Edinburgh marathon spirits stay high despite downpours as thousands take part

Downpours didn’t dampen the spirits of thousands of runners and spectators at this year’s Edinburgh Marathon Festival.

Despite the dreich weather, more than 35,000 people from all over the world gathered in the nation’s capital to compete in the two-day event.

Thousands more lined the streets of the city to cheer on those taking part.

Many of the runners dressed up for the occasion, raising a smile as well as hundreds of thousands of pounds for good causes.

Yesterday’s marathon was the second day of what is Scotland’s largest running event.

And the rain made for perfect running conditions for the serious athletes battling it out for the top prize.

Moray Pryde of Lothian Running Club won the men’s race with a time of two hours and 23 minutes while Johanna Oregan of St Neots Riverside Runners was first female over the finish line in a time of two hours and 48 minutes.

Across the action-packed weekend, the festival also featured a half marathon, team relay, 10k and 5k, plus four junior events.

Among the youngsters taking part were West Lothian footballers Gregor Hales, 14, and 13-year-old Daniel Phllips.

They ran the 5k course in memory of their teammate Jack Lees who tragically died last November aged just 13 after a battle with cancer.

Jack, from East Calder in West Lothian, was just 11 when the cancerous mass was found inside his skull in 2022.

The brave schoolboy, who was a talented footballer and who played for East Calder Football Club, underwent gruelling rounds of chemotherapy at the Sick Kids in Edinburgh, but sadly died just one year after his diagnosis.

His friends took part in the Edinburgh Marathon Festival to raise funds for the Team Jak Foundation, which helped the boys process their grief following the death of their pal.

The Team Jak Foundation was set up by 15-year-old Jak Trueman before he died from cancer in 2004. The charity, based in Livingston, offers support to young people with cancer, their families, friends and those bereaved throughout Scotland.

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