Festival to get Ayrshire up and running
Runners from all over the UK are to descend on Ayr this summer for a new festival.
Open to all ages and abilities, the Ayr Running Festival will include the first timed race over the Lang Scots Mile on Ayr promenade. And Hansel, one of Scotland’s leading social care providers for people living with learning disabilities or autism, has been selected as the charity partner for the inaugural festival taking place on Saturday, August 26 and Sunday, August 27.
Races on the Saturday will include a Mile buggy dash for parents, adult fun run, junior runs, a free wheelchair race and an elite runners Lang Scots Mile sprint.
On the Sunday the first Ayr Running Festival 10k race will set off at 10am with quick times and personal bests expected on the specially designed course.
Blanche Nicolson MBE, Hansel’s patron said: “A warm Ayrshire welcome awaits the many visitors and running enthusiasts who I’m sure will sign up to this unique family fun weekend experience and we are over the moon to be the nominated charity for the event.
“Hansel touches so many families throughout Ayrshire and we are so grateful to the support we receive from the community and the Ayr Running Festival is just a fine example.
“We’re already looking to start our own running group to encourage customers and staff to take part and hopefully that will also inspire friends and families to do the same.”
Former professional athlete and current MSP for South Scotland Region, Brian Whittle said: “I’m delighted to be able to join hundreds of other runners in taking part in the inaugural Ayr Running Festival.
“It is clear the team behind the event are determined to make the event as accessible as possible, offering a range of races to suit all abilities, including the Lang Scots Mile, which I’ll be running.
“This is a great opportunity for people across Ayrshire to get outside, get active and help raise money for good causes and I hope as many people as possible will come along to run or cheer on the runners.”
Doug Maclean, Director of Ayr Running Festival added: “We have created the Ayr Running Festival as a sister event to the Scottish International Airshow.
“Cannonball Events are a marvellous race company and the enthusiasm shown by the company owner John “Cannonball” Lloyd quickly persuaded us that we can grow another successful and very different event based in Ayr.
“We believe this will be the first time that runners are able to have an official measured distance and computer recorded time for a Lang Scots Mile.”