Ecos parkrun, Ballymena

Ballymena Bus and Rail Station is 2.3 km away. There are currently no town bus services early enough to get to the parkrun start.

Ecos Park can be accessed on foot from several points. The distance to Ecos Centre is: Seven Towers Leisure Centre 1.8 km, Ballykeel 0.75 km, Suffolk St 0.5km. Some parts of the park are isolated so you may want to walk with others. The Ecos Cycle Trail, a 17 mile cycle route between Ballymena and Glenarm passes through Ecos Park. The route which is posted as National Cycle Network Route 97 links with Broughshane 3.5 miles away - see the sustrans website for more information.

Ecos Centre is well posted with brown tourist signs from the approaches to Ballymena. The park entrance is on Broughshane Road and parking is available at the centre. Note there is a height restriction of 2m for vehicles in the car park. Alternative parking is available at the Showgrounds (about 8 minutes walk to the Centre).

If using SATNAV, the nearest postcode is BT43 7QA.

Every week we grab a post-parkrun coffee: the Visitor Centre café. A volunteer will welcome you at the first timers brief at 9:25, tell you about the course and answer any questions. We sometimes have a mobile café, check our Facebook page to see if it will be there this week. Otherwise there are several choices within 15 minutes walk . Please come and join us!

Every week we grab a post parkrun coffee in the Visitor Centre café. A volunteer will welcome you at the first timers brief at 9:25, tell you about the course and answer any questions. We sometimes have a mobile café, check our Facebook page to see if it will be there this week. Otherwise there are several choices within 15 minutes walk - please come and join us!

Ecos parkrun, Ballymena is a fun, free event organised by volunteers for the benefit of everyone. We wish to make the event as safe as possible, so participants, spectators and helpers are asked to take care about the following:

• Please be considerate to the park and other park users at all times.
• Children under the age of eleven must be accompanied (within arm's reach) throughout the event by a parent, guardian or appropriate adult of the parent's choice.
• Please arrive by foot, by pedal-power or by public transport if you can - your efforts help to reduce our impact on the park and the planet.
• We invite everyone to consider volunteering at parkrun. Your support helps your parkrun events remain sustainable and free for all in your community, and it’s also a wonderful way to improve your own health and happiness. Please visit the volunteer page for more information.
• Take care near roads and car parks – some vehicles drive very quickly. Please congregate away from the cars and be careful in particular if you have children. If you’re driving to the event, please drive carefully.
• Take care on uneven surfaces – whether on grass or on tarmac. Watch out for cyclists, other participants, pedestrians, children, dogs, wildlife, park animals, vehicles, park maintenance work, falling branches, bollards, posts and other obstacles around the course.
• Please ensure that you are fit enough to walk, jog, run 5k (3.1 miles) with us.
• If you see someone with a serious problem, please stop to help them out and get help as soon as possible.
• If you’re watching, keep clear of participants on the course, and look after any children and dogs you may have with you.
• It is not permitted to run with a pushchair and a dog at the same time.
• Lyme Disease is a bacterial infection spread to humans by infected ticks. Consider protecting yourself by wearing repellent when at parkrun events in grassy or wooded areas. See lymediseaseuk.com for further details.
• You are welcome to take part with one dog by your side, within reach at all times, on a short, handheld, non-extendable lead. The use of waist harnesses is prohibited. Please also see this Support Site entry for further details about parkrunning with dogs.
• parkrunners pushing buggies are welcome, but please take care of others around you and do your best to start at an appropriate place in the field for your pace.

We hope these tips help to ensure that Ecos parkrun, Ballymena is fun and safe for everyone.

All parkrun events use Age Grading to help parkrunners compare results.

parkrun events use Age Grading to help parkrunners see progress and compare results.

For more information, please see our Support page.

All parkrun events are organised by volunteers - email ecos@parkrun.com to help.

parkrun is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and adults at risk. For our full safeguarding processes and policies please see our Safeguarding Hub.

To report a safeguarding concern please email safeguarding@parkrun.com.