Central Park Turns Tartan as More Than 8,000 Runners Cross the Finish Line in 13th Annual Scotland Run and Second Annual NYRR Youth Running Series

NEW YORK, April 2, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- More than 8,000 runners, ages 7 to 70, participated in the 13^th Annual Scotland 10K Run and second annual NYRR Youth Running Series at the Scotland Run. The adult run covered 6.2 miles, while the youth runners partook in a 1.7 mile run in Central Park this morning.

The runners, who donned tartan, plaid and painted faces, braved pouring rain and chilly temperatures to help kick off the 2016 Scotland Week festivities.  Scottish Counsellor for the Americas, Donnie Jack, started the race, accompanied by pipers from the New York Metro Youth Piping Band, who also played the "Flower of Scotland."

The first adult male winner, Daniel Girmay Hadis, 18, of Washington D.C., crossed the finish line at 29.58, and first adult female winner, Caroline Lefriak, 32, of New York, crossed the finish line at 34:36 and were awarded the ceremonial Scottish flag by Mr. Jack.

The second annual NYRR Youth Running Series took place immediately following the 10K.  Hundreds of children, ages 7-17, took part.

The Scotland Run is a highlight of the Scotland Week events and brings people from around the world together to celebrate Scotland Week. The festive event includes traditional bagpipers and Celtic dancers performing.  

For more details about the runners, please visit www.nyrr.org.

Also taking place during Scotland Week is National Tartan Day on April 6. Designated a national holiday in 1998 by the US Senate, National Tartan Day is a celebration of all things Scottish and the contribution of millions of Scottish Americans.  Other Scotland Week activities include the 18^th Annual Tartan Day Parade on April 9; lunchtime performances from April 6-10 in Bryant Park by Scottish pipers, singers and performers; and a Scotland Selfie campaign at @AboutScotland to create the world's largest online Scottish Saltire; and many other activities.

About Scotland Week - #ScotWeek

• Every year in the USA and Canada thousands of people come together to celebrate Scotland Week, the annual celebration of all things Scottish.
  
  
• Scotland Week 2016 runs from Saturday 2^nd – Saturday 9^th of April, spanning Tartan Day on April 6^th.
  
  
• Scotland Week celebrates the best of Scottish culture. Events include:
  • The Highland Divas, three artists from Ireland, Scotland, and New Zealand performing Celtic ballads at the Cutting Room on April 7^th
  • Lunchtime concerts – From April 6^th – 10^th, lunchtime concerts will be held in Bryant Park as a showcase of Scottish music and traditional readings; and
  • Tartan Day on Ellis Island – From April 6^th-10^th Ellis Island is host to an exhibition on John Muir, a Scottish-American naturalist, author, environmental philosopher and early advocate of preservation of wilderness who founded the Sierra Club. On Tartan Day there will also be Scottish entertainers and music.
    
    
• Closing the week of events, the 18th annual Tartan Day Parade will see Scots and honorary Scots be led by the Grand Marshall in a colorful procession on the Avenue of the Americas on Saturday 9th April. This year, the Grand Marshall will be Sam Heughan, star of time-travelling TV series, Outlander.
  
  
• Full details of the Scotland Week program can be found at www.scotland.org/scotlandweek

SOURCE Scotland Week

Related Links

http://www.scotland.org/scotlandweek