Spartan CRAIG HALSEY won Sunday’s Lee Valley 10K in a season’s best 34 minutes 34 seconds, 2 minutes 16 seconds ahead of the next runner. In the Lee Valley Half Marathon JIM BROWN won the veteran (60 plus) category in 1 hour 46 minutes 5 seconds, he was 8 minutes 38 seconds ahead of his nearest rival and improved his 2016 time by 3:04.
TIM SABAN was the fastest Spartan in the half with 1:33:20. JAN FRY was second woman (60 plus) in 2:25:32. Despite blisters from five miles KAREN BROOM finished in 2:25:49.
Meanwhile KELLY CHAPMAN and CAREN THAIN ran the 10K in 1:21:38 and 1:21:39. Altogether there were 793 finishers. This was an opportunity to compete at an Olympic venue and the conditions were ideal.
Oakley 20
BRIAN WHITE was first man 60 plus in the Oakley 20 with a fantastic time of 2:20:19 which gave him 56th place overall out of the 813 finishers. MIKE GREEN was 100th in 2:28:05 and PETE SMITH 111th in 2:29:45.
On a perfect day for running the first female for Fairlands was ISABEL GREEN 328th in 2:52:33. JENNY PAUL ran her second twenty mile race in 3:29:42. She agreed with the course description of challenging and undulating but said the event was very well organised with a great atmosphere. This year’s participation prize was a bright yellow hoodie.
Number | Name | Time | |
56 | BRIAN WHITE | 2:20:18 | 1st Vet 60 |
100 | MIKE GREEN | 2:28:05 | |
113 | PETER SMITH | 2:29:45 | |
328 | ISABEL GREEN | 2:52:33 | |
679 | JENNY PAUL | 3:29:42 |
There were 813 finishers.
Manchester Marathon
NICK GILL said it wouldn’t be a marathon if you didn’t get cramp, right? He suffered two bouts during the Manchester Marathon, in one leg at 23 miles and the other at 24.5 but he made it – finishing in 3 hours 47 minutes 35 seconds. Nick was absolutely chuffed with the time, a PB (personal best) by21 minutes 24 seconds. They said it was flat, fast with PB potential – and Manchester duly delivered!
Rome Marathon
What a race, said STEFFAN FORD about the Rome Marathon! A bucket list contender for sure. He loved it, with a thunderstorm and lighting! With the starting music of the gladiator theme – now we are free. He raced a PB (personal best) on a course that finished with a two mile incline – somebody kept that quiet! Although his stomach was not in the best of moods with him losing count of the number of stops he secured a GFA (Good For Age) place for the London Marathon with a sub 3 time of 2 hours 58 minutes 44 seconds.
Yakima River Canyon Marathon – Saturday, 1st April 2017
The Yakima River Canyon event was billed as a downhill marathon, but with mile long climbs at 15 and 22 miles, on a course that follows the entire length of the Yakima River Canyon, from Ellensburg to Selah in Washington State, USA. With the sun shining on a truly beautiful course, ROGER BIGGS completed the 26.2 miles in 4:53:14
Black Dog
On Sunday CAROL PAUL ran the Bungay Black Dog marathon. On a very sunny day and on a hilly/undulating two lap course she completed the marathon in 4:22:28. Carol was 3 minutes quicker than last year at the same event.
Serpentine
Warming up for Sunday’s Half Marathon JIM BROWN ran the Serpentine Last Friday of the Month 5K. He improved his best 5K time of the year by twenty seconds as he completed the Hyde Park run in 23 minutes 57 seconds.
Prom Racing PB
RICHARD KENNEDY did the latest round of the Douglas Prom Race Series on Saturday. It was a new PB for him of 19:43, his first time under 20 minutes. Perfect conditions for running and a nice warm up before Brighton Marathon next week
parkrun reports
VERITY FISHER was first woman to finish at Stevenage parkrun at the weekend, clocking 23 mins 05 secs to get within 10 seconds of her best time at the course. NIKKI WILBY made it a Spartan 1:2, finishing in 24:22 for a new course PB (personal best). SALLY PHILLIPS in 32:29 was 37th.
For the men, JOHN HARRIS ran 19:30 to finish fourth with LIAM ERRINGTON (22:02) finishing 18th. DANIEL SUTTON (22:48, new course PB), MARK BEASLEY (22:59), CHRIS HOLLAND (23:07) and DARREN EMMERSON (23:50) all achieved top 50 finishes. The other Spartans running were PETER CARPENTER (32:38), SELVAN NAICKER (34:44, new course PB) and JAMES SOUTH (37:55).
Elesewhere THOMAS SAUKA finished 13th at Oak Hill in 20:21, a new course PB. TIM SABAN was at Cassiobury Park where he was 12th in 20:16, as second outside his best there. TIM ROBINSON went to Panshanger where he clocked 24:29.
Further afield ALEXANDRA WHITEHOUSE ran at Bath Skyline, stopping the clock at 30:16, and DARRYL STEVENS ran at the inaugural running of the new parkrun at Whitely, clocking 42.25.
Finally JANA HAYCROFT and STUART HAYCROFT both clocked a time of 32:32 at Uvongu parkrun in South Africa.
London Calling
Fairlands Valley Spartans are organising a coach to the start of the London Marathon on Sunday 23rd April. The club have spaces left on the coach for anyone who would like a lift to the start area at Greenwich Park & Blackheath. The cost is £10 per person, leaving the Old Town at 06:30hrs. Have a look at www.fvspartans.org.uk
Coming Events
Many Spartans will be enjoying a busy programme of races, social and training events over the next few weeks. The opportunities include:
- Timed 1500 at Ridlins Track on Saturday 8th April. Please enter in advance.
- Brighton Marathon on Sunday 9th April.
- Maidenhead Easter Ten on Friday 14th April.
- London Marathon on Sunday 23rd April.
- Serpentine 5K in Hyde Park on Friday 28th April.
- County 1500 Championships in Stevenage on Monday 1st May.
- Herts County Five Mile Championships for Seniors at Pednor on 1st May.
- EMAC Track and Field at Bedford on Wednesday 3rd May.
- Dereham 10 (ten miles) on Sunday 7th May.
- First Mid Week Road Race League match on Wednesday 10th May.
- Ross Peers Half Marathon on Sunday 14th May.
- Summer Solstice 10K at St Albans on Tuesday 16th May.
- Stirling Marathon on Sunday 21st May.
- Mid Week Road Race League in Stevenage on Wednesday 24th May.
- EMAC Track and Field at Cambridge on Wednesday 7th June.
- Mid Week Road Race League in Hitchin on Wednesday 14th June.
- Herts Veteran 10K Championships at Welwyn on Sunday 25th June.
- Mid Week Road Race League from Ridlins on Wednesday 28th June.
- EMAC Track and Field at Milton Keynes on Wednesday 5th July.
- Mob Match at Welwyn Garden City on Thursday 13th July.
- Fairlands Valley Challenge from Stevenage on 15th and 16th July
- EMAC Track and Field at Stevenage on Wednesday 26th July.
- Fairlands Valley Relays in Stevenage on Thursday 27th July.
- Herts Senior 5K Championships at Hatfield on Wednesday 30th August.
- Herts Veteran 5K Championships at Hatfield on Wednesday 13th September.
- Herts Senior 10K Championships at Standalone on Sunday 1st October.
- Peterborough Half Marathon on Sunday 8th October.
- Stevenage Half Marathon on Sunday 22nd October.
- St Neots Half Marathon on Sunday 19th November. Enter fast.
- Hertfordshire Five Mile Championship for Veterans at Hatfield on Sunday 26th Nov.
- Bass Belle 10 near Royston on Sunday 26th November.