It was always more about the good causes and generosity than the gold medals: personal bests above podium places.

While the athletic elite pounded Glasgow's south-side in the hope of the glory of a top-three finish in one of the UK's leading road races, most of the 12,000 competitors in yesterday's Women's 10K were ecstatic simply to cross the finishing line and raise a few hundred pounds for their chosen charity.

For over an hour, the 11,950 who trained for months streamed across the finishing line at Bellahouston Park, dressed in everything from pirate and fairy outfits to "In Loving Memory" T-shirts, raising around £1m for various charities.

While the summer temperatures kept the supporters in carnival mood, more than a handful of runners were taken away on stretchers after collapsing due to the heat.

The day also offered an opportunity for the thousands who lined the route to see some of Scotland's newest citizens - and potential Commonwealth champions - compete in their adopted city for the first time.

Kokob Mehari, 18, was one of the six Eritreans granted political asylum in the UK earlier this month after running a race in Edinburgh.

Yesterday, the newest member of Shettleston Harriers in Glasgow's east-end won the junior race, despite adding three minutes to her time, having been sick along the route.

Translator Agostino Desta said: "This is a terrific achievement, especially as she was sick half-way through and has never run a 10K before. She could have been at least three minutes quicker than her 37 minutes."

Among the first few hundred to cross the line was Caroline Jones, a member of Maryhill Harriers who came in at a personal best of 45 minutes exactly.

More important for the 27-year-old herself, however, was the several hundred pounds raised for Romanian orphans.

Caroline said: "I'm going over with a few members of my church to Romania in August to work with children, essentially taking them away for the week and giving them the time of their lives.

"Last year, I ran for Crohn's disease and the year before that cancer - but this year, with the trip to Romania, there was only one cause."

Jo McLaughlin, from Hillington in Glasgow, was running for Maggie's Centres.

On New Year's Day 11 years ago, her mother, Marion Glennie, died of cancer. Any time Jo has run the 10K, all her fundraising has gone to Maggie's.

Jo, 31, said: "I've been raising money for years for Maggie's and three years ago I started running. Today my mum was in my mind as I took every step.

"And I've cut my time from one hour 16 minutes two years ago to 55 minutes this year."

Wendy Sherrie, from Dalry in Ayrshire, had only been running for three months before taking part in yesterday's race and completed it in a respectable one hour two minutes.

The nurse at the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley said: "I've worked in nursing homes and the dad of one of my friends who's running today has Alzheimer's, so there was only one charity for us.

"Alzheimer's Scotland isn't a big charity and deserves all the support it can get. I've done much better than I thought and I have to be honest, it gets easier the more you run."

The race was won by last year's winner Vivian Cheruiyot, of Kenya, who crossed the line within 31 minutes 32 seconds, nine seconds ahead of her compatriot Lucy Wangui Kabuu.

Fellow Kenyan Magdalene Mukunzi came in third.

The first Scot to cross the line was Lyn Wilson, of Edinburgh, in a time of 34 minutes 49 seconds, while 14-year-old Glasgow girl Colette Martin was the first over in a wheelchair.

Archie Graham, lead politician in Glasgow's Commonwealth Games delivery team, said: "This is a magnificent event and a tremendous sight, seeing the 12,000 girls pound the roads and thousands again making the effort to come out and cheer them on.

"Hopefully it will encourage others to take up a sport in time for 2014."

The race also marked the retirement of Scots Olympian Frank Clement, who has organised the Women's 10K since it began in 1993, as well as the Great Scottish Run.