Well done STUART HAYCROFT. He travelled to New York to attempt to qualify for a London good for age spot. Despite struggling with jet lag, Stuart managed to cut just over 40 minutes off his marathon personal best (PB) with a time of 3:14:03, thereby achieving qualification. Crowd support was amazing, they mean it when they say there are over a million spectators. You run through all 5 boroughs and each one has such a unique feel.
This marathon is definitely one for the bucket list.
Sunday, 5th November 2017 – Marathon Des Alpes-Maritimes
The Marathon Des Alpes Maritimes is the second biggest in France, second only to Paris. There were 6,600 runners last year.
The promised thunderstorm came overnight, but luckily the rain had cleared for the 8am start. The race started on Nice promenade, then hugged the coast all the way to Cannes. Basically flat, ROGER BIGGS was pleased to get close to five hours, finishing in 5 hours 3 minutes 14 seconds.
A Good Deal For Jenny
Spartan JENNY GARRETT was in Kent for the Deal Castle Run. She ran the five miles in 41 minutes 42 seconds.
Battle for the Top in the Women’s Championships
Two months to go and the Fairlands Valley Spartans Club Championships for 2017 are getting very competitive. SUZY HAWKINS leads the women’s short distance championships with 67.9% ahead of JULIE SIMMONS on 60.2% and ERICA GRAYSON on 54.2% but bubbling under with just one more counting race to complete are ALISON WOOD on 73.9%; RUTH REILLY on 67.1%; NICOLA KENNEDY on 65.7%; HANNAH NEALE on 65.6%; ISABEL GREEN on 65.5%; CLAIRE PULLEN on 65.3%; MADDIE PRITCHARD on 64.0%; and VERITY FISHER on 63.8%. Julie Simmons leads the age related table with 78.3%.
Parkrun Reports
KEITH COUGHLIN was first Spartan finisher at a very wet Fairlands Valley course, finishing third in 18 mins 43 seconds.
JO BOWDERY was third woman to finish in 23:20, knocking over three minutes off her previous course best set in May. Seventeen Spartans ran at Stevenage. The other fifteen were CLIVE CANNON 23:24; RYAN DUNNING 23:45; VERITY FISHER 24:02; LEE PICKERSGILL 24:51; DAVID SCOTT 24:54; TIM ROBINSON 24:55; KARTIK SHARMA 25:36; DANIEL SUTTON 26:17; JAMES SOUTH 27:52; HAZEL SMITH 28:31; CALLIE CHAPMAN 28:37; club secretary KAREN PALMER 29:19; CATHY CRAIG 29:21; PAUL HOLGATE 29:53 and ELLA GOWER 33:24.
Full parkrun results for the week:
Stevenage | ||||
Pos | Gender Pos | parkrunner | Run Time | Notes |
3 | 3 | Keith COUGHLIN | 00:18:43 | |
27 | 3 | Jo BOWDERY | 00:23:20 | **New Course PB** |
29 | 26 | Clive CANNON | 00:23:24 | |
34 | 31 | Ryan DUNNING | 00:23:45 | |
38 | 4 | Verity FISHER | 00:24:02 | |
44 | 40 | Lee PICKERSGILL | 00:24:51 | |
45 | 41 | David SCOTT | 00:24:54 | |
46 | 42 | Tim ROBINSON | 00:24:55 | |
55 | 50 | Kartik SHARMA | 00:25:36 | |
57 | 51 | Daniel SUTTON | 00:26:17 | |
70 | 60 | James SOUTH | 00:27:52 | |
80 | 14 | Hazel SMITH | 00:28:31 | |
82 | 15 | Callie CHAPMAN | 00:28:37 | |
90 | 18 | Karen PALMER | 00:29:19 | |
92 | 19 | Catherine CRAIG | 00:29:21 | |
97 | 76 | Paul HOLGATE | 00:29:53 | |
133 | 40 | Ella GOWER | 00:33:24 | |
Panshanger | ||||
Pos | Gender Pos | parkrunner | Run Time | |
64 | 53 | Andy JAY | 00:25:10 | |
112 | 89 | Sam SIMMONS | 00:27:42 | |
120 | 97 | Paul WHYTE | 00:28:14 | |
Hove | ||||
Pos | Gender Pos | parkrunner | Run Time | |
1 | 1 | Craig HALSEY | 00:16:55 |
Coming Events
Many Spartans will be enjoying a busy programme of races, social and training events over the next few weeks including:
- Cross Country League at Trent Park on Sunday 12th November.
- St Neots Half Marathon on Sunday 19th November.
- Spartans AGM in Stevenage on Friday 24th November.
- Wolverton Five at Milton Keynes on Saturday 25th November.
- Hertfordshire Five Mile Championship for Veterans at Hatfield on Sunday 26th Nov.
- Bass Belle 10 near Royston on Sunday 26th November.
- Bedford Harriers Half Marathon on Sunday 3rd December.
- Spartans Christmas Party with an 80s theme on Friday 8th December.
- Festive Five at Welwyn Garden City on Sunday 10th December.
- Cross Country League at Willian on Sunday 17th December.
- Witham Five on Tuesday 26th December.
- Buntingford Year End 10 on Sunday 31st December.
- New Year 10K in Hyde Park on Monday 1st January 2018.
- County Cross Country Championships at Cassiobury Park on Sunday 7th January.
- Cross Country League at Watford on Sunday 14th January.
- Fred Hughes 10 miles including senior county championships at St. Albans on Sunday 21st January.
- Southern Cross Country Championships on Saturday 27th January.
- Watford Half Marathon inc. veteran championships on Sunday 4th February.
- Bramley 20/10 (20 miles or 10 miles) on Sunday 11th February.
- St Valentine’s 30K at Stamford on Sunday 11th February.
- Cross Country League at Royston on Sunday 18th February.
- Baldock Beast on Sunday 25th February.
- Welwyn Half Marathon on Sunday 4th March.
- Finchley 20 miles (including Herts County) on Sunday 18th March.
- Oakley 20 miles on Sunday 18th March.
- Orion 15 at Chingford (Epping Forest) on Saturday 24th March.
- London Marathon on Sunday 22nd April.
- Stirling Marathon on Sunday 29th April.