The Great Scottish Run is a series of mass-participation

road running Road running is the sport of running on a measured course over an established road. This differs from track and field on a regular track and cross country running over natural terrain. These events are usually classified as long-distance ac ...

events, held annually in the streets of

Glasgow Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...

in October. The event began as a full

marathon The marathon is a long-distance foot race with a distance of , usually run as a road race, but the distance can be covered on trail routes. The marathon can be completed by running or with a run/walk strategy. There are also wheelchair div ...

in 1979, but later changed to a weekend of shorter events. The weekend now includes short events for children, a 10K roadrace, and a half marathon. The 2013 event, which was sponsored by the Bank of Scotland, featured over 30,000 competitors. It is the largest mass-participation sporting event in Scotland.

History

A Glasgow road-race began in 1979 as the Glasgow Marathon, and was run over the full marathon distance, over four loops around the centre of the city. This initial event set the challenging qualifying standard of 3 hours, which limited participation to 62 runners in the first year and 144 in the second. The third year dropped the qualifying standard and encouraged mass participation, with over 7,000 runners competing in the first Scottish People's Marathon. The race continued over this distance until 1988 when, faced with diminishing participation and little engagement from TV and sponsors, the event was run over a half-marathon course. The following year the distance changed again, this time to , and for the first time the event was named the Great Scottish Run. This unusual distance proved unpopular with the elite athletes who the organisers had hoped to attract, and so two years later the race returned to the half marathon format. After the running of the 2016 event, a number of runners raised concerns that their GPS watches reported the route was shorter than the prescribed distance. The race organisers, The Great Run Company, later confirmed that the course was too short; the inaccuracy came from both a setup error in one section and errors measuring the route when roads (which are closed to traffic during the race) were in normal operation. The 2016 men's event winner, Callum Hawkins, had broken the Scottish half marathon record, but the non-regulation distance invalidates this record.

Course

Half marathon course

The half marathon begins in

George Square George Square ( gd, Ceàrnag Sheòrais) is the principal civic square in the city of Glasgow, Scotland. It is one of six squares in the city centre, the others being Cathedral Square, St Andrew's Square, St Enoch Square, Royal Exchange Sq ...

and immediately heads steeply up

St. Vincent Street St. Vincent Street, is one of the major streets in the city centre of Glasgow, Scotland. It was formed in the early 1800s as part of the residential New Town of Blythswood developed by William Harley of Blythswood Square. St. Vincent Street was ...

, going west through the city's commercial centre and Anderston. Runners then join a sliproad of the M8 motorway and cross the

River Clyde The River Clyde ( gd, Abhainn Chluaidh, , sco, Clyde Watter, or ) is a river that flows into the Firth of Clyde in Scotland. It is the ninth-longest river in the United Kingdom, and the third-longest in Scotland. It runs through the major cit ...

on the Kingston Bridge, part of which is closed to vehicle traffic for the Sunday morning of the event. The next portion of the race takes place in the city's south side, heading through streets of the Kinning Park area, and then on paths through

Bellahouston Park Bellahouston Park (Scottish Gaelic: ''Pàirc Bhaile Ùisdean'') is a public park in the Bellahouston district on the South Side of Glasgow, Scotland, between the areas of Craigton, Dumbreck, Ibrox and Mosspark covering an area of . The main ...

and heading back northeast toward Pacific Quay and the river. The course then crosses the Clyde again, this time on the

Clyde Arc The Clyde Arc (known locally as the Squinty Bridge) is a road bridge spanning the River Clyde in Glasgow, Scotland, connecting Finnieston near the Clyde Auditorium and SEC with Pacific Quay and Glasgow Science Centre in Govan. Prominent feature ...

. From there runners head west along the river side, past the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre before doubling back around the Riverside Museum to head east along the Clyde, and back through Anderston, with runners entering Glasgow Green through the McLennan Arch for the finish. The route was changed for the 2013 running – in previous races, runners stayed on the south side after Bellahouston Park, looping through

Pollok Country Park Pollok Country Park is a country park located between Shawlands, Crossmyloof, and Pollok in Glasgow, Scotland. In 2007, Pollok Country Park was named Britain's Best Park, and in 2008 it was named the Best Park in Europe, beating competition fro ...

and the streets of Pollokshaws and the Gorbals, and only crossing the Clyde again, on the Alexandra Bridge, just before the entrance to Glasgow Green.

10K course

The 10K course follows the same route as the half marathon for the first , but instead of crossing the Kingston Bridge, runners head west through Anderston and around the Riverside Museum (a section near the end of the half marathon course). The course then crosses the Clyde on the Clyde Arc bridge, loops very briefly through Pacific Quay, and then immediately back over the Clyde Arc. From there it follows the half marathon course along the river's north bank to Glasgow Green. As with the half marathon, the 10K course was adjusted in 2013 to include Finnieston and the SECC area. In previous runnings, the 10K crossed the Clyde on the Kingston Bridge and followed an abbreviated path from Scotland Street, through

Pollokshields Pollokshields ( gd, Buthan Phollaig, Scots: ''Powkshiels'') is an area in the Southside of Glasgow, Scotland. Its modern boundaries are largely man-made, being formed by the M77 motorway to the west and northwest with the open land of Pollok C ...

before crossing the Clyde on Victoria Bridge and entering Glasgow Green.

Winners

Half marathon winners

Male

*1991 – 1:04:23 - Dave Lewis *1992 – 1:04:03 - Turube Bedaso *1993 – 1:01:56 -

Mark Flint Mark may refer to: Currency * Bosnia and Herzegovina convertible mark, the currency of Bosnia and Herzegovina * East German mark, the currency of the German Democratic Republic * Estonian mark, the currency of Estonia between 1918 and 1927 * Fi ...

*1994 – 1:02:53 -

Joseph Kamau Joseph Kamau (also known as ''Joseph Kamau Njuguna'', b. June 17, 1969) is a former professional long-distance runner from Kenya who finished second in the 1997 Boston Marathon and third in the 1996 New York City Marathon. Professional Caree ...

*1995 – 1:02:46 - Samson Maritim *1996 – 1:02:27 - Joseph Kibor *1997 – 1:01:46 - Joseph Kibor *1998 – 1:03:00 -

Armando Quintanilla Juan Armando Quintanilla Loredo (born April 19, 1968) is a retired long-distance runner from Mexico, who won two gold medals at the 1995 Pan American Games in Mar del Plata, Argentina Mar del Plata is a city on the coast of the Atlantic Oc ...

*1999 – 1:02:36 - Joseph Kibor *2000 – 1:02:04 - António Pinto *2001 – 1:03:23 -

Abner Chipu Abner Chipu (born 2 January 1972) is a retired South African long-distance runner. His specialties include Cross, Half Marathon, Marathon, Cross team event and the Half Marathon Team Event. Achievements Personal bests *3000 metres – 8:10.34 m ...

*2002 – 1:03:15 - Sammy Kipruto *2003 – 1:01:49 - Peter Kiprotich *2004 – 1:01:48.2 - Peter Kiprotich *2005 – 1:03:02.5 -

Jason Mbote Jason Mbote (born 5 January 1977) is a Kenyan athlete who specializes in long distance, especially half marathon and marathon distances. On 4 May 2003 Mbote won the 25 km in Berlin in a time of 1:15.07. In 2005 he was just one second behind ...

*2006 – 1:01:36 -

*2007 – 1:02:42 - Isaac Wanjohi *2008 – 1:01:10 - Emmanuel Mutai *2009 – 1:01:19 -

*2010 – 1:01:53 -

Hailu Mekonnen Hailu Mekonnen (born April 4, 1980 in Arsi) is an Ethiopian runner, who specializes in the 5000 metres and cross-country running. His first medals came in 1998, when he took bronze and team gold at the junior race at the IAAF World C ...

*2011 – 1:01:26 - Joseph Birech *2012 – 1:03:14 - Joseph Birech *2013 – 1:01:09 -

Haile Gebrselassie Haile Gebrselassie ( am, ኀይሌ ገብረ ሥላሴ, ''haylē gebre silassē''; born 18 April 1973) is an Ethiopian retired long-distance track, road running athlete, and businessman. He won two Olympic gold medals and four World Champions ...

*2014 – 1:01:25 -

Stephen Mokoka Stephen Mokoka (born 31 January 1985) is a South African long-distance runner who competes in races ranging from 3000 metres to the 50 km distance. He formerly held the 50 km world record. He is a four-time medalist at the Universiade a ...

*2015 – 1:02:18 -

Moses Kipsiro Moses Ndiema Kipsiro (born 2 September 1986 in Singare) is a Ugandan long-distance runner who specialises in the 5000 metres. He was the bronze medallist in the event at the 2007 World Championships in Athletics. He represented Uganda at the 2 ...

*2016 – 1:00:24 - Callum Hawkins *2017 – 1:02:44 - Chris Thompson *2018 – 1:02:07 - Chris Thompson *2019 – 1:01:29 -

Timothy Toroitich Timothy Toroitich (born 10 October 1991) is a Ugandan middle-distance and long-distance runner. He competed in the 10,000 metres event at the 2015 World Championships in Athletics The 2015 IAAF World Championships ( zh, 第十五届世界� ...

Female

*1991 – Andrea Wallace *1992 –

Liz McColgan Elizabeth Nuttall (née Lynch, formerly McColgan; born 24 May 1964) is a Scottish former middle-distance and long-distance track and road-running athlete. She won the gold medal for the 10,000 metres at the 1991 World Championships, and a ...

*1993 –

Tatiana Pozdniakova Tatyana Pozdnyakova (born 4 March 1955 in Sosnovo-Ozerskoye, Buryatia, Russia) is a Ukrainian, former Soviet athlete, known for her performance in marathons. She is the current W45 Masters world record holder in the marathon. In her earlier ath ...

*1994 – Alevtina Naumova *1995 – Firiya Sultanova *1996 – Firiya Sultanova *1997 – Catherina McKiernan *1998 – Firiya Sultanova *1999 –

Joyce Chepchumba Joyce Chepchumba (born 6 November 1970 in Kericho) is a long distance athlete from Kenya. Achievements *1995 ** Tilburg Ten Miles winner **Parelloop 10Kwinner Arrs.netList of Parelloop winners/ref> *1997 **London Marathon winner *1998 ...

*2000 –

*2001 –

*2002 –

*2003 – Caroline Kwambai *2004 –

Beatrice Omwanza Beatrice Omwanza (born 24 February 1974) is a Kenyan long-distance runner who competes in marathon and half marathon races. She represented Kenya in the marathon at the World Championships in Athletics in 2003 and 2005. Her personal best for the ...

*2005 – Hiroko Miyauchi *2006 –

Caroline Kilel Caroline Cheptanui Kilel (born 21 March 1981) is a Kenyan long-distance runner who specializes in road running competitions. She was the winner at the 2011 Boston Marathon and the Frankfurt Marathon in 2010 and 2013. Kilel took the silver medal ...

*2007 –

Peninah Arusei Peninah Arusei Jerop (born 1 January 1979) is a Kenyan professional long-distance runner who specialises in road running competitions, especially the half marathon. She has represented Kenya at the Olympics, having competed in the 10,000 metres ra ...

*2008 – Worknesh Tola *2009 –

*2010 –

*2011 –

Flomena Chepchirchir Flomena Chepchirchir (born 1 December 1981) is a Kenyan professional long-distance runner who competes in half marathon and marathon events. Chepchirchir has won half marathons in Venlo, Glasgow and Zwolle. She is a two-time winner of the BIG 25 B ...

*2012 –

Bezunesh Bekele Bezunesh Bekele Sertsu (born 29 January 1983) is an Ethiopian long-distance runner who specializes in cross-country running and marathons. Biography She was born in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa. She took a number of circuit wins on the ...

*2013 – Susan Partridge *2014 –

Edna Kiplagat Edna Ngeringwony Kiplagat (born 15 November 1979) is a Kenyan professional long-distance runner. She was the 2011 and 2013 World Champion in the marathon. She established herself as an elite marathon runner with wins at the Los Angeles and New ...

*2015 –

*2016 – 1:07:22 –

Betsy Saina Betsy Saina (born 30 June 1988) is a Kenyan athlete in long distance running. Early life Saina was born in Kenya on 30 June 1988. She began running as a teenager in Eldoret, Kenya with hopes to pursue education at Itigo Girls High School. Her ...

*2017 – 1:10:17 – Flomena Cheyech Daniel *2018 – 1:09:15 –

Mare Dibaba Mare Dibaba Hurrsa (born 20 October 1989) is an Ethiopian long-distance runner. She won the 2015 World Championships in Athletics in Beijing. Dibaba is not related to track Olympic champion and world record holder Tirunesh Dibaba. Biography He ...

*2019 – 1:07:38 – Edith Chelimo

Wheelchair half marathon winners

Male

*2005 – Kenny Herriot *2008 – Mark Telford *2011 – Ross Low *2012 – Phil Hogg *2014 – Simon Lawson

Female

*2005 – Tanni Grey-Thompson *2008 – Margo Whiteford *2011 –

Jane Egan Jane Egan is a British paratriathlete. She competes using a handcycle and a racing wheelchair. She was 2010, 2011 and 2013 World Champion and 2010, 2011 and 2012 and 2013 European Champion in her classification. Early life Egan was born on 25 ...

*2012 –

Meggan Dawson-Farrell Meggan Dawson-Farrell (born 18 September 1992) is a Scottish wheelchair racer. Early life Dawson-Farrell was born with spina bifida and also has the condition hydrocephalus. She was unable to take part in sport at school but began after atte ...

Notes and references

Notes

References

External links

Photo of runners on Kingston Bridge
STV (Scottish Television) website, September 2010{{dead link, date=January 2017
Photo of 1982 Glasgow People's Marathon medal
A History of the World, BBC website Half marathons in the United Kingdom Athletics competitions in Scotland International sports competitions in Glasgow Road running in Scotland 1979 establishments in Scotland Recurring sporting events established in 1979 Annual events in Glasgow Annual sporting events in the United Kingdom Glasgow Green