Spartan VICKY ARCHER ran a fantastic new five mile personal best (PB) at the Hatfield Five on Sunday morning. A five minute improvement on a five mile run with 40 minutes 32 seconds. Her previous best was 45:46.
In the same event GRANT RAMSAY ran 30:50 and won SILVER in the County Championship for men 50 plus. He’s now aiming for a sub three marathon in 2024. YUKO GORDON went one better winning GOLD in the women 70 plus championship with 36:44. A winning margin of 29 seconds.
JUDY KING ran a PB in 52:51 which was 1 minute 25 seconds faster than her 5 mile race only the week before where she won the club’s 5 mile handicap race!
There was also a new PB for NICHOLA DURENT who finished with SHARON CROWLEY in 69:35.
Photo Credit – Keith Fenwick
Bass Belle Ten
Spartan JOHN HARRIS ran the Bass Belle 10 mile race in 1 hour 11 minutes 54 seconds, a new season’s best (SB).
Fairlands Valley Spartans raised even more money for charity with their Paul Maguire Five mile and Bryan Moore Ten mile handicap races on Sunday.
Handicap running events are races with phased starts, slower runners first. Runners exact start times are determined by their recent performances. In theory everyone will finish together. In practice the best improver wins. Good for participation and great as runners come together towards the finish.
Our wonderful handicap runners! – Photo Credit Keith Fenwick
The big winners were JUDY KING, JOHN HARRIS, KEITH HOOKER, VICKY ARCHER and WENDY THARANI.
Winner of the Paul Maguire 5 mile was JUDY KING in a new personal best (PB) time of 54 minutes 16 seconds (54:16), 6:14 ahead of handicap with ALISON SHELLEY 2nd in a year’s best (YB) time 49:29 and SOPHIE PARSONS third female in her first 5 mile with the club in 45:57. JOHN HARRIS was first man, 3rd overall, in a (season’s best) SB 35:38, with BRIAN WHITE second man in 38:10 and PAUL JENNINGS third man in 44:17.
Happy 5 milers! – Photo Credit Keith Fenwick
JOHN HARRIS was the quickest runner of the day in the five with his 35:38, BRIAN WHITE, 38:10, second quickest and ANDY PRIOR, 39:06, third fastest. JACKIE PERRY, 41:54 was quickest lady, KERSTIN PRIOR, 43:33, second fastest and SOPHIE PARSONS, 45:57, third fastest.
Stripey 5 milers – Photo Credit Keith Fenwick
KEITH HOOKER won the Brian Moore Handicap 10 mile race just pipping last year’s defending champion by 4 seconds to finish in 1:24:04 in his first 10 miles with the club.
Last year’s winner ANDREW PATTERSON was second in 56:27 returning from injury, and SIMON JACKSON third in a new SB time of 58:51. VICKY ARCHER was first lady in a new PB of 1:37:36 together with WENDY THARANI as they ran together, and LINDA GEORGE was third lady in 1:33:44.
The 10 milers were all happy to see the camera! – Photo Credit Keith Fenwick
ANDREW PATTERSON was quickest runner in the ten, SIMON JACKSON second fastest, 58:51 and NICK GILL third fastest. GABRIELLE O’BRIEN was fastest lady in 1:20:41, with CLAIRE PULLEN second quickest, 1:28:40, and LINDA GEORGE third fastest.
Many finishers recorded fastest times as it was their first 5 miles or 10 miles race for some time, or ever, standing them in a very good position when the club championship statistics are updated at the end of this month.
Speedy 10 milers, still not too quick for the camera! – Photo Credit Keith Fenwick
Wolverton Five
CRAIG BACON ran the Wolverton 5 race on Saturday morning at Willen Lakes in Milton Keynes. The predominantly flat course followed the footpath around the two lakes and a field of 133 runners completed the course.
Having not run in a road 5 mile race previously he was guaranteed a personal best (PB) and was pleased with a finish time of 36:38 and a chip time of 36:33.
It was a last minute race for SIMON JACKSON who took part with just 75 minutes notice after his daughter’s football was called off.
He completed the race in 28:05 which was fourth man over 40 (MV40) in a highly competitive race at the front end.
Craig at Willen Lakes following his PB!
Steppingley Off Road Marathon
PAUL HOLGATE reports it was very muddy for Sunday’s Steppingley off road marathon. Paul and MIKE NEWBITT finished in 8 hours 22 minutes with SHARON and MIKE CROWLEY coming in at 9 hours 47.
Stevenage Half Marathon is an annual road race hosted by Fairlands Valley Spartans which was first held in 1984. All proceeds are donated to charities that support the Stevenage community.
On a sunny 22nd October, 325 people had entered and arrived to run the annual Stevenage Half marathon.
A two lap course, fully on cycle ways and paved footpaths, took in local areas of the town including the town centre and Fairlands Valley Park.
Race Director Andy Prior said “2023 has been a great year for the event and we have been able to present a cheque to the Essex and Herts Air Ambulance for £5,297, Chells Scout group and 5th Stevenage Scouts each receiving £300 and by hiring Hampson Park Community centre as Race HQ our runners increased takings in their coffee shop as most runners love cake.”
The cheque presentation took place recently.
Andy said “2024 sees Stevenage Half returning on the 20th October when we will also host a full marathon which is a once in a decade event and coincides with the 40th Anniversary of Fairlands Valley Spartans running club, so we are aiming to make this an even bigger event than normal.”
It took ten attempts but JIM BROWN beat two hours for a half marathon for the first time this year at the Remembrance Runs on Saturday morning. He improved by 12 minutes 8 seconds compared with a run last Sunday and his 1 hour 57 minutes 36 seconds was good enough to win the men 70 plus category by 26 minutes 7 seconds.
ROBERT WRIGHT ran the same race in 1:56:15 while PAUL SHELLEY ran the Remembrance 10K in 44:51. The races were at Debden Airfield, Carver Barracks, near Saffron Walden.
Asked what was the secret, Jim said “No idea but what actually happened was even though last Sunday’s half was disappointing it was still a 13.1 miles run; then no training Monday and Tuesday; a vigorous for me daylight run on Wednesday morning; leading a lovely three mile Spartan training run on Thursday evening; and short cycle ride to Rableyheath. On the day the aim was to run at a pace equivalent to 28 minutes for every 5K (roughly nine minute miles) all the way round.”
Rob was 48th in the half marathon and Jim 54th.
Parkrun – Saturday 11th November
New Spartan SOPHIE PARSONS ran a new parkrun personal best of 27 minutes 2 seconds (27:02).
Sunday saw the third Cross Country event at Trent Park which was a five mile race. JONATHAN PARR came in in eighth place in a time of 27:53 and ADRIAN BUSOLINI was 25th in 29:38. They were the first two finishers from Fairlands Valley Spartans while TRACEY JACKSON 273rd overall in 41 minutes exactly; GEORGIE HOOPER 308th in 42:31 and ZOE JACKSON 359th in 45:07 were the club’s first three women.
From left to right – Jonathan, Adrian, Tracey, Georgie and Zoe – Photo Credit, Keith Fenwick and Richard Underwood
Altogether there were 24 Spartans. 17 men and 7 women and a total of 467 finishers in the race. Male “A” teams consist of eight runners. Female “A” teams have five runners.
Photo Credits – Keith Fenwick and Richard Underwood
Position
Name
Time
Official
Comments
8
JONATHAN PARR
27:54
27:53
SM. Team “A”
25
ADRIAN BUSOLINI
29:39
29:38
SM. Team “A”
50
NICK GILL
31:12
31:13
SM. Team “A”
114
STUART ARCHER
34:39
34:42
SM. Team “A”
132
ALEX ZHERDEV
36:02
35:26
M40. Team “A”
147
ROSS GALLAGHER
36:08
36:12
M40. Team “A”
171
MATT GIFFORD
36:59
37:01
M50. Team “A”
177
FRANCOIS SWANEPOEL
37:00
37:10
M50. Team “A”
190
BRIAN WHITE
37:43
37:45
M60
273
TRACEY JACKSON
40:40
41:00
W45. Women Team
304
MIKE JEFFS
42:23
42:31
SM
308
GEORGIE HOOPER
42:22
42:31
W35. Women Team
359
ZOE JACKSON
45:00
45:07
W35. Women Team
367
NICK KLEANTHOUS
45:27
45:31
M60
379
ANNABELLE WHITE
46:16
46:24
SW. Women Team
380
TIM ROBINSON
46:23
46:25
M50
381
DAVID ACKERY
46:24
46:33
SM
395
MARK MacDONALD
47:11
47:47
M50
400
MICHAEL O’KEEFE
47:53
48:00
M50
402
MARK FREEMAN
48:10
48:11
M60
422
ANDY JAY
49:36
49:55
M50
432
LIZ CROWLEY
51:13
51:14
W35. Women Team
449
SHARON CROWLEY
57:10
57:26
W65
457
CALLIE CHAPMAN
60:05
60:20
W35
Photo Credits – Keith Fenwick and Richard Underwood
Hertfordshire Half and 10K
Happy Spartan LINDA GEORGE ran a new personal best (PB) at Sunday’s Hertfordshire Half Marathon based at Knebworth House. She finished in 2 hours 2 minutes 45 seconds (2:02:45) an improvement of 3 minutes 48 seconds on her previous best which she ran on 22nd October. MARTIN JACOB paced her finishing 780th out of the 1400 finishers in 2:02:46. They said they had a wonderful run. Linda was jumping for joy at the finish.
Linda was super happy with her new PB!
JIM BROWN was third man 70 plus in 2:09:54.
In the 10K, new Spartan SOPHIE PARSONS ran her race in 1:00:10 which was a new personal best beating her previous time of 1:04 set in September. She was joined and supported by PENNY SCHENKEL who finished in 1:00:18 and CLAIRE EMMERSON in 1:00:24.
