Garden City Runners were stretched far and wide at different events and not always on two legs.

Barbara Kubis-Labiak had been intending to compete in the Blenheim Palace Triathlon for some time, and this year took the plunge.

She said: "It so happened that it was to be my 10th triathlon overall which I arranged with some work colleagues.

"The event was beautifully organised, and the venue itself is stunning and enough to attract lots of triathletes from around the country."

The race began with a lake swim, followed by a hilly 20k bike ride and finished with a 5.5k run, and while slightly further than her usual sprint events, she completed in under two hours. 

Those that stayed on two legs had plenty of tests.

Peter Harvey was at the aptly-named Circuit du Sore Legs, held at Ware's Wodson Park.

He said: "This was a [multi-distance, six-hour event] around a running track. Conditions were warm and there was no shade."

Peter opted for the marathon and paid the price for trying to go under three hours, a milestone he last achieved 39 years ago.

He was on course up to 18 miles with plenty of time to spare but the heat put paid to his attempt and he struggled with cramp late on, although he still finished in 3:12:40.

One of GCRs' newer members, Daniel Follon, ran at Hatfield Broad Oak 10k, having only ventured up to the distance in May of last year.

He clocked 48:40, and placed 254th out of a field of 1,058.

Welwyn Hatfield Times: Sarah Durston, Gail Munro, Chrissy Johnson and Caroline O'Dwyer of Garden City Runners with their medals at Cork. Picture: GCRSarah Durston, Gail Munro, Chrissy Johnson and Caroline O'Dwyer of Garden City Runners with their medals at Cork. Picture: GCR (Image: Garden City Runners)

Cork was conquered by four ladies of the club.

Sarah Durston, Gail Munro, Chrissy Johnson and Caroline O'Dwyer travelled to the south of Ireland, running either the 10k or the half-marathon distance.

They had begun with a warm-up at the nearby parkrun on Saturday before taking on their main event a day later.

Munro and Durston took on the 10k, the latter coming third in her age group with a time of 49:41 while Munro managed 59:37, all decent in the heat and in a field well in advance of 3,500.

The half marathon had almost the same number but they started later and had the hotter part of the day to contend with.

Johnson still raced round in 2:21:28 with O'Dwyer managing 2:55:47.