Spartan SAM TOPHILL said the Farnborough Winter Half Marathon was a really well organised and popular event – 3000 capacity sell out! Traffic free and reasonably flat. Samantha beat two hours with a chip time of 1 hour 55 minutes 18 seconds – and the goody bag was pretty good.
Punchbowl Devil
The Punchbowl Marathon passes through some of the best of the Surrey countryside and Spartan THOMAS SAUKA completed the 30 mile option in 7 hours 32 minutes.
The event is a walk (or run) on the footpaths and bridleways of Surrey. It is a challenge not a race. Two routes were offered – 30 and 20 miles – both started in Tilford and passed around the scenic Devil’s Punchbowl with the 30 visiting Elstead, Frensham Ponds and Seale, passing over Crooksbury Hill and the commons of Hankley, Elstead, Puttenham, Ockley and Frensham.
It’s a bit different. Participants are required to carry a cup/mug, compass, route description, map case & whistle, hat & gloves, waterproofs, good torch for those finishing after 5pm, and warm clothing.
Run for the Cake
Karen Liddle and Tricia Hopper completed the Run for the Cake Trail Marathon. It was organised by Zig Zag Running and consisted of eight laps around Ferry Meadows in Peterborough. The finished in a time of 5 hours and 46 minutes.
A lovely route around the lakes and by some woods. They said it was very well organised and worth taking part, especially for the big slice of cake at the end.
Parkrun Highlights – Saturday 8th February
There were at least 40 Spartans at parkruns on Saturday. 27 Spartans among the 479 finishers at Stevenage.
GRANT RAMSAY was top ten with 19 minutes 1 second (19:01) and GAIL MACKIE a top ten woman at sixth with 23:26.
There were some quite high scoring mini milestones with DANIEL VILJOEN on 280 with 24:25; MARTIN DUDLEY on 230 with 25:00; CHLOE CHAPMAN on 170 with 34 minutes exactly; and JIM BROWN on 190 walking round in 47:02. STEVE SMITHSON has one to go to a major milestone. He completed his 99th in 34:38.
Spartans enjoying parkruns elsewhere included HARRIET SMITH with a bit of parkrun tourism at Donaupark, Austria which she finished in 26:26. Meanwhile PAUL MOULD finished Bedford in 20:47; MATTHEW NEWTON Pymmes in 23:34; NICK GILL Letchworth in 24:49; PAUL SHELLEY Wimpole Estate in 26:44; MARIA SWIFT Bug Hunters in 26:49; LUCY FIELD University Parks in 27:19; JAY PAPA 27:58 and JESSICA CLARKE 29:58 at Milton Country, near Cambridge; and ANDREA WESTCOTT 34:48 in Bangor, Northern Ireland.
| Position | Gender Position | FVS parkrunner | Time |
| 4 | 4 | Grant RAMSAY | 19:01 |
| 37 | 31 | Tony RANDFIELD | 22:25 |
| 52 | 6 | Gail MACKIE | 23:26 |
| 72 | 64 | Daniel VILJOEN | 24:25 |
| 87 | 79 | Martin DUDLEY | 25:00 |
| 96 | 86 | Ryan DUNNING | 25:25 |
| 107 | 97 | Matt TUTTON | 25:51 |
| 136 | 17 | Lorraine HILL | 26:34 |
| 204 | 167 | Matt CLARKE | 29:08 |
| 237 | 48 | Fiona CLARKE | 29:57 |
| 246 | 191 | Mike REYNOLDS | 30:21 |
| 258 | 196 | Steve PLATT | 30:47 |
| 259 | 197 | Nick KLEANTHOUS | 30:49 |
| 273 | 206 | Paul JENNINGS | 31:22 |
| 292 | 74 | Pamela VILJOEN | 32:14 |
| 299 | 79 | Penny SCHENKEL | 32:26 |
| 307 | 85 | Debbie BLANTERN | 32:32 |
| 320 | 93 | Monica SMITHSON | 33:00 |
| 349 | 111 | Chloe CHAPMAN | 34:00 |
| 367 | 238 | Stephen SMITHSON | 34:38 |
| 394 | 140 | Nicola HATHERLY | 36:37 |
| 425 | 160 | Tracy HAYGARTH | 39:11 |
| 445 | 175 | Niki PLUMB | 41:24 |
| 466 | 265 | Jim BROWN | 47:02 |
| 470 | 266 | Roger BIGGS | 48:42 |
| 478 | 196 | Sharon CROWLEY | 64:30 |
| 479 | 197 | Elizabeth CROWLEY | 64:49 |