Spartans MARK GOODWIN and CATHY CRAIG were prizewinners at the Welwyn 10K on Sunday. Mark was first man over 60 with 48 minutes 10 seconds and Cathy was third woman over 65 in 61 minutes 53 seconds.
MIKE GREEN was fastest of the twenty Spartans in 41 minutes 43 seconds and RUTH REILLY fastest female in 48:04. She was chased in by Mark Goodwin who enjoyed what he said was a novel experience of being a prize winner.
JIM BROWN said, “It was emphatically a race of two halves with a ‘mountain’ to climb between 2 and 4 kilometres. It took me 26 minutes 47 seconds to get to 5K but only 23 minutes 29 seconds from there to the finish.”
REECE McCULLAGH ran his FIRST race ever as a Spartan on Sunday at the Welwyn 10K. He came in with a brilliant time of 47.11 which placed him in 101st position overall out of the 521 finishers. Reece said he found the race quite challenging, especially with the two hills and hot weather. He was joined by many fellow Spartans and appreciated the support throughout the day. Reece totally enjoyed the race and found it to be very well organised.
TIM SABAN scored more than 70% on age standard. VICTORIA BRETT and CLAIRE HYDE came in second and third women for the club with 58:55 and 58:56. MONICA SMITHSON beat the hour with 59:51.
(All Spartan times at the end of this release).
Golds
There were two Southern Masters M45 Golds for Fairlands Valley Spartans at Battersea. Grant RAMSAY with a scorching last lap in the 3K steeplechase to record 10.58, finally getting under his 11:00 goal. He was first M45 and first overall. Richard BRUCE won GOLD running 54.81 in the 400 metres.
In a well paced run in the heat, Ramsay was able to make his last lap the quickest (91 seconds) and get under the magic 11:00 minutes. Grant said “This my quickest time for years and I am now looking forward to the British Masters Championships in August.”
On Wednesday Grant WON the Cambridgeshire Open 3000 metres steeplechase in 11 minutes 16 seconds.
Hitchin Hard Half
Six Spartans ran the hilly Hitchin Hard Half Marathon. This was a tough race in warm conditions. It followed an out and back route from Hitchin up to Preston via Offley Holes hill (Charlton), down the Lilley Bottom Road then back up again. KELLY EVANS ran a great 2 hours 5 minutes 36 seconds to be the first Spartan finisher.
SOPH GEORGIOU came in with 2:09:27; ROBERT WRIGHT and ERICA GRAYSON both with 2:14:11; VICKY COTTOM 2:34:09 and TRACY STILES 2:41:04.
SAM SIMMONS ran the Hitchin Hard 10K in 59 minutes 31 seconds.
Summer Solstice 10K
St. Albans Summer Solstice 10K. JAMES KILROY ran this race organised by St. Albans Striders on Friday evening. Almost identical route to the Mid Week League 10K but with a shorter start on the field and an added loop round a residential area at the end of the 4.5k run out. Really well organised, chip timed, well marshalled, BBQ and music afterwards, highly recommend. He was happy to take 42 seconds off his MWL effort with a chip time of 52.02, after a week off with throat infection.
Come And Cheer On The Spartans
Fairlands Valley Spartans racing in Fairlands Valley Park. Wednesday evening’s Mid Week Road Race League fixture will be in Stevenage. Starting on Gresley Way near Ridlins Track the race will go up the cycleway to the park through pass to the left of the large lake, the right of the middle lake, continue inside the park to the junction of Chells Way and Fairlands Way, the highest point, then swooping down alongside the long hedge back to Six Hills Way and the finish on Gresley Way. The race starts at 7.45p.m.
Herts Hobble
PAUL HOLGATE said the Herts Hobble was run on ridiculously uneven paths on a very hot day through Buntingford, Ardeley, Walkern, Weston, Cottered and Throcking.
The Spartan finishers were Thomas Sauka 5:50:00; Paul Holgate 6:44:30; Tricia Hopper 6:49:52; Barry King 6:49:52; Karen Liddle 6:49:52 and Mike Newbitt 7:25:30
The walkers were Sharon Crowley and Mike Crowley in 7:45:30.
Parkrun Highlights 23rd June 18
Well done to Dean and Sofia CARPENTER who both ran their first parkrun this weekend. Keeping it local, they both ran Stevenage. Dean was 13th finisher in 20:04 and Sofia was 21st lady in 27:43. Others running in Stevenage included Danny SCANLON 6th male in 19:10 (PB), Jo BOWDERY 7th lady in 25:10, Verity FISHER 11th lady in 25:31 and Alison SHELLEY 18th lady in 27:06. Melody BROWN achieved a new PB of 33:11.
Other top 20 finishers included Kelly McHALE 10th lady in Panshanger 25:03, Thomas SAUKA 10th male in Rushmere 22:22, and Sheryl HANN, 12th lady in Letchworth 27:51 (PB).
Tables
Spartans at Welwyn 10K
| Position | Name | Time | Comments |
| 33. | MIKE GREEN | 41:43 | |
| 46. | TIM SABAN | 43:12 | 70.1% |
| 59. | JAMES KAY | 44:06 | |
| 101. | REECE McCULLAGH | 47:11 | |
| 102. | MATTHEW GILL | 46:46 | |
| 115. | RUTH REILLY | 48:04 | |
| 119 | MARK GOODWIN | 48:10 | 1st MV60. |
| 165. | JIM BROWN | 50:16 | 68.8% |
| 218. | NEAL MUGGLETON | 53:01 | |
| 283. | JONATHAN JONES | 55:58 | |
| 349. | VICTORIA BRETT | 58:55 | |
| 350. | CLAIRE HYDE | 58:56 | |
| 365. | MONICA SMITHSON | 59:51 | |
| 401. | CATHY CRAIG | 1:01:53 | 3rd FV65. 66.5% |
| 427. | KAREN BROOM | 1:04:22 | |
| 428. | TREVOR BROOM | 1:04:21 | |
| 441 | ANNEMARIE NEATHAM | 1:05:30 | |
| 444. | STEPHANIE MAYFIELD | 1:05:47 | |
| 462. | SHELBE MOONBEAM | 1:07:30 | |
| 463. | SALLY McBRIDE | 1:07:30 |
Saturday’s Parkruns
| Parkrun | Pos | Gen | Parkrunner | Time | Notes |
| Bedford | 331 | 209 | Graham HILL | 00:35:39 | |
| Cirencester | 172 | 112 | Darryl STEVENS | 00:40:32 | |
| Letchworth | 69 | 12 | Sheryl HANN | 00:27:51 | PB |
| Letchworth | 124 | 41 | Ella GOWER | 00:34:03 | |
| Panshanger | 61 | 53 | Andy JAY | 00:23:42 | |
| Panshanger | 80 | 10 | Kelly MCHALE | 00:25:03 | |
| Rushmere | 10 | 10 | Thomas SAUKA | 00:22:22 | |
| Stevenage | 6 | 6 | Danny SCANLON | 00:19:10 | PB |
| Stevenage | 13 | 13 | Dean CARPENTER | 00:20:04 | First Parkrun |
| Stevenage | 41 | 40 | Ryan DUNNING | 00:23:14 | |
| Stevenage | 51 | 47 | Daniel SUTTON | 00:24:03 | |
| Stevenage | 57 | 52 | Lee PICKERSGILL | 00:24:25 | |
| Stevenage | 65 | 60 | Jonathan JONES | 00:24:49 | |
| Stevenage | 71 | 7 | Jo BOWDERY | 00:25:10 | |
| Stevenage | 79 | 70 | David SCOTT | 00:25:26 | |
| Stevenage | 84 | 11 | Verity FISHER | 00:25:31 | |
| Stevenage | 111 | 18 | Alison SHELLEY | 00:27:06 | |
| Stevenage | 117 | 21 | Sofia CARPENTER | 00:27:43 | First Parkrun |
| Stevenage | 123 | 100 | Ken JUDE | 00:28:15 | |
| Stevenage | 151 | 117 | Steven DOBNER | 00:29:52 | |
| Stevenage | 155 | 35 | Claire EMMERSON | 00:29:58 | |
| Stevenage | 156 | 121 | Nick WITCOMBE | 00:29:59 | |
| Stevenage | 176 | 47 | Chloe EMMERSON | 00:31:14 | |
| Stevenage | 184 | 134 | Peter CARPENTER | 00:31:48 | |
| Stevenage | 197 | 59 | Melanie BUTT | 00:32:42 | |
| Stevenage | 211 | 69 | Melody BROWN | 00:33:11 | PB |
| Stevenage | 212 | 143 | Jim BROWN | 00:33:17 | |
| Stevenage | 213 | 70 | Penny SCHENKEL | 00:33:19 | |
| Stevenage | 230 | 150 | Stephen SMITHSON | 00:34:50 | |
| Stevenage | 250 | 158 | Roger BIGGS | 00:36:25 |