HAZEL SMITH says she temporarily joined the elite by winning the first in age category for women aged 35 plus at Sunday’s Stopsley 10. She finished in 1 hour 28 minutes and was well chuffed at winning her first ever trophy. Her mother CATHY CRAIG won her category in 1 hour 44 minutes.
GRANT RAMSAY was fourth overall in 64 minutes 23 seconds and won the men 40 plus category and DANNY SCANLON was tenth overall in 69 minutes 49 seconds. This was on a tough two lap trail course with a nice steep hill.
St Albans 10K
The Spartans fourth winner was YUKO GORDON at the St Albans 10K. She won the women 60 plus (she’s actually 65 plus) race in a fantastic time of 47 minutes 2 seconds.
JIM BROWN said the race was similar but not identical to the course used for the mid week league in July. A bit cruel as he says there was a gradual climb for much of the second half. He reckons he was having to work very hard over the last mile to achieve his target of beating 50 minutes.
JAMES KAY was the fastest from Fairlands. He was 51st out of the 478 finishers in 42 minutes 34 seconds. Next came DUNCAN FLOUNDERS, 62nd in 43:47. Then came Yuko at 106th with JOHN ROXBURGH not far behind in 47:17. After a short wait Jim Brown finished in 49:48 then JONATHAN JONES, still in the top half of the field, in a quickest 10K for 2018 of 51:40.
ROGER BIGGS continued his amazing recovery from heart surgery with a controlled 68 minutes 18 seconds.
MK5000
CALLUM STEWART did the MK5000 special on Saturday. It was a very wet and windy race in Milton Keynes but he ran his first official sub 16 minutes 5K with a chip time of 15:59.55.
Double David
DAVID BOWKER went to Battersea Park on Tuesday for the Veterans Athletics Club five mile league. He finished in 34 minutes 44 seconds and finished 20th overall and third MV55.
On Saturday he took part in the EMAC track and field championships in Southend. He finished second overall and 1st MV55 in the 2K walk with 11:56 and sixth overall, second M55 in the 3000 metres run with 11:49.
Herts Stroller
THOMAS SAUKA completed his first 54 mile trail event, the Herts Stroller Marathon in 14 hours 29 minutes. This was an Essex and Hertfordshire LDWA (Long Distance Walkers Association) event starting from Hitchin Rugby Club and including Pegdson and the Barton Hills to Wheathampstead then back to Hitchin on bridleways and footpaths.
EMAC
The Spartan women’s and men’s teams have both qualified for the final East of England (EMAC) veteran track and field championships which will be on 23rd September.
Parkrun Round up 11 August 2018
A fantastic Parkrun weekend for the Spartan Army. Nigel STRONGITHARM ran his first ever in Stevenage with a time of 25:30. In Stevenage, PBs were achieved by Hazel JONES 35:04 and Dave PEACH 35:37. Steven DOBNER achieved a PB in Crissy Fields of 24:22.
There were top 50 gender positions for 12 Spartans at various events. At Stevenage, Danny SCANLON was 4th male 19:30, Kelly EVANS 24:55, Karen PALMER 26:20, Verity FISHER 27:35, Zoe JACKSON 27:40, Mark BEASLEY 23:31, Daniel SUTTON 23:54, Rowena RUTLEDGE 31:11. At Havenfordwest Sheryl HANN was 22nd female in 30:23, Alison SHELLEY was 26th female at Eden Project 26:12 and John ROXBOROUGH was 29th at Houghton Hall in 23:00.
(See the end of this release for all Saturday’s Spartan Parkrun results).
Spartan of the Month
ROGER BIGGS was the July Spartan of the Month. Not only did he sort out the Spartan entries and baggage volunteers for the London Marathon when he was waiting for a serious heart operation earlier in the year now that he’s out of hospital he’s already done twenty races!
Tables
Parkruns Saturday 11th August
| Parkrun | Pos | Gen | Parkrunner | Time | Notes |
| Perth | 65 | 58 | Stuart STABLES | 00:22:47 | |
| Eden Project | 122 | 26 | Alison SHELLEY | 00:26:12 | |
| Stevenage | 4 | 4 | Danny SCANLON | 00:19:30 | |
| Stevenage | 43 | 41 | Mark BEASLEY | 00:23:31 | |
| Stevenage | 48 | 45 | Daniel SUTTON | 00:23:54 | |
| Stevenage | 59 | 7 | Kelly EVANS | 00:24:55 | |
| Stevenage | 62 | 54 | David SCOTT | 00:25:04 | |
| Stevenage | 67 | 58 | Chris HOLLAND | 00:25:12 | |
| Stevenage | 68 | 59 | Sam SIMMONS | 00:25:12 | |
| Stevenage | 75 | 65 | Nigel STRONGITHARM | 00:25:30 | First timer |
| Stevenage | 84 | 14 | Karen PALMER | 00:26:20 | |
| Stevenage | 100 | 25 | Verity FISHER | 00:27:35 | |
| Stevenage | 101 | 26 | Zoe JACKSON | 00:27:40 | |
| Stevenage | 109 | 80 | James SOUTH | 00:28:27 | |
| Stevenage | 118 | 86 | Paul JENNINGS | 00:28:52 | |
| Stevenage | 134 | 97 | John MCCALL | 00:30:14 | |
| Stevenage | 151 | 47 | Rowena RUTLEDGE | 00:31:11 | |
| Stevenage | 158 | 107 | Roger BIGGS | 00:31:40 | |
| Stevenage | 168 | 58 | Callie CHAPMAN | 00:32:28 | |
| Stevenage | 193 | 119 | Jonathan JONES | 00:34:47 | |
| Stevenage | 194 | 75 | Hazel JONES | 00:35:04 | PB |
| Stevenage | 200 | 122 | Dave PEACH | 00:35:37 | PB |
| Houghton Hall | 29 | 29 | John ROXBOROUGH | 00:23:00 | |
| Gadebridge | 90 | 69 | Michael O’KEEFE | 00:29:28 | |
| Haverfordwest | 69 | 22 | Sheryl HANN | 00:30:23 | |
| Crissy Field | 58 | 49 | Steven DOBNER | 00:24:22 | PB |
| Ellenbrook Fields | 180 | 70 | Niki PLUMB | 00:36:31 |
St Albans 10K
| Position | Name | Time | Comments | 5K Split |
| 51 | JAMES KAY | 42:34 | 26 Senior | 20:54 |
| 62 | DUNCAN FLOUNDERS | 43:47 | 14 MV40 | 21:18 |
| 106 | YUKO GORDON | 47:02 | 1st FV60 | 22:56 |
| 112 | JOHN ROXBURGH | 47:17 | 48 Senior | 22:52 |
| 161 | JIM BROWN | 49:48 | 7 MV60 | 24:33 |
| 194 | JONATHAN JONES | 51:40 | 26 MV50 | 24:45 |
| 403 | ROGER BIGGS | 68:18 | 5 V70 | 33:06 |
478 finishers.