The Oakley 20 is a useful check point and training run in the countdown to the London Marathon and other Spring marathons.
Unlike London the course is quite undulating. It was cold, windy but dry as six Spartans ran Sunday’s twenty mile race.
LIAM HERBERT was 80th out of the 880 finishers in 2 hours 22 minutes 6 seconds. An improvement of 7 minutes 2 seconds over his previous personal best. PETER SMITH was 127th in 2:29:29; VISHAL SHAH 318th in 2:48:44; MATT GILL 360th in 2:51:40; MARK CHEADLE 508th in 3:04:24 and BARRY KING 619th in 3:16:01.
Hyde Park 20
Meanwhile MARK BEASLEY was taking on a different twenty. He ran the Hyde Park 20 in 2 hours 38 seconds and was 92nd place out of approx. 500 finishers. The course consisted of 5 x 4 mile laps, but Mark says it was not as boring as it sounds.
Several other Spartans took part in the club’s training twenty in and around Stevenage.
Hillingdon Half
ANDY PATTERSON and SIMON JACKSON did the Hillingdon Half Marathon on Sunday. The race was promoted as fast and flat but the in fact the event was anything but that.
The course was undulating and very twisty turny added to which the wind made conditions tough. Both Spartans did very well indeed to finish top 21 in a very competitive race. Simon sneaked the first Spartan place & tenth overall in 1 hour 17 minutes 43 seconds and Andy was shortly behind at 21st in 1:19:49.
Thursday 5K
The March winner was newcomer MANESH CHUDASAMA, smashing his handicap by 4 minutes 18 seconds to finish in 19 minutes 42 seconds in his first run with the club. MARTIN DUDLEY finished second, beating his previous fastest time on the course by 32 seconds to finish in 23:46. Last month’s winner STEPHEN PACEY was third taking 1:08 off his February time to finish just ahead of newcomer MARK BIRK, who was fourth in 25:50.
ROSIE CANHAM was the first female to finish, with a new PB (personal best) time of 21:30. IRIS HORNSEY was second continuing to improve her time every month as she ran 34 seconds quicker than her previous run to finish in 30:14. KERSTIN WEINER was third in 26:15 despite having to start early and run on her own for the whole distance.
LIAM HERBERT was fastest runner on the night, supported by Richard Bate, to finish in 19:02, 1:13 quicker than handicap, with Mannesh’s 19:15 second fastest, and ADRIAN DONNELLY third quickest, in 20:14.
Rosie was quickest female, with MICHELLE REEVES second quickest in 24:09 and Kerstin third fastest.
There was also a new personal best by MARTIN PRICE as he improved his time to 21:50 and DAVID PEACH in his first run with the club. There was year best times for Iris, Kerstin, Michelle and JAN FRY.
The April handicap 5K will be on the Thursday 17th April.
Pos Name Time Comments
1 MANESH CHUDASAMA 19:42 Event Winner. Second fastest. PB
2 MARTIN DUDLEY 23:46 PB
3 STEPHEN PACEY 26:35 PB
4 MARK BIRT 25:50 PB
5 ROSIE CANHAM (F) 21:30 First woman. PB
6 MARTIN PRICE 21:50 PB
7 DANIEL BATES 20:23
8 ADRIAN DONNELLY 20:14
9 LIAM HERBERT 19:02 Fastest runner
10 IRIS HORNSEY (F) 30:14 Second woman
11 VISHAL SHAH 22:02
12 KERSTIN WEINER (F) 26:15
13 DAVID PEACH 27:38 PB
14 MARK GOODWIN 22:42
15 MICHELLE REEVES (F) 24:09
16 JAN FRY (F) 30:15
17 ALASTAIR BALDWIN 28:30
Spartans and Sport Relief
On Sunday 23rd March the Stevenage Mile for Sport Relief took place at Ridlins End running track. 170 athletes of all ages from 3 months to 80 years old were sponsored to cover 1, 3 or 6 miles through all weather conditions ranging from hail to sunshine. The event, supported by Sainsbury, was hosted by Fairlands Valley Spartans Running Club and raised approximately £700 in on line and on-the-day donations.
London’s Calling
The London Marathon is coming up fast. It’s on Sunday 13th April. Fairlands Valley Spartans are always well represented. This year their entrants are ROGER BIGGS, JIM BROWN, CLAIRE COKER, JAMIE DRACKFORD, ROBERT EVANS, KATE HANLON, RICHARD HAZLEDENE, KAREN LIDDLE, TRUDIE MOLLOY, CLARE MOORE, CAROL PAUL, DAVE PAUL, JOHN ROXBOROUGH, THOMAS SAUKA, MARJ SHANAHAN, PETE SMITH, HANNAH SYPULA and KERSTIN WEINER.
Fairlands Valley Spartans are organising a coach to the London Marathon on Sunday, 13 April for those running. Spaces are available at £10, departing from Stevenage Old Town at 6.30a.m. Further details given on booking. If you are interested please contact Roger Biggs on roger@thebiggs.net or 07748 326301.
Gin Pit Paul
This weekend CAROL PAUL ran the Gin Pit Double based on the outskirts of Manchester. These were trail marathons. On Saturday she ran the 26.2 miles in 5 hours 33 minutes in rain and hail stones. On Sunday she ran in sunshine but it was really windy and she took 5 hours 58 minutes.
Coming Events
Many Spartans will be enjoying a busy programme of races, social and training events over the next few weeks including the:
• Last Friday 5K in Hyde Park on Friday 28th March
• London Marathon on Sunday 13th April
• Handicap 5K in Stevenage on Thursday 17th April
• Herts 1500 and Veterans Track and Field Championships on 5th May
• First Mid Week Road Race League (10K) race in Stevenage on Tuesday 13th May
• Second Road Race League (5 miles) race in Chingford on Wednesday 4th June
• Third Road Race League (9K) race in Trent Park on Thursday 12th June
• Fourth Road Race League (10K) in St Albans on Tuesday 1st July
• Mid Week Mob Match (10K) in Welwyn Garden City on Thursday 17th July
• Off Road Challenge in Stevenage on Sunday 20th July
• Relays in the Park in Stevenage on Thursday 31st July
• Stevenage Marathon and Half Marathon on Sunday 2nd 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 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), Vivienne Honey 07702 846304 or visit their website www.fvspartans.org.uk
E N D S
More from Jim Brown (Press Officer) 0793 968 7509 or Vivienne Honey (Secretary) 07702 846304
www.fvspartans.org.uk