Everything you need to know ahead of the Kirkcaldy Parks Running Festival

The Kirkcaldy Parks Running Festival will see a 10km trail race take place on Saturday afternoon, followed by the Kirkcaldy Half Marathon on Sunday morning.

With the finishing touches being put in place by organisers, it looks set to be a great weekend for the Lang Toun.

Those behind the festival hope the community will show its support and all that the town has to offer.

As the event draws closer, motoroists are advised there will be some rolling road closures in place on Sunday morning which could cause delays.

The half marathon is making its come back for the first time since its hugely successful debut in 2019.

The pandemic saw the event shelved in 2020 and 2021, although last year a smaller scale 10km trail run did go ahead.

This year the two distances have been combined to create the two-day running festival.

Two hundred runners will compete in the trail race around Beveridge Park and the Raith Estate on Saturday.

The run through the woods starts at 2pm and is expected to finish by 4pm.

There will be no road closures for this event.

On Sunday, the main event will be the half marathon, which kicks off at 10am.

It will follow an almost identical route to the 2019 event, taking in some of the town’s most famous landmarks including Beveridge Park, Dunnikier Park and Ravenscraig Park.

The route will take runners from Beveridge Park, up Oriel Road, round by Sainsbury's and along to Dunnikier Park, round Michelston Industrial Estate, down to Dysart, through the harbour and Ravenscraig Park, down on to the prom and then back into Beveridge Park.

Runners will travel along part of the Fife coastal path, through Dysart.

The final few miles will take on the Esplanade before finishing at Beveridge Park.

There will be 700 runners pounding the streets and parks for the half marathon and locals are urged to come out and show their support for them, cheering them on.

A series of rolling road closures and parking restrictions will be in place along the route on Sunday, however organisers say although there may be some delays, locals should not be inconvenienced for too long as the runners pass through.

The road closures will start from 9.45am at Oriel Road, which will reopen after the last runner has passed, with that system continuing along the route.

Marshals will man stop/go signs on Chapel Level, near the crematorium, and on the Esplanade, to allow competitors to cross the road.

Those runners still to pick up their race packs can do so on Saturday between 10.30am and 1.30pm at Kirkcaldy Rugby Club in Beveridge Park or in the park on Sunday morning from 8.30am to 9.30am ahead of the half marathon.

It’s not just the half marathon that’s happening on Sunday, there’s some fun to be had in Beveridge Park.

An event village will be set up in the park for people to explore featuring a number of activities, stalls and charities.

There’s also the chance to take part in a free timed family-friendly fun run.

It’s one lap of the park on the tarmac and will take place just after all the half marathon runners have left the park.

There’s no need to register for the fun run – people can just turn up and take part on the day.

Allan Harley, festival director, said: “Another massive thank you to all of our sponsors this year, who without, we wouldn’t be able to the event on.

"Another special thank you to the event team and certain individuals within Fife Council who strongly support this event and the positive vibes it brings to the town.

"The residents of Kirkcaldy came out in force in 2019 for the inaugural event, which was a bit of a surprise, but a great one, and we really hope you all take part, cheer the runners on and enjoy the event this year.

"One of the many glowing reports we received from runners back in 2019 described it as ‘a bucket-list race’ and we absolutely loved that...let’s try our best and make 2022 just as good.”

There is no car parking at Beveridge Park for the weekend’s events and those travelling by car are advised to park in nearby car parks, including those at Kirkcaldy railway station, Balwearie High School, the car park at the south end of the Esplanade, or any other town centre car parks.