Heavy rain leading up to the second race in the Hatfield 5k Series did not stop Fairlands Valley Spartans coming away with Gold, Silver & Bronze medals in the Hertfordshire County Senior championship which was included in Wednesday’s race.
Maddie Pritchard, Suzy Hawkins and Clare Moore won GOLD in the women’s team event, while Grant Ramsay, Simon Jackson, Ian Yenney and Davie Stafford came away with the SILVER medal in the men’s team race. Grant Ramsay also won an individual BRONZE medal, finishing third in the men’s race.
The Spartan ladies also won the team event in the main race and now lie in second position overall after two races, just one point behind the leaders, while the men were second in their main event and after two races are first equal with St Albans Striders going into the final race which is on Wednesday 22nd October.
Grant Ramsay finished fourth overall in 16 minutes 30 seconds, 4 seconds quicker than race one, to also win the male veteran (40 plus) category, with Simon Jackson ninth in 16:59, 3 seconds faster than two weeks previously. Ian Yenney was 14th in 17:31 – exactly the same time as on the 24th September.
Maddie Pritchard was fourth in the ladies race in a new personal best (PB) of 20:43, 23 seconds quicker. Suzy Hawkins was tenth, smashing her PB by 1 minute 42 seconds to 21:52 and Clare Moore was 11th, in a new PB of 21:57, 2 seconds faster than in race 1. Barry Osborne was also second overall in the male veteran (60 plus) category in a new season’s best time of 20:03.
Altogether eleven Spartans completed the race in total. The others were Davie Stafford 18:25 (PB); Steve Elder 20:20 (PB); Andy Churn 22:18 and Paul Holgate 27:25.
Position |
Name |
Time |
Comments |
4 |
Grant RAMSAY |
16:30 |
Team Silver. County Bronze. YB |
9 |
Simon JACKSON |
16:59 |
Team Silver. |
14 |
Ian YENNEY |
17:31 |
Team Silver. |
26 |
Davie STAFFORD |
18:25 |
PB |
50 |
Barry OSBORNE |
20:03 |
2nd Vet 60. SB |
53 |
Steve ELDER |
20:20 |
PB |
55 |
Madeleine PRITCHARD |
20:43 |
Team Gold. PB |
68 |
Suzy HAWKINS |
21:52 |
Team Gold. PB |
70 |
Clare MOORE |
21:57 |
Team Gold. PB |
73 |
Andy CHURN |
22:18 |
|
107 |
Paul HOLGATE |
27:25 |
YB |
Peterborough Half Marathon
It was a beautiful, although perhaps a little too warm at times, morning for the Peterborough Half Marathon, but that did not prevent some fantastic times by the sixteen Spartans taking part. There were new life time personal bests for Chris Westcott (91 out of the 3,787 finishers in 1:19:43); Ruth Reilly (1,656 in 1:54:12); Andy Smith (1,821 in 1:56:56); David Peach (1,953 in 1:58:36); Jackie Downes (2:06:55); Julien Stoll (2:19:50); Jo Cahill (2:23:50); and Hayley Peach (2:28:30). Jayne Pinner put her first aid skills to good use assisting a fellow runner who had collapsed on the course, before continuing with her own run. Vicky Nash finished in 2 hours 7 minutes 22 seconds.
Spartan Times:
Position |
Name |
Time (Chip Time) |
Comments |
91 |
CHRIS WESTCOTT |
1:19:43 |
PB (3:10) |
339 |
GRAHAM BLACKBURN |
1:30:44 |
|
1615 |
VISH SHAH |
1:51:06 |
|
1656 |
RUTH REILLY |
1:54:12 |
PB (2:52) |
2102 |
ANDY INGRAM-TEDD |
1:55:45 |
PB (0:32) |
1821 |
ANDY SMITH |
1:56:56 |
PB |
1953 |
DAVID PEACH |
1:58:36 |
PB (22:07) |
2125 |
HAYLEY FAULKNER |
1:58:37 |
PB |
2425 |
ANDREA WESTCOTT |
2:02:30 |
|
2607 |
JACKIE DOWNES |
2:06:55 |
PB (6:28) |
2606 |
VICKY NASH |
2:07:22 |
|
2915 |
PAUL HOLGATE |
2:10:23 |
|
3262 |
JULIEN STOLL |
2:19:50 |
PB |
3378 |
JO CAHILL |
2:23:50 |
PB (0:42) |
3444 |
HAYLEY PEACH |
2:28:30 |
PB (8:31) |
3655 |
JAYNE PINNER |
2:44:16 |
|
Ware Ten
Spartan GRANT RAMSAY WON the new Ware 10 in 57 minutes 36 seconds. TIM SABAN covered the ten miles in 1 hour 14 minutes 52 seconds and was 51st overall. ANDREW JORDAN and MARK GOODWIN were only separated by two seconds at the end – Andrew 60th in 76:37 and Mark 61st in 76:39. STEVE GREEN was 120th in 1:24:57; JEANNETTE COLLINS 170th in 1:33:58; JAN FRY ran a new personal best of 1 hour 44 minutes 35 seconds and DAWN EASBY finished in 1:56:13..
Isle of Wight Marathon
On Sunday CAROL PAUL ran the Isle of Wight marathon. Not a course for the faint hearted, quite a few hills with roads open to traffic and heavy rain in the last six miles. Carol was second female veteran (45 plus) in 5 hours 6 minutes 19 seconds.
Royal Parks Half Marathon
Returning to 13.1 miles after foot surgery PETE SMITH ran the Royal Parks Half Marathon in 1:37:18
Yorkshire Marathon
ROGER BIGGS took the train to York for a popular marathon starting/finishing in the City of York, but also taking in the local area. A few hills, but generally a good day for running, although not for spectating, as a mist hung around all day.
Struggling with an Achilles for the whole year, Roger managed to all run the marathon in 4:23:02, a full 37 minutes quicker than his previous best in 2014.
Studland Stampede
On Sunday Martin Price made a return from injury by running the 12 kilometres Studland Stampede in Dorset in a time of 1:06:29. He says it was a fantastic race with amazing views all the way round.
Stevenage Marathon and Half Marathon
Get Sunday 2nd November in your diary. The Stevenage Marathon is only organised every ten years and it takes place this Autumn. The annual half marathon will be on the same day. It’s the exact 30th Anniversary for Fairlands Valley Spartans. Visit www.fvspartans.org.uk for more information.
Coming Events
Many Spartans will be enjoying a busy programme of races, social and training events over the next few weeks including the:
Cross Country League at Cheshunt on Sunday 26th October
Stevenage 30th Anniversary Marathon and Half Marathon on Sunday 2nd November
Cross Country League at Grovelands on Sunday 23rd November
Cross Country League at Watford on Sunday 7th December
Buntingford Year End Ten on Sunday 28th December
Ely New Year’s Eve 10K on Wednesday 31st December
Join The Spartans
Live in or near Stevenage? Like running? Fairlands Valley Spartans is your local running club and is on the up! The club was voted the UK’s Best Running Club in 2010. It now has hundreds of members and encourages participation by all. The Spartans have a varied training programme to suit those who want to run 5 kilometres through to full marathons.
The Spartans weekday training sessions are on Tuesday and Thursday evenings. Go along to the new sports centre at Marriotts School – a Sports College, Telford Avenue, Stevenage (SG2 8UT) at 7p.m. Up to five running groups go out on training nights – there will be one to suit you!
The Spartan Starter group starts from Marriotts at 7.30p.m. every Monday (except public holidays) and 7p.m. every Thursday.
Most long Sunday morning training sessions start 9.30a.m. sharp. Spartan track training sessions are held at Ridlins Athletics Track, Woodcock Road, Stevenage most Saturdays from 9.15a.m. There are events to enter every Sunday. Newcomers are very welcome – those who have not done very much running yet might prefer to start with a Thursday, Saturday or
Monday session.
Try a few sessions before joining. Membership is only £35 per year, £25 without UKA membership. Concessions are available. Membership forms are available on the Spartans website www.fvspartans.org.uk Please ask if you would like a paper copy.
If you want to know more about the Spartans please contact Jim Brown (0793 968 7509), Vivienne Honey 07702 846304 or visit their website www.fvspartans.org.uk
E N D S
More from Jim Brown (Press Officer) 0793 968 7509 or Vivienne Honey (Secretary) 07702 846304