THE capricious nature of the British summer weather saw Saturday's parkrunners enjoying a dry and mild-to-warm half-hour for their efforts, while Thornbury Running Club's Sunday racers fought with wind and rain, and were exposed to the elements for a lot longer.
Andrew Darton led the results list at Chipping Sodbury park run, first to finish in 18.30mins, even though it was far below his best time.
Daniel Harding ran the 5k in a respectable 21.48mins, again well below his quickest, and David Palmer did much the same in 25.46mins.
Anne Palmer however exactly replicated her personal best time achieved last week at Little Stoke to finish first in her age category in 30.35mins.
At Little Stoke, Garry Slater ran 19.01mins to gain the best age grading for the club for the week, with Kevin Cundy coming home in 22.59mins.
Meanwhile, just across the Severn Bridge in the south of Monmouthshire, the Magor Marsh 10k is advertised as a 'totally flat' course and therefore suitable for those seeking a personal best, as well as those who are trying a 10k for the first time and do not like the thought of hills.
So, as the race forms part of the British Masters Championship, it expects to attract some very quick veteran runners as well.
Jim Godden, himself a V50, fancied his chances to took on the challenge and finished in 47th place in 38.26mins but missed out on a PB set 10 years ago by just 10 seconds. Nevertheless, he was well pleased that his training is producing results even in the wind and rain.
Meanwhile, Rob Hopkins chose the off-road marathon at the Bath Running Festival, an interesting, scenic, challenging route with flat canal-side sections but more often hills as the route, starting and finishing at the University of Bath on top of the long and steep Bathwick Hill that runs about 200 metres away from the famous Recreaton Ground, which is home of Bath Rugby.
The route of the off-road marathon takes the Fosse Way to Bannerdown before dropping into the St Catherine's valley then climbing again to Charmydown and Little Solsbury Hill.
And competitors had to do all this twice. As always, the conditions suited Rob whose strength carried him into sixth place in four hours 07.19mins and to the prize of winner of the Vets trophy.
Also slip-sliding his way up and down the wet hills was Neil Roff, who was 53rd in five hours 34.57mins.
Ros Rowland had been looking-forward to her weekend event for some time, travelling to North Wales for the Scott Snowdonia Trail Marathon.
The severe weather, not to mention the course, has resulted in a number of 'never again' comments on the race's Facebook page, but Rowland is made of far tougher stuff.
Not surprisingly, much of the field comprised seasoned fell runners, many from local Eryri Harriers, but Rowland finished 191st and third in her age category in six hours 39.29mins.
If this seems a slow marathon time, it has to be stated that no-one finished in under four hours, and only the top five in less than four-and-a-half.
Thornbury Running Club meets at the Leisure Centre at 7pm on Thursday evenings and new runners of all abilities are always welcome.