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JA By Matt Seddon, Athletics Director
The Flying Scots head south to Windsor this year as a very different Edinburgh University team.
Twelve months into a new era under head coach Mark Rowland, Edinburgh arrive at the Ekiden with renewed belief and clear direction. Rowland is no ordinary appointment: a British record holder and Olympic bronze medallist from Seoul 1988, he brings world class experience and an uncompromising standard to a programme with ambitions to match. His task is clear to take Edinburgh to the summit of university endurance running.
On paper, Edinburgh have much going for them. They represent a university that truly captures its city, supported by a strong recruitment pipeline that recently welcomed 2024 Olympian Phoebe Gill into the programme. Momentum is building, and the team’s trajectory is unmistakably upward.
Yet the true marker of a programme’s future success is rarely found in credentials alone. It lies in the sense of family within the squad. Speaking to the team captains, a consistent theme emerges: what they value most about Ekiden is the “shared effort, mutual support, and the chance to create memories that go far beyond times or distances.” There is a clear understanding that reaching the top of the sport is not driven by individuals, but by cohesion across the group.
That philosophy aligns perfectly with the demands of Ekiden racing. 10 Legs, one team, and no hiding place. For Edinburgh, the relay is not just a competition but a statement of who they are and what they are building.
As the dark winter months remain, the Scots will continue to hone their aerobic engines beneath the shadow of Arthur’s Seat logging plenty of miles to perform over the 114km route.