The Great Scottish Run, put on by the Bank of Scotland and organised by the Scottish charity Glasgow Life, is Scotland’s largest mass participation sporting event. Last year, the Run attracted over 23,000 participants. This year, it’ll take place on September 4.
The Run, as is its tradition, will consist of two races: the 10k, which will start at 9:30am, and the half-marathon, which will start at 11am. All racers will start on St Vincent Street, run over the rivers past the SECC, through the streets of Glasgow, and finish at Glasgow Green. The half-marathon will go through three of Glasgow’s most beautiful city parks.
This year, also following tradition, the Scottish Bank will kick-off the Great Scottish Run with a pre-race pasta party on 30 August. One hundred runners will be selected for a two-mile warm-up through the city centre, starting on Royal Exchange and ending on Nile Street with delicious pasta and a massage. Entry for this event costs £10. As always, the proceeds from the Great Scottish Run and pre-race event go to some great charities.
There’s no better way to experience the historic city of Glasgow by running in this race. Situated on the River Clyde in Scotland’s west central lowlands, Glasgow was founded in the middle ages. Eventually, it became known as the “Second City of the British Empire” because it was one of Britain’s main hubs of transatlantic trade with British North America and the British West Indies. It was a shipbuilding and marine engineering centre during the Industrial Revolution. Today, Glasgow is one of Europe’s top financial centers, and has been ranked as the 57th most livable city in the world.
Like most old cities, the most interesting part of Glasgow is its city centre, because it contains its most historic buildings and sights. Fortunately, the Great Scottish Run goes directly through this part of the city. The city centre is bounded by the High Street to the east, the River Clyde to the south, and the M8 motorway, which was built late in the city’s history, the 1960s. This means that Glasgow is a charming combination of old-world charm and modern features. If you are planning on visiting the city to run in the races or simply experience all it has to offer then check out the
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