The sun shone on locals for the first trial of the five kilometer parkrun course held in Alexandra on Saturday.

Runners and walkers of all ages participated in the free event, a practice for the first official parkrun, coming up on May 11.

Volunteers came from the Queenstown and Invercargill parkruns to support the team of locals behind the Alexandra event. 

Event director Sally Booth gave a briefing to attendees about the course, including the requirement to collect a finish tag and then have it scanned at the finish line if they wanted their result to be recorded.

There is one more trial parkrun on Sunday April 28 at 1pm. 

Sally said everyone was welcome to come along and give it a go, including walkers, dogs on a lead and babies, or youngsters in prams too.  

“There’s never anyone in last place as there is a tail walker and there is no time limit.”

The volunteer tail walker at the first weekly community fun run. PHOTO: Supplied 

People can take part by volunteering as marshals, and the group of organisers plan a social coffee and a chat afterwards.

Feedback from runners and walkers was that the event had a welcoming fun atmosphere and they would be back again. 

To register and find out more about the weekly run see the Otago Central Rail Trail parkrun webpage.

Read more: Alexandra rail trail parkrun launching next month