COUNTY CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS

Spartan JONATHAN PARR was a top ten finisher in Sunday’s Hertfordshire County Cross Country Championships for seniors (aged 20 and over).  Fifteen Fairlands Valley Spartans tackled the championships which were at Stanborough Park, Welwyn Garden City.   

The county championships are a real step up in standard and this was a chance for Spartans to test themselves against many of the best in Hertfordshire. 

First the women went on an eight kilometres (about five miles) course.  NICOLA ANDERSSON was the fastest female from Fairlands with 43 minutes 38 seconds and in 53^rd place.  Next came LINDA NOLAN 67^th in 51:45.  SHARON CROWLEY came in 71^st with 55:23; CATHY CRAIG 73^rd with 57:23 and NIKKI NATION 74^th in 60:43.  Women’s teams consisted of the four fastest runners. 

The men raced 11.25 kilometres (about seven miles) over five full laps.  Jonathan Parr came in eighth in 46 minutes 48 seconds.  Six men counted towards the team championships.  Despite missing some of their faster runners the Spartans men’s team were 13^th. 

PAUL HEWETT was 58^th in 53:45 and STUART ARCHER 69^th in 55:16.  The other “counters” were JOHN HARRIS 90^th in 58:57; MARK WILLIAMS 99^th in 60:13 and MARTIN WOOD 111^th in 63:25.  There were 127 finishers. 

(Result tables towards the end of this release). 

There’s another opportunity to try cross country this weekend.  The league race at Watford on Sunday morning 16^th January. 

Victoria Park Half 

Both GERRY ROSEN and ROB WRIGHT competed in the Victoria Park Half Marathon on Sunday.  Gerry said it wasn’t pretty. Rob helped get him round after a non existent few weeks running.  They both finished in 2 hours 39 minutes 26 seconds. 

Tony at the Essex Run Fest 

New member TONY RANDFIELD ran the 5K at the Essex Runfest at Carver Barracks, Debden near Saffron Walden.  He was fourth on chip time with 21 minutes 50 seconds and first in the men 60 plus category.  There were 27 finishers.  Tony said icy conditions prevented a really fast time but it is a flattish and fast course normally. 

Parkrun report for 8^th January 

In this week’s roundup of Spartans on the Parkrun circuit, two Spartans get a top ten place finish at Stevenage – GRANT RAMSAY fifth in 19 minutes 35 seconds and DANNY SCANLON 10^th in 20:10.  ASHLEY JOHNSON was third woman at Stevenage in a course PB (personal best) of 22:06.  STEVE WELLS just missed out on a sub-20 minute time at Poole.  

Stevenage Parkrun Results where 326 runners including 31 Spartans took part.   GRANT RAMSAY 19 minutes 35 seconds (5th), DANNY SCANLON 20-10 (10th), ASHLEY JOHNSON 22-06 (32nd and third female finisher, plus course PB), TONY RANDFIELD 22-52 (38th), SAM SIMMONS 24-13 (60th), HAZEL SMITH 24-14 (61^st, 5^th female and 1^st in her age category), MARTIN DUDLEY 24-30 (70th), DARREN EMMERSON 24-40 (72nd), MARIAN MORLEY 26-23 (106th and course PB), NICK KLEANTHOUS 26-39 (111th), MATT CLARKE 26-55 (114th), LEE PICKERSGILL 27-21 (124th), NICOLA ANDERSSON 28-18 (138th), DEBBIE BLANTERN 28-46 (154th), GRACE COVENTRY 29-00 (167th), SUSAN MCANENY 29-08 (168th), ZOE JACKSON 29-08 (169th), JIM BROWN 29-30 (175th), MIKE REYNOLDS 29-32 (176th), CLAIRE EMMERSON 31-08 (212nd), DAVID SCOTT 31-08 (213th), CAROLE SHELDRICK 31-43 (224th), CAROLINE CROFT 31-46 (226th), CHARLOTTE KEARNEY 32-42 (240th), PAUL JENNINGS 32-59 (243rd), CALLIE CHAPMAN 34-11 (255th), MO WARRILLOW 39-39 (302nd), STEVEN DOBNER 48-48 (322nd), DAVID PATTMAN 48-48 (323rd) and ROGER BIGGS 49-42 (324th). 

Away days:  

Poole (Dorset): STEVE WELLS 20-08 (26th out of 508 runners).  Brockenhurst (Hampshire): DARRYL STEVENS 46-56 (124th out of 124th runners).    

Tables 

Hertfordshire Cross Country Championships 

Women (8 kilometres – 5 miles).  Teams of four. 

Position	BiB	Name	Unofficial Time
53	621	NICOLA ANDERSSON	43:38
67	626	LINDA NOLAN	51:45
71	623	SHARON CROWLEY	55:23
73	622	CATHY CRAIG	57:23
74	625	NIKKI NATION	60:43

74 finishers 

Men (11.25 kilometres – 7 miles).  Teams of six. 

Position	BiB	Name	Unofficial Time
8	448	JON PARR	46:48
58	444	PAUL HEWETT	53:45
69	439	STUART ARCHER	55:16
90	443	JOHN HARRIS	58:57
99	454	MARK WILLIAMS	60:13
111	455	MARTIN WOOD	63:25
112	451	TOM SAUKA	64:08
125	450	TIM ROBINSON	73:35
126	446	ANDY JAY	73:54
127	450	JONATHAN JONES	74:46

127 finishers.  13^th team.