Don’t be ‘Leven’ it to the last minute to join first-ever RUNFEST
Organisers are encouraging runners, walkers and joggers hoping to take part in the inaugural Leven RUNFEST to get their entries in now.
Sunday’s (27 October) festival, which starts on Fife’s award-winning Leven Beach, offers a choice of ‘picturesque’ 10K (15+), 5K (11+) and 1K (all ages) routes. The longer routes cross over beach, trail, grass and road, making use of the Fife Coastal Path, the Leven Links and Scoonie Golf courses, the Promenade and Silverburn Park.
runABC Scotland online spoke with Brian Robertson-Fern of organisers Levenmouth Together about the new event, which is limited to 500 entries. Organised with input from specialist community regeneration charity Brag Enterprises, Robertson-Fern told us that RUNFEST had two aims: to get more people active, and get more people visiting the local area.
He said: “RUNFEST was designed to give people an opportunity to be active in a beautiful location where very few people run. Leven was, and is, a beautiful beach. But in the last few years, people have tended to associate it with the area’s industrial heritage, and head further up the coast. This heritage is of course very important, but we’d like people to take a step back and revisit the area, and give it a new life.
He continued: “We’d like as many people as possible to join us on Sunday. It’s a lovely flat route with beautiful views, suitable for all ages.”
All proceeds gathered from RUNFEST and the other events organised by Levenmouth Together throughout the year will go into the new ‘Community Chest’, and be spent on local projects.
Prizes will be awarded to first, second and third male and female overall, first local male and female. There will also be various spot prizes, and medals, a Buff and a goody bag given to all finishers.
Robertson-Fern added: “We’ve been really grateful for the support of local businesses, especially our main sponsor, Fife Properties, who stepped in right away. Jim Parker, who runs the company, is a runner himself, and he’ll be taking part on race day. But there’s no special deal for him … he’s paid his entry fees like everyone else!”
Organisers would like to remind participants that because part of the route crosses the golf course, ALL listening devices, even those allowed in other events, such as bone-conducting headphones, are PROHIBITED. Failure to follow this rule will result in immediate disqualification.
Image courtesy Levenmouth Together