 A welcome sight... the finish line at last year's event |
Thousands of runners will be pounding the streets on Sunday in this year's Great Edinburgh Run. The 10K event starts and finishes on The Meadows, taking in Princes Street and Arthur's Seat on the way.
About 8,000 have entered the race, 1,000 more than in 2005 and this year's start will be in two "waves" at 1000 BST and 1015 to space out runners.
Road closures and diversions will be in place along the route between 0600 and noon on Sunday.
Top athletes and celebrities will rub shoulders with many participants who are running to raise money for charity.
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Last year's men's winner, Spain's Juan Carlos de la Ossa, returns to defend his title, as does Jelena Prokopcuka, from Latvia, who was the first woman home in 2005.
Several stars of the TV soap Emmerdale are returning to the race and they will be joined by some of the cast of Mamma Mia, which is currently playing at the Edinburgh Playhouse.
Scotland's British ice dancing champions John and Sinead Kerr are also in the line-up.
Event 'formula'
Lynsey Attwood, of the race organisers Great Run, said: "There's a formula we look to base every event on.
"The elite athletes are at the front, which is great for television, there are club runners who are out for a time and there are people running for charity."
Organisers were aiming to exceed a field of 10,000 in next year's event, she added.
 Runners of all ages are taking part on Sunday |
The wave start is being introduced to cope with the growing numbers already taking part.
The elite women's race starts at 0950 BST, followed by the elite men and the main race at 1000 BST (green wave).
The orange wave, made up of runners anticipating a time of approximately one hour or more, sets off at 1015 BST.
Some participants leaving messages on the Runner's World forum for the event highlighted what they saw as the toughest parts of the course, the inclines up The Mound and the rise through Holyrood Park.
About 1,000 youngsters have entered the junior and mini Great Edinburgh Run at 1000 BST on Saturday.
Sunday's weather forecast for Edinburgh is cloudy with some rain.
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