Month: January 2017

 

Nine Spartans braved the iconic South of England Cross Country Championships course at Parliament Hill Fields on Saturday.  Starting with a lung busting climb straight from the start the nine mile race is one of the longest in the cross-country calendar.  Conditions were more favourable than many years making the race faster and less of a mud fest but a hard, hard event nevertheless.

Racing over the full fifteen kilometres CRAIG HALSEY was 190^th out of the 1,068 finishers in 57 minutes 24 seconds; DAVE RIDDELL was 656^th in 67:38; TODD GRAY 664^th in 67:46 and TIM ROBINSON 1,051^st in 86:52.

The women’s race was over eight kilometres, about five miles, LAUREN ING was 381^st in 43:25; HAZEL SMITH 462^nd in 46:29; PETA WILSON 506^th in 48:31; CALLIE CHAPMAN 515^th in 49:15 and SHARON CROWLEY 541^st in 51:58.

 

Funchal Marathon  – Sunday, 29th January 2017-

Funchal is the Capital of the Portuguese Island of Madeira, which sits in the Atlantic 400 miles from anywhere.

The marathon course was considered flat by the locals but ROGER BIGGS didn’t think so! It was two and a half laps on an undulating section to the West of Funchal, then a nice drop down on the promenade, before four laps including a climb onto the cobbled streets of the Old Town.

He managed to keep a reasonable pace to finish in 4 hours 49 minutes 18 seconds.

 

Serpentine

It was cold but dry and with a light breeze for Friday’s Serpentine 5K round Hyde Park.  JIM BROWN found it hard to get going but sped up a bit towards the end to finish in 24 minutes 27 seconds.  He was 183^rd out of the 261 finishers in the lunch time race around the lake.

 

Santa Pola

Cathy Craig ran the Santa Pola Half Marathon for the ninth time in a row recently and got a time of 2 hours 21 minutes 36 seconds.  She arrived on the Wednesday to the worst weather for 100 years with more rain falling in 48 hours than had fallen in the previous five years.  Luckily the weather on race day was pretty much perfect with a bit of wind blowing the rainfall over the ocean and away from the town.  It’s a flat course along the sea front and a major event for the town with over 8,000 entrants.  Local support is great with bands playing along the route.  By the time Cathy left for home yesterday, it was lovely sunny weather and she was sorely tempted to book a later flight and stay a few more days.

 

parkrun Reports

CAROL PAUL was first Spartan woman to finish at Stevenage parkrun this week, crossing the line in 26:20 for 8^th place. VERITY FISHER was the only other Spartan woman represented also in the top ten with in 26:42.

For the men, STUART STABLES finished in 25^th place in a time of 22:00. DARREN EMMERSON continues to be consistently at the front end of the male Spartans at the venue, finishing 30^th this week in 22:25. CHRIS HOLLAND was third Spartan male in 22:46 and MARTIN DUDLEY was not far behind in 23:10.

The other Spartans in action were MARK BEASLEY (24:01), NEIL ROBINSON (24:19), ALASTAIR BALDWIN, who notched a new course Personal Best of 29:12, PETER CARPENTER (32:07), JAMES SOUTH (32:09) and CALLUM BEASLEY (33:34).

CRAIG BACON took on the hill at Wimpole Estate, finishing in a time of 24:46. He was joined there by ANTHONY OSBORNE who completed in a time of 38:04.

Finally this week THOMAS SAUKA went down to Panshanger Park and completed in 21:24.

 

Coming Events

Many Spartans will be enjoying a busy programme of races, social and training events over the next few weeks including cross country league.  The opportunities include:

• Watford Half Marathon including County Senior Champs on Sunday 5^th February.
• Fifth and Final Cross Country League Race at Royston on Sunday 12^th February.
• Veterans County Cross Country Championships on Sunday 19^th February.
• Serpentine 5K in Hyde Park on Friday 24^th February.
• Spartans Presentation Evening in Old Stevenage on Friday 24^th February.
• Roding Valley Half Marathon on Sunday 26^th February.
• Essex 20 and Berkhamsted Half Marathon on Sunday 5^th March.
• Finchley 20 including Hertfordshire Championships on Sunday 12^th March.
• Welwyn Half Marathon on Sunday 19^th March.
• Sandy Ten and Wymondham 20 on Sunday 26^th March.
• Serpentine 5K in Hyde Park on Friday 31^st March.
• Lee Valley 10K and Half Marathon in Waltham Forest on Sunday 2^nd April.
• Brighton Marathon on Sunday 9^th April.
• Maidenhead Easter Ten on Friday 14^th April.
• London Marathon on Sunday 23^rd April.
• County 1500 Championships in Stevenage on Monday 1^st May.
• Dereham 10 (ten miles) on Sunday 7^th May.
• Summer Solstice 10K at St Albans on Tuesday 16^th May.
• Stirling Marathon on Sunday 21^st May.
• Herts Senior 5K Championships at Hatfield on Wednesday 30^th August.
• Herts Veteran 5K Championships at Hatfield on Wednesday 13^th September.
• Herts Senior 10K Championships at Standalone on Sunday 1^st October.
• Peterborough Half Marathon on Sunday 8^th October.
• St Neots Half Marathon on Sunday 19^th November (TBC).
• Bass Belle 10 near Royston on Sunday 26^th November.

 

We should know the 2017 Mid Week Road Race League dates soon after 8^th February.

 

Conditions were not attractive but Fairlands Valley Spartans turned out sixteen women and 23 men for Sunday’s cross country league race in Watford.  This was the fourth in the five race series.

Despite continuous rain, hills and some muddy sections all eight runners in Fairlands Valley Spartans men’s “A” team ran the 5.9 miles in less than 40 minutes.

ANDREW PATTERSON was third out of about 400 finishers in 34 minutes 21 seconds with GRANT RAMSAY seventh in 35:41. SIMON JACKSON had another good run finishing 21^st in 37:18 with CHRIS WESTCOTT not far behind at 24^th in 37:37.  STEFFAN FORD, 31^st in 38:05; PAUL HEWETT, 33^rd in 38:07; MIKE GREEN, 56^th in 39:39 and TODD GRAY, 59^th in 39:45 completed the “A” team.

NUALA CARSON was first in for the women.  She was 148^th overall (men and women) in 44 minutes 45 seconds, just ahead of MICHELLE REEVES who was 149^th in 44:46.  SUZI HAWKINS was 161^st in 45:30 and CLAIRE WHITCHURCH 201^st in 48:10.  HAZEL CLARK was the fifth and final counter in the women’s “A” team with 51 minutes 40 seconds for 258^th position.

ZOE JACKSON enjoyed her first cross country race since leaving school and counted for the “B” team at 296^th in 54:47. KELLY McHALE was team leader at 53:01 for 274^th; WENDY THARANI, 316^th in 56:47; CLAIRE COX, 333^rd in 58:37 and SOPHIE COWAN, 334^th with 58:38.

JAY PAPA ran his first race with the Spartans and was 159^th in 45:22.  The Watford course is very varied, on some sections a long spike would be an advantage; on some trail shoes are ideal but there were two long sections where a road shoe would have worked well.  He counted towards the men’s “B” team which also included DANNY HUKIN 64^th in 40:18; KARL CLARK 74^th in 40:49; RICHARD SPRINGALL 84^th in 41:03; ADRIAN BUSOLINI 95^th in 41:45; THOMAS SAUKA 120^th in 43:04; PETE SMITH 158^th in 45:21 and STEVE MAYFIELD 184^th in 47:24.

In addition JENNY GARRETT was 335^th in 58:39; NICOLA TOUT 342^nd in 59:55; STEPH MAYFIELD 343^rd in 60 minutes exactly; LIZ CROWLEY 359^th in 62:30; SHARON CROWLEY 367^th in 63:30 and TRACY STILES 372^nd in 66 minutes.

For the men there was also good runs by DARREN EMMERSON 200^th in 48:08; TIM ROBINSON 219^th in 49:05; PAUL WHITE 220^th in 49:07; JAMES KILROY 239^th in 50:22; NEIL ROBINSON 243^rd in 50:34; JIM BROWN 287^th in 53:47 and STEVE GOUGH 376^th in 68:52.

 

Position	Name	Time	M/F	Category	Comments
3	ANDREW PATTERSON	34:21	M	SM	Men’s “A”
7	GRANT RAMSAY	35:41	M	M40	Men’s “A”
21	SIMON JACKSON	37:18	M	M40	Men’s “A”
24	CHRIS WESTCOTT	37:37	M	M40	Men’s “A”
31	STEFFAN FORD	38:05	M	M40	Men’s “A”
33	PAUL HEWETT	38:07	M	SM	Men’s “A”
56	MIKE GREEN	39:39	M	SM	Men’s “A”
59	TODD GRAY	39:45	M	SM	Men’s “A”
64	DANNY HUKIN	40:18	M	M40
74	KARL CLARK	40:49	M	M40
84	RICHARD SPRINGALL	41:03	M	SM
95	ADRIAN BUSOLINI	41:45	M	SM
120	THOMAS SAUKA	43:04	M	M40
148	NUALA CARSON	44:45*	F	SW	Women’s “A”
149	MICHELLE REEVES	44:46*	F	SW	Women’s “A”
158	PETE SMITH	45:21	M	M50
159	JAY PAPA	45:22*	M	SM	First run
161	SUZI HAWKINS	45:30*	F	W35	Women’s “A”
184	STEVE MAYFIELD	47:24	M	M50
200	DARREN EMMERSON	48:08	M	M40
201	CLAIRE WHITCHURCH	48:10*	F	W35	Women’s “A”
219	TIM ROBINSON	49:05	M	M40
220	PAUL WHITE	49:07	M	SM
239	JAMES KILROY	50:22	M	SM
243	NEIL ROBINSON	50:34	M	SM
258	HAZEL CLARK	51:40	F	W35	Women’s “A”
274	KELLY McHALE	53:01	F	W35	Women’s “B”
287	JIM BROWN	53:47	M	M60
296	ZOE JACKSON	54:47*	F	SW	First X/C.  Women’s “B”
316	WENDY THARANI	56:47	F	W35	Women’s “B”
333	CLAIRE COX	58:37	F	W45	Women’s “B”
334	SOPHIE COWAN	58:38	F	W35	Women’s “B”
335	JENNY GARRETT	58:39	F	W45
342	NICOLA TOUT	59:55*	F	W45
343	STEPH MAYFIELD	60:00	F	W35
359	LIZ CROWLEY	62:30	F	SW
367	SHARON CROWLEY	63:30	F	W55
372	TRACY STILES	66:00*	F	W45
376	STEVE GOUGH	68:52	M	M40

 

The team results have not yet been published.  Fairlands Valley Spartans were in third place in the league before this race.  The fifth and final race is on Therfield Heath on Sunday 12^th February.

 

Louisiana Marathon – Sunday, 15th January 2017

ROGER BIGGS extended his Stateside Marathon count to 102, with an excellent marathon in Baton Rouge, the Louisiana State Capitol.

The marathon started and finished a matter of metres from the State Capitol, and not much further away from the awesome Mississippi River.  The course was traffic free, taking in much of the Greater Baton Rouge area and some pretty impressive lakes.  The mist that covered the Mississippi gradually cleared, leaving some very humid conditions.  Roger did not have one of his better days on a basically flat course, but hung in to finish in 4:50:56.

 

Parkrun Reports

It was an icy morning in Fairlands Valley for Stevenage parkrun but the team of volunteers did a great job identifying and marking potential danger spots with marshals and cones to ensure a safe run took place in marginal conditions for the 242 runners.

Their efforts meant the conditions were no problem for recent joiner NICK GILL who was first of the seventeen Spartans to finish in a new course PB (personal best) of 21:32 in 10^th place. CHRIS HOLLAND was 23^rd in 22:38, MARTIN DUDLEY 27^th in 23:10 and DARREN EMMERSON 34^th in 23:55.  For the women HANNAH NEALE was 5^th in 25:24, CAROL PAUL 7^th in 25:50, VERITY FISHER 10^th in 26:40 and KAREN PALMER 17^th in 28:13. There were also new course PBs for CAROLINE CROFT (28:28) and CLAIRE DRAKE (29:43).

The other Spartans in attendance at Stevenage were CALLUM BEASLEY (25:07), CLIVE CANNON (26:40), HAZEL SMITH (30:00), CATHERINE CRAIG (30:08), MICHELLE REEVES (30:30), PETER CARPENTER (30:32) and HEATHER MALONEY (30:52).

Three Spartans headed to Ellenbrook Fields for their parkrun fix. ELLA GOWER was first Spartan home, 37^th woman in 33:12, a new course PB. TIM ROBINSON ran an easy 34:12 ahead of Sunday’s cross-country fixture, and MARIE HUTCHINGS finished in 38:47.

At Panshanger ANDY JAY nursed a niggly calf round in 29:23. Finally, south-coast Spartan DARRYL STEVENS ran 39:12 at Brockenhurst.

 

Coming Events

Many Spartans will be enjoying a busy programme of races, social and training events over the next few weeks including cross country league.  The opportunities include:

• Fred Hughes 10 including County Championships at St Albans on Sunday 22^nd January.
• Serpentine 5K in Hyde Park on Friday 27^th January.
• Southern Seniors Cross Country at Parliament Hill Fields on Saturday 28^th January.
• Watford Half Marathon inc. County Senior Champs on Sunday 5^th February.
• Fifth and Final Cross Country League Race at Royston on Sunday 12^th February.
• Veterans County Cross Country Championships on Sunday 19^th February.
• Serpentine 5K in Hyde Park on Friday 24^th February.
• Spartans Presentation Evening in Old Stevenage on Friday 24^th February.
• Finchley 20 on Sunday 12^th March.
• Welwyn Half Marathon on Sunday 19^th March.
• Sandy Ten on Sunday 26^th March.
• Brighton Marathon on Sunday 9^th April.
• Maidenhead Easter Ten on Friday 14^th April.
• London Marathon on Sunday 23^rd April.
• County 1500 Championships in Stevenage on Monday 1^st May (TBC).
• Stirling Marathon on Sunday 21^st May.
• Peterborough Half Marathon on Sunday 8^th October..
• St Neots Half Marathon on Sunday 19^th November (TBC).
• Bass Belle 10 near Royston on Sunday 26^th November.

 

Join The Spartans

Live 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 hundreds of 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, Telford Avenue, 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 9a.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 yet done very much running might prefer to start with a Thursday, Saturday or Monday session.

Try a few sessions before joining.  Membership is only £37 per year, £25 without UKA affiliation.  Concessions are available.  Membership forms are available on the Spartans website www.fvspartans.org.uk  Please ask if you would like a paper copy.  You can also join online.

If you want to know more about the Spartans please contact Jim Brown (0793 968 7509), Andy Neatham 0777 197 5499 and 01438 816889; or Karen Palmer (07734678566) or visit their website www.fvspartans.org.uk

 

Spartans CRAIG HALSEY and GRANT RAMSAY were selected to run for Hertfordshire in the next Inter-Counties race following their top twenty placings in Sunday’s county championships.

In challenging conditions following recent rain on Hertford Heath at Haileybury College Craig was ninth out of the 132 finishers in the senior men’s championship covering the 11 kilometres in 39 minutes 22 seconds; Grant was fifteenth in 40 minutes 12 seconds.  ANDY PATTERSON was 18^th in 40:32; RICHARD SPRINGALL 77^th in 42:22; TODD GRAY 93^rd in 49:28; and DAVID RIDDELL 96^th in 49:54 were all in the top 100, under 50 minutes and completed the team.  TIM SABAN was 105^th in 51:44; PETE SMITH 112^th in 53:26 and TIM ROBINSON 130^th in 62:02.

HAZEL CLARK was Fairlands’ fastest female running the 8 kilometre senior women’s race in 39 minutes 51 seconds.  She was 43^rd.  PETA WILSON was 61^st in 44:24; CLAIRE COX 65^th in 45:22; SOPHIE COWAN 66^th in 45:50; SHARON CROWLEY 70^th in 47:44 and SUE HAMER 73^rd in 48:51.

The Spartan men were an excellent ninth out of sixteen teams in a competitive race and the women twelfth.

 

First Light Marathon

ROGER BIGGS travelled to Mobile, a city in Alabama on the Coast on the Gulf of Mexico, to start his 2017 USA marathon campaign.

When the race started at 07:30hrs, the sun was just appearing over horizon, which is just as well, as even with the sun shining, the temperature at the start was around -3C, and only just getting above 0C by the finish.

The first 10 miles of the course were pretty flat, while the last 6 miles were down or flat, leaving 10 miles in the middle that were anything but flat.  Roger was pleased to finish with a time of 4:27:56, good enough to win a trophy for second in his age group.

 

parkrun Reports

In a relatively quiet week for Spartans at parkruns JOHN ROXBOROUGH finished 52^nd at Wimpole Estate in a new course personal best (PB) of 23:11.

At a grey and damp Stevenage parkrun NIKKI WILBY was fourth women to finish, stopping the clock at 25:50.  CAROL PAUL was fifth, in 26:10 and VERITY FISHER ninth in 27:11. CLAIRE COX rounded out the Spartan top four, finishing 11^th in 27:24.  JACKIE DOWNES (28:39) and KAREN PALMER (29:20) also finished top 30 in the women’s field.

For the men, DARREN EMMERSON crossed the line in 23^rd in 22:26. MARK BEASLEY was next to finish in 22:38. CHRIS HOLLAND (22:43) and MARTIN DUDLEY (22:54) also notched top 30 finishes in the men’s field.

The other Spartans in action at Stevenage were CALLUM BEASLEY (26:25), SEAN MILLWOOD (29:26), HEATHER MALONEY (31:52), BERNADETTE MILLWOOD (32:54), ELLA GOWER (32:57), PAULINE FARNHAM (33:03), TRACY PEZ (34:20), NICK WITCOMBE (34:20), JAMES SOUTH (49:20 pushing a buggy) and KAREN BROOM (tail-running in 54:50).

Finally DARYL STEVENS ran 40:44 on his first visit to the Fareham parkrun.

 

Coming Events

Many Spartans will be enjoying a busy programme of races, social and training events over the next few weeks including cross country league.  The opportunities include:

• Fourth Cross Country League Race at Watford on Sunday 15^th January.
• Fred Hughes 10 at St Albans on Sunday 22^nd January.
• Southern Seniors Cross Country at Parliament Hill Fields on Saturday 28^th January.
• Watford Half Marathon inc. County Senior Champs on Sunday 5^th February.
• Fifth and Final Cross Country League Race at Royston on Sunday 12^th February.
• Veterans County Cross Country Championships on Sunday 19^th February.
• Presentation Evening in Old Stevenage on Friday 24^th February.
• Finchley 20 on Sunday 11^th March.
• Brighton Marathon on Sunday 9^th April.
• London Marathon on Sunday 23^rd April.
• County 1500 Championships in Stevenage on Monday 1^st May (TBC).
• Stirling Marathon on Sunday 21^st May.

 

Join The Spartans

Live 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 hundreds of 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, Telford Avenue, 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 9a.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 yet done very much running might prefer to start with a Thursday, Saturday or Monday session.

Try a few sessions before joining.  Membership is only £37 per year, £25 without UKA affiliation.  Concessions are available.  Membership forms are available on the Spartans website www.fvspartans.org.uk  Please ask if you would like a paper copy.  You can also join online.

If you want to know more about the Spartans please contact Jim Brown (0793 968 7509), Andy Neatham 0777 197 5499 and 01438 816889; or Karen Palmer (07734678566) or visit their website www.fvspartans.org.uk

 

Six Spartans chose the Ely 10K for their last race in 2016.  It was a cold morning on Saturday, New Year’s Eve as they lined up for the start in Little Downham.  The race began with a downhill section, good for getting the legs going, and has a nice hill at eight kilometres but the rest is flat.

CRAIG HALSEY was third overall out of the 606 finishers and third senior man in 35 minutes 1 second; STEFFAN FORD twelfth on second veteran (40 plus) in 37:19; TIM SABAN 75^th in 42:02; ROGER BIGGS 329^th in 53:32; KAREN BROOM 476^th in 1 hour and 34 seconds (1:00:34) and PAUL: HOLGATE 483^rd in 1:00:45.

Roger Biggs has run 41 marathons in 2016 bringing his lifetime total to 867.  He aims to pass 900 in 2017.

 

Hyde Park Double

There was a Hyde Park double for Spartan JIM BROWN as he saw out the old year and then was one of the first to record a club championship time for 2017.

It was cold and foggy, barely possible to see across the width of the lake, for Friday’s Serpentine 5K and Jim finished 142^nd in a very fast field with 24 minutes 48 seconds.  That gave him a last Friday of the Month series average (best six count and Jim ran seven) for the year of 67.8%.

Then less than two days later he was back for the New Year’s Day 10K in Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens.  Despite a weather forecast threatening heavy rain before and during the race it was grey but, considering it was January, the conditions were almost perfect for running.  Despite doubling the distance he ran a bit faster than Friday and finished in 48 minutes 46 seconds beating last year’s time by 35 seconds.  He was 228^th out of the 530 runners.  The winner’s time was 30:11; the fastest female 35:04 while the last finisher took 1 hour 26 minutes 13 seconds.

 

Parkrun Reports

 

New Years Eve

GRANT RAMSAY took on Stevenage parkrun for the first time and won, first overall, in 16:56. MIKE GREEN was fourth in 18:46, JOHN NELMS 14^th in 20:10 and PETER SMITH 18^th finisher in 21:15.

For the women, VERITY FISHER was 8^th in 24:19, NICOLA KENNEDY was 13^th in 25:56 and CAROL PAUL just behind in 14^th in a time of 26:12. CALLIE CHAPMAN was fourth Spartan woman in 26:30.

The other Spartans running at Stevenage were THOMAS SAUKA (22:01), MARTIN DUDLEY (22:39), CHRIS HOLLAND (22:53), MARK BEASLEY (23:02), TIM ROBINSON (23:46, a new course PB), DARREN EMMERON (23:47), RICHARD KENNEDY (24:13), DANIEL SUTTON (25:26), HAZEL SMITH (26:33), HAYLEY BIRONNEAU (26:38, new course PB), KAREN PALMER (30:11), CAROLINE CROFT (30:14), HILARY DAVIES (31:14), PETER CARPENTER (31:33). CLAIRE PULLEN (35:19), ANTHONY OSBORNE (35:28), JAMES SOUTH (35:39) and IAN ALEXANDER (51:35).

At St Albans, JOHN ROXBOROUGH finished 63^rd in a time of 21:43 while MARK GOODWIN was also in local action, finishing 33^rd in 23:27, a new course PB. Elsewhere, EMMA POULTER was 56^th at Cleethorpes in 36:55 while SHARON CROWLEY ran her first ever parkrun at Rotherham, finishing 29:59.

 

New Years Day

New Year’s Day offers the only opportunity of the year to run a double parkrun. Eight Spartans opted for Ellenbrook Fields in Hatfield for the early event. NICOLA KENNEDY was first Spartan woman to finish, in 8^th place in a time of 25:44, while VERITY FISHER was 15^th in 27:22.

For the men, THOMAS SAUKA was 20^th in 21:04 to be first Spartan finisher, JOHN ROXBOROUGH was 33^rd in 22:43, RICHARD KENNEDY 39^th in 23:34, and TIM ROBINSON 54^th in 25:55 and DANIEL SUTTON (64^th in 27:24) were the other men who ran.

GRANT RAMSAY chose to go to Barclay parkrun in Hoddesdon for the first leg of his double and finished first in a time of 18:26.

All those who ran in the early runs then headed over to Panshanger to complete the double, joined by a few others who opted for a lie in and a single run. GRANT RAMSAY didn’t quite manage a double first position, but did run a new course PB of 17:23 to finish second. THOMAS SAUKA was 20^th in 20:40, also a new course PB. MARK BEASLEY was 50^th in 23:01 and CHRIS HOLLAND 64^th in 23:43. RICHARD KENNEDY (24:06), TIM ROBINSON (27:10), DANIEL SUTTON (27:48), ROGER BIGGS (29:10) and IAN ALEXANDER (40:17, new course PB) were the other men to run.

For the women, VERITY FISHER was 25^th in 27:41 and NICOLA KENNEDY was 28^th in 27:51.

 

Coming Events

Many Spartans will be enjoying a busy programme of races, social and training events over the next few weeks including cross country league.  The opportunities include:

• Herts Cross Country Championships at Haileybury on Sunday 8^th January.
• Fourth Cross Country League Race at Watford on Sunday 15^th January.
• Fred Hughes 10 at St Albans on Sunday 22^nd January.
• Southern Seniors Cross Country at Parliament Hill Fields on Saturday 28^th January.
• Watford Half Marathon inc. County Senior Champs on Sunday 5^th February.
• Fifth and Final Cross Country League Race at Royston on Sunday 12^th February.
• Veterans County Cross Country Championships on Sunday 19^th February.
• Finchley 20 on Sunday 11^th March.
• County 1500 Championships in Stevenage on Monday 1^st May (TBA).
• Stirling Marathon on Sunday 21^st May.

 

Join The Spartans

Live 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 hundreds of 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, Telford Avenue, 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 9a.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 yet done very much running might prefer to start with a Thursday, Saturday or Monday session.

Try a few sessions before joining.  Membership is only £37 per year, £25 without UKA affiliation.  Concessions are available.  Membership forms are available on the Spartans website www.fvspartans.org.uk  Please ask if you would like a paper copy.  You can also join online.

If you want to know more about the Spartans please contact Jim Brown (0793 968 7509), Andy Neatham 0777 197 5499 and 01438 816889; or Karen Palmer (07734678566) or visit their website www.fvspartans.org.uk