There was a Fairlands Valley Spartans one two in the Stevenage 30th Anniversary Marathon On Sunday.
GRANT RAMSAY led throughout to win in 2 hours 43 minutes 42 seconds. ANDREW PATTERSON was second with a new personal best of 2 hours 52 minutes 35 seconds.
There was driving rain for the first 13.1 miles lap but 234 completed the full marathon. 544 finished the supporting half marathon race. The marathon incorporated the Hertfordshire County Championships.
The local club had huge success in the team events. The Spartans’ male and female teams were winners. The men’s team of Grant Ramsay (2:43:42); Andrew Patterson (2:52:35); SIMON JACKSON (3:09:05) and DAVIE STAFFORD (3:12:57) won the open event and won the county championship.
NATALIE LAWRENCE (3:35:02); NICOLA HABERLAND (3:39:40) and KERSTIN WEINER (4:05:01) won the women’s open race and county championship.
MICHAEL GREEN (3:22:02); RICHARD KENNEDY (3:32:41); DAVID BATES (3:42:24) and JOHN NELMS (3:58:39) won BRONZE in the county championship.
The Spartans also won SILVER in the women’s race with CAROL PAUL (4:57:51), KAREN LIDDLE (5:04:24) and TRICIA HOPPER (also 5:04:24). Carol, Tricia and SHARON CROWLEY (6:03:17) won SILVER in the County team race.
The Spartan men also won SILVER in the male veterans’ (over 40s) team race with Grant, Michael, JOHN NELMS (3:56:05) and ROBERT EVANS (4:02:05).
In addition to Grant’s GOLD and Andrew Patteron’s SILVER there was lots of individual success in the county championships. NATALIE LAWRENCE (3:34:19) won GOLD in the senior women’s championship; NICOLA HABERLAND (3:49:21) won the women veteran’s (35 plus) GOLD; KERSTIN WEINER (4:04:30) took SILVER in the 35 plus category; MICHAEL GREEN (3:21:30) BRONZE the men’s 50 plus category; CAROL PAUL (4:57:51) and TRICIA HOPPER (5:04:24) took SILVER and BRONZE in the women’s 45 plus category.
Sunday’s Stevenage Marathon was Spartan SHARON CROWLEY’s 200th Marathon. She ran her first marathon at the first Stevenage Marathon back in 1984, has since run the Stevenage Marathons in 1994 and 2004. And now 2014. Her son, Nicholas, was running this Stevenage Marathon as his first marathon. Roger Biggs, Mike Newbitt & Robert Hardy have run all 4 Stevenage marathons
In the half marathon Spartans SUZY HAWKINS (1:38:21); TRACY PEZ (1:42:24) and JENNIFER BIRKIN (1:45:05) won the women’s team prize. Suzy was second veteran woman (35 plus).
The fastest women in the full marathon was Fiona Oakes from Vegan Runners in 3:06:47. She was nearly 27 minutes ahead of her nearest rival.
Mark Vaughan from North Herts Road Runners won the half marathon in 1 hour 14 minutes 46 seconds just ahead of James Cordwell from Victoria Park Harriers and Tower Hamlets AC (n.b. one club name) in 1:14:56
The Stevenage Marathon is only organised every ten years. This year’s event was held on the precise 30th anniversary of the founding of Fairlands Valley Spartans.  Full results are here: https://www.sportsystems.co.
Spartan Marathon Results:
|
Posn |
First Name |
Last Name |
Category |
Time |
Comments |
|
1 |
Grant |
Ramsay |
Male V40-49 |
2:43:42 |
Winner. GOLD. 1St V40. |
|
2 |
Andrew |
Patterson |
Male Open |
2:52:35 |
County SILVER. |
|
10 |
Simon |
Jackson |
Male Open |
3:09:05 |
|
|
14 |
Davie |
Stafford |
Male Open |
3:12:57 |
|
|
21 |
Michael |
Green |
Male V50-59 |
3:21:30 |
BRONZE (V50) |
|
31 |
Richard |
Kennedy |
Male Open |
3:32:33 |
|
|
36 |
Natalie |
Lawrence |
Female Open |
3:34:19 |
3rd woman. County GOLD |
|
50 |
Daniel |
Bates |
Male Open |
3:41:54 |
|
|
69 |
Nicola |
Haberland |
Female V35-44 |
3:49:21 |
GOLD and BRONZE |
|
96 |
John |
Nelms |
Male V40-49 |
3:56:05 |
|
|
102 |
Robert |
Evans |
Male V40-49 |
4:02:05 |
|
|
107 |
Kerstin |
Weiner |
Female V35-44 |
4:04:30 |
County SILVER |
|
123 |
Nick |
Crowley |
Male Open |
4:12:18 |
|
|
132 |
Andy |
Prior |
Male V40-49 |
4:17:34 |
|
|
155 |
Selvan |
Naicker |
Male V40-49 |
4:27:52 |
|
|
183 |
Jon |
Sypula |
Male Open |
4:50:56 |
|
|
186 |
Nick |
Emmett |
Male Open |
4:52:08 |
|
|
192 |
Carol |
Paul |
Female V45-54 |
4:57:51 |
County SILVER |
|
194 |
Andy |
Ingram-Tedd |
Male Open |
4:54:15 |
|
|
198 |
Karen |
Liddle |
Female V55-64 |
5:04:24 |
|
|
199 |
Tricia |
Hopper |
Female V45-54 |
5:04:24 |
County BRONZE |
|
201 |
Barry |
King |
Male V40-49 |
5:04:24 |
|
|
208 |
Mike |
Newbitt |
Male V60-69 |
5:17:27 |
|
|
210 |
Paul |
Holgate |
Male V50-59 |
5:16:41 |
|
|
212 |
Robert |
Hardy |
Male V60-69 |
5:31:04 |
|
|
223 |
Sharon |
Crowley |
Female V55-64 |
6:03:17 |
|
|
227 |
Roger |
Biggs |
Male V60-69 |
6:34:37 |
|
Spartan Half Marathon Results
|
Pos |
First Name |
Last Name |
Category |
Time |
|
37 |
Dean |
Carpenter |
Male V40-49 |
01:31:06 |
|
75 |
Suzy |
Hawkins |
Female V35-44 |
01:38:21 |
|
90 |
Andrew |
Jordan |
Male Open |
01:39:18 |
|
92 |
Craig |
Bacon |
Male V40-49 |
01:40:29 |
|
93 |
Tim |
Saban |
Male V40-49 |
01:40:42 |
|
112 |
Tony |
Bradford |
Male V50-59 |
01:41:34 |
|
116 |
Tracy |
Pez |
Female V35-44 |
01:42:24 |
|
128 |
Thomas |
Sauka |
Male Open |
01:44:54 |
|
133 |
Jennifer |
Birkin |
Female V35-44 |
01:45:05 |
|
253 |
Lisa |
Gray |
Female V35-44 |
01:55:29 |
|
291 |
Ruth |
Bradford |
Female V45-54 |
01:57:56 |
|
347 |
Karen |
Ellis |
Female V45-54 |
02:05:04 |
|
372 |
Felicity |
Evans |
Female Open |
02:07:34 |
|
401 |
Robert |
Shaw |
Male V60-69 |
02:11:45 |
|
410 |
Sarah |
Headland |
Female Open |
02:10:34 |
|
439 |
Anthony |
Waller |
Male V40-49 |
02:16:18 |
|
473 |
Hilary |
Davies |
Female V45-54 |
02:21:48 |
Spartan Women Win Cross Country
Fairlands Valley Spartans WON the women’s race against 20 other teams in the first race in the Cross Country League.
Overall the Spartans were sixth on 694 points just behind Team Trisports on 665 but well ahead of London Heathside who had 966.
MADDIE PRITCHARD was the fastest woman for the club. She was eighth in 37 minutes 21 seconds. JULIE SIMMONS was 12th in 37:46; TRACY PEZ 14th in 38:12; NIKKI WILBY 17th in 38:32; CLARE MOORE 19th in 38:59; MICHELLE REEVES 30th in 40:02; HAYLEY FAULKNER 60th in 43:07 and FELICITY EVANS 112th in 50:44.
The next cross country league race will be on 23rd November.
|
Position |
First Name |
Last Name |
Category |
Time |
|
8 |
Maddie |
Pritchard |
SW |
37:21 |
|
12 |
Julie |
Simmons |
W55 |
37:46 |
|
14 |
Tracy |
Pez |
W35 |
38:12 |
|
17 |
Nikki |
Wilby |
SW |
38:32 |
|
19 |
Clare |
Moore |
W35 |
38:59 |
|
30 |
Michelle |
Reeves |
SW |
40:02 |
|
60 |
Hayley |
Faulkner |
SW |
43:07 |
|
112 |
Felicity |
Evans |
SW |
50:44 |
Spartan Men
|
Position |
First Name |
Last Name |
Category |
Time |
|
12 |
Lee |
Reynolds |
SM |
29:31 |
|
14 |
Andy |
Neatham |
M40 |
29:39 |
|
46 |
Davie |
Stafford |
SM |
31:47 |
|
72 |
Liam |
Herbert |
SM |
33:03 |
|
99 |
Danny |
Hukin |
SM |
34:46 |
|
121 |
Danik |
Bates |
SM |
35:46 |
|
128 |
Steve |
Mayfield |
M40 |
36:02 |
|
132 |
Bernie |
Barnaby |
M50 |
36:15 |
|
153 |
Thomas |
Sauka |
SM |
37:31 |
|
161 |
Tim |
Saban |
M40 |
37:50 |
|
187 |
Andy |
Churn |
M40 |
39:32 |
|
205 |
Vish |
Shah |
SM |
42:13 |
|
219 |
Mark |
Cheadle |
SM |
44:07 |
|
231 |
Nick |
Stewart |
M50 |
47:57 |
|
240 |
Nick |
Whitcombe |
M40 |
50:13 |
Summer At Serpentine
The last Friday of the Month lunch time 5K was held in incredible conditions for the 31st October. MADDIE PRITCHARD and JIM BROWN enjoyed a Halloween Summer with temperatures around 23 degrees in Hyde Park. Maddie was 77th out of the 248 finishers in 20 minutes 39 seconds and Jim 144th in 23:20. That lifts his series average to 70.7%.
Coming Events
Many Spartans will be enjoying a busy programme of races, social and training events over the next few weeks including the:
Cross Country League at Grovelands on Sunday 23rd November
Wolverton Five on Saturday 29th November
Cross Country League at Watford on Sunday 7th December
Buntingford Year End Ten on Sunday 28th December
Ely New Year’s Eve 10K on Wednesday 31st December
Serpentine New Year’s Day 10K in Hyde Park on Thursday 1st January
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 9.00a.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 ÂŁ35 per year, ÂŁ25 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