Entries have just opened for a popular West of Scotland community running festival. 

The 2021 North Ayrshire Running Festival, organised by the North Ayrshire Athletics Club, will be held on 5 September.

Last month, NAAC’s President Kirsteen Brown told the Ardrossan Herald that after transforming last year’s festival into a virtual event because of the pandemic, the club was ‘keen to hold the [real life festival] to bring back a bit of normality to the community’.

Proud of their reputation as a ‘family club’, the 2021 festival will feature a 10k (open to runners aged 15+), a chip timed 2k fun for children aged 6–15 and an 800m fun run.

As Brown explained, ‘We aim to provide a community spirit to all of our events. Previous years have shown it is a great family day out with cheering on athletes in all of our races.’

Although the NAAC aims ‘to encourage as many people as possible in the local community to take part in running’, in line with current Scottish Athletics event guidance, the club are restricting entries to the 10k to 200. If restrictions are eased over the coming months, the club hopes to open the event up to additional entries.

The chip-timed and SA-licensed North Ayrshire 10K starts and finishes on the athletics arena within the grounds of St Matthews Academy in Saltcoats. The route is very flat and fast – save for one small hill in the second half of the race – and takes in the scenic promenade, tarmac, an old railway line and some sections of pavement.  

As Brown told the Ardrossan Herald, ‘The event attracts runners of all abilities with a reasonably flat course for those wanting to achieve a personal best or those wanting to complete their first 10k. The mix of abilities is what makes the event so special to everyone at NAAC.’

Entries close on 15 August, with none for the 2km or 10km taken on the day.