Marathon runners' entry deadline

Last year's women's race was won by Fiona Matheson

Runners are being urged to sign up for one of the biggest marathons ever staged in Edinburgh before this year's entry deadline.

The deadline for the 2008 Albert Bartlett Edinburgh Marathon closes at midnight on Friday. More than 12,500 runners have already signed up.

More than 5,500 full marathon entrants are taking part from more than 40 countries around the world.

The economic impact will be far larger than the £2m from last year's event.

The event organisers are also hoping that this year's event will see more than £3m raised for charity, which would take the total amount of money raised for charity through the Edinburgh Marathon since it started in 2003 to more than £10m.

Runner's World magazine readers voted the 2007 Edinburgh Marathon as the best running event in Scotland.

The tram work on Princes Street this year has caused the start to be moved from Princes Street to the Burns Monument on Regent Road.