Kirkcaldy Parkrun: Milestone 250th run for Douglas as event plans Ne’er Day run

The organisers of the weekly gathering marked the occasion recently with a special presentation of a certificate.

It was another important moment in the history of an event which has put the Lang Toun on a global map of park runners spanning some 23 countries.

On Saturday mornings, millions of people warm up and take part in the 5k event. That equates to 3.1 miles.

It’s a timed run rather than a race. You can walk, run, or jog and, importantly, no-one comes last.

While runners will have their own goals to meet, the emphasis is very much on enjoying the run on a crisp morning with an open invite to enjoy a coffee at Morrisons supermarket afterwards.

Parkruns started in London in 2004 and have opened the door to exercise for many people as well as becoming part of a hugely supportive community which spans the generations.

Douglas , from Kirkcaldy, can pinpoint the date of his first park run - two laps anti-clockwise round Beveridge Park.

“It was March 21 2015, about one month after they started up the park runs,” he said. “My daughter had taken part and she signed me up. I’d gone running before but nothing organised.

“The first race I over-tried a bit and injured myself, so I missed the next week but was then back seven days later.

“I might have been the first to do 50 park runs in Kirkcaldy. I thought I might go on to 100, and then kept going. Once you have done a few, you don’t want to break the sequence.”

Some 18,000 park runners have completed 250 events, but what makes Douglas unique is that he has done them all at Beveridge Park.

That adds up to 500 anti-clockwise laps, starting from the gate at the memorial to motorcyclist Jock Taylor and 500 home straights at the rugby club, and one clockwise circuit of the pond - not to mention 500 climbs up a testing hill which runners have dubbed ‘Beverest.’

“It’s a big steep hill, but it’s not a bad course - it’s not terribly hard,” said Douglas. “Lots of people come along. You get people pushing prams or running with their dogs.

“It is so friendly and you get to know lots of people. It’s a real community from youngsters at school to people like me in their 70s.

“There is a degree of competition in that people set their own targets and you can have some rivalry- you might want to be the best in your age group - but what I really like is that any competition is absolutely friendly and everyone encourages all the others runners.

“Fresh air, exercise and good company - what more can you want?”

And that is the ethos of all park runs.

Andrew Aird, ambassador for parkrunUK, was on hand to make the presentation to Douglas earlier this year. There were also presentations to runners who had completed 50 and 100 park runs.

“Kirkcaldy Park Run is doing really well. We have now had 329 events since we started,” he said. “We had over 150 there recently, and turnout on Saturdays are regularly very good. We are looking to grow those numbers in 2023.”Park runs are free to join - all you have to do is register online in advance to secure your finishing time, and so join the ranks of runners worldwide. In Fife there are also events at Pittencrieff, Dunfermline, Lochore Meadows and Craigtoun Park in St Andrews with plans to expand to more towns.

“There are 66 Saturday events across Scotland now,” said Andrew. “We do have plans to get park runs established in Glenrothes and Leven in the future. The work is in the early stages but there is certainly scope in both towns to get something set up.

“Parkruns are for everyone. They’re a community and social event.

"The first runner home may do it in 18 minutes while at the other end, some will take around 55-56 minutes because you can walk, jog or run the course. Everyone has their own goal. You can turn up and run round with your friends and enjoy the occasion, or you can set your own time goal.

“We have volunteer tail walkers who will be at the back so no-one finishes last.”

And once the course is completed, there is an open invitation to all participants to head along to Morrisons cafe for a cuppa and chat, underlining the social and community element at the heart of the event.

Park runs also offer people the chance to volunteer - every event is run by people who give their own time.

Their duties range from organising the finish area to scanning barcodes to each participant gets their time, as well as being the eyes and ears of the event to ensure it all goes smoothly

They will be on duty again on January 1 as the Park Run ushers in the New Year with its first event of 2023.

Whether you crack the course in around 20 minutes or take a leisurely hour, you will be made very welcome, and it will count to the first of what could be another 250 park runs.

To register and to find out more about Kirkcaldy’s Park Run please visit https://www.parkrun.org.uk/kirkcaldy/