It just started to drip at the start then the rain got harder and harder throughout Sunday’s cross country league race at Watford’s Cassiobury Park but 27 from Fairlands Valley Spartans completed the testing six mile event with ANDREW PATTERSON winning in just 34 minutes 50 seconds.
GABRIELLE O’BRIEN was the fastest female from Fairlands with 49 minutes 32 seconds.
JONATHAN PARR and ADRIAN BUSOLINI were both top twenty overall with Jonathan seventh with 36:49 and Adrian 13th with 37:30.
A good turnout of some of their faster men meant the Spartan men’s “A” team moved up to fourth out of 21 clubs compared with seventh at the first race on 15th October. The club’s women were seventh. The men’s “B” team were second out of eight.
There were 18 FVS men and 9 women.
| Position | M/F | Name | Official Time | Comments |
| 1 | 1 | ANDREW PATTERSON | 34:50 | V40. “A” team |
| 7 | 7 | JONATHAN PARR | 36:49 | SM. “A” team |
| 13 | 13 | ADRIAN BUSOLINI | 37:30 | SM. “A” team |
| 49 | 47 | NICK GILL | 41:09 | SM. “A” team |
| 51 | 48 | GRANT RAMSAY | 41:19 | V50. “A” team. |
| 111 | 97 | MATT NEWTON | 46:12 | V40. “A” team. |
| 112 | 98 | STUART ARCHER | 46:14 | SM. “A” team. |
| 116 | 102 | MIKE JEFFS | 46:25 | SM. “A” team. |
| 154 | 133 | MATT GIFFORD | 48:39 | V50 |
| 163 | 139 | DANNY SCANLON | 49:04 | V40 |
| 169 | 27F | GABRIELLE O’BRIEN | 49:32 | SL |
| 178 | 147 | BRIAN WHITE | 50:14 | V60 |
| 240 | 184 | TOBY ECCLESHALL | 54:02 | SM |
| 241 | 57F | YUKO GORDON | 54:05 | FV65 |
| 251 | 191 | DARREN EMMERSON | 54:26 | V50 |
| 252 | 61F | TRACEY JACKSON | 54:27 | FV45 |
| 260 | 65F | SALLY REEVES | 54:39 | FV45 |
| 322 | 226 | TIM ROBINSON | 59:28 | V50 |
| 323 | 97F | WENDY THARANI | 59:34 | FV45 |
| 336 | 229 | DAVID ACKERY | 60:52 | SM |
| 345 | 113F | CLAIRE EMMERSON | 62:07 | FV45 |
| 348 | 115F | ANNABELLE WHITE | 62:08 | SL |
| 356 | 235 | MARK FREEMAN | 63:57 | V60 |
| 366 | 239 | ANDY JAY | 64:49 | V50 |
| 379 | 243 | JIM BROWN | 68:20 | V70 |
| 392 | 147F | CALLIE CHAPMAN | 81:32 | FV35 |
| 393 | 148F | MICHELLE HOLTON | 81:32 | FV45 |
Marathon Eryri – Snowdon Marathon
This years Snowdon Marathon, now known as the Marathon Eryri took place on Saturday. SHARON CROWLEY completed her 30th consecutive Snowdon marathon in 6:18:29 and continues to have run more Snowdon marathons than any other female. But none of this year’s finishers have run more Snowdons than PAUL HOLGATE who despite having his preparations hampered by a hamstring injury still managed to complete his 33rdconsecutive Snowdon marathon in 8:20:55. Both regulars were this year joined by a third Spartan, THOMAS SAUKA, whose comments at the end were “What an event, I can see why people love the Marathon Eryri so much, I thought I could sneak under 5 hours but it wasn’t possible in the end, now let the beer flow” as he finished in 5 hours 7 minutes 50 seconds.
Great South Run (10 miles)
Recently four from the Spartans Introduction to Running Group enjoyed the Great South Run race in Portsmouth. And each one achieved a Personal Best!!
The Great South Run is a flat course around Portsmouth and the docks with bag pipes, drums and a choir along the route – a really fun run!
SALLY PICKLES went round in 1:56:23; JUDY KING in 2:02:17; RACHAEL MILLER in 2:04:25 and NICOLA HATHERLY in 2:04:27.
Nicola and Judy had a sea swim later, to refresh tired legs – it was warmer in than out!
Serpentine Series
It was sunny, mild, with a light breeze in Hyde Park for the 31st anniversary Last Friday of the Month 5K. JIM BROWN was 170th in 27 minutes 20 seconds (27:20). Second man over 70 by 3 seconds – closing down towards the end but not quite fast enough.
That’s ten of the Serpentine runs done this year. More than enough for a series.
Parkrun Highlights for Saturday 28th October
For the Consolidated Results please click the link