Cross Country is back and despite many other races elsewhere 27 Spartans, 15 men and 12 women, ran the first Sunday League fixture of 2021 at Cheshunt on Sunday morning. A little bit of rain loosened up what is usually a very dry event at the start of the season.
The fastest Spartan, eleventh of about 400 runners, was JONATHAN PARR who raced around the just under five miles event in 28 minutes 48 seconds. Four other Spartans were in the top one hundred overall. They were ADRIAN BUSOLINI (25th in 30:31); STEVE WELLS (81st in 32:53); DANNY SCANLON (88th in 33:18); and GRANT RAMSAY (98th in 33:41). The men’s “A” team of eight was completed by JOHN HARRIS (36:04); TOM SAUKA (37:03) and TOBY ECCLESHALL (37:50).
It was teams of five for the women’s race and the Spartans “A” team were CHRISTINE LATHWELL (32:30); TRACEY JACKSON (38:19); WENDY THARANI (43:44); NICOLA ANDERSSON (45:06) and PENNY SCHENKEL (47:47).
FVS men at cross country (teams of eight):
Overall Position | Name | Time | Comments |
11 | JON PARR | 28:48 | A team |
25 | ADRIAN BUSOLINI | 30:31 | A team |
81 | STEVE WELLS | 32:53 | A team |
88 | DANNY SCANLON | 33:18 | A team |
98 | GRANT RAMSAY | 33:41 | A team |
145 | JOHN HARRIS | 36:04 | A team |
164 | TOM SAUKA | 37:03 | A team |
178 | TOBY ECCLESHALL | 37:50 | A team |
213 | DAVE PATTMAN | 39:35 | |
214 | STEVE DOBNER | 39:36 | |
290 | ANDY JAY | 43:19 | |
303 | NICK KLEANTHOUS | 44:26 | |
336 | JIM BROWN | 47:36 | |
351 | KEN JUDE | 48:29 | |
368 | SIMON SYPULA | 51:30* |
FVS women at cross country (teams of five):
Overall Position | Name | Time | Comments |
74 | CHRISTINE LATHWELL | 32:30 | A team |
195 | TRACEY JACKSON | 38:19 | A team |
293 | WENDY THARANI | 43:44 | A team |
309 | NICHOLA ANDERSSON | 45:06 | A team |
341 | PENNY SCHENKEL | 47:47 | A team |
371 | CATHY CRAIG | 53:19 | B team |
375 | SHARON CROWLEY | 54:33 | B team |
384 | CALLIE CHAPMAN | 57:11 | B team |
385 | KAREN ELLIS | 57:11 | B team |
386 | HAZEL SMITH | 57:11 | B team |
387 | BETH FOLEY | 57:11 | |
390 | JANE WHITROW | 59:27 |
- The next cross country league race will be in Trent Park, North London on Sunday 12th December.
Chelmsford Marathon
PETE SMITH said the Chelmsford Marathon was a well organised race, great marshals (like ours) a touch undulating and with a few tight turns, but generally a good course. Pete was well happy with his 3 hours 26 minutes 24 seconds. MARIE COLUCCI just wanted to get round but got a brilliant 4:03:10.
Paris Marathon
JOHN NELMS travelled to Paris to run his 102nd lifetime marathon and his 16th and probably last of 2021.
Hot, sunny and surprisingly humid conditions slowed the times and he finished in a comfortable 4 hours 19 minutes. A beautiful course passing most of the famous Parisian sights and a VIP tent at the finish line (thank you Tom Robinson )
Bedford Autodrome
STUART ARCHER ran Bedford Autodrome on Sunday. He did the half marathon distance in 1:29:15, under one and a half hours. He said that it was a breezy course but he enjoyed it and even got a picture with the Stig afterwards.
Oxford Half
Spartan RICHARD COWLISHAW completed the Oxford Half on Sunday in 1 hour 33 minutes and 32 seconds. That’s his fastest ever competitive half marathon. He was 491st out of 12932 runners.
Richard said, “This is one of the best half marathons I have run. It was flat, perfect weather, great crowds and a good wide route, with a park run towards the end. I would recommend this event to anyone.”
Cambridge Half
CAROLYN LINSELL ran the Cambridge Half Marathon in 2 hours 26 minutes 12 seconds. Carolyn said, “On Sunday I ran my fourth Cambridge Half Marathon with my friend Hannah Morgan Gray (we ran the virtual VLM – Virtual London Marathon together two weeks ago). We were going well when Hannah felt a niggle in her ankle/foot & we had to slow right down & she had to walk several times. I kept running & zig zagging as I promised we would run this together & I would not leave her.”
Great South Run
JENNY GARRETT ran the Great South Run ten miles event in 1 hour 31 minutes 33 seconds.
She said there were perfect running conditions on Sunday with lots of support around the whole course and it was nice to be out showing off the Spartan stripes. ED HARE finished in 1 hour 26 minutes 17 seconds and JONATHAN JONES in 2:00:51.
Inspired by the London and Manchester Marathons? Here Comes The Stevenage Half!
Inspired by the London and Manchester Marathons? Now you can be one of hundreds running in Stevenage on Sunday 21st November as entries for the town’s half marathon are open.
With only five weeks to go to the Stevenage Half Marathon it’s time to start getting ready and entered. This year the race will be on Sunday 21st November (a couple of weeks later than usual).
Entries for the Stevenage Half Marathon are open. Go to https://stevenagehalfmarathon.org.uk/ This club and community event has a history going back 37 years and is organised by Fairlands Valley Spartans. With a break due to Covid 19 in 2020 it’s back for 2021.
Parkrun report for Saturday 9th October 2021
In this week’s roundup of Spartans on the Parkrun circuit, SUZY HAWKINS just missed out on a sub-20 minute at Stevenage and was second female to finish (finishing eight seconds behind the first female runner).
Stevenage Parkrun Results where 327 runners took part. SUZY HAWKINS 20-05 (8th), ASHLEY SCHOENWETTER 22-14 (24th and 4th female), CRAIG BACON 23-38 (47th), MARTIN DUDLEY 23-48 (51st), HAZEL SMITH 24-22 (63rd), DANIK BATES 25-14 (83rd and with a buggy), MATT CLARKE 26-46 (126th), NICK KLEANTHOUS 27-34 (137th), JIM BROWN 28-01 (141st), PENNY SCHENKEL 28-11 (142nd), TOBY ECCLESHALL 28-35 (150th), CHLOE CHAPMAN 28-42 (155th), ERICA GRAYSON 29-13 (172nd), JO BOWDERY 29-18 (176th), STEVE SMITHSON 29-34 (184th), PAUL JENNINGS 30-16 (195th), TRACEY HAYGRATH 31-34 (231st), CAROLINE CROFT 31-41 (237th) and BETH FOLEY 33-53 (266th).
Parkrun Away days:
Gunpowder (Waltham Abbey): STEVEN DOBNER 23-34 (40th out of 152 runners), DAVID PATTMAN 23-34 (41st).
Letchworth (Hertfordshire): NICK GILL 21-48 (12th out of 94 runners), GEORGIE HOOPER 26-01 (38th).
Panshanger (Hertford): MIKE REYNOLDS 25-06 (62nd out of 207 runners).
Rushmere (Bedfordshire): MICHAEL O’KEEFE 29-31 (73rd out of 141 runners).
Rutland Water (Rutland): DARRYL STEVENS 41-39 (210th).