Third League Race 12th June
Fairlands Valley Spartans have it all to run for in the last two Mid Week Road Race League fixtures. With two done and two to go only one point separates the last three clubs. With a big effort the Spartans will avoid relegation.
The turnout of Spartans at Wednesday’s race in Chingford, a difficult venue to get to from Stevenage after work, was lower than for the club’s home fixture resulting in FVS finishing sixth in all of the races to drop into the relegation zone at the half way stage of the competition. However the battle for survival could not be any closer with Orion Harriers on 10 points and both Garden City Runners and Fairlands Valley Spartans with 9 points.
Indeed just one more female runner of 51 minutes or quicker would have been enough to have maintained 4th position overall, proving once again that if the Spartans can get enough members to turn out they will stay in division one. The next fixture is this Thursday (12th June) in Trent Park.
At Chingford Grant Ramsay continued his excellent form from race 1 finishing 11th overall and 3rd V40 in 34:57. Simon Jackson was close behind in 14th position with 35:10. Andrew Patterson was third Spartan home in 35:55, 12 seconds quicker than in 2013, followed by Todd Gray in 39:00. Davie Stafford 39:39 was 1:30 faster than last year and Pete Smith 41:21 was 41 seconds better than in 2013.
Tracy Pez led the ladies home in 19th position overall and 6th V35 in 43:41, 2:02 faster than last year, followed by Michelle Reeves 46:50, Clare Moore 47:39, 1:48 better than 2013, Hazel Clark 48:16, and Isabel Green 49:09.
Dyfed Thomson-Smith also improved his time on 2013, by 29 seconds to 49:45, as did Maria Thorne +0:42 to 56:04, and Steve Gough +1:15 to 57:10.
Position Name Time Comments
11 Grant Ramsay 34:57 3rd Vet 40
14 Simon Jackson 35:13
18 Andy Patterson 35:55
64 Todd Gray 39:00
69 Davie Stafford 39:39
92 Pete Smith 41:21
96 Graham Blackburn 41:29
116 Matt Gill 42:49
125 Steve Elder 43:30
128 Tracy Pez (F) 43:41
136 Barry Osborne 42:28
138 Andrew Jordan 44:25
140 Ryan Dunning 44:52
142 Mark Goodwin 44:49
166 Vishal Shah 45:30
170 Craig Bacon 46:24
175 Jon Sypula 46:33
178 Bernie Barnaby 46:49
179 Michelle Reeves (F) 46:50
184 Andy Churn 47:25
187 Clare Moore (F) 47:39
194 Hazel Clark (F) 48:16
206 Isabel Green (F) 49:09
218 Andy Jay 49:44
221 Dyfed Thomson-Smith 49:45
231 Barry King 50:03
239 Dawn Easby (F) 51:04
260 Karen Ellis (F) 54:00
263 Jeanette Collins (F) 54:04
265 Felicity Evans (F) 54:22
270 Nick Witcombe 55:11
275 Maria Thorne (F) 56:04
281 Paul Holgate 56:15
283 Sophie Cowan (F) 56:56
288 Steve Gough 57:10
296 David Peach 58:36
302 Jan Fry (F) 58:52
311 Julie Shadbolt (F) 1:00:35
Maddie Wins In Letchworth
Spartan MADDIE PRITCHARD was first lady in the first Saturday of the month 5K race at Letchworth. She was 13th overall in 21 minutes 14 seconds. JOHN HARRIS was 11th in 20:36 and BARBARA WILSON 44th in 26:51.
Hot Half
Despite the heat and hills MANESH CHUDASAMA ran the 33rd St Albans Half Marathon on Sunday in an excellent 1 hour 38 minutes 30 seconds. JEANNETTE COLLINS finished in 2:11:09.
Poppy Line
On Sunday CAROL PAUL and MIKE NEWBITT ran the Poppy Line 30 year anniversary event which was 30 miles off road from Sheringham in Norfolk. The weather was really hot and humid and the course had a couple of big hills at the beginning and then another couple of big hills near the finish. They both finished in a time of 7 hours 29 minutes 18 seconds.
Southend Half Marathon
Very warm day along the seafront between Shoebury and Southend sadly resulting in one 30 year old runner collapsing after the finish line with first aiders unable to revive him. Paul Holgate finished 1515 of 2132 finishers in 2 hours 17 minutes 38 seconds.
Coming Events
Many Spartans will be enjoying a busy programme of races, social and training events over the next few weeks including the:
• Third Road Race League (9K) race in Trent Park on Thursday 12th June
• Serpentine 5K on Friday 27th 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
• Serpentine 5K on Friday 18th July (Note not 25th).
• 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
• Spartans Fall Ball in Stevenage on Friday 26th 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