Sunday was a busy day for runners in the Capital, as both the Women’s and Men’s 10K events made their return to the historic streets of Edinburgh. Thousands of runners turned up to take part in the popular races, with charity and well-being being at the heart of both features. 

Starting on the historic Royal Mile, the city centre route took runners past the Scottish National Gallery and into Princes Street Gardens, with Edinburgh Castle as the backdrop. The Scott Monument, Scottish Parliament, Holyrood Park, Arthurs Seat, Holyrood Palace and the Grassmarket all featured in this 'sight-seeing' 10K tour of Edinburgh! 

But these events are about more than a stunning route - with runners having the opportunity to take part in an all-inclusive event with no judgement, surrounded by strong and supportive communities in making a positive change. Far more than just a 10K, these events are proactive, challenging ways to engage people in physical activity and promote health & well-being all year round, as well as being a platform to raise funds for charity.

And this year was no exception... with runners like Amanda Hamilton doing their bit to raise money for causes close to their hearts. Amanda took on the challenge for Parkinson's UK, running for her friend Elizabeth, who unfortunately received the devastating diagnosis of early onset Parkinson’s a year ago. 

Amanda said: “She has been incredibly positive and pragmatic about it despite suffering symptoms and having fears about the future. She is an inspiration to me and I wanted to do something that demonstrated my appreciation and love for her. I’ve become more aware of the work Parkinson’s UK do and wanted to be able to help.” 

The Women’s 10K was part of a month of fundraising that Amanda has been doing throughout October, she initially set out to raise £500 which was achieved in the first week, she is now aiming for £2000. Despite Amanda not being a natural runner, the encouragement she had from friends and family kept her going and helped push herself out of her comfort zone.

And in the Men's 10K, Robert ran for Kidney Care UK in memory of his father, Axel. Robert commented: “I chose Kidney Care UK because I wanted to run for a smaller charity that supported something that was close to my heart. My father, Axel, was diagnosed with kidney failure when I was very young.” 

“My dad was unable to get a transplant for health reasons and dialysed for 17 years before he passed away in January 2019. As a result, I wanted to support other families going through similar circumstances.”

After successfully running a 5K park run at Christmas time in 2021, Robert felt up to the challenge of doubling the distance and raising money for a charity close to his heart. “I can’t bring him back but I hope my fundraising for Kidney Care UK will help others unconditionally like my dad did and provide aid for families facing similar hardships.”

If you'd like to join the masses at next year's events you can sign up now for early bird entry for the Men's 10K here and Women's 10K here. 

Image: Men's 10K/Gsi Events