Garden City Runners flock en masse to Fred Hughes 10 mile

The one-lap course, which starts and finishes just off Verulamium Park and uses the lanes between Chiswell Green and Bedmond, was also doubling as the Herts County Vets’ Championship race for the distance, as well as part of the Welwyn Garden City running club's own internal competition.

It is known to be a tough course with some tough drags uphill but GCRs still managed some excellent performances.

Benj Carr was the first of them home in 21st place overall, finishing in 58 minutes 25 seconds, while James Huish was 39th in 1:00:20.

Paul Guy was the first of the vets to cross the line with a time of 1:01:33 and Peter Harvey managed 1:02:17, earning himself a silver in the MV50-59 age group.

The men's team of Guy, Harvey, Chris Jones (1:02:20) and Martin Mitchell (1:05:56) also won a silver in the county's team event.

Jo Grant, Katy Healy and Sam Males at the Fred Hughes. Picture: GCR (Image: Garden City Runners)

Rebecca Barden was first female GCR into the finish funnel, clocking 1:19:57 to put her fourth in her FV55-64 age group.

Sam Males managed a big PB over the distance with 1:23:08 and Katy Healy was next in with 1:24:00.

Seyfu Jamal of London Heathside won the race in a new course record of 49:30.

Kath Evans meanwhile was on another adventure, this time at the North Cornwall Marathon Trail Run.

The race started at Polzeath on the rugged north Cornwall coast and headed north-east along the coastline, packed with a number of short, sharp climbs.

She did miss the 20-mile cut-off to officially record her first ever DNF but the marshals on the course gave her a lift to the next checkpoint to complete the last few miles.

Parkruns were as popular as usual with 96 from the club taking on the Saturday morning 5k runs.

Almost half opted for the home comforts of Panshanger with Daniel Pudner, Jamie Rose and Bruce Judge all achieving top-10 finishes for the men and Katherine Lees, Alex Faulkner and Rebecca Cullers doing likewise for the ladies.

Just outside the top 10 for the men were Jonathan Foan and Nick Summers, finishing 11th and 12th, although both managed new course PBs.

Elsewhere Chris Eland was second in Keswick, Cumbria, with Rob Casserley ninth and Katharine Farrell was seventh lady at Stevenage.

Lucy Iles was fourth lady at Wendover Woods and Andrew Holt sixth at Leavesden Country.

New course PBs were also achieved by Laura Sach at Cassiobury, Samantha Males at Luton Wardown and Alison Paterson at Stevenage.

Samantha Hastie celebrated her 100th parkrun at Mount Stuart on the Isle of Bute where she was eighth lady.