THOUSANDS of runners are again taking to the streets of East Lothian on Sunday as the Edinburgh Marathon Festival takes place.

Hordes of charity runners and professionals are taking part in the world-famous event, with much of the marathon taking place in the county.

A raft of road closures and parking restrictions will be in effect across the west of East Lothian.

The Edinburgh Marathon Festival weekend sees the 5k and 10k races take place in Edinburgh on Saturday before the half-marathon and full marathon are held on Sunday, both starting at Potterrow in Edinburgh and finishing at Pinkie Playing Fields in Musselburgh.

The half marathon begins at 8am and sees runners head through the centre of Edinburgh and through Musselburgh to Prestonpans, then back to the finish.

The marathon gets under way at 10am, with runners following the same route but continuing along the coast road as far as Longniddry before turning back to the finish in Musselburgh.

Neil Kilgour, race director, said: “The event organisers in association with City of Edinburgh Council and East Lothian Council have striven to minimise the disruptive impact of the event to allow those directly affected to carry on with their daily routine with as little inconvenience as possible.

“Every effort will be made to keep traffic flowing as freely and smoothly as possible.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your co-operation in this matter and apologise for any inconvenience which may be experienced.”

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, Mountjoy Court, 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 Terrace, Edenhall Road, Park Lane, Rothesay Place, Grove Street, Lower Pinkie Road, Craighall Terrace, Macbeth Moir Road, King Street, Wanless Court, 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, including 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 and Sir Walter Scott Pend, while the Lidl access road will be shut until 5pm.

In Cockenzie from 5am to 5pm, High Street, Elcho Place, Wemyss Place, Viewforth, Seton Place and Links Road will close along with 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 the unnamed road to Hawthorn Terrace. Closed until 6pm will be Whin Park Industrial Estate, West Lorimer Place, West Harbour Road and East Lorimer Place.

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 east of Seton Sands to Greencraig will also close from 5am to 5pm.