Month: April 2014

LIAM HERBERT and MARK CHEADLE ran the Rotary Shakespeare Marathon on Sunday.

Based in and around Stratford-Upon-Avon, during the weekend of William Shakespeare’s 450th birthday celebrations, the marathon course was an undulating two lap circuit meandering alongside the River Avon, taking in countryside villages and a large long section of off-road trail. Shakespearean quote boards were dotted around the course to inspire the participants. Conditions were amicable, with some windy blasts and short bursts of rain.

Liam Herbert ran a new personal best time of 3 hours 15 minutes 2 seconds finishing 63rd out of 732 runners. He improved on his previous best by over 3 minutes. This was his second marathon in 2014.

Mark Cheadle ran his first ever marathon in 4:34:59, finishing in 603rd position.

He was on course for sub-4 hours at the halfway point, but in the end two big hills and a very long section of trail got the better of him, but he enjoyed it all the same!

Watford Open Graded

Spartan STEVE MAYFIELD did his first outdoor 400 metres of the year on Wednesday evening. His time of 59.11 seconds was a personal best and a new club male veteran (45 plus) age best. This came off the back of his best 800 metres for three years (2:25.7) at Gosling last Friday.

Round The Serpentine

JIM BROWN ran the Serpentine Last Friday of the Month 5K in 23 minutes 3 seconds. Slightly faster than last month. He was 171st overall, forty positions better than in March, and fourth in his age category.

Coming Events

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

• Herts 1500 and Veterans Track and Field Championships on Monday 5th May
• Herts County Five Miles Championships at Pednor on Monday 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
• Handicap 5K in Stevenage on Thursday 14th August.
• Handicap 5K in Stevenage on Thursday 18th September.
• County 5K Veteran Championship in Hatfield on Wednesday 24th September
• County 5K Senior Championship in Hatfield on Wednesday 8th October
• 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

Easter holidays did not prevent 26 Spartans turning out for Thursday night’s Handicap 5K race in Stevenage.

The winner on the night was newcomer PAUL MAGUIRE in 23 minutes 23 seconds. He beat his handicap by 2 minutes 37 seconds. Paul was closely followed by another first timer, Andy Fenwick, 2:17 ahead of handicap, in 32:43. Mark Beasley was third, just four days after his London marathon run, in a new year best time of 20:51.

SUE HAMER led the ladies home, in fourth position overall, to beat her personal best (PB) by 50 seconds, with 26:39. MADDIE PRITCHARD improved her PB by a whole minute to an impressive 21:09. She was second woman across the line. Hayley Peach was third female, also in a PB, 1:18 quicker with 33:52.

The fastest runner on the evening was Liam Herbert in a new year best time of 18:32. DANIEL BATES was second quickest, breaking 20 minutes for the first time, in a new personal best (PB) of 19:55. Graham Blackburn was third quickest with a new year best time of 20:22.

Maddie was quickest female (21:09), with Beverley Harlow second fastest, improving her year best time by 1 minute to 26:21, and Sue 3rd quickest (26:39).

Every finisher recorded a personal best, season best or year time, including Jon Sypula, 20 seconds quicker with 22:49 despite running the whole 5k on his own, and Matt Gill, back from injury with a new PB of 21:02, 5 seconds better than before his injury.

Iris Hornsey’s 29:54 was her fastest 5k for more than 2 years and Callum Beasley & Paul Holgate both improved their fastest 5k of 2014 by more than 40 seconds, while Mark Goodwin, Nick Emmett, Alex Pritchard, Jamie Tippett, Maria Thorne and Earl Brown each recorded their first Spartan 5k of the year.

Five helpers ensured the event ran smoothly – Bernie Barnaby, Lisa Jerrom, Jim Brown, Sharon Crowley & Vishal Shah.

There will now be a short break so that Spartans can concentrate on the Midweek League which starts with the first race in Stevenage on Tuesday 13th May. The Handicap 5K will return in August.

N.B. In handicap races the slower runners start first working through to the fastest who start last. Start times are calculated from recent performances. If everyone runs to form everyone finishes together. The best improver wins.

Pritchard’s Park Run

Just two days later MADDIE PRITCHARD took another chunk off her 5K personal best. She was first woman and 39th overall out of the 285 finishers in the St Albans parkrun with her time of 21 minutes 1 second. That’s eight seconds faster than Thursday night.

Coming Events

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

• Spartans Kit Sale at Marriotts Sports Centre at 6.15p.m. on Thursday 24th April
• Last Friday of the Month 5K in Hyde Park on Friday 25th April
• Herts 1500 and Veterans Track and Field Championships on Monday 5th May
• Herts County Five Miles Championships at Pednor on Monday 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
• Handicap 5K in Stevenage on Thursday 14th August.
• Handicap 5K in Stevenage on Thursday 18th September.
• County 5K Veteran Championship in Hatfield on Wednesday 24th September
• County 5K Senior Championship in Hatfield on Wednesday 8th October
• 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

Once again Fairlands Valley Spartans proved their ability to get lots of people round the London Marathon.

On a great day for spectators, maybe a little warm for runners, GRANT RAMSAY ran a fantastic sub 2:40 marathon to finish 149th out of more than 36,000 finishers. His time of 2 hours 38 minutes 21 seconds qualifies him for next year’s elite start and was only a minute off his lifetime personal best. Excellent in the rising temperatures.

CLARE MOORE was the club’s fastest female. She ran her first marathon in 4 hours 6 minutes 52 seconds.

A good for age qualifying time was recorded by PETE SMITH. He was 2,922nd, clearly in the top ten per cent, with 3 hours 14 minutes 55 seconds.

CAROL PAUL ran her 21st London marathon in 5:00:20 bringing her total number of marathons to 287.

HANNAH SYPULA (5:54:49) and KERSTIN WEINER (4:13:02) and JON SYPULA were running as part of a team of three. Hannah and Kerstein were running the London Marathon and Jon Sypula will be running the Milton Keynes Marathon to raise money for two hospices. One is the Garden House Hospice where Hannah works and who have provided Kerstin with counselling after losing her sister to cancer last year. The other one is the Isabel Hospice in Welwyn Garden City who looked after Kerstin’s sister and our family at a very difficult time. Both do amazing work and rely on charity. They have a team page which is: http://www.justgiving.com/teams/Spartan-III and within here you can then select what Hospice you would like to support specifically. So far they have £562 plus another £102 to add to the Garden House Hospice giving a total of £664. All three have been doing most of their training with the Spartans and Hannah has led a few of the long runs at the weekends which have been really good. It really makes a difference training with other people and getting support from the group.

JIM BROWN ran his first marathon after major surgery. After a four year break his careful run got him home in 5 hours 1 minute 16 seconds. This was his 17th London Marathon.

Other Spartan times included MARK BEASLEY (3:43:48); THOMAS SAUKA (3:56:37); ROBERT EVANS (3:57:30); JOHN ROXBURGH (4:02:55); VISH SHAH (4:04:35); STEVE ELDER (4:05:24); SALLY BEASLEY (4:22:52); CLAIRE COKER (4:28:04); MARJ SHANAHAN (4:36:53); RUTH MURTAGH (4:54:07); KAREN LIDDLE (4:54:51); JO CAHILL (5:09:49); SIMON GREEN (5:14:19); TRUDIE MOLLOY (5:16:13); PAUL HOLGATE (5:44:57); MELISSA TYLER (5:51:27); NICK STEWART (6:12:15); FIONA KEELEY (6:15:34) and AMY SMYTH (7:57:09).

The Spartan team included many first timers. Dozens of other club members helped at the finish.

Position Name Finish Half Way
149 GRANT RAMSAY 2:38:21 1:16:03
2922 PETER SMITH 3:14:55 1:35:30
7574 MARK BEASLEY 3:43:48 1:42:05
10790 THOMAS SAUKA 3:56:37 1:52:35
11038 ROBERT EVANS 3:57:30 1:47:34
12435 JOHN ROXBURGH 4:02:55 1:53:52
12793 VISHAL SHAH 4:04:35 1:44:02
12986 STEVE ELDER 4:05:24 1:42:04
13294 CLARE MOORE 4:06:52 1:58:11
14728 KERSTIN WEINER 4:13:02 2:02:04
17181 SALLY BEASLEY 4:22:52 2:03:16
18483 CLAIRE COKER 4:28:04 2:00:11
20515 MARJ SHANAHAN 4:36:53 2:19:42
24367 RUTH MURTAGH 4:54:07 2:15:44
24554 KAREN LIDDLE 4:54:51 2:17:23
25738 CAROL PAUL 5:00:20 2:19:19
25901 JIM BROWN 5:01:16 2:30:02
27347 JO CAHILL 5:09:49 2:29:33
28072** SIMON GREEN 5:14:19 2:20:42
28380 TRUDIE MOLLOY 5:16:13 2:36:36
31900 PAUL HOLGATE 5:44:57 2:25:52
32486 MELISSA TYLER 5:51:27 2:38:11
32776 HANNAH SYPULA 5:54:49 2:41:39
33859 NICK STEWART 6:12:15 2:34:11
33998 FIONA KEELEY 6:15:34 2:37:38
35763 AMY SMYTH 7:57:09 3:25:19

Brighton Marathon

PAUL MARSHALL finished the Brighton Marathon in 4 hours 10 minutes 7 seconds.

Caythorpe Canter

Tricia Hopper and Barry King ran the Caythorpe Canter on Saturday in a fantastic time of 5 hours 29 minutes 7 seconds. The course was a undulating, cross country route around the Lincolnshire countryside

Watford

At the first in the 2014 series of Watford Harriers popular open graded meetings, STEVE MAYFIELD kicked off his track season with the 100 and 200 metres. In the shorter sprint he recovered from a poor start to claim 3rd place in heat 4 in 13.34 seconds. He later went on to win heat 3 of the 200m relatively comfortably in 27.16.

Coming Events

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

• Handicap 5K in Stevenage on Thursday 17th April
• Last Friday of the Month 5K in Hyde Park on Friday 25th April
• Herts 1500 and Veterans Track and Field Championships on Monday 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

DANIEL BATE had a mixed race at Sunday’s Brighton Marathon. After a fantastic first 16 miles at doing 7 minutes per mile pacing, his back/kidney area gave him a lot of pain and slowed him right down to finish in a time of 3 hours 40 minutes 19 seconds. However he beat his course record from last year’s event by 13 minutes.

CAROL PAUL said it was a “hard day at the office.” Conditions were dry but really muggy and close so it felt quite warm. She completed the course in 4 hours 51 minutes 32 seconds. Such are the joys of marathon running. No doubt we’ll be hearing a lot more about them after this Sunday’s London Marathon.

Maddie’s London PB
It was soggy, cold and breezy but MADDIE PRITCHARD powered to a new 10 kilometres personal best in Regent’s Park on Sunday morning. Her time of 43 minutes 57 seconds beat her previous PB by 34 seconds.

Maddie was 12th woman out of 184 and 89th overall out of the 453 finishers.

Lisa Second On First Saturday
Spartan LISA GRAY was second woman in the North Herts First Saturday of the Month 5K race. She finished in 24 minutes 23 seconds and was 28th out of the 75 finishers.

CRAIG BACON was 22nd in 22:54.

Grant’s A Winner At Flitwick
The Flitwick 10K road race is always a good sharpener ahead of the London Marathon. Sunday’s event had to be shortened to 5.6 miles due to a road accident but GRANT RAMSAY made good use of it. He was first veteran and sixth overall out of the 631 finishers in 29 minutes 42 seconds.

HAYLEY FAULKNER was 356th in 46:10 and KERRY SETTERFIELD 571st in 56:41.

London’s Calling
The London Marathon is this Sunday! Fairlands Valley Spartans are always well represented. This year their entrants are ROGER BIGGS, JIM BROWN, CLAIRE COKER, JAMIE DRACKFORD, STEVE ELDER, 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. There may be some room for spectators. Further details given on booking. If you are interested please contact Roger Biggs on roger@thebiggs.net or 07748 326301.

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

• London Marathon on Sunday 13th April
• Handicap 5K in Stevenage on Thursday 17th April
• Last Friday of the Month 5K in Hyde Park on Friday 25th April
• Herts 1500 and Veterans Track and Field Championships on Monday 5th May
• EVAC Track and Field Fixture in Stevenage on Wednesday 7th 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