IT says something about runners, that the most popular race in Thornbury Running Club’s calendar is not a fast flat Sunday morning run, or a 10k race around the lanes on a July evening, but instead, nine miles of hills and mud in the depths of winter.

It is time again for the Riverbank Rollick, and, as in previous years, it’s too late to enter as 450 people are already in and ready for an hour or two of enjoyment on Sunday.

While Race HQ is at the Mundy Playing Fields, the start, at 11am, is in the Pithay behind Thornbury parish church and the nine-mile course takes runners mostly on tracks and fields to St Arilda’s church at Oldbury, then down onto the banks of the river.

Although flat, this can be one of the most challenging stretches as runners struggle to get a grip on the muddy ground, and if there is a headwind, although your brain says you should be able to run fast, your legs won’t do it.

The race finishes back in Mundy fields with a 50m stretch through the stream before a sharp steep climb to the finish line.

Tea and cake awaits runners and spectators, and although free to competitors, donations are requested for the Club’s annual charity – in 2016 the Meningitis Research Foundation. Last year £300 was collected.

Meanwhile, ‘Nearly nineteen miles’ may sound an odd selling-point for a race, but the Naunton Nearly 19 is always a sell-out.

This year, the race, held on January 10, was the single-loop, clockwise course started with a short climb out of Naunton before heading east and gently down hill towards Stow-on-the-Wold then along the River Eye to Upper Slaughter, and back along the Windrush and Warden’s Ways into the Guitings.

The paths are primarily on firm ground and good for running, but recent weather meant there was plenty of mud to be found. There is 1,450 feet of ascent divided among three small hills and two longer climbs.

Thornbury’s Ros Rowland loves it, and even though results weren’t available, she knew she had a good run.

As a little extra, some upper body strength was required after the race when quite a few runners’ vehicles needed assistance to get their wheels back on firm ground.

On the parkrun circuit, Moray Sloan showed that 13 is far from unlucky as he produced a good all-time personal best at Little Stoke on his 13th event, running the 5k in a time of 20.18minutes, over 20 seconds faster than previously.

There were course personal bests too at Chipping Sodbury for Karen Carr (27.47) and Malcolm Carr (26.25) though both have been faster elsewhere.

Over the same course Anne Palmer topped her age category in 31.13minutes.

Other Thornbury parkrunners at Little Stoke were Garry Slater (18.56minutes), Chris Dawes (19.42), Kevin Cundy (23.24) and Jon Welsh (24.21).