By Leonard COUTIN

As the temperatures cooled Wednesday afternoon, runners gathered at Crescenta Valley Park cross-country course for the second all comers Run in the Park.

Coach Mark Evans welcomed the cross-country girls from Arcadia, and the West Torrance boys and girls runners, who led by the boy’s Coach Jason Druten and girl’s Coach Kirsten Green. Also in attendance was cross-country veteran Don Carlson, who graduated CVHS in 1970.

The day included a 2K run geared more for the more middle school athletes like Natalie O’Brien, now in eighth grade at St. Rita School in Sierra Madre. She found her sprinting strength the last 200 meters, finishing in the top lineup.

“I love running she said. “I’ve been running since third grade.”

Members of the Corless family, which boasts a tradition of running for CV, were also found at the park. Lindsay (Corless) Peterson graduated in 2004, and on Wednesday brought her little boy Garrett – just short of 3 years old – to run in the park.

Run in the Park is a chance to race and meet others from the community and surrounding areas. It has proven to be successful, with numbers for both races reaching on Wednesday about 150 runners.