Kirkcaldy road race secures Scottish championship status for first time

The 2023 Kirkcaldy Parks Half Marathon has been confirmed as Scottish Athletics’s East District half marathon championship event - the first time it has ever been held in the Lang Toun, and the first time it has come to Fife in 23 years.

The accolade means a slight re-jig to the 13.1 mile route, but it will still take in all three of the town’s parks, giving runners a unique circuit.

And the organisers are keen to stress, the half marathon remains a community event open to all.

The news comes as the 2023 event unveiled its title sponsor, Kirkcaldy’s Forth Centre, while Maggie’s Cancer Care Centre is its charity partner for a second successive year.

The half marathon forms part of the Kirkcaldy Parks Running Festival on August 26-27. Up to 1500 runners are expected to pound the streets with a further 200 enjoying the shorter trail run.

First staged in 2019, the race offers a unique course which takes in Beveridge, Ravenscraig and Dunnikier Parks. and organisers are looking ahead to a great weekend.

A huge amount of work has been done behind the scenes to secure championship status.

Allan Harley, who chairs Kirkcaldy Parks Running Festival, said: “It’s a championship race within our own race - not the other way round.

“We were originally approached by the East District before lockdown, but our course was not suitable because of its off-road elements. We have worked closely with them to find a route that complies but still gives us the ethos of using all three parks.”

With the course measured and certified as accurate, championship status is a huge feather in the cap of the volunteer team at the helm of the event.

Runners will again be offered bright orange vests on the day by Maggie’s to help raise awareness of the town’s cancer care centre. They can also run to fundraise for it.

Adam Kent, Maggie’s fundraising manager, said: “It is fantastic to be involved again in a community event and raise awareness of Maggie’s and the support it offers people.”