On Sunday morning 21 “hardcore” Spartans finished the last race in this season’s cross country league. Meanwhile 12 more were in London for the Winter 10K. On Saturday 37 Spartans ran the Valentine’s Day parkrun in Stevenage – one became a caped crusader.
Sunday’s Cross Country League race in Watford was described as one big squelch. The 21 Spartans who finished have built some bigger characters. Days and days of rain finished off with continuous heavy rain throughout the race meant the route was very wet making for damp shoes, mud splattered everywhere, some tricky stretches and it wasn’t warm!
The fastest Spartan in the 300 plus finishers was DAVID HARRIS-CHERGUIT who was seventh overall. He ran the soggy undulating six miles in 37 minutes 18 seconds (37:18). ADRIAN BUSOLINI was second Spartan at 29th in 39:43 and club captain MIKE JEFFS third in 44:30.
GEORGIE HOOPER was the fastest female from Fairlands at 107th in 48:09 with JODIE KANTAS was second woman in 53:40 and JO COOKSLEY third in 55:03.
Eleven men and ten women finished from FVS which meant the club had complete men’s and women’s teams which is more than can be said for some other clubs.
| Position | Name | Time |
| 7 | DAVID HARRIS-CHERGUIT | 37:18 |
| 29 | ADRIAN BUSOLINI | 39:43 |
| 64 | MIKE JEFFS | 44:30 |
| 107 | GEORGIE HOOPER | 48:09 |
| 123 | DANNY SCANLON | 49:39 |
| 141 | CHARLES ARNOLD | 51:19 |
| 164 | MATT COOKE | 53:00 |
| 178 | JODIE KANTAS | 53:40 |
| 186 | TONY VICKERS | 54:20 |
| 187 | STEPHEN MASSEY | 54:22 |
| 198 | JO COOKSLEY | 55:03 |
| 252 | MARK FREEMAN | 62:29 |
| 253 | SHARON CROWLEY | 62:37 |
| 274 | CLAIRE EMMERSON | 65:59 |
| 275 | LIZ CROWLEY | 65:59 |
| 276 | PENNY SCHENKEL | 66:00 |
| 279 | SAMMIE SUTTON | 66:49 |
| 280 | LLOYD DIAS | 67:17 |
| 290 | JIM BROWN | 71:07 |
| 296 | CALLIE CHAPMAN | 74:15 |
| 301 | JANE DYMOKE | 81:09 |
London Winter 10K
Twelve Spartans were among about 20,000 people who ran the Cancer Research UK London Winter Run on Sunday.
ALISON SHELLEY said to say it was really cold and wet is a bit of an understatement, with rain setting in before we even started and continuing through and after the race. It was impossible to avoid the many big puddles so we just had to embrace the water! Despite this there were over 19,500 finishers. She had a goal to try and finish under the hour but due to the weather decided to not worry about the watch and just do her best with the conditions. So Alison was quite surprised – and happy – when she finished in 56:42 (chip time) with a negative split.
Despite the weather a great day, supporting Cancer Research UK.
ALICE and JOSHUA WELCH both ran the London Winter 10K. This was Joshua’s first race as a Spartan and they both ran new PBs (personal bests). Alice finished in a new 10K PB of 47 minutes 59 seconds (47:59) and Joshua in a new 10K PB of 57:53.
It was also PB time for REBECCA RAYNER. She finished in 63:10.
KEITH HOOKER ran a new personal best of 43:33 but the fastest Spartan was DAVE COOK. He was 14th in the very large field with 34:27.
| Pos | Name | Bib | Category | Chip time |
| 14 | Dave Cook | 27112 | MSEN | 34:27 |
| 951 | Keith Hooker | 817 | M45 | 43:33 |
| 1818 | George Halfpenny | 10931 | MSEN | 46:47 |
| 2244 | Alice Welch | 22847 | FSEN | 47:59 |
| 4848 | Peter Sach | 255 | MSEN | 53:44 |
| 6733 | Alison Shelley | 22119 | F55 | 56:42 |
| 7542 | Joshua Welch | 12349 | MSEN | 57:53 |
| 9080 | Vishal Shah | 4270 | M40 | 1:00:02 |
| 9627 | Karl Shreeve | 9429 | M55 | 1:00:54 |
| 10991 | Rebecca Rayner | 20990 | F40 | 1:03:10 |
| 19206 | Emma Chapman | 6786 | F35 | 1:40:41 |
| 19488 | Lee Potter | 13089 | M35 | 2:00:52 |
Farnborough Half
Spartan SAM TOPHILL beat two hours with 1:59:25 at the Farnborough Half Marathon.
Parkrun Highlights
Chilly but there was a break in the grey skies and 593 finished the Valentine’s Day parkrun in Stevenage on Saturday.
The 37 Spartans included two achieving new milestones. One was a major milestone celebrated by wearing the big red cape round the 5K. MIKE JEFFS FVS men’s club captain ran his 50th parkrun which he finished in 28:09. Just behind him was NICK GILL who finished his 150th in 28:12.
LEE POTTER ran a new parkrun personal best (PPB) of 34:02. New member JADE JENKINS was a first timer with 34:09.
Spartans elsewhere included JESSICA CLARKE 29:09 at Wisbech; REBECCA RAYNER at Southwark in 34:15 and DARRYL STEVENS in Edinburgh with 37:27.
| Position | Gender Position | Parkrunner | Time |
| 15 | 15 | Perri GENTRY | 20:27 |
| 30 | 30 | Stuart ARCHER | 21:44 |
| 32 | 32 | Steve WELLS | 21:47 |
| 45 | 43 | Toby ECCLESHALL | 22:43 |
| 54 | 51 | Alexey ZHERDEV | 22:58 |
| 88 | 83 | Matthew COOKE | 24:19 |
| 157 | 143 | Keith HOOKER | 26:43 |
| 172 | 18 | Karen ELLIS | 27:12 |
| 190 | 162 | Ryan DUNNING | 27:35 |
| 206 | 176 | Lee PICKERSGILL | 27:53 |
| 207 | 28 | Georgie HOOPER | 27:54 |
| 208 | 29 | Lorraine HILL | 27:55 |
| 217 | 182 | Mike JEFFS | 28:09 |
| 218 | 183 | Nick GILL | 28:12 |
| 219 | 184 | Andy PRIOR | 28:12 |
| 228 | 187 | James SOUTH | 28:29 |
| 261 | 204 | Daniel VILJOEN | 29:21 |
| 303 | 65 | Sarah ILLINGWORTH | 30:38 |
| 308 | 236 | Jim BROWN | 30:52 |
| 322 | 245 | Steve PLATT | 31:24 |
| 328 | 75 | Hannah MANTON | 31:42 |
| 338 | 81 | Monica SMITHSON | 32:01 |
| 348 | 87 | Linda GEORGE | 32:24 |
| 352 | 90 | Debbie BLANTERN | 32:27 |
| 355 | 92 | Penny SCHENKEL | 32:35 |
| 393 | 278 | Lee Francis POTTER | 34:02 |
| 394 | 110 | Sally PICKLES | 34:03 |
| 399 | 114 | Alison SHELLEY | 34:07 |
| 401 | 116 | Jade JENKINS | 34:09 |
| 402 | 117 | Sam GENTRY | 34:10 |
| 415 | 127 | Pamela VILJOEN | 34:34 |
| 425 | 290 | Keith MANTON | 34:56 |
| 440 | 139 | Angie KEELING | 35:34 |
| 495 | 317 | Lloyd DIAS | 38:23 |
| 515 | 183 | Julie MANTON | 40:52 |
| 516 | 184 | Stephanie GAJIC | 40:57 |
| 569 | 219 | Samantha SUTTON | 53:50 |