For thousands of women the months of hard preparation, muscle twinges and trepidation were over. All they had to do was complete the most important bit: the 10km course. Video
Caroline Wilson
SLIDESHOW: 2009 Women's 10K
For thousands of women the months of hard preparation, muscle twinges and trepidation were over. All they had to do was complete the most important bit: the 10km course.
Click play to watch our video from the event.
While the elite athletes pounded the streets of Glasgow's south side chasing first place and glory, for the majority the goal was simply to finish and raise hundred of pounds for their chosen charity.
Runners of all ages, shapes and sizes sprinted, skipped and staggered across the finishing line at Bellahouston Park - dressed in everything from Wonder Woman costumes to charity T-shirts bearing the image of lost loved ones.
Thousands more spectators lined the route to cheer on family and friends and enjoy watching potential Commonwealth champions strive for a personal best.
The sun broke through the clouds as the elite runners lined up under the white balloons shortly before 10am to a rousing soundtrack by The Proclaimers.
Bryan Burnett, host of the Ignis Asset Management Women's 10k, offered some words of encouragement to those raising funds for charity, urging them to take a moment to consider who they were running for.
The rain stayed off until around noon when the heavens opened and the last, but not least, runners were hit with a torrent of hailstones.
A total of 10,700 entrants completed the race, collectively raising more than £1m for charity in one of the city's most treasured sporting events, which is now in its 16th year.
Joan Whittingham, from Dornoch, was among the oldest participants at the age of 74 and she managed to complete the race in just over a hour.
She said: "I'm a good customer, this is my seventh race. I wonder if there is a prize for the oldest entrant - I think there should be."
Joan Muir, 48, from Balloch, raised more than £3000 for Macmillan Cancer Support with six work colleagues, finishing the race in an impressive 51 minutes.
She said: "It was really hard, this is my hardest race, I must be getting too old but we have raised a lot of money for a good cause. Cancer affects all of us."
The Bishopton Belles, a team of tartan-clad women with signs on their backs proclaiming "Worth coming home to?", were paying tribute to Scotland's Homecoming Year celebrations.
They hugged each other in delight as they crossed the finishing line.
Teacher Laura Lewis said: "We're all friends, from different walks of life, all running to raise money for St Andrew's Academy in Paisley.
"The school is sending a group of children to Uganda to help build primary schools in one of the most deprived areas, and we're helping them to raise funds.
"It's been a great day - we've all had a lot of fun, and hopefully we'll raise lots of money for the school."
During and after the race, runners quenched their thirst with around 16,000 litres of water and munched their way through 12,000 bananas, provided by an army of volunteers.
Lord Provost Bob Winter, who started the race, said: "Yet again the Women's 10k has proved to be an unforgettable day.
"The atmosphere is thrilling and it is easy to see the sense of achievement the women rightly feel on crossing the finish line. Mass participation events like the Women's 10k provide the ideal focal point and motivation for people to get involved, making sport an integral part of their daily lifestyle.
"At a time when sport has an increasingly important role to play in improving the health and physical activity of the nation and with a London 2012 Olympic Games and Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games on the horizon, it is great to see so many people taking up the challenge of one of Scotland's biggest running events."
