North Herts Road Runners both stormed and were in storming form at the latest Three Counties Cross-country League.
They had a whopping 46 at the event, hosted by Stopsley Striders on a notoriously hilly course north of Luton, that included a section of the Icknield Way.
The final hill at the end of the race is one of the most feared in the league but the Squirrels were able to dance up it in the main to keep their title challenge well and truly alive ahead of the final race at Dunstable next month.
Both the women's and men's teams ran strongly, the ladies finishing well ahead of second-placed Bedford Harriers while the men had to settle for second after narrowly being pipped to the top spot by Rugby & Northampton.
Individually, Katie Harbon had a substantial win meaning she is already the women's champion, her second successive title.
Rhia Botha had her best XC race to date and finished fourth overall and first female in the 35-39 group, one she now looks set to win overall.
Other notable age group performances came from Caroline Thrussell (first 60-64), Hannah Ridley (second 25-29) and Astrid McKeown (second 50-54).
For the men, Tom Webb was third overall and first in 35-39 male while Andrew Leach was first in the 55-59 group, Rob Jowett second 30-34 and Pete Sibbett second 60-64.
Ken Hall and daughter Claire of Stevenage Phoenix travelled to Salcey Forest for the Active Training World Salcey Forest Trail 10k.
And despite the very muddy underfoot conditions, Ken was able to finish as the first 70-79 male in 56 minutes 47 seconds.
Claire meanwhile, using the event as part of her Brighton marathon training, came home in 1:14:58.
Ashley Bates and Gemma Holloway ticked off another trail marathon with Zig Zag running, this one at Brandon Country Park in Norfolk.
Bates finished in 5:19:25 with Holloway just behind in 5:21:31.
The club had 15 running at four different parkrun venues, most at Stevenage although Chris Leigh was a pacer at Thetford.
Parkruns were the order of the day for Fairlands Valley Spartans too
In total there 43 running on Saturday morning with 26 at Stevenage, the best of them being Simon Jackson who took the overall victory in 17:07.
Grant Ramsay was eighth while Suzy Hawkins was fourth female and first of the Spartan ladies to finish.
David Hodbod ran his first Stevenage Parkrun and clocked 30:35.
Among the parkrun tourists, Ros Ingram ran at Congleton in Cheshire, Jonathan Jones and Dzenana Topic were at the Wimpole Estate in Cambridgeshire, John Nelms was at Letchworth and Nick Kleanthous ran the course at Leavesden.
Annabelle White, Chloe Chapman and Tracy Haygarth meanwhile were at Panshanger.
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