THE blanket of mist across the District Park lifted in time for the start of the 281st Gloucester parkrun last Saturday, revealing a bright blue sky for the 57 runners.
Ten people had entered the event for the first time, including Flo Alcasas and Leon Blanch, who were doing their very first parkrun.
Other first-timers included Kylie and Andrew Margeton, who had travelled from the Hunter Valley to celebrate their 28th wedding anniversary in Gloucester.
Another first-timer was Terry Little from Lake Macquarie, who had chosen Gloucester to celebrate his 100th parkrun and his 50th tourist run.
From further afield, John Rohl from Oakey in Queensland was running his 282nd parkrun.
First male home was visitor Jarrah Crotty, whose home parkrun is at Grahamstown.
The timekeeper observed, “You seem to have something left in the tank”, even after Crotty had swept around the last bend past the bunyah tree and sprinted to the finish line.
Bridget Casey was the first female home, in a personal best time. The humid conditions didn’t slow her or others who recorded personal best times, including Holly Willis, Max Shepherd, Kathryn Stinson, Corbin Predebon and Archer Smith.
The volunteer team was mostly a family affair. Trudie Murray was the timekeeper, working in sync with her mother-in-law Elaine Murray on tokens.
Carmen Blanch was doing her first volunteer stint as scanner, with son Leon running his first parkrun before helping to collect cones, earning his first volunteer credit.
John Rosenbaum put his hand up to do tailwalker and then proceeded to redefine the role.
The tailwalker role usually guides the group from behind, making sure everyone is safe. John also managed to fit in tidying up after others’ dogs and keeping fellow octogenarian John Seale company along the path.
As well as greeting the locals he knew on their morning walk in the park, he picked up the course cones on the way back to the finish line.
Gloucester Parkrun is a free event held at 8am every Saturday. Come along and join in the fun of a 5km walk or run around Gloucester District Park.
By Carolyn DAVIES
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