It doesn’t matter how old you are to take part in the Great Cumbrian Run, as competitors in this year’s fun run showed in abundance.

Children in pushchairs were wheeled around the course, while groups of schoolchildren put in some impressive times as they completed the route, which took in Bitts Park.

There were uplifting scenes as grandparents and grandchildren helped each other across the line and teams of friends took on each other in the race, held ahead of the 34th annual main run getting underway yesterday.

And it was clear that the success of Team GB at the Rio Olympics – just one element of a gripping summer of sport – had rubbed off on people of all ages as they chose to take part.

The race also marked another milestone in Carlisle’s fightback from the floods, with the Sheepmount sports stadium, where the fun run started and finished, a high-profile casualty of the disaster.

Rio Olympian Tom Farrell has been among those to criticise Carlisle City Council over their handling of the re-opening of the Sheepmount.

Tom’s dad, David, who is owner of Stone Eden Nursery School at Aglionby, who had called for the resignation of councillors Colin Glover, leader of Carlisle City Council, and Stewart Young, who leads Cumbria County Council, over the slow progress of the flood recovery at the Sheepmount – provoking a strong response from the city council – was among those trackside yesterday, cheering the runners towards the finish line.

Many of those who joined them in cheering on the competitors agreed it was great to see the track back in use.

Among those who took part was Emma Ivison, who was raising money for Team Evie, set up in honour of her neice Evie Johnston, who died when she was just six months old in September 2015 after suffering a series of serious health problems. They were treated to some big cheers.

Various schools also entered teams.

The fun run set the scene for a glorious day, after which organisers declared: “Well done to all the competitors who took part in this year’s Great Cumbrian Run.

“Stunning day in Carlisle. Only 364 days until GCR 2017.”

The weather was certainly on the side of competitors, even in the fun run.

Earlier, as runners and spectators alike had been heading off to the race and warming up, there had been a great deal of mist in the air, with the weather threatening to turn dark and gloomy.

But, ironically, as the elite race began and the family fun run ended, the mist disappeared and the sun came out.

Though there was an element of dampness on the running track, the facilities in use certainly looked to be in working order.

Those who took part in yesterday’s race will be hoping the facilities can be reopened fully to the public in the near future.

Luke Westmorland from Dalston won the fun run race, with Carlisle’s Melissa Mattinson the first girl to finish and Oliver Rafferty making up the top three.

More than 1,000 runners completed the half marathon.

The main race was won by Keswick Athletics Club runner Marc Brown.

He was clearly in good form as he won by a comfortable margin and finished in a time of 69 minutes and 32 seconds to win the 34th version of the event.

"I wanted to win it and that's what I've done, so I'm happy," Brown said.

"The conditions were pretty nice. And the support from the crowd was great, too."

Lydia Chapman, of Dalston, was the first lady across the finishing line.

Chapman said: "I ran the Great North Run a couple of weeks ago and I actually entered it last year.

"But I fell off my bike three days before the race and I managed to take a chunk out of my arm.

"This year, I wanted to do the Great North Run and the Great Cumbrian Run.

"And I wanted to run in my home city, so it's wonderful."