Month: July 2013

Fairlands Valley Spartans hosted another successful Fairlands Valley Relays event on Thursday 25th July.

The results are attached.

Relay Results

The Fairlands Valley Challenge on Sunday 21st July saw approximately 450 runners and walkers enjoy navigating their way away the Hertfordshire countryside armed only with a set of directions and their wits!

Well done to all who competed and thank you to all who volunteered their time to make the day a success.

24th July::  Ammended provisional results are here (V2.2):

Provisional FVC 2013 Results v2.2 (1)

Photos are here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/fairlandsvalleyspartans/sets/72157634756120465/show

SPARTAN CHAMPS AT HERTS 10K
RICHIE BATE, SIMON JACKSON, ANDY PATTERSON, LIAM HERBERT & DAVE BOWKER were racing in the Hertfordshire 10K Track Championship in Sandy on Thursday evening.

With it being a track race, it meant a mind numbing 25 laps of the track.

In a quality field, Richie was the winner of the Herts Championship and a very sizeable trophy. He smashed his personal best (PB) with 33 minutes 35 seconds. In the Vets 35 category Simon won gold, again in a pleasing PB of 34.43. Andy won silver in 36.16 and Liam was the bronze medallist. Dave won the male veteran (50 plus) gold in 41.10. All in, it was a very successful race for Spartans runners.

Open Graded Spartans
Four Spartans took part in last Wednesday’s Watford Open Graded meeting. In the 800m there were over 350 competitors spread over 30 heats. BERNIE BARNABY was the first Spartan to race over the two laps, he came 11th in heat 7 in 2:37.62. RHIANNON GRIFFIN went next, running a fraction quicker with 2:37.52 for 12th place in heat 8. Last up was JOHN HARRIS, who ran a well judged race coming 5th in heat 12, his time of 2:21.45 just outside his PB.

Earlier STEVE MAYFIELD took 4th place in heat 3 of the 400m, his time of 60.04 seconds was a personal best (PB) and M45 club best. This was the third time in 12 days he’d been under 61 seconds, edging ever closer to his target this year of breaking one minute. Competing for SNHAC in the Southern Athletics league on Saturday it proved to be fourth time lucky, with 59.7 seconds another PB and club age best.

JOHN HARRIS was third in Thursday’s Sandy Open Meeting-800 metres in 2.21.9

Lea Valley
On a hot day DEAN CARPENTER completed the Lea Valley 10K in 40 min and 20 seconds. He finished in seventh place, making this his third top 10 finish this year.

New member (just joined this week) and junior spartan Sofia Carpenter (aged 10) was 1st female in the 3k fun run and finished 6th overall in 17 min 7 seconds not bad for her debut race as a Spartan

Race For Life
3,000 woman ran in the Stevenage “Race for Life” on Sunday and Fairlands Valley Spartans provided much of the organisation and many of the marshals for the event. Preparation for the event started at 6a.m.

Amongst the runners were ABI PEZ (10) and TRACY PEZ. They both finished in 28.25, a new personal best for very proud Abigail! Her sister Ella joined for the last 200 metres which turned into a speedy competitive sprint…amazing what a bit of sibling rivalry can do!

Two By Grant
GRANT RAMSAY enjoyed two events recently. He was 21st out of 13,000 runners in the JPMorgan Chase Corporate Challenge in 19 minutes 12 seconds. The race was 3.5 miles and held in Battersea Park, London.

Then he was second in the 3000 metres steeplechase at the Southern League Track Meeting in Hemel Hempstead. His time was 10 minutes 57 seconds.

Up There At EVAC
After the longest trip of the season, Fairlands Valley Spartans men’s and women’s teams both finished second to Milton Keynes. The women were only a point behind but still lead the league as they are three points ahead. There were lots of club records to back up the club’s good performances this season and there were thirteen wins between the teams.

Newcomer Louise Oliver won the women’s 35 age group 100 metres and Shot Putt, she also anchored the womens 35 4×100 metres relay team who came in 3rd.

Monica Brown continued her good form by winning the W45 100m, Long Jump, High Jump.

Both Chris Feely and Julie Simmons broke club age group records in the 400 metres, Chris in the over 45 age group and Julie in the over 55 age group. Julie also did an age group best in the Long Jump.

Carolyn Shortland did a brilliant hammer throw to cover the womens 45 age and broke the age group club best for W35, W40 and W45 age groups and was in third place in the womens 55 age group and also threw a club record.

The W45 4×100 metres relay team of Monica Brown, Tessa Stephenson, Sharon Crowley and Chris Feely narrowly broke the club record in the last event of the night.

In the men’s events, Dave Bowker not only won the 2000 metres walk, as a 50 year old, but broke the senior club record too carrying on his good form.

Tim Mullins Saunders copied Dave Bowker by also breaking club records in several age groups to win the mens 40 Hammer, in a category twenty years younger than his actual age!

The last club record to be bettered was the mens 4×100 metres relay for men over 50. Dave Bowker, Dave Stephenson, Bernie Barnaby and John Harris easily breaking the previous mark.

Paras 10
Recently ROB EVANS travelled to Merville Barracks, Colchester to take part in the Paras 10 race – organised and marshalled by members of the Parachute Regiment.

The race started at 11am and was started by an artillery gun and a flyover by an Army Lynx helicopter.

The tough cross country race included a number of obstacles including 2 water crossings. The first water crossing was made while automatic gunfire sounded all around and while being shouted at by Paras. Throughout the race the Lynx Helicopter flew overheard and members of the Paras demonstrated their battlefield skills.

Despite battling the heat and hay fever Rob completed the 10.25 miles course in 1 hour 35 minutes 8 seconds.

Enigma
On Saturday 6th July Carol Paul ran the Enigma marathon which is seven and a half laps of Caldecotte Lake in Milton Keynes. With temperatures reaching 25 degrees Carol completed the race in 4 hours 44 minutes 24 seconds. Carol has completed four Enigma marathons and that was her quickest time for the course

1st Saturday
JOHN HARRIS-was second in the North Herts First Saturday of the Month 5K, with a new Season’s Best time of 18 minutes 49 seconds. TRACY PEZ was second woman in 22:30 and LISA GRAY ran an excellent 23:34.

SixMileBridge Marathon
ROGER BIGGS was in Sixmilebridge, Cty Clare, Ireland supporting The Irish 10in10. (10 marathons in 10 days). He ran day 4 last week finishing in 4 hours 33 minutes 45 seconds, then also ran day 6 on Tuesday in 4:40:03, and day 8 on Thursday in 4:40:22.

Back in England on Sunday he ran the hilly ‘Heart of the Weald’ off road marathon from Wadhurst, East Sussex in 8:02:04. All three races in hot & sunny weather.

Danik’s Run
DANIEL BATES ran the Pymmes Parkrun in Edmonton, north London. He was second out of the 23 runners with a time of 20 minutes 26 seconds in very hot conditions.

The Fairlands Valley Off Road Challenge is this Sunday 21st July. For more information please go to www.fvspartans.org.uk
Coming Events
Many Spartans will be enjoying a busy programme of races, social and training events over the next few weeks including the:

• Mob Match 9K in Trent Park, North London on Wednesday 17th July
• Fairlands Valley Challenge on Sunday 21st July
• Relays in the Park in Stevenage on Thursday evening 25th July
• Handicap 5K in Stevenage on Thursday 5th September
• Club Five Mile Team Champs on Tuesday 10th September
• Herts Senior 5K Championships in WGC on Tuesday 24th September
• County 10K Championships in Letchworth on Sunday 6th October
• Herts Veterans 5K Championships in WGC on Tuesday 8th October
• County 10 Mile Championships for veterans on Sunday 27th October
• Stevenage Half Marathon on Sunday 3rd November
• County Ten Miles Championship in Buntingford on 30th December 2013

Join The SpartansLive in or near Stevenage? Like running? Fairlands Valley Spartans is your local running club and is on the up! The club was voted the UK’s Best Running Club in 2010. It now has about 400 members and encourages participation by all. The Spartans have a varied training programme to suit those who want to run 5 kilometres through to full marathons.

The Spartans weekday training sessions are on Tuesday and Thursday evenings. Go along to the new sports centre at Marriotts School – a Sports College, Brittain Way, Stevenage (SG2 8UT) at 7p.m. Up to five running groups go out on training nights – there will be one to suit you!

The Spartan Starter group starts from Marriotts at 7.30p.m. every Monday (except public holidays) and 7p.m. every Thursday.

Most long Sunday morning training sessions start 9.30a.m. sharp. Spartan track training sessions are held at Ridlins Athletics Track, Woodcock Road, Stevenage most Saturdays from 9.15a.m. There are events to enter every Sunday. Newcomers are very welcome – those who have not done very much running yet might prefer to start with a Thursday, Saturday or Monday session.

Try a few sessions before joining. Membership is only £35 per year, £25 without UKA membership. Concessions are available. Membership forms are available on the Spartans website www.fvspartans.org.uk Please ask if you would like a paper copy.

If you want to know more about the Spartans please contact Jim Brown (0793 968 7509 or 01438 354505), Vivienne Honey 07702 846304 or visit their website www.fvspartans.org.uk

E N D S

www.fvspartans.org.uk

Plus Medals at Eastern Region

After the longest trip of the season, Fairlands Valley Spartans men’s and women’s teams both finished second to Milton Keynes. The women were only a point behind but still lead the league as they are three points ahead. There were lots of club records to back up the club’s good performances this season and there were thirteen wins between the teams.

Newcomer Louise Oliver won the women’s 35 age group 100 metres and Shot Putt, she also anchored the womens 35 4×100 metres relay team who came in 3rd.

Monica Brown continued her good form by winning the W45 100m, Long Jump, High Jump.

Both Chris Feely and Julie Simmons broke club age group records in the 400 metres, Chris in the over 45 age group and Julie in the over 55 age group. Julie also did an age group best in the Long Jump.

Carolyn Shortland did a brilliant hammer throw to cover the womens 45 age and broke the age group club best for W35, W40 and W45 age groups and was in third place in the womens 55 age group and also threw a club record.

The W45 4×100 metres relay team of Monica Brown, Tessa Stephenson, Sharon Crowley and Chris Feely narrowly broke the club record in the last event of the night.

In the men’s events, Dave Bowker not only won the 2000 metres walk, as a 50 year old, but broke the senior club record too carrying on his good form.

Tim Mullins Saunders copied Dave Bowker by also breaking club records in several age groups to win the mens 40 Hammer, in a category twenty years younger than his actual age!

The last club record to be bettered was the mens 4×100 metres relay for men over 50. Dave Bowker, Dave Stephenson, Bernie Barnaby and John Harris easily breaking the previous mark.

Paras 10
On Saturday ROB EVANS travelled to Merville Barracks, Colchester to take part in the Paras 10 race – organised and marshalled by members of the Parachute Regiment.

The race started at 11am and was started by an artillery gun and a flyover by an Army Lynx helicopter.

The tough cross country race included a number of obstacles including 2 water crossings. The first water crossing was made while automatic gunfire sounded all around and while being shouted at by Paras. Throughout the race the Lynx Helicopter flew overheard and members of the Paras demonstrated their battlefield skills.

Despite battling the heat and hay fever Rob completed the 10.25 miles course in 1 hour 35 minutes 8 seconds.

Enigma
On Saturday 6th July Carol Paul ran the Enigma marathon which is seven and a half laps of Caldecotte Lake in Milton Keynes. With temperatures reaching 25 degrees Carol completed the race in 4 hours 44 minutes 24 seconds. Carol has completed four Enigma marathons and that was her quickest time for the course

1st Saturday

John Harris-was second in the North Herts First Saturday of the Month 5K, with a new Season’s Best time of 18 minutes 49 seconds. TRACY PEZ was second woman in 22:30 and LISA GRAY ran an excellent 23:34.

SixMileBridge Marathon – Sunday, 7th July 2013
Roger travelled to the SixMileBridge, a small Irish town in County Clare. The marathon was day 4 of the Irish 10 in 10 series, i.e. 10 marathon in 10 days!

With warm and humid conditions, over a two lap course on undulating country roads from SixMileBridge, Roger Biggs struggled to beat the heat, and finally finished in 4 hours 33 minutes 45 seconds. Starting a marathon at 2pm was unusual and ensured that all runners would be out in the hottest part of the day!!

Danik’s Run
DANIEL BATES ran the Pymmes Parkrun in Edmonton, north London. He was second out of the 23 runners with a time of 20 minutes 26 seconds in very hot conditions.

Coming Events