Paralympian Derek Rae helped officially launch a major new running event in Fife.
The marathon competitor and para-athlete of year in 2018 is ambassador for the Kirkcaldy Parks Half Marathon.
It is around three decades since a half marathon was held in the town and news of the event has created a stir in the local running community.
Derek, of Kirkcaldy, is in training to represent Team GB in the London Marathon where he won the World Para Athletics Marathon Cup for his class last year.
He took time out from his schedule to join race committee members and local councillors at the Beveridge Park, one of three parks the 13.1-mile route takes in, to get the run out of the starting blocks.
Fife Athletics Club member Sheena Logan, a past winner of the Baxters Loch Ness Marathon, is the event’s female ambassador.
Derek, who competed in the Rio 2016 marathon, said: “It’s an honour to be asked to be the ambassador in my local area.
“It’s great for the wider community and certainly the running community.
“Parkruns are getting busier, races are busier than ever before and it’s great to have something to bring Kirkcaldy to the forefront of this.
“I have been round the route and I think it will let people see parts of Kirkcaldy they might not have seen before, and to incorporate the three parks is really special.”
Committee member Rebecca Reader said there had been a great reaction when the event, on Sunday, August 25, was announced.
She said: “People are excited that Kirkcaldy is doing something like this. We are really encouraged by the enthusiasm.”
There had also been significant interest from people wanting to volunteer at the event, she said.
“That’s great because we want people to get involved, even if they are unable to run.”
Kirkcaldy Central councillor Alistair Cameron congratulated the committee in arranging such a large event in a relatively short space of time.
He said: “This is going to be a fantastic event for Kirkcaldy, it’s great to be bringing back the half marathon.
“To go round the three parks, Dysart and the waterfront is a really unique race route.
“People from around Scotland are looking forward to it and I’m sure it will be a great day all round.”
A half marathon was held in Kirkcaldy in 1988 and the event was repeated, but it is unclear when the last one was held.
More than 1,000 runners will set off from Beveridge Park on the Sunday morning, passing through Dunnikier and Ravenscraig parks, Dysart harbour and along Kirkcaldy waterfront back to the finish line in Beveridge Park.
A traffic management company is to be employed to manage rolling road closures.
A licence is expected to be issued from Scottish Athletics in the next few days, allowing entries to open on EntryCentral.
