Four brave Stevenage Phoenix members ran the St Albans half marathon on a very hot day and challenging course.

And Paul Smith finished first for the club in 1:58.56, followed by Jodie Kantas (2:12.39), Ian Harvey (2:19.09) and Wayne Simmons (2:19.10).

Scott Crawford clocked 2:21.35 at the Southend half marathon, running from Shoeburyness to the Kursaal and back again, with proceeds to Havens Hospices.

Emma Mead clocked a PB of 25.13 at the Marston Forest 5k, organised by Ampthill and Flitwick Flyers, with members also in action in the third of six handicap 5k club races.

Each runner is given a target time and handicap based on current form and start with the slower runners first.

The race winner is the one who beats their target time by the greatest margin and Jo Heasman beat hers by four minutes and three seconds.

Jay Papa took second in 22.12, with Wendy Summerbee (36.29) in third place. Kath Phoenix (23.28) was fastest female and James Woodcock (21.15) fastest male.

Ken Hall leads the series at the halfway stage, ahead of Gavin Cooper and Graham Eden, with 43 members having taken part so far. Race four is on July 6.

A group of 13 tackled seven different parkrun venues, with Eleanor Williams clocking 32.40 at Great Denham, as Peter Tungate (23.19), Ian Young (23.30), Gavin Cooper (24.09), Phil Gover (25.39) and Tony Vasse (32.04) ran at Stevenage.

Chris Leigh (27.09) was at Milton, with the Wimpole Estate field including Ashley Bates (30.40) and Gemma Holloway (31.59).

Jon Boe (30.35) ran Pegwell Bay, as Scott Crawford (29.01) tackled Mersea Island, with Garry Wallace (31.37) and Louise Chancellor (32.05) at Sharpham Estate.