Date set for Kirkcaldy Parks Half Marathon next year

The committee urged local runners to ‘Save the Date’ on their Facebook page revealing that the popular race is scheduled to return on August 29, 2021.

The move comes after they had to cancel this year’s event due to the coronavirus pandemic.

A spokesman for Kirkcaldy Parks Half Marathon said the committee members have tentatively begun preparing for the 2021 event.

He said: “We had just started working on the 2020 event when the Covid pandemic came crashing down around us.

“It was a disappointing but fairly easy decision to cancel it given what was going on.

“We were thrilled with the success of the first event and have been eager to start work on the next one.

“We had very positive reviews from the runners, volunteers and residents of the town and everyone was looking forward to putting on an even bigger and better event this year.

“That didn’t happen though and we’ll have to look ahead.”

He added: “Nobody knows what the future holds but as I said, we are beginning preparations on the next event, we shall keep abreast of all covid developments and plan accordingly.”

Kirkcaldy central councillor Alistair Cameron, who was part of the organising team for the 2019 event, said: “August 29 is the day that hopefully Kirkcaldy will be packed again with runners young and older, plus thousands of families, friends, volunteers and visitors to our town.

“This is the sort of positive news many runners have been waiting for and judging by the reaction on social media we will have another jammed pack event as last year.

“It’s been a difficult time for everyone including our runners, so to have a target race to aim for is really important to focus the mind.

“It’s amazing to think that after only one year the Kirkcaldy Parks Half Marathon has now already established its place as one of the major running events in the Scottish athletics calendar in the last week of August. “

He added: “This is down to the incredible hard work of last year’s committee in setting such a amazing standard of event, which I know they are looking to extend and improve on.”

Cllr Cameron said events like the half marathon are important for attracting people into Kirkcaldy.

“As we try to start thinking at least about getting back to some sort of normal, events like the KPHM are so important in attracting people into the town and is a big part of our tourism drive.

“It’s so important for the town to welcome back visitors far and wide as we did in 2019, but also built on the success of staycation visitors and locals that the town has had this year so far.”

He added: “Discussions between the committee members have been ongoing for sometime.

“Now with the date of this year’s event passed, it’s the appropriate time to look forward with positive mind that the KPHM will happen in 2021.”