A POPULAR West Fife running event is set to celebrate a landmark milestone when it takes place this weekend.

Duloch Junior Parkrun, weather permitting, will take place for the 100th time this Sunday, three-and-a-half years since it was first held.

Organisers are planning to mark the event by turning this Sunday’s run into a fun day, where youngsters taking part will be encouraged to run in bright colours, or even onesies, hoodies or pyjamas.

A free, community event, the Duloch Junior Parkrun takes place every Sunday morning, from 9.30am, and is dedicated to youngsters aged between 4-14.

They can run, or walk or jog, around a 2k course through Duloch Country Park in a positive, welcoming and inclusive environment, where there is no time limit imposed, or anyone finishing last.

Parkrun events, which also includes a 5k event for those aged older than 14 every Saturday morning in Pittencrieff Park, are held across the UK, and also encourage participation through volunteering in a variety of roles to allow them to take place, or by supporting those taking part by simply spectating.

Following the success of Dunfermline Parkrun, which was first held in 2015, Duloch Junior Parkrun was launched in August 2019, with support and from both Fife Council and the Carnegie Dunfermline Trust.

It was held regularly until the outbreak of Coronavirus, in March 2020, which prevented it from being run for more than a year.

In July 2021, the parkrun made its comeback and, since then, it has attracted a steady number of youngsters attending regularly.

Themed events, such as at Easter and Hallowe’en, have also been held, and Andrew Aird, ambassador for parkrun in Fife, said: “We had a break with COVID, which didn’t help, but we’ve been back since July 2021.

“It’s been really good. We’re getting around 39 kids regularly on Sunday mornings, but it’s definitely weather dependent! We’ve got regular volunteers, and we’re really just trying to promote it, with a view to getting more kids to come along.

“The format hasn’t changed. This week, we’re going to have a pyjama party, where they can wear things like onesies or hoodies, which is optional. We try to do something like that every so often; we’ve had Hallowe’en fancy dress.

“It’s something to try and raise the profile and, hopefully, get some who wouldn’t otherwise come, and hope they can come back.”

The Duloch Junior Parkrun route begins, and finishes, on the path between Duloch Primary School and the country park, and has clocked up an average of 48 finishers per week since it began, including 1,078 personal best times.

For more information on how to get involved, visit https://www.parkrun.org.uk/duloch-juniors.