BIG APPLE QUALIFIER

 

Well done STUART HAYCROFT.  He travelled to New York to attempt to qualify for a London good for age spot.  Despite struggling with jet lag, Stuart managed to cut just over 40 minutes off his marathon personal best (PB) with a time of 3:14:03, thereby achieving qualification.  Crowd support was amazing, they mean it when they say there are over a million spectators.  You run through all 5 boroughs and each one has such a unique feel.

This marathon is definitely one for the bucket list.

 

Sunday, 5th November 2017 – Marathon Des Alpes-Maritimes

The Marathon Des Alpes Maritimes is the second biggest in France, second only to Paris.  There were 6,600 runners last year.

The promised thunderstorm came overnight, but luckily the rain had cleared for the 8am start.  The race started on Nice promenade, then hugged the coast all the way to Cannes.  Basically flat, ROGER BIGGS was pleased to get close to five hours, finishing in 5 hours 3 minutes 14 seconds.

 

A Good Deal For Jenny

Spartan JENNY GARRETT was in Kent for the Deal Castle Run.  She ran the five miles in 41 minutes 42 seconds.

 

Battle for the Top in the Women’s Championships

Two months to go and the Fairlands Valley Spartans Club Championships for 2017 are getting very competitive.  SUZY HAWKINS leads the women’s short distance championships with 67.9% ahead of JULIE SIMMONS on 60.2% and ERICA GRAYSON on 54.2% but bubbling under with just one more counting race to complete are ALISON WOOD on 73.9%; RUTH REILLY on 67.1%; NICOLA KENNEDY on 65.7%; HANNAH NEALE on 65.6%; ISABEL GREEN on 65.5%; CLAIRE PULLEN on 65.3%; MADDIE PRITCHARD on 64.0%; and VERITY FISHER on 63.8%.  Julie Simmons leads the age related table with 78.3%.

 

Parkrun Reports

KEITH COUGHLIN was first Spartan finisher at a very wet Fairlands Valley course, finishing third in 18 mins 43 seconds.

JO BOWDERY was third woman to finish in 23:20, knocking over three minutes off her previous course best set in May.  Seventeen Spartans ran at Stevenage.  The other fifteen were CLIVE CANNON 23:24; RYAN DUNNING 23:45; VERITY FISHER 24:02; LEE PICKERSGILL 24:51; DAVID SCOTT 24:54; TIM ROBINSON 24:55; KARTIK SHARMA 25:36; DANIEL SUTTON 26:17; JAMES SOUTH 27:52; HAZEL SMITH 28:31; CALLIE CHAPMAN 28:37; club secretary KAREN PALMER 29:19; CATHY CRAIG 29:21; PAUL HOLGATE 29:53 and ELLA GOWER 33:24.

Full parkrun results for the week:

 

Stevenage
Pos	Gender Pos	parkrunner	Run Time	Notes
3	3	Keith COUGHLIN	00:18:43
27	3	Jo BOWDERY	00:23:20	**New Course PB**
29	26	Clive CANNON	00:23:24
34	31	Ryan DUNNING	00:23:45
38	4	Verity FISHER	00:24:02
44	40	Lee PICKERSGILL	00:24:51
45	41	David SCOTT	00:24:54
46	42	Tim ROBINSON	00:24:55
55	50	Kartik SHARMA	00:25:36
57	51	Daniel SUTTON	00:26:17
70	60	James SOUTH	00:27:52
80	14	Hazel SMITH	00:28:31
82	15	Callie CHAPMAN	00:28:37
90	18	Karen PALMER	00:29:19
92	19	Catherine CRAIG	00:29:21
97	76	Paul HOLGATE	00:29:53
133	40	Ella GOWER	00:33:24
Panshanger
Pos	Gender Pos	parkrunner	Run Time
64	53	Andy JAY	00:25:10
112	89	Sam SIMMONS	00:27:42
120	97	Paul WHYTE	00:28:14
Hove
Pos	Gender Pos	parkrunner	Run Time
1	1	Craig HALSEY	00:16:55

 

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 at Trent Park on Sunday 12^th November.
• St Neots Half Marathon on Sunday 19^th November.
• Spartans AGM in Stevenage on Friday 24^th November.
• Wolverton Five at Milton Keynes on Saturday 25^th November.
• Hertfordshire Five Mile Championship for Veterans at Hatfield on Sunday 26^th Nov.
• Bass Belle 10 near Royston on Sunday 26^th November.
• Bedford Harriers Half Marathon on Sunday 3^rd December.
• Spartans Christmas Party with an 80s theme on Friday 8^th December.
• Festive Five at Welwyn Garden City on Sunday 10^th December.
• Cross Country League at Willian on Sunday 17^th December.
• Witham Five on Tuesday 26^th December.
• Buntingford Year End 10 on Sunday 31^st December.
• New Year 10K in Hyde Park on Monday 1^st January 2018.
• County Cross Country Championships at Cassiobury Park on Sunday 7^th January.
• Cross Country League at Watford on Sunday 14^th January.
• Fred Hughes 10 miles including senior county championships at St. Albans on Sunday 21^st January.
• Southern Cross Country Championships on Saturday 27^th January.
• Watford Half Marathon inc. veteran championships on Sunday 4^th February.
• Bramley 20/10 (20 miles or 10 miles) on Sunday 11^th February.
• St Valentine’s 30K at Stamford on Sunday 11^th February.
• Cross Country League at Royston on Sunday 18^th February.
• Baldock Beast on Sunday 25^th February.
• Welwyn Half Marathon on Sunday 4^th March.
• Finchley 20 miles (including Herts County) on Sunday 18^th March.
• Oakley 20 miles on Sunday 18^th March.
• Orion 15 at Chingford (Epping Forest) on Saturday 24^th March.
• London Marathon on Sunday 22^nd April.
• Stirling Marathon on Sunday 29^th April.