Reece Mac McCullagh did his first 5K on New Year’s Day 2018 (yes this year), found out he enjoyed running and hasn’t looked back.
He has already progressed to ‘long distance’ completing two 50K races in the summer and then on Sunday finished the 100K Chiltern Ultra.
JOHN NELMS, who was participating in the same event, said, “I’ve been running ultra distance for six years and I’ve never seen such determination and fight through mental and physical barriers as I saw from Reece yesterday. And he ran 15 miles without socks!!!! An awesome achievement my friend and a pleasure to run with Reece in the rain.”
British Masters Athletics Open Track and Field Championships in Birmingham
GRANT RAMSAY is the British (M45) 3000 metres Steeplechase Champion. He won the title at Birmingham on Sunday in 11 minutes 22 seconds.
Grant said he had a nasty fall at the congested water jump on the first lap. He lost around 20 metres on the lead runner but pulled it back. He had slipped on the wet barrier (despite wearing spikes) landing on both knees. The Irish runner who he was with him fell also! He managed to get back up, regain composure and come from behind to take the national title.
In Saturday’s 3,000 metres race walk for men 55 plus DAVID BOWKER was third in 19 minutes 20.81 seconds. On Sunday he was second in the 5K walk with 32:34.
TESSA STEPHENSON was seventh in the women 55 plus 100m on day one. On day two she was sixth in the W55 200m in 33.27 in the rain and into a headwind in the final straight.
Yuko Falls But Wins
YUKO GORDON was another Spartan that fell but went on to win. She ran the Downham Market 10K in 45 minutes 55 seconds for 50th overall, 5th woman and WINNING the women 65 plus category.
She had a bad fall after 9 km mark, lost several positions but says it was a very well organised inaugural race. There were 375 finishers.
Chase The Sun
JAMES McSWEENEY “chased the sun” on Wednesday night. He finished the Chase the Sun 10K in Brockwell Park, Brixton in 51 minutes 26 seconds. He says it was tough and consisted of three laps around the park with three big hills on each lap. James said there were nice views of London after the last hill on each lap but thinks he forgot to look after the first lap.
Get 4th November In Your Diary
More than 220 people have already entered the Stevenage Half Marathon which will be on Sunday 4th November. This superb local event is organised by Fairlands Valley Spartans. Don’t miss out. Enter now. Go to https://www.activetrainingworld.co.uk/events/2018/11/04/stevenage_half_marathon or via www.fvspartans.org.uk
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 at the Stantonbury Campus in Milton Keynes on Sunday 23rd September.
Parkrun Round Up Saturday 25 August 2018
39 Spartans completed parkruns this weekend, covering 12 different venues with four achieving new personal bests (PBs).
In Stevenage, Nigel STRONGITHARM achieved a new PB of 24:07, whilst Steven DOBNER raced well to finish in 26:02 (PB). Ten Spartans achieved top 50 gender positions including Marie COLUCCI who started late and still finished fourth lady in 23:44. Others included Verity FISHER eighth female 25:07, Kelly EVANS ninth female in 25:09, Alison SHELLEY was 15th woman in 26:06, Todd GRAY 18th man in 19:58, Karen PALMER 18th woman in 26:49, Hazel SMITH 31st woman in 29:31, Callie CHAPMAN 41st woman in 30:29, Darren EMMERSON 45th man in 22:47 and Martin DUDLEY 47th man in 23:02.
At Westmill, Andrew PATTERSON was first finisher in 18:17 with Mark GOODWIN eighth in 23:28 and Andy JAY 23rd in 25:26. Fourth female was Tracy PEZ in 26:17 and Tim ROBINSON finished in a time of 39:11.
James McSWEENEY ran well in Littleport to bring in a new PB 23:12 and Niki PLUM achieved a new PB of 33:17 in Ellenbrook Fields. Heartwood Forest saw husband and wife team Steve and Isabel GREEN come in 20:24 and 23:45 respectively.
(See the end of this release for all Saturday’s Spartan Parkrun results).
Tables
Parkruns Saturday 25th August
| Parkrun | Pos | Gen | Parkrunner | Time | Notes |
| Barclay | 49 | 37 | Michael O’KEEFE | 00:27:07 | |
| Brockenhurst | 44 | 36 | James SOUTH | 00:25:05 | |
| Castle Park | 42 | 38 | John ROXBOROUGH | 00:22:48 | |
| Ellenbrook Fields | 19 | 17 | Barry OSBORNE | 00:20:39 | |
| Ellenbrook Fields | 177 | 55 | Niki PLUMB | 00:33:17 | PB |
| Harlow | 74 | 62 | Paul JENNINGS | 00:28:43 | |
| Haverfordwest | 110 | 27 | Sheryl HANN | 00:32:18 | |
| Heartwood Forest | 12 | 12 | Steve GREEN | 00:20:24 | |
| Heartwood Forest | 36 | 4 | Isabel GREEN | 00:23:45 | |
| Littleport | 42 | 40 | James MCSWEENEY | 00:23:12 | PB |
| Lymington Woodside | 160 | 98 | Darryl STEVENS | 00:39:42 | |
| Reading | 27 | 26 | Michael BIRONNEAU | 00:20:34 | |
| Stevenage | 18 | 18 | Todd GRAY | 00:19:58 | |
| Stevenage | 46 | 45 | Darren EMMERSON | 00:22:47 | |
| Stevenage | 49 | 47 | Martin DUDLEY | 00:23:02 | |
| Stevenage | 62 | 4 | Marie COLUCCI | 00:23:44 | |
| Stevenage | 63 | 59 | Daniel SUTTON | 00:23:50 | |
| Stevenage | 67 | 63 | Nigel STRONGITHARM | 00:24:07 | PB |
| Stevenage | 85 | 8 | Verity FISHER | 00:25:07 | |
| Stevenage | 86 | 78 | Lee PICKERSGILL | 00:25:07 | |
| Stevenage | 87 | 9 | Kelly EVANS | 00:25:09 | |
| Stevenage | 89 | 80 | Sam SIMMONS | 00:25:19 | |
| Stevenage | 108 | 94 | Steven DOBNER | 00:26:02 | PB |
| Stevenage | 110 | 96 | Jim BROWN | 00:26:03 | 2nd MV65 |
| Stevenage | 112 | 15 | Alison SHELLEY | 00:26:06 | |
| Stevenage | 123 | 18 | Karen PALMER | 00:26:49 | |
| Stevenage | 172 | 31 | Hazel SMITH | 00:29:31 | |
| Stevenage | 190 | 41 | Callie CHAPMAN | 00:30:29 | |
| Stevenage | 202 | 155 | Roger BIGGS | 00:31:38 | |
| Stevenage | 213 | 55 | Iris HORNSEY | 00:32:44 | |
| Stevenage | 234 | 165 | David SCOTT | 00:34:04 | |
| Stevenage | 251 | 81 | Ella GOWER | 00:35:31 | |
| Stevenage | 259 | 172 | Dave PEACH | 00:36:06 | |
| Stevenage | 274 | 97 | Hazel JONES | 00:37:46 | |
| Westmill | 1 | 1 | Andrew PATTERSON | 00:18:17 | |
| Westmill | 8 | 8 | Mark GOODWIN | 00:23:28 | |
| Westmill | 23 | 21 | Andy JAY | 00:25:26 | |
| Westmill | 28 | 4 | Tracy PEZ | 00:26:17 | |
| Westmill | 62 | 37 | Tim ROBINSON | 00:39:11 | |