5K Added To Great Edinburgh Run Day

8 JUN2011

Organisers of the BupaGreat Edinburgh Run have announced the addition of a new 5k event for 2011. The event will take place in Edinburgh city centre on October 2, ahead of the popular BupaGreat Edinburgh Run.

The gentle 5k course is ideal for runners of all abilities and takes in some of Edinburgh's most iconic landmarks, including the Scott Monument, Holyrood Palace and the National Art Gallery. The event offers beginners - or those returning to distance running - the opportunity to experience a competitive road race in the heart of one of the UK's most picturesque cities.

Building on the from the success of the Bupa Great Winter Run and Bupa Great Edinburgh Cross Country earlier this year, EventScotland, the national events agency, are supporting the Bupa Great Edinburgh Run which will be a marquee event on the calendar in the year of Active Scotland.

Paul Bush OBE, Chief Operating Officer for EventScotland commented, "The new 5km event is a welcome addition to the Bupa Great Edinburgh run. In the year of Active Scotland we continue to support this city-centre event and the stage is set for a great day of running in Scotland's capital city - a proven world-class destination for running events for both elite and amateur participants."

Over 10,000 people took part in the 2010 10k Bupa Great Edinburgh Run and Bupa Junior and Mini Great Edinburgh Run last year. Organisers feel the addition of a 5k course will make the appeal of the day even wider and reinforce the reputation of the Great Edinburgh Run as one of Scotland's premiere mass participation sporting events.

The run is televised live on Channel 5 and will also be the subject of a one hour highlights programme on BBC Scotland.

Entries for all events are open at the BupaGreat Edinburgh Run website.