MORE than 35,000 runners are expected to take part in this weekend’s Edinburgh Marathon Festival.

The festival is introducing a new route which will see runners pass through Edinburgh city centre before heading out to East Lothian and its more traditional course, following the coast as far as Longniddry before heading back to the finish line in Musselburgh.

This year it is also working alongside Project Africa Athletics for the first time to bring developing athletes from East Africa to the event and welcome two Kenyan runners from the project.

This year there is a 5k and 10k race on Saturday, with the half-marathon and full marathon held on Sunday.

There are also four junior races on Saturday and the team relay.

The full marathon and team relay start at Potterow in Edinburgh at 10am on Sunday and finish in Pinkie Playing Fields, Musselburgh. The half-marathon begins from the same starting point at 8am on Sunday.

Road closures in East Lothian include: in Musselburgh from 5am on Sunday until 1.30pm, Promenade, Links View, Goose Green Crescent, Bush Street, Caird’s Row, Beach Lane, Links Avenue, Links Street, Downie Place, Ladywell, Eskdale Mews, Mountjoy Terrance, Eskside West, Eskside East, James Street, Goose Green Road, Goose Green Avenue, Goose Green Place, New Street and Old Course Gate.

Balcarres Road will close between 5am and 2.30pm while Millhill will remain closed until 6pm.

Roads closed between 5am and 6.30pm include Linkfield Road, High Street, Beulah, Linkfield Court, Windsor Gardens, Ashgrove, Pinkie Road service road, Pinkie Terrance, Edenhall Road, Park Lane, Rothesay Place, Grove Street, Lower Pinkie Road, Craighall Terrace, Macbeth Moir Road, King Street, Wanless Court and Battlefield Drive and Almond Park.

Parking restrictions will be in place across the marathon route from 10pm on Saturday evening up to 6.30pm on Sunday.

As the route continues out of Musselburgh towards Prestonpans, roads will be closed from 5am to 6.30pm, inlcuding the B1348 from Ravensheugh Road to Prestonpans High Street, Ravensheugh Road, Hope Place, Mayville Bank, Ravensheugh Crescent, the entrance to Drummohr, Manager’s Brae, Levenhall Links access road and Prestongrange Mining Museum access road.

In Prestonpans from 5am to 6pm there will be closures on High Street, B1348 from High Street to Cockenzie, Prestongrange Road, The Pottery, Redburn Road North, Inchview North, Cookies Wynd, Ormiston Place, West Seaside, East Seaside, New Street, Ayres Wynd, Harlaw Hill, Pypers Wynd, Robertson Avenue, Fowlers Court, Salt Preston Place, Nethershot Road, Sir Walter Scott Pend, and Lidl access road. Some roads will re-open at 5pm.

In Cockenzie from 5am to 5pm High Street, Elcho Place, Wemyss Place, Viewforth, Seton Place and Links Road will close along with Whin Park Industrial Estate, West Lorimer Place, West Harbour Road East Lorimer Place, Park Road, Fishers Road, Barga Court, Marshall Street, South Doors, School Lane, New Street, Hares Close, Gardiner’s Close, Kay Gardens, Manse Lane, Cope Lane, Barracks Street, The Promenade, Gosford Road, Links Court, Castle Terrace, Long Craigs, Inchview and unnamed road to Hawthorn Terrace.

The B1348 from Seton Sands Holiday Park entrance to Lyars Road closes along with Dean Road and Lyars Road from 5am to 5pm.

The A198 from the Coast Road to Greencraig will also close from 5am to 5pm.