Fairlands Valley Spartans MARTIN BLACKBURN and TANYA BRAZIER were second and third in their age groups at the Hitchin 10K on Sunday morning. They were joined by fifteen other Spartans.
Martin was second “male 20-29” and 12th overall out of the 358 finishers in 38 minutes 12 seconds and Tanya third “female 30-39” and 55th overall in 44 minutes 48 seconds.
DUNCAN FLOUNDERS finished the Hitchin 10K in 43m 03s. Â He said it was not the easiest of courses with a tough hill at kilometre 4 which tested the legs, but well marshalled and a good finish in the town centre.
CAROLE SHELDRICK really enjoyed the course and ran it in 52 minutes 53 seconds
ERICA GRAYSON said it was a thoroughly enjoyable race.  She was very happy with 53:34, a year’s best and is chasing down that personal best (PB).
JONATHAN JONES came in with 54:34. SARAH PIKE beat the hour with 55:03 as did MONICA SMITHSON with 58:12.
On his first long run back from injury DAVID HARRIS-CHERGUIT finished in 59 minutes 56 seconds. Next Sunday he’s due to run the Edinburgh Half Marathon.
Another Spartan enjoying the Hitchin 10K was DZENANA TOPIC who finished in 1:06:33. She said, “The weather was perfect for running and the scenery was beautiful. My result wasn’t amazing, but I had lots of fun.”
New member TONI NICHOLS finished in 62 minutes 55 seconds, just behind her sister ANGIE KEELING , 1:02:32 and SALLY PHILLIPS 1:02:22.
Ciaran Wins Double Marathon
Ciaran McAneny won both days of the Dobbs Weir Double Marathon in Ware; run on a mix of trails road and canal paths; with times of 3:37:17 (Saturday) and 3:39:55 (Sunday)
Colchester Stampede 10K
On Sunday TREVOR and KAREN BROOM ran the Colchester Stampede 10K. Karen said, “It was a nice but hilly one loop route starting in Colchester Zoo by the elephants round passed the giraffes then out of the zoo round the villages and the back in the zoo back passed the elephants and finishing in front of the zoo.”
Trevor finished in 1:02:29 missing out on a 10K PB (personal best) by two seconds. Karen finished in 1:04:21 which she was happy with as she has a slight injury.
Wimpole 10K
There were two Spartans at the Wimpole 10K. DAVID PATTMAN came in with 50:25 and NICOLA PATTMAN with 1:06:12.
Mid Weeks Are Go
Race one in the 2019 Mid Week League series is in Harpenden this Wednesday evening 22nd May and Fairlands Valley Spartans will be sending dozens of runners. Each race in the series will be about 10 kilometres.
Steeplechase
GRANT RAMSAY was at the Southern League Track and Field Match in Watford. In the 3000 metres steeplechase he finished in fifth place in a time of 11:57.
Despite starting the race completely fresh, fatigue crept in quickly through those energy sapping barriers. Â Ramsay had to work hard and was happy to get in under 12 minutes.
Parkrun Highlights Saturday 18th May
Saturday saw 48 Spartans taking on Parkrun in 11 separate locations around the country.  Seven Parkrun PB’s (Personal Best) and 11 SB’s (Season Best) times were achieved.  The fastest lady and man were at Stevenage, Holly HODGSKINSON (21:56) and Stuart ARCHER (18:27).  Congratulations to Paul JENNINGS (31:35) running his 50th Parkrun at Stevenage.  Interesting fact; the eleven locations, attended by Spartans, had a combined attendance of 4,175 runners. Largest event attended by a Spartan was Cassiobury (617 entrants) and smallest was Letchworth (149 entrants).
Tables
Spartans at the Hitchin 10K
| Position | Name | Chip Time | Comments | |
| 12. | Martin BLACKBURN | M20 | 0:38:41 | 2nd M20 |
| 24. | Adrian DONNELLY | MV40 | 0:41:57 | |
| 35. | Duncan FLOUNDERS | MV40 | 0:43:03 | |
| 55. | Tanya BRAZIER | FV30 | 0:44:48 | 3rd F30 |
| 140. | Perumal NAICKER | MV40 | 0:51:22 | |
| 156. | Carole SHELDRICK | FV40 | 0:52:53 | |
| 167. | Erica GRAYSON | FV50 | 0:53:34 | YB |
| 182. | Jonathan JONES | MV50 | 0:54:34 | |
| 195. | Sarah PIKE | F20 | 0:55:03 | |
| 238. | Monica SMITHSON | FV50 | 0:58:12 | |
| 259. | David HARRIS-CHERGUIT | MV40 | 0:59:56 | |
| 271. | Sally PHILLIPS | FV50 | 1:02:22 | |
| 276. | Angie KEELING | FV30 | 1:02:32 | |
| 278 | Toni NICHOLS | FV30 | 1:02:55 | New |
| 279. | Linda NOLAN | FV50 | 1:03:18 | |
| 318. | Dzenana TOPIC | FV50 | 1:06:33 | |
| 323. | Goplan NAIDOO | MV60 | 1:06:52 |
Parkrun Results – Saturday 18th May.
| Location | Pos | Gen | Runner | Time | PB | # at
this PR |
Total
PR’s |
| Gorleston Cliffs | 145 | 34 | Maria THORNE | 26:25 | PB | 2 | 2 |
| Medina I.O.W | 40 | 39 | Kieran FEETHAM | 22:34 | 1 | 6 | |
| Stevenage | 4 | 4 | Stuart ARCHER | 18:27 | PB | 19 | 21 |
| Stevenage | 14 | 14 | Danny SCANLON | 20:39 | 123 | 123 | |
| Stevenage | 23 | 23 | Thomas SAUKA | 21:22 | SB | 40 | 81 |
| Stevenage | 27 | 27 | Paul SHELLEY | 21:31 | 17 | 25 | |
| Stevenage | 28 | 28 | David PATTMAN | 21:32 | PB | 55 | 61 |
| Stevenage | 33 | 1 | Holly HODGSKINSON | 21:56 | SB | 3 | 53 + 16 JPR |
| Stevenage | 38 | 37 | Daniel SUTTON | 22:11 | 69 | 223 | |
| Stevenage | 42 | 41 | Martin DUDLEY | 22:31 | SB | 97 | 97 |
| Stevenage | 50 | 48 | Ryan DUNNING | 23:05 | 30 | 33 | |
| Stevenage | 92 | 7 | Verity FISHER | 25:06 | SB | 92 | 262 |
| Stevenage | 96 | 88 | Jonathan JONES | 25:29 | 48 | 50 | |
| Stevenage | 100 | 92 | Barry KING | 25:38 | PB | 3 | 12 |
| Stevenage | 105 | 96 | Matthew PATTMAN | 25:57 | 26 | 31 | |
| Stevenage | 111 | 12 | Fiona CLARKE | 26:02 | 68 | 69 | |
| Stevenage | 146 | 19 | Alison SHELLEY | 27:25 | 44 | 52 | |
| Stevenage | 147 | 128 | Steven DOBNER | 27:26 | 57 | 66 | |
| Stevenage | 151 | 22 | Claire PULLEN | 27:29 | 26 | 26 | |
| Stevenage | 184 | 148 | David ACKERY | 28:32 | 16 | 29 | |
| Stevenage | 199 | 44 | Debbie BLANTERN | 29:39 | 23 | 23 | |
| Stevenage | 232 | 171 | David SCOTT | 31:30 | 102 | 105 | |
| Stevenage | 233 | 172 | Paul JENNINGS | 31:35 | 34 | 50 | |
| Stevenage | 236 | 62 | Claire EMMERSON | 31:36 | 61 | 64 | |
| Stevenage | 237 | 175 | Darren EMMERSON | 31:37 | 81 | 84 | |
| Stevenage | 238 | 176 | Karl SHREEVE | 31:37 | 10 | 11 | |
| Stevenage | 240 | 63 | Anne LOVATT | 31:42 | 2 | 2 | |
| Stevenage | 252 | 180 | Nick WITCOMBE | 32:18 | 15 | 33 | |
| Stevenage | 255 | 73 | Ada JANUSIENE | 32:21 | 4 | 4 | |
| Stevenage | 258 | 183 | Sam SIMMONS | 32:27 | 17 | 18 | |
| Stevenage | 260 | 76 | Hazel SMITH | 32:30 | 35 | 37 | |
| Stevenage | 265 | 80 | Callie CHAPMAN | 32:41 | 54 | 57 | |
| Stevenage | 326 | 118 | Niki PLUMB | 37:30 | 22 | 32 | |
| Stevenage | 329 | 119 | Hayley PEACH | 37:59 | SB | 11 | 11 |
| Stevenage | 330 | 211 | Dave PEACH | 38:00 | SB | 7 | 7 |
| Stevenage | 336 | 125 | Melody BROWN | 39:05 | SB | 6 | 6 |
| Stevenage | 337 | 212 | Jim BROWN | 39:24 | 27 | 31 | |
| Stevenage | 342 | 128 | Nichola DURENT | 41:17 | 15 | 15 | |
| Stevenage | 358 | 140 | Sally PHILLIPS | 44:52 | SB | 75 | 76 |
| Stevenage | 363 | 143 | Brooke INNES | 46:31 | SB | 1 | 3 |
| Gunpowder Park | 93 | 21 | Rowena RUTLEDGE | 28:21 | 22 | 67 | |
| Kings Lynn | 9 | 9 | Richard KENNEDY | 19:43 | PB | 2 | 29 |
| Wimpole Estate | 238 | 51 | Karen PALMER | 29:21 | SB | 1 | 73 |
| Preston Park | 224 | 187 | Nick KLEANTHOUS | 25:32 | PB | 4 | 53 |
| Yeovil Montacute | 250 | 162 | Darryl STEVENS | 34:36 | SB | 1 | 121 |
| Panshanger | 217 | 181 | Tim ROBINSON | 29:30 | 64 | 130 | |
| Cassiobury | 31 | 30 | Toby ECCLESHALL | 20:23 | PB | 4 | 56 |
| Letchworth | 6 | 6 | John HARRIS | 20:55 | 11 | 42 |