Festival that the nation will be proud of.
The Edinburgh Marathon Festival is an ideal way to showcase the capital at
its very best and complement Scotland's £3 million programme of
"Homecoming" events that tourism bosses believe will help create the
industry's biggest ever year in 2014."
Gordon Dewar, Chief Executive of Edinburgh Airport, said: "We're delighted
to support the Edinburgh Marathon Festival and are looking forward to
welcoming thousands of runners into Edinburgh Airport over the coming days.
"It's an exciting time for Edinburgh Airport with three of the world's
biggest airlines launching brand new services to America and the Middle
East this week. These new routes will no doubt offer runners from all over
the world the opportunity to visit Edinburgh and take part in the Edinburgh
Marathon Festival in the future.This event is always popular and marks the
start of a phenomenal summer of sporting events."
The Edinburgh Marathon Festival has attracted more than 30,000 competitors
and is expected to have over 200,000 spectators with over 100,000 runners
and spectators going through the Sunday finish area alone. An estimated
1,700 race crew deliver the weekend in 2014 for over 30,000 athletes.
Neil Kilgour, Edinburgh Marathon Festival director, continued: "There's so
much more to the Edinburgh Marathon Festival. People use the EMF weekend to
change their lives for the better: fact. We have 30,000 elites as everyone
pushes themselves to deliver their own goal and target. I am as proud of
the 4.30 Marathon runner as I am of a 2.10 elite athlete and in some ways
more. The mother of two children who has found time to train over the
winter in a frantic life deserves and gets a medal for life. The runner who
pushes through pain in remembrance of a loved one. Everyone is a hero."
"It's not all about running though, people are doing a huge number of jobs
as 1,700 race crew deliver the weekend. An event of this scale brings out
community spirit and gives residents a sense of pride and coming together.
We encourage as many to come out and support the runners. This is Scotland
active...at its best".
With its fast and flat route, the Edinburgh Marathon Festival is one of the
fastest in the world and a perfect choice for runners chasing a personal
best. The Edinburgh Marathon joined the world's elite road races in 2012 by
becoming the first race in Scotland to be officially recognised by the
IAAF, the athletics governing body. The IAAF bronze label puts the race
among the top 75 in the world making it a pivotal part of the sporting
calendar for runners.
The Edinburgh Marathon Festival has had an economic impact of more than £25
million for Scotland's capital and helped raise more than £30 million for
hundreds of charities. Together with the Edinburgh Marathon Festival's
Official Charity, Macmillan Cancer Support, organisers are hoping to break
all previous records and raise even more in 2014.
Course information, vantage points for spectators, and details of the
entire weekend of activities are available at the Edinburgh Marathon
Festival website at www.edinburgh-marathon.com
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