Laidlaw completes first charity marathon

Laidlaw, son of the former Scotland and British & Irish Lions scrum-half, Roy Laidlaw, is doing the epic challenge to raise funds for three charities which mean a lot to him: the Murrayfield Injured Players Foundation; Marie Curie; and Alzheimer’s Scotland.

Joined by Boroughmuir team-mates from his days at Meggetland, Jordan Edmunds and Craig Keddie, Laidlaw recorded a time of 4 hours 35 minutes to complete the 26-mile bespoke course, having set off from the Colinton Road clubhouse in sub-zero temperatures at 10am on New Year’s Day.

Due to the icy conditions, Laidlaw had to amend his route, so instead of heading out towards Ratho on the Union Canal, he ended up doing four 10km loops within Edinburgh.

“It was pretty brutal,” he said, “and probably ended up being hillier than if we’d been able to do the route we’d originally mapped out.

Bouncing six-month-old daughter Ivy on his knee as son Struan, 2, and wife Alanah looked on at the finish line, Laidlaw, a coach with Edinburgh Rugby’s Academy, added: “I’m not feeling great at the moment but give me a week and I’ll be fine!”

Laidlaw, Edmunds and Keddie had never run a marathon before and their plan for marathon number two is to undertake it in the last week of February – “the last day of February,” piped up Keddie!

During today’s marathon, several other runners joined them en route, including Edinburgh Rugby Academy Manager Graeme Beveridge and his son, Josh; Phil McGuire; Gavin Dempsey; Joni Hare; Nicole Dore; and Murray Johnstone.

Former Boroughmuir players, scrum-half Mike Hall and full-back Nick Mardon, also “popped up” on the toughest parts of the course to offer vocal encouragement.

Laidlaw is putting himself through a marathon a month for 2021 to thank the three charities, following his mum, Joy’s death through cancer, dad Roy’s diagnosis with dementia and support for his family from MIPF.

You can find out more about 12 in12 and make a donation here.