Variation was the name of the game this week with numerous different distances and events providing the challenge for St Albans Striders.

Anna Buckingham and Graham Smith took the off-road route as they tackled the Stopsley 10 Trail, a scenic and undulating 10-mile trail race in the attractive countryside in and around Stopsley near Luton.

And the pair both clearly enjoyed the experience as they finished third female and third male respectively.

Rebekah Gardiner went one better as she finished as second female, and first in her age group, at the Dorney Sprint Triathlon, held at Dorney Lake near Windsor.

Meanwhile marathon man Jack Brooks closed in on his 500th 26-mile run with two more runs.

They were both at Caldecotte Lake in Milton Keynes to mark the 50th anniversary of the Italian Job.

The weather proved difficult too with strong winds on Saturday being replaced by rain on Sunday.