BRASS monkey weather did not prevent thousands of runners from pounding York’s streets and university campus in two big weekend events.

Yesterday morning, about 600 early rising runners took part in the Heslington Parkrun, a new 5k sister event to the Knavesmire Parkrun, which celebrated its sixth anniversary at the weekend.

Then yesterday morning, about 1,750 runners from all over the country - and even America - took part in the 35th annual Brass Monkey Half Marathon.

Runners of all ages and abilities took part in the new Parkrun at York Sport Village, which was aimed at giving people on the northern and eastern side of the city a chance to run closer to home than the Knavesmire event.

The run took place in chilly weather around the centre’s cycle circuit and the University of York’s Heslington East campus at 9am on Saturday, and will be held at the same time every Saturday from now on.

Several wheelchair users took part, and several runners had pushchairs with them, including Russell Bridge of Haxby, who pushed his sleeping 11-month old son Jack around the route in about 25 minutes, while others were accompanied by their dogs.

Becky Wheatley from Leeds, was determined to take part, albeit at walking pace and with her leg strapped up, despite tearing ankle ligaments in a race last weekend . “It’s the first one here and I wasn’t going to miss it,” she said.

Emily Hearle, one of the event directors, estimated it attracted at least 600 runners and said: “It’s been an amazing success -it’s been brilliant.”

She praised the 26 volunteers who turned up to help marshal the event and appealed for more to come forward by going to www.york-sport.com/parkrun.

Today’s Half Marathon, organised by the York Knavesmire Harriers running club, set off from Bishopthorpe Road near York Racecourse and took a flat route via Bishopthorpe, Acaster Selby and Appleton Roebuck and back through Bishopthorpe to finish behind the racecourse stands.

Director Tim Clarke said the conditions - cloudy, chilly but dry - were ‘perfect,’ but gritters had been around the route beforehand to ensure no one slipped on any icy patches and about 200 volunteers who had stepped forward to ensure the race could run safely.

He said the male senior open winner was Jamie Parkinson of Thames Hare and Hounds in a time of one hour seven minutes and 12 seconds and the first female was Tracy Millmore of Birtley AC in a time of one hour 19 minutes and two seconds.