DENNIS WAS A MENACE

For the second week in a row a storm wiped out many events in the UK.  Following hard of the hills of Ciara this time Dennis took out the Hertfordshire County Cross Country Championships for Veterans and popular pre-London Marathon events like the Bramley 20.

However before the full force of Dennis arrived in Stevenage two Spartans achieved BIG Parkrun milestones – FIONA CLARKE ran her 100^th and VERITY FISHER her 300^th – at 9a.m. on Saturday morning.

Barcelona!!

John Roxborough and Richard Cowlishaw travelled to Barcelona this weekend to run the BCN half marathon along with 23,000 other runners.  The weather was perfect, the course was flat and it was a well organised event.  Richard ran it in a time of 1:43.05 and John ran 2:29:30 alongside his wife Sarah to support her as she has recently got back into running again after having a couple of children.  Richard’s wife Maggie also ran her first (and only) half marathon.  They would highly recommend this event for anyone who fancies a European city break and a warmer February run.

Parkrun Highlights 15^th February 2020

The threat of storm Dennis did not deter 33 brave Fairlands Valley Spartans from putting on their trainers and running in eight different Parkrun events this Saturday morning.  In Stevenage, MO WARRILLOW ran a personal best (PB) time of 25 minutes and 44 seconds, while milestone runs saw VERITY FISHER finish her 300^th Parkrun in 28 minutes and 27 seconds and FIONA CLARKE her 100^th in 30 minutes and 40 seconds.  A PB time was also recorded by HANNAH NEALE, who finished as the 10^th female on the Coldham’s Common course in a time of 21 mins and 34 secs.  GRACE BROWN was the second female to finish the Ellenbrook Fields event in 23 mins and 13 secs.

(All this week’s Spartan parkrun results can be found near the end of this release).

Champions Night

Fairlands Valley Spartans presentation evening, dinner and dance will be at the Cromwell Hotel, Old Stevenage on Friday 28^th February.  An amazing 105 members and friends will be there.

Coming Events

The Spartans are growing.  At November 2019 FVS had 346 members, 177 women and 169 men – that’s more than the previous year.

Many Spartans will be enjoying a busy programme of races, social and training events over the next few weeks including:

• Baldock Beast (Half Marathon) on Sunday 23^rd February.
• Serpentine 5K in Hyde Park on Friday 28^th February.
• FVS Champions Night and Dinner on Friday 28^th February.
• Berkhamsted Half Marathon and Five on Sunday 1^st March.
• Hillingdon 20 including Hertfordshire county championships on Sunday 8^th March.
• Half Marathons in Bath, Hampton Court, Milton Keynes and Victoria Park on Sunday 15^th March.
• 200^th Stevenage Parkrun on Saturday 21^st March (exact date will depend on any winter cancellations).
• Orion 15 (classic 15 miles cross country race) at Chingford on Saturday 21^st March.
• Bedford Autodrome 5K, 10K; Half; 16 miles; 20 miles and marathon on Sunday 22^nd March.
• Victoria Park Five on Saturday 28^th March.
• Oakley 20 on Sunday 29^th March.
• FVS training (not a race) twenty on Sunday 29^th March.
• Peterborough Marathon on Sunday 5^th April.
• Sandy Ten on Sunday 5^th April.
• Manchester Marathon on Sunday 5^th May.
• Maidenhead Easter Ten on Friday 10^th April.
• Flitwick 10K on Sunday 19^th April.
• The 2020 London Marathon is on Sunday 26^th April.
• Greenway Challenge (13.1 miles) in Letchworth on Sunday 3^rd May.
• County Track Championships in early May.
• Midweek League Race One (six miles) in Chingford on Thursday 14^th May.
• Bedford Spring Half Marathon on Saturday 16^th May.
• Pednor Five (County Championship) near Chesham on Monday 25^th May.
• Hatfield Broad Oak 10K on Monday 25^th May.
• Mid Week Road Race League Race Two (10K) in Stevenage (FVS) on Thursday 28^th May.
• Mid Week Road Race League Race Three (10K) in St. Albans on Thursday 4^th June.
• Welwyn 10K at Stanborough (new date).
• St Albans Half Marathon (and Stevenage Day) on Sunday 14^th June.
• Welwyn 10K (including County senior championships) on Sunday 28^th June.
• Mid Week Road Race League Race Four (9K) in Trent Park on Thursday 2^nd July.
• Mid Week Road Race League Mob Match (10K) in Welwyn Garden City on Thursday 16^th July.
• Fairlands Valley Challenge in Stevenage on Sunday 19^th July.
• Relays in the Park (3K stages) in Fairlands Valley Park on Thursday 23^rd July.
• St. Albans 10K on Sunday 2^nd August.
• Bearbrook 10K in Aylesbury on Sunday 2^nd August.
• Burnham Beeches Half Marathon on Sunday 9^th August.
• Clacton Half Marathon and 10K on Sunday 16^th August.
• Bedford Half Marathon on Sunday 6^th September.
• Standalone 10K (including County veteran championships) on Sunday 4^th October (TBC).
• Great Eastern Run (half marathon) in Peterborough on Sunday 11^th October.
• Stevenage Half Marathon (including County senior championships) on Sunday 1^st November (TBC).
• St Neots Half Marathon on Sunday 15^th November.
• Bass Belle ten miles on Sunday 29^th November.

Tables

Spartan Parkruns on Saturday 15^th February: