THE showers overnight did not deter the 31 walkers and runners who made it to Gloucester’s 182nd parkrun in District Park but the overcast skies kept some of the regulars away.

Locals were joined by visitors from Germany and Sydney, with five people enjoying their very first parkun – Finn Linke, Katarina Baryschnikov, Lyndy Grey and Gina and Marc Dalmulder.

Welcome! We hope it is the first of many parkruns.

Eli Soupidis was the first male home in a time of 23.07, while second home was visitor Rob Gordon (on his first Gloucester parkrun) who was using it as a warm up for a half marathon in Laurieton later in the day.

The first female was again local Lily Sansom in 26.25.

Unusually, there were no personal best times this morning.

“Must be the heavy conditions and head breeze in both directions” was the theory put forward by volunteer Chris Murray.

Speaking of volunteers, thanks to them all – Chris Murray fine tuning his timekeeper skills, and linking in seamlessly with John Watts on tokens and Rod Eckels as scanner.

Pat Burrows was again doing the sweeping role of Tail Walker including collecting the cones on her last lap, ably assisted by Don Richardson.

By Carolyn DAVIES