Categories
News Race Results

WITHAM FIVE FLYERS

 

Taking the last opportunity to run a five mile race for the 2017 Fairlands Valley Spartans club championships TIM SABAN raced to a new personal best (PB) of 33 minutes 17 seconds; in his first event since a mishap at the St Neots Half Marathon JIM BROWN maintained fairly consistent eight minute miles (keeping a reindeer in sight) to finish in 39 minutes 38 seconds; MONICA SMITHSON ran an excellent 45:19 and PENNY SCHENKEL continued her recovery with a steady 46 minutes 29 seconds.  On a bright but chilly day with a headwind to battle for a couple of miles there were 388 finishers.

 

Spartan Vets Have Nose Ahead In Cross Country Team Results

At the third cross country league race in Willian the Spartan men were sixth out of twenty and the club’s women ninth.  Overall the women are tenth and the men sixth but the FVS male veterans (40 plus) narrowly lead the masters’ contest by just two race points (102 to 104) ahead of Trent Park.   The next league race is in Watford on 14th January.

 

Saturday parkrun Highlights for Fairlands Valley Spartans

On Saturday at Stevenage it was a Spartan first across the line as GRANT RAMSAY ran his first parkrun in a while to finish in 17 mins 17 secs.  THOMAS SAUKA rushed round in 21:12 in 25th place and DAVE SMITH was just outside the top 30 men in 22:05. Three Spartan women finished in the top 30.  YUKO GORDON was second in 22:45. MADELEINE PRITCHARD was 7th in 23:23 and JO BOWDERY continues to run well, finishing 9th in 23:51.

For a day when you want to run fast you really need to line up near the front rank at Panshanger due to congestion through the gate and the early part of the course in the woods.  RUTH REILLY didn’t do that on this occasion but still notched a new course PB of 22:45 for sixth place woman as she continues to run really well.  TRACY STILES was the other Spartan to achieve a new course PB this weekend, finishing 13th woman at Westmill parkrun,

Finally BARRY OSBORNE secured a top 20 finish at Ellenbrook Fields, crossing the line in 21:23 for 15th place.

 

Christmas Day parkrun Highlights

The recent Spartan favourite of a Christmas Day parkrun at Panshanger was challenged this year as Stevenage held a festive run for the first time, and nineteen Spartans duly lined up in Fairlands Valley.  ERICA GRAYSON has been improving well recently and celebrated the festive season with a new course PB (personal best) of 26 minutes 50 secondss.   She was two places behind the first Spartan woman, TRACY PEZ, who finished 9th in 26:24.  CLAIRE EMMERSON, KERSTIN WEINER and JENNY GARRETT were the other Spartans in the Top 30 women finishers.

TOM SAUKA finished 9th in 20:49 to be the best placed male Spartan.  BARRY OSBORNE and DAVE SMITH also finished in the top 30.

Spartans were in festive action up and down the country with Top 30 finishes also achieved by STEVE and ISABEL GREEN in Newcastle, VERITY FISHER at Peterborough, KAREN PALMER at Clair and TIM SABAN at Canons Park.  The course for Clair in Haywards Heath was 4 and a half laps and a hilly one.  Supposedly more downhill than up!  Pre race briefing for newbies said to expect a time at least a minute and a half longer.  Karen was pleased to finish in 28:48.

 

Tables

Full parkrun results for 23rd December below:

parkrun/date Pos Gen parkrunner Time Notes
23rd December
Westmill 41 13 Tracy STILES 00:33:06 13th woman, new course PB
Medina IOW 303 197 Paul WHYTE 00:34:47
Stevenage 1 1 Grant RAMSAY 00:17:17 1st finisher
Stevenage 26 25 Thomas SAUKA 00:21:12
Stevenage 35 34 Dave SMITH 00:22:05
Stevenage 38 37 Martin DUDLEY 00:22:22
Stevenage 39 38 David RIDDELL 00:22:37
Stevenage 41 40 Chris HOLLAND 00:22:42
Stevenage 43 2 Yuko GORDON 00:22:45
Stevenage 55 7 Madeleine PRITCHARD 00:23:23
Stevenage 64 9 Jo BOWDERY 00:23:51
Stevenage 71 60 Daniel SUTTON 00:24:20
Stevenage 77 65 Lee PICKERSGILL 00:24:58
Stevenage 86 72 Neil ROBINSON 00:26:01
Stevenage 149 113 James SOUTH 00:30:19
Stevenage 185 128 Michael ANDREWS 00:33:33
Stevenage 224 81 Verity FISHER 00:42:53
Panshanger 48 6 Ruth REILLY 00:22:45 New couse PB
Panshanger 130 102 Ken JUDE 00:27:43
Panshanger 132 104 Andy JAY 00:27:47
Lullingstone 40 30 Michael O’KEEFE 00:32:26
Wyre Forest 205 140 Peter CARPENTER 00:34:10
Ellenbrook Fields 15 15 Barry OSBORNE 00:21:23

 

Full Spartan parkrun results for 25th December below:

 

parkrun/date Pos Gen parkrunner Time Notes
25th  December
Newcastle 16 15 Steve GREEN 00:20:00
Newcastle 112 21 Isabel GREEN 00:24:27
Newcastle 213 159 Roger HARDMAN 00:28:21
Lymington Woodside 156 99 Darryl STEVENS 00:41:41
Peterborough 94 87 Daniel SUTTON 00:23:46
Peterborough 139 16 Verity FISHER 00:25:26
Stevenage 9 9 Thomas SAUKA 00:20:49
Stevenage 21 19 Barry OSBORNE 00:22:15
Stevenage 30 28 Dave SMITH 00:23:13
Stevenage 50 43 Neil ROBINSON 00:25:41
Stevenage 55 47 Nick GILL 00:26:20
Stevenage 57 9 Tracy PEZ 00:26:24
Stevenage 65 11 Erica GRAYSON 00:26:50 New course PB
Stevenage 87 70 Mark BEASLEY 00:28:01
Stevenage 107 27 Claire EMMERSON 00:30:04
Stevenage 109 82 Darren EMMERSON 00:30:09
Stevenage 111 29 Kerstin WEINER 00:30:11
Stevenage 115 30 Jenny GARRETT 00:30:30
Stevenage 124 91 David SCOTT 00:31:37
Stevenage 125 34 Karen BROOM 00:31:38
Stevenage 126 35 Carole SHELDRICK 00:31:46
Stevenage 127 36 Caroline CROFT 00:31:46
Stevenage 138 41 Tracy STILES 00:33:05
Stevenage 166 57 Caren THAIN 00:40:44
Stevenage 169 59 Emma MARTIN 00:41:49
Clair 77 20 Karen PALMER 00:28:48
Canons Park 13 10 Tim SABAN 00:20:59
Panshanger 86 75 Chris HOLLAND 00:24:44
Panshanger 108 94 Andy JAY 00:25:51
Panshanger 132 112 Ken JUDE 00:26:43

 

Coming Events

Many Spartans will be enjoying a busy programme of races, social and training events over the next few weeks including:

  • Serpentine 5K on Friday 29th December.
  • Buntingford Year End 10 on Sunday 31st December.
  • Ely New Year’s Eve 10K on Sunday 31st December.
  • New Year 10K in Hyde Park on Monday 1st January 2018.
  • County Cross Country Championships at Cassiobury Park on Sunday 7th January.
  • Cross Country League at Watford on Sunday 14th January.
  • Fred Hughes 10 miles including senior county championships at St. Albans on Sunday 21st January.
  • Southern Cross Country Championships on Saturday 27th January.
  • Watford Half Marathon inc. veteran county championships on Sunday 4th February.
  • Bramley 20/10 (20 miles or 10 miles) on Sunday 11th February.
  • St Valentine’s 30K at Stamford on Sunday 11th February.
  • Cross Country League at Royston on Sunday 18th February.
  • Fairlands Valley Spartans Champions Night on Friday 23rd February.
  • Baldock Beast on Sunday 25th February.
  • Welwyn Half Marathon on Sunday 4th March.
  • Finchley 20 miles (including Herts County) on Sunday 18th March.
  • Oakley 20 miles on Sunday 18th March.
  • Orion 15 at Chingford (Epping Forest) on Saturday 24th March.
  • London Marathon on Sunday 22nd April.
  • Stirling Marathon on Sunday 29th April.
  • Welwyn 10K including senior county championships on Sunday 24th June.

 

Categories
News Race Results

CHILLY CROSS COUNTRY

 

Fairlands Valley Spartans were joint hosts for the third cross country league race at Willian and provided many marshals and other helpers but the club still had seventeen women and 21 men finish the race.

Perhaps the most amazing performance came from YUKO GORDON, 65 plus age group or not, she led in the women’s team in 36 minutes 33 seconds for the undulating five miles or so beating many of the male and female seniors.

GRANT RAMSAY was first in for the Spartans, eighth overall in 27 minutes 57 seconds.  CHRIS WESTCOTT, 12th in 28:17; SIMON JACKSON, 14th in 28:52 and JON PENNELL 26th in 29:24 were also under thirty minutes.

The five strong women’s “A” team was completed by MICHELLE REEVES 247th in 38:49; NATALIE LAWRENCE 248th in 38:51; ISABEL GREEN 256th 38:55 and JULIE SIMMONS, 299th in 41:29.  Great participation by FVS meant the club finished three complete women’s teams.

Male teams consisted of eight runners.  The others in the Spartan men’s “A” team were all in the top 100 DAN HUKIN 67th in 31:16; RICHARD SPRINGALL 78th in 31:40; TODD GRAY 92nd in 33:16 and MIKE GREEN 93rd in 33:22.

The Fairlands female “B” team was led in by TRACY PEZ 42:11 with SOPHIE COWAN 42:54; JENNY GARRETT 42:55; KAREN PALMER 43:18 and KELLY McHALE 44:59.  PENNY SCHENKEL was first in for the “Cs” with 47:37.

The next cross country league race will be in Watford on Sunday 14th January.

 

Waterside 10K

ERICA GRAYSON has had an amazingly year since joining Fairlands Valley Spartans and on Sunday ran a 10K time she would not have thought possible.  She enjoyed a fantastic fast run past the beautiful Grafham Water Reservoir and on into the village of Ellington and back.  Only 300 runners but Erica ran a superb new personal best of 51 minutes 34 seconds.

CHRISTOPHER JOHANSEN finished in 1:17:30.

 

Waterside Marathon

Keeping with the waterside theme CAROL PAUL ran the Portsmouth Coastal Waterside Marathon which was cold and frosty to start with and finished with rain.  On a trail out and back course Carol completed the marathon in 4 hours 56 minutes 54 seconds.

 

Lanzarote Marathon

The weekend before last many Spartans were looking forward to getting a five mile time on the list with the Festive Five at Welwyn Garden City but it was cancelled due to heavy snowfall.  However with the rest of Fairlands Valley Spartans in the cold CAROL PAUL ran the Lanzarote marathon on Sunday in 4 hours 37 minutes 21 seconds in hot conditions with the occasional breeze.

 

Tables

Full results from the cross country race:

Position Name Time M/F Comments
8 GRANT RAMSAY 27:57 M Male “A” team
12 CHRIS WESTCOTT 28:17 M Male “A” team
14 SIMON JACKSON 28:52 M Male “A” team
26 JON PENNELL 29:24* M Male “A” team
67 DAN HUKIN 31:16 M Male “A” team
78 RICHARD SPRINGALL 31:40 M Male “A” team
92 TODD GRAY 33:16 M Male “A” team
93 MIKE GREEN 32:22 M Male “A” team
105 BRIAN WHITE 32:54 M Male “B” team
133 TOM SAUKA 33:50 M Male “B” team
151 TIM SABAN 34:35 M Male “B” team
180 STEVE MAYFIELD 35:40 M Male “B” team
193 YUKO GORDON 36:33 F Female “A” team
211 GARETH COWELL 37:27 M Male “B” team
222 DAVE SMITH 38:08 M Male “B” team
231 CRAIG BACON 38:05 M Male “B” team
242 ANDREW SMITH 38:48 M Male “B” team
247 MICHELLE REEVES 38:49 F Female “A” team
248 NATALIE LAWRENCE 38:51 F Female “A” team
256 ISABEL GREEN 38:55 F Female “A” team
257 BARRY OSBORNE 38:58 M
282 ANDY JAY 40:34 M
289 TIM ROBINSON 40:48 M
290 PAUL WHYTE 40:48 M
299 JULIE SIMMONS 41:29* F Female “A” team
306 TRACY PEZ 42:11 F “B” team
307 JOHN NELMS 42:33 M
325 SOPHIE COWAN 42:54 F “B” team
326 JENNY GARRETT 42:55 F “B” team
331 KAREN PALMER 43:18 F “B” team
349 KELLY McHALE 44:59* F “B” team
372 PENNY SCHENKEL 47:37 F “C” team
379 CAROLINE CROFT 47:59 F “C” team
384 MONICA SMITHSON 48:25* F “C” team
385 CALLIE CHAPMAN 48:30* F “C” team
386 PETA WILSON 48:35* F “C” team
391 ANGIE KEELING 51:03 F
395 TRACY STILES 52:55 F

 

parkrun results – 16th December

With the local Stevenage parkrun cancelled as a result of residual ice following last weekend’s snow fall, and the third race of the Cross Country League season scheduled for the following day, there were fewer Spartans than usual in parkrun action.

Four Spartans headed over to Panshanger with THOMAS SAUKA first Spartan to finish in 21:50 for 26th place.  CHRIS HOLLAND and TIM ROBINSON finished in 28:13 and 31:35 respectively, while TRACY STILES clocked 32:24.

In other relatively local runs, DAVE SMITH finished in 25:03 in Cambridge, MICHAEL O’KEEFE was at the Wimpole Estate with 30:27 and JAMES SOUTH went to Westmill and crossed the line in 31:55.

Finally DARYL STEVENS was a little further north than usual, running at Richmond in a time of 46:09.

 

parkrun Highlights 9th December

At Stevenage parkrun RICHARD SPRINGALL was third finisher in 19:09 on a bitterly cold morning in Fairland Valley Park. TIM SABAN was the next Spartan finisher in 21:11, a new course PB.  There was also a new Stevenage best for ELLA GOWER, finishing in 32:46.

Despite the cold there were twenty three Fairlands Valley Spartans at the Stevenage Parkrun.  The others included VERITY FISHER volunteer tail runner in a chilly 55 minutes 23 seconds, TRACY PEZ in 26:57 and VICTORIA BRETT in27:07.

Elsewhere NATALIE LAWRENCE was first woman (and 13th finisher overall) at Bognor Regis, crossing the line in 22:35, while HANNAH NEALE was second woman at Southwick in 22 minutes exactly.

Full results from the parkruns of 9th December 2017 were as follows:

 

parkrun Pos Gen parkrunner Time Notes
Stevenage 3 3 Richard SPRINGALL 00:19:09 3rd man
Stevenage 18 17 Tim SABAN 00:21:11 New course PB
Stevenage 19 18 Nick GILL 00:21:20
Stevenage 25 24 Barry OSBORNE 00:22:03
Stevenage 29 28 Martin DUDLEY 00:22:34
Stevenage 30 29 Mark BEASLEY 00:22:39
Stevenage 35 34 Dave SMITH 00:23:11
Stevenage 43 40 Daniel SUTTON 00:24:16
Stevenage 47 43 Lee PICKERSGILL 00:24:30
Stevenage 54 50 David SCOTT 00:25:03
Stevenage 74 11 Tracy PEZ 00:26:57
Stevenage 77 12 Victoria BRETT 00:27:07
Stevenage 83 69 Simon SYPULA 00:27:54
Stevenage 86 71 James SOUTH 00:28:28
Stevenage 98 78 Michael O’KEEFE 00:28:56
Stevenage 107 26 Liz CARVELL 00:30:18
Stevenage 108 27 Angie KEELING 00:30:21
Stevenage 112 29 Tracy STILES 00:30:41
Stevenage 116 31 Karen BROOM 00:30:59
Stevenage 138 46 Ella GOWER 00:32:46 New course PB
Stevenage 156 57 Emma POULTER 00:36:55
Stevenage 168 67 Chantal O’FLAHERTY 00:51:34
Stevenage 170 69 Verity FISHER 00:55:23 Tail runner
Southwick 20 2 Hannah NEALE 00:22:00 2nd woman
Brockenhurst 122 79 Darryl STEVENS 00:42:10
Bognor Regis 13 1 Natalie LAWRENCE 00:22:35 1st woman
Panshanger 45 39 Andy JAY 00:23:59
Panshanger 49 43 Tim ROBINSON 00:24:09
Panshanger 50 44 Paul WHYTE 00:24:10

Championship Update

With three weeks to go 234 different Spartans have at least one event completed in the short championships and 153 in the long championships.

CRAIG HALSEY leads the men’s open short distance championship with 78.6% and is pursued by SIMON JACKSON on 76.8% and GRANT RAMSAY on 75.3%. However ANDREW PATTERSON is on 76.2% with just once race to complete. The short distance championship is calculated on the best runs in the year from three out of 1500 metres, five kilometres, five miles and 10 kilometres.

SUZY HAWKINS leads both women’s long distance tables. In the open championship she has 68.3% compared with 63.1% for NICOLA KENNEDY; 61.4% for ISABEL GREEN; 57.2% for HAZEL SMITH just ahead of KERSTIN WEINER on 57.1%. The long distance championship consists of the three distances of 10 miles, half marathon, 20 miles and marathon.

Suzy also leads the age related championship. Her score is 70.9%. Just 0.04% separates CAROL PAUL second on 66.34% and NICOLA KENNEDY on 66.30%. JAN FRY, fourth, on 63.9% is just ahead of CATHY CRAIG on 63.8%. So far nineteen women have completed a full qualifying series in the long distance championships. There’s still for others to qualify.

ALISON WOOD leads the women’s short distance championship with 73.3%, ahead of SUZY HAWKINS on 69.3% and ISABEL GREEN on 65.7% but there are several others “bubbling under” with just one run to complete including RUTH REILLY on 67.1%; NICOLA KENNEDY on 65.7%; HANNAH NEALE on 65.6%; CLAIRE HADDLETON on 65.3% and MADDIE PRITCHARD on 65.2%.

There are long and short distance championships for men and women, open and age related. The presentations will be made at Fairlands Valley Spartans’ Annual Dinner, Presentation Evening and Dance on Friday 23rd February.

Coming Events

Many Spartans will be enjoying a busy programme of races, social and training events over the next few weeks including:

 

  • Christmas Social Run from Marriotts Sports Centre (SG2 8UT) at 7p.m. on Thursday 21st December.
  • Witham Five on Tuesday 26th December.
  • Buntingford Year End 10 on Sunday 31st December.
  • New Year 10K in Hyde Park on Monday 1st January 2018.
  • County Cross Country Championships at Cassiobury Park on Sunday 7th January.
  • Cross Country League at Watford on Sunday 14th January.
  • Fred Hughes 10 miles including county championships at St. Albans on Sunday 21st January.
  • Southern Cross Country Championships on Saturday 27th January.
  • Watford Half Marathon inc. veteran championships on Sunday 4th February.
  • Bramley 20/10 (20 miles or 10 miles) on Sunday 11th February.
  • St Valentine’s 30K at Stamford on Sunday 11th February.
  • Cross Country League at Royston on Sunday 18th February.
  • Fairlands Valley Spartans Champions Night on Friday 23rd February.
  • Baldock Beast on Sunday 25th February.
  • Welwyn Half Marathon on Sunday 4th March.
  • Finchley 20 miles (including Herts County) on Sunday 18th March.
  • Oakley 20 miles on Sunday 18th March.
  • Orion 15 at Chingford (Epping Forest) on Saturday 24th March.
  • London Marathon on Sunday 22nd April.
  • Stirling Marathon on Sunday 29th April.
Categories
News

FVS helped ladies raise ÂŁ73k in Race for Life

 

The Cancer Research Race for Life in Stevenage, which had both 5k and 10k options, was again a big success in 2017. The race was supported as always by Paul Holgate and a team from Fairlands Valley Spartans helping to marshal the event.

Courtney Culverhouse, Area Event Manager for Cancer Research, said “I just wanted to say a HUGE thank you again for your incredible support once again this year. We saw over 1,500 ladies taking part in Stevenage Race for Life, raising ÂŁ73,000 for our life-saving research. That simply would not have been possible without support from yourself and the Fairlands Valley Spartans – thank you!”

Planning for 2018’s event is well underway, and Paul will again be loooking for helpers nearer the time to ensure the event runs smoothly on the day, scheduled for 8th July.

Cancer Research currently have early bird vouchers available for Race for Life and Pretty Muddy events which give a ÂŁ5 saving over normal entry prices.

As well as the well-known Race for Life events that take place across the UK, Cancer Research will be holding a dog-walking fund-raiser for World Cancer Day in Fairlands Valley Park on Saturday 17th March.

There will also be a Race for Life Half Marathon at Lee Valley Park in October. FVS treasurer Isabel Green was a pacemaker for the 2017 running of the event.

A sale offering 30% discount on Race for Life products, including the Half Marathon, well be held in January.

News on all Race for Life events can be found at https://raceforlife.cancerresearchuk.org/

 

Categories
News Race Results

Santa Canta

 

Many Spartans got into Christmas with Saturday’s Santa Canta at Letchworth on Saturday, a very festive occasion with lots of great costumes. The 5K run was around Norton Common.

RICHARD SPRINGALL was second in 19 minutes 32 seconds; JOHN HARRIS top ten with seventh in 20:29 and TIM SABAN 17th in 22:19. YUKO GORDON was the fastest female from Fairlands Valley Spartans, she was 35th in 24:45 with MADDIE PRITCHARD at 49th in 24:45. ROSIE INGRAM was 57th in 25:03.

LEE PICKERSGILL came in with 25:54 for 80th. He was followed by KAREN PALMER, 28:01; ERICA GRAYSON 28:12; VICTORIA BRETT 28:56; CLAIRE HYDE 29:24; CAROLINE CROFT 29:59 and KAREN BROOM 31:49.

 

Two More Fives

Sunday’s Perivale Five was on a lovely course which ANN TRYSSESOONE covered in 39 minutes 24 seconds.

DAVE STEPHENSON ran the Victory Five, Portsmouth in 36:56 with TESSA STEPHENSON in 42:18.

 

Championship Update

With four weeks to go 234 different Spartans have at least one event completed in the short championships and 153 in the long championships.

SUZY HAWKINS leads both women’s long distance tables. In the open championship she has 68.3% compared with 63.1% for NICOLA KENNEDY; 61.4% for ISABEL GREEN; 57.2% for HAZEL SMITH just ahead of KERSTIN WEINER on 57.1%. The long distance championship consists of the three distances of 10 miles, half marathon, 20 miles and marathon.

Suzy also leads the age related championship. Her score is 70.9%. Just 0.04% separates CAROL PAUL second on 66.34% and NICOLA KENNEDY on 66.30%. JAN FRY, fourth, on 63.9% is just ahead of CATHY CRAIG on 63.8%. So far nineteen women have completed a full qualifying series in the long distance championships. There’s still for others to qualify.

ALISON WOOD leads the women’s short distance championship with an amazing 84.5%.

There are long and short distance championships for men and women. The presentations will be made at Fairlands Valley Spartans’ Annual Dinner, Presentation Evening and Dance on Friday 23rd February.

 

Parkrun Highlights

There was a Spartan double at Stevenage parkrun as CALLUM STEWART was first male finisher in a new course personal best (PB) of 16 minutes 44 secondss and NATALIE LAWRENCE was first woman in 22:26. For the men NICK GILL just missed a top 10 position, finishing 11th in 20:48 while VERITY FISHER was sixth woman in 23:21.

There was also a new course PB for CHANTAL O’FLAHERTY in 49:00.

 

Tables

Full Spartan results from the parkruns of 2nd December 2017 were as follows:

parkrun Pos Gen parkrunner Time Notes
Bedford 259 77 Michelle MARCHANT 00:32:58 First parkrun
Stevenage 1 1 Callum STEWART 00:16:44 New course PB, 1st man
Stevenage 11 11 Nick GILL 00:20:48
Stevenage 23 23 Martin DUDLEY 00:22:23
Stevenage 24 1 Natalie LAWRENCE 00:22:26 1st woman
Stevenage 31 29 Barry OSBORNE 00:22:48
Stevenage 33 30 Mark BEASLEY 00:22:55
Stevenage 40 6 Verity FISHER 00:23:21
Stevenage 43 36 Tim ROBINSON 00:23:42
Stevenage 85 68 James SOUTH 00:28:04
Stevenage 135 95 Paul HOLGATE 00:33:34
Stevenage 157 54 Chantal O’FLAHERTY 00:49:00 New course PB
Panshanger 204 80 Georgina GREEN 00:36:07
Panshanger 206 82 Isabel GREEN 00:36:08
Ellenbrook Fields 68 53 Michael O’KEEFE 00:29:20

 

Coming Events

Fairlands Valley Spartans will be going into the third race of the cross country series with their women 8th out of the twenty teams – up from 12th, and their men fourth, up from sixth after the first event. The race will be at Willian at 10a.m. on Sunday 17th December.

Many Spartans will be enjoying a busy programme of races, social and training events over the next few weeks including:

 

  • Spartans Christmas Party with an 80s theme on Friday 8th December.
  • Festive Five at Welwyn Garden City on Sunday 10th December.
  • Cross Country League at Willian on Sunday 17th December.
  • Witham Five on Tuesday 26th December.
  • Buntingford Year End 10 on Sunday 31st December.
  • New Year 10K in Hyde Park on Monday 1st January 2018.
  • County Cross Country Championships at Cassiobury Park on Sunday 7th January.
  • Cross Country League at Watford on Sunday 14th January.
  • Fred Hughes 10 miles including county championships at St. Albans on Sunday 21st January.
  • Southern Cross Country Championships on Saturday 27th January.
  • Watford Half Marathon inc. veteran championships on Sunday 4th February.
  • Bramley 20/10 (20 miles or 10 miles) on Sunday 11th February.
  • St Valentine’s 30K at Stamford on Sunday 11th February.
  • Cross Country League at Royston on Sunday 18th February.
  • Fairlands Valley Spartans Champions Night on Friday 23rd February.
  • Baldock Beast on Sunday 25th February.
  • Welwyn Half Marathon on Sunday 4th March.
  • Finchley 20 miles (including Herts County) on Sunday 18th March.
  • Oakley 20 miles on Sunday 18th March.
  • Orion 15 at Chingford (Epping Forest) on Saturday 24th March.
  • London Marathon on Sunday 22nd April.
  • Stirling Marathon on Sunday 29th April.