WATCH: Great Aberdeen Run launches for its second year in the Granite City

The countdown is officially on to the Great Aberdeen Run - as the event comes back to the Granite City for the second time.

Thousands of runners and supporters are set to line the streets on the 26th August, following the success of last year's event.

The runs will start and finish on Union Street and the routes take in many of the city's key historic landmarks such as Marischal College, Castlegate, the Beach Ballroom and Brig O’Balgownie.

One runner, Jacqui Longrigg, has been battling cancer and is now looking forward to running the 10 kilometre race after beating the illness

She said: “Last May I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I had surgery and chemotherapy which finished in January and I am now having radiotherapy.

"All of the treatments have taken a toll on me physically and mentally, but the one thing that has really helped me on both counts has been exercise outdoors, walking my dog and more recently jogging.

“I have found running has really helped my mental health and the sense of achievement you get.

"I still have a long way to go to be able to achieve 10km and the radiotherapy will set me back again, but signing up for the Simplyhealth Great Aberdeen Run has given me a goal to aim for."

Gail Irvine from Meikle Wartle near Inverurie said: “In 2010 I did the London Marathon and it was a real struggle to finish due to an injury, the last seven miles were absolute hell and I limped across the line in 5 hours 16 minutes.

"I decided to take eight weeks off to recover.

“The weeks turned into years and I never picked my trainers up again. In those 8 years I had two children, gained 3 stone and let my fitness go. Last year I did the Simplyhealth Great Aberdeen Run Family Mile with my three-year-old who is super active and loves running. I struggled to run it all!

“How could I struggle to run one mile at only 37 years old when I used to run 26 miles? At that point I could hardly run for a bus.

"I’m 39 this year and I’ve decide I’m not going to be fat, unfit and 40. It really is now or never!"

Adrian Watson, chief executive of Aberdeen Inspired, said: "Many city centre businesses benefited from the Simplyhealth Great Aberdeen Run last year and their feedback was overwhelmingly positive. Much was said and made of the iconic start and finish on the city’s main thoroughfare of Union Street, where better.

"We're keen to see an even larger field take part this year and for people to take the opportunity to come from near and far and discover, or re-discover, our great city centre, which has an array of top class retail, hotels and vibrant daytime and evening economies.