Ten GOLD; five SILVER and one BRONZE county medals were among the winnings for Fairlands Valley Spartans in the Hertfordshire County Championships at Ridlins Track, Stevenage on Monday.
Just eight days after 42 Spartans completed the London Marathon there were lots of FVS stripes on the track running from 100 to 5,000 metres; throwing and jumping.
SUZY HAWKINS smashed it in the women’s 1500 metres winning the GOLD medal for women 40 plus in 5 minutes 35.40 seconds with a good lead over her nearest rival.
SHARON CROWLEY had a good day with GOLDS in the 3K walk and hammer, and SILVER in the 1500 run.
YUKO GORDON took GOLD in the women’s 60 plus 1500 with a tremendous 6:14.55 and MONICA SMITHSON won the 50 plus race with 7:21.55.
Spartan CHRIS HOLLAND won GOLD in the 5K race for men 40 plus with 22:23.39 and TESSA STEPHENSON won the W55 shot with 7.81 metres.
ANTON McCALLA won GOLD in the 100 metres plus SILVER in the long jump and triple jump for men (40 plus). PENNY SCHENKEL won GOLD and BRONZE. Gold in the 3K run for women 40 plus with 15:07.80 and bronze in the 1500 with 7:10.62.
It was SILVER for STEVE GOUGH in the men’s 40 plus 100 metres with 16.81 seconds and also SILVER for SALLY PHILLIPS in the women’s 50 plus 1500 metres with 7:53.93.
ANDY PATTERSON was third in the open 1500 metres with 4:26.48. RHIANNON GRIFFIN ran the 1500 in 6 minutes 0.08 seconds (6:00.08) and an open 800 metres in 2:56.26.
The only Spartan that got wet was GRANT RAMSAY. He won the veteran men 40 plus steeplechase championship, which was over 2,000 metres, in 7 minutes 50 seconds – a season’s best.
Several other Spartans enjoyed other events on what is always an enjoyable way to spend the bank holiday Monday.
Dan Wins Watford 10K
Spartan DAN McALPINE won, that’s first place overall, Bank Holiday Monday’s Watford 10K in 35 minutes 48 seconds.
100 Miles Under 24 Hours
John Nelms returned to the Thames Path 100 mile race at the weekend – his sixth start at this event – and finally succeeded in breaking the 24 hour mark – earning the coveted 100 miles one day buckle.
This event run by Centurion running started in Richmond upon Thames and follows the meandering river north and west finishing in Oxford. John finished 87th out of almost 400 starters in 22 hours 57 minutes and says he is now officially retired from 100 mile events – and will now concentrate on getting towards his next goal of 100 marathons.
MK Running Festival – marathon and half.
ERICA GRAYSON ran a new marathon person best (PB) of 4 hours 23 minutes 7 seconds (4:23:07) at the Milton Keynes Marathon.
She said, “The weather was much more favourable than the 30 degree heat of last year. Well organised and well supported. Beautiful scenery and a great course gently undulating for the first 18 miles then more hills and some dead turns. I loved it all the same. Amazing medal and T shirt. Roll on next year.”
TIM SABAN finished in 3:38:35; WENDY THARANI in 4:41:36 and TIM ROBINSON in 4:49:03.
Wendy said, first 18 miles were lovely, took a trot through Milton Keynes village and past the peace pagoda, lots of lakes and trees. Lovely chat with Tim Robinson, made the miles slip away quickly. Miles 18-20 felt harder, and still so far to go! Then there was a big hill between miles 21 and 22. It probably wasn’t that massive in reality, but it felt like a lot of hill. After the hill there was a gentle downhill for the final two miles. I really enjoyed the race, lots of facilities, lots of marshals and well organised.”
In the MK half marathon EMMA MARTIN ran her fastest time round the course, 3 hours 16 minutes 14 seconds and TAHER THARANI finished in 2:39:01.
Newport Marathon
ROGER BIGGS was in South Wales for the Newport Marathon. The course started in the town, but soon crossed the River Usk to the quiet roads to the East & North,
Apart from the wind, it was a perfect day for marathon running, Roger crossed the finish line in 5:48:29 in 1383rd position.
Parkrun Highlights Saturday 4th May
First Saturday of the month saw 56 Spartans don their stripes at ten different venues.
Congratulations to Andy JAY who completed his 100th Parkrun at Panshanger leading a Spartans takeover at the venue. 29 Spartans joined Andy at Panshanger to celebrate this milestone. Nick GILL was the fastest Spartan at Panshanger with 20:22 and Kelly MCHALE the fastest female Spartan with 24:28.
There were two new PBs for Spartans at Stevenage. Toby ECCLESHALL was 22nd finisher with 21:28 and Rhiannon GRIFFIN ran a new personal best of 23:55.
Steffan FORD was fourth finisher at Stevenage in 18:17, followed by Todd GRAY, 16th place in 20:46. Claire PULLEN was 4th female in 23:40 and Rhiannon GRIFFIN was 6th. At Dunstable Downs, Isabel GREEN was first female in 23:24 and at Letchworth, Adrian DONNELLY was 6th in 21:46.
Tables
Milton Keynes Marathon
| Position | Name | Time | Comments |
| 380 | TIM SABAN | 3:38:35 | |
| 1094 | ERICA GRAYSON | 4:23:07 | PB |
| 1322 | WENDY THARANI | 4:41:36 | |
| 1410 | TIM ROBINSON | 4:49:03 |
Parkrun Results – Saturday 4th May.
| Parkrun | Position | Gender | Parkrunner | Time | Notes |
| St Albans | 409 | 145 | Michelle MARCHANT | 00:31:33 | |
| Torbay Velopark | 80 | 69 | Daniel SUTTON | 00:24:15 | |
| Torbay Velopark | 145 | 31 | Verity FISHER | 00:27:07 | |
| Milton Keynes | 568 | 358 | Graham HILL | 00:38:50 | |
| Medina I.O.W. | 99 | 85 | Nick KLEANTHOUS | 00:26:25 | |
| Stevenage | 4 | 4 | Steffan FORD | 00:18:17 | |
| Stevenage | 16 | 15 | Todd GRAY | 00:20:46 | |
| Stevenage | 22 | 21 | Toby ECCLESHALL | 00:21:28 | PB |
| Stevenage | 43 | 41 | Martin DUDLEY | 00:22:57 | |
| Stevenage | 44 | 42 | Lee PICKERSGILL | 00:22:57 | |
| Stevenage | 56 | 4 | Claire PULLEN | 00:23:40 | |
| Stevenage | 63 | 6 | Rhiannon GRIFFIN | 00:23:55 | PB |
| Stevenage | 65 | 59 | Darren EMMERSON | 00:23:57 | |
| Stevenage | 105 | 93 | Jonathan JONES | 00:25:31 | |
| Stevenage | 124 | 110 | Mark BEASLEY | 00:26:29 | |
| Stevenage | 169 | 29 | Penny SCHENKEL | 00:28:12 | |
| Stevenage | 179 | 32 | Debbie BLANTERN | 00:28:40 | |
| Stevenage | 185 | 151 | Jim BROWN | 00:28:49 | |
| Stevenage | 243 | 65 | Dzenana TOPIC | 00:31:50 | |
| Stevenage | 311 | 113 | Caren THAIN | 00:39:04 | |
| Stevenage | 327 | 124 | Emma POULTER | 00:44:52 | |
| Conkers parkrun | 41 | 39 | Richard COWLISHAW | 00:21:10 | |
| Harrow Lodge | 199 | 129 | Darryl STEVENS | 00:33:46 | |
| Panshanger | 24 | 24 | Nick GILL | 00:20:22 | |
| Panshanger | 59 | 57 | John ROXBOROUGH | 00:22:10 | |
| Panshanger | 69 | 67 | Brian WHITE | 00:22:46 | |
| Panshanger | 75 | 71 | Mark GOODWIN | 00:22:57 | |
| Panshanger | 99 | 92 | Craig BACON | 00:23:33 | |
| Panshanger | 118 | 108 | Barry OSBORNE | 00:24:01 | |
| Panshanger | 122 | 111 | David PATTMAN | 00:24:08 | |
| Panshanger | 129 | 114 | Steven DOBNER | 00:24:21 | |
| Panshanger | 140 | 16 | Kelly MCHALE | 00:24:48 | |
| Panshanger | 146 | 17 | Yuko GORDON | 00:24:54 | |
| Panshanger | 155 | 136 | Ryan DUNNING | 00:25:09 | |
| Panshanger | 193 | 28 | Jo BOWDERY | 00:25:56 | |
| Panshanger | 200 | 169 | Edward HARE | 00:26:12 | |
| Panshanger | 229 | 190 | Vishal SHAH | 00:27:02 | |
| Panshanger | 262 | 214 | Paul JENNINGS | 00:28:07 | |
| Panshanger | 275 | 221 | Chris HOLLAND | 00:28:30 | |
| Panshanger | 284 | 226 | Karl SHREEVE | 00:28:43 | |
| Panshanger | 286 | 60 | Sheryl HANN | 00:28:45 | |
| Panshanger | 345 | 259 | Tim ROBINSON | 00:30:36 | |
| Panshanger | 353 | 90 | Fiona CLARKE | 00:30:57 | |
| Panshanger | 355 | 91 | Liz SMITH | 00:31:00 | |
| Panshanger | 380 | 112 | Jane WHITROW | 00:31:56 | |
| Panshanger | 395 | 121 | Hazel SMITH | 00:32:13 | |
| Panshanger | 396 | 122 | Callie CHAPMAN | 00:32:13 | |
| Panshanger | 399 | 123 | Catherine CRAIG | 00:32:29 | |
| Panshanger | 415 | 136 | Monica SMITHSON | 00:33:03 | |
| Panshanger | 428 | 145 | Tracy STILES | 00:33:59 | |
| Panshanger | 442 | 291 | Andy JAY | 00:34:50 | |
| Panshanger | 443 | 292 | Barry KING | 00:34:58 | |
| Panshanger | 444 | 293 | Nick WITCOMBE | 00:34:59 | |
| Letchworth | 6 | 6 | Adrian DONNELLY | 00:21:46 | |
| Dunstable Downs | 14 | 1 | Isabel GREEN | 00:23:24 |