Running clubs enjoyed a bank holiday full of mixed opportunities.

It was a busy weekend at parkrun with the Stevenage Striders' final parkrun takeover of the year, when club members stepped in for all volunteer roles.

And a great morning was completed by Helder Soares coming in third place, with an amazing PB of 18 minutes 48 seconds.

We also had quite a few members partaking in some parkrun tourism at events as far away as Dundalk in Ireland, Hartlepool and Bournemouth.

It was a busy week for half marathons.

Marc Hagland ran the Jubilee Half in 2:12:52 while at the Two Islands Half on the Outer Hebrides, Peter Moye was fourth in 1:35:25 and Helen Moye in 1:59:29, first in her age category.

Alun Watkins continued his comeback from injury, at the Antrim Half marathon, finishing in 2:50:39, and Chrissie Thomas ran the Richmond Park Half in 2:25:03.

There were 11 Striders who added to their running by taking part in one discipline each in the Eton Dorney Triathlon.

Parkruns were the ideal preparation as North Herts Road Runners get ready for autumn racing.

The Hatfield 5k race series, which begins this week, marks the start of that campaign and 33 Squirrels were at a Saturday morning 5k to limber up for it. 

The largest contingent tackled the hilly course at Letchworth Garden City, where Vince Wright led the squad home in 18:55.

Katie Harbon was the first female finisher in 20:10.

Others took their running shoes on their travels, with Tom Barclay second at Jersey and George Wright completing the Zuiderpark course in The Hague.

There were 27 from Fairlands Valley Spartans at 12 different parkrun venues, 15 of them at Stevenage n a field of 304.

Grant Ramsay was sixth in 19:41 and Tony Randfield 10th in 20:42.

Jim Brown ran round Hyde Park at the Serpentine Last Friday of the Month 5k. He clocked 28:33.