Did you know that this year's Edinburgh Marathon is going to be the biggest yet with entries doubling on last year from 5,770 to 13,558?
13,558 people, did you say?
Yes. Of those, marathon runners number 10,230 and there are 832 relay teams with 3,328 team entrants.
So many runners. Where are they coming from?
Entrants from over 50 countries are expected to take part, from as far a field as South Africa to China and New Zealand.
Where's it start and end?
The 2008 marathon route will start from Regent Road (just along from Princes Street). Organisers had to move the start to Regent Road as work on building the new Edinburgh tram system meant the race could not start on Princes Street. The route will follow most of the same route as the 2007 Edinburgh marathon apart from a few changes to make up the lost distance. It will end at the grandstand at Musselburgh Racecourse.
The new route has an overall elevation drop of 150ft which should make it a good course for Personal Best time seekers.
How long will it take to complete?
Organisers are expecting a 2hrs 20min finish for the lead men and 2hrs 45min for the lead women.
But most will come in a while after that. The average finishing time in the 2007 Edinburgh marathon was 4 hrs 12.5mins. The overall average finishing time this year is expected to be a little faster. Last year was 11 minutes and 39 seconds faster than the 2006 marathon.
Organsiers say over 40% more athletes are predicting a sub 3hr time compared to the 2007 marathon.
Who's starting the race?
The official starters of the marathon are Depute Provost of East Lothian, Roger Knox and Rt Hon George Grubb, Lord Provost of The City of Edinburgh
What's the Chevrolet Hairy Haggis Team relay?
It splits the marathon distance into four individual legs, Leg One - 8.1 Miles (The Royal Leg), Leg Two - 5.4 Miles (The Cock & Pan Leg), Leg Three -8.0 Miles (The Gosford Leg), Leg Four - 4.7 Miles (The Glory Leg).
Are there many volunteers?
Yes. Up to 1000 volunteers are needed over the weekend of the marathon and will take on a variety of roles, from marshals to massage therapists/physiotherapists, stewards to start/finish crew.
What kind of equipment is needed on the day?
Essential equipment to make the day go smoothly includes: over 100 portaloos; 5,000 cones, 12,000 bananas and 100,000 bottles water and 50,000 Lucozade sport pouches.
What are the prizes for the Edinburgh marathon?
Prize money for first male and female is £1,000 with £500 going to first Scottish male and female. New for 2008 British athlete time bonuses up to £5,000.
But it's not just about the money. Last year for a bit of fun Edinburgh marathon organisers had a challenge where the average time of all the Scottish runners is compared to the average time of all the English runners. There were approx 1,500 members in each team, and in 2007 team Scotland has won the challenge. This year there are about 2,000 runners in each team. Who will win??? www.edinburgh-marathon.com/?over-the-wall
Is there a charitable component to the marathon?
Yes, Edinburgh Marathon competitors have risen over £9 million for over 200 charities since the event began in 2003. Over £3 million is expected to be raised for charity from the 2008 event.
What are the benefits for Edinburgh's local economy?
An independent survey commissioned in 2007 revealed that the event generated over £1.8 million for the local economy with and spectators and runners estimated at filling over 15,000 bed nights in and around Edinburgh. Runners bring on an average of 2.4 supporters with them and many stay for several nights.