Great North Run, Bedford Running Festival, Big Half, a Twenty, 5K PBs, an Enduro, sprinting, jumping, throwing and at least 59 Spartans ran parkruns on Saturday. Fairlands Valley have been busy the last few days.
Many runners were so pleased that the heavy rain during the day stopped before the start of Wednesday’s Hatfield 5K. That meant the daylight lasted a little longer into the evening.
This was race 2 of the series and there were another TEN personal bests plus a season’s best and a county SILVER and BRONZE medal for Spartans.
28 Spartans finished. There were ten new personal bests (PB) for the second week running. A new season’s best (SB) and two county medals.
MIKE JEFFS said after last week’s unforeseen stop by the local authorities this week nothing was going to stop him. He joked “I’d even practiced sliding across the Mrs car bonnet just in case. I set a new PB of 16:55 joining the sub 17 club betting my last time by 13 seconds.
The personal bests were by Mike Jeffs 16:55; Ross Gallagher 17:15; Perri Gently 17:18; Nathan Kirley 17:24; Michael Fisher 17:29; Jay Papa 18:41; Terry Sawyer 19:34; Matthew Jackson 2012; Andy Prior 22:06 and Samantha Sutton 28:55. The SILVER medal was won by Andrew Patterson 16:28 for men 40 plus; the BRONZE by Sharon Crowley 27:55 for women 65 plus and the season’s best was by Jim Brown 27:10.
PL | MF | AG | Name | Cat | Time |
8 | 8 | 2 | Andrew PATTERSON | MV40 | 16:28 |
20 | 19 | 7 | Mike JEFFS | MV40 | 16:55 |
26 | 25 | 10 | Simon JACKSON | MV40 | 17:10 |
28 | 27 | 11 | Ross GALLAGHER | MV40 | 17:15 |
31 | 30 | 17 | Perri GENTRY | MS | 17:18 |
35 | 34 | 18 | Nathan KIRLEY | MS | 17:24 |
37 | 36 | 20 | Michael FISHER | MS | 17:29 |
65 | 61 | 28 | Nick GILL | MS | 18:38 |
66 | 62 | 29 | Jay PAPA | MS | 18:41 |
92 | 84 | 31 | Mark COLLINS | MV40 | 19:30 |
94 | 86 | 32 | Terry SAWYER | MV40 | 19:34 |
105 | 95 | 35 | Matthew JACKSON | MS | 20:12 |
111 | 99 | 7 | Tony RANDFIELD | MV60 | 20:25 |
129 | 112 | 12 | Charles ARNOLD | MV60 | 21:13 |
134 | 116 | 41 | Matthew COOKE | MS | 21:23 |
151 | 127 | 25 | Andy PRIOR | MV50 | 22:06 |
154 | 26 | 12 | Annabelle WHITE | FS | 22:11 |
155 | 27 | 7 | Georgie HOOPER | FV35 | 22:12 |
176 | 43 | 12 | Jo COOKSLEY | FV35 | 23:35 |
203 | 56 | 22 | Megan SUTTON | FS | 25:31 |
206 | 58 | 13 | Hazel SMITH | FV45 | 25:50 |
214 | 151 | 30 | Karl SHREEVE | MV50 | 27:08 |
215 | 152 | 6 | Jim BROWN | MV70 | 27:10 |
217 | 64 | 16 | Sam GENTRY | FV45 | 27:20 |
221 | 67 | 3 | Sharon CROWLEY | FV65 | 27:55 |
223 | 69 | 17 | Samantha SUTTON | FV45 | 28:36 |
236 | 77 | 8 | Liz CARVELL | FV65 | 31:29 |
243 | 82 | 16 | Rebecca RAYNER | FV35 | 40:16 |
Famous Fairlands Five at Great North Run
Spartan CHLOE SIMPSON ran the Great North Run in a fantastic new personal best (PB) of 1 hour 42 minutes 59 seconds for the 13.1 miles from Town Moor Newcastle to South Shields. She was raising funds for Guide Dogs.
Also among the 60,000 runners was KELLY McHALE. Her hard work paid off with a tremendous 1:50:31. Kelly is collecting for the British Heart Foundation.
ZOE JACKSON was really happy to finish in just under two hours with 1:59:28. Zoe was sponsored for the Alzheimer’s Society.
So three Fairlands Valley Spartans under two hours. They were 4,569th, 7,724th and 12,911th. All well within the first quarter of finishers. Tremendous.
In addition MICHELLE HOLTON was 23,154th in 2:17:23 and CHRIS WATLING 28,049th in 2:26:03.
Bedford Running Festival
Bedford 20
Starting with the longest race, the 20 miles which warmed up as it went on. There were two Spartans. NICK GILL finished 33rd in 2:27:08 and MARTIN JACOB 114th in 3:08:14. There were 197 finishers.
Nick said he ran 10 miles easy/steady with Jay Papa and then 15 seconds faster/slower than marathon pace every half mile. Tough going and got warm, but nailed almost every split. Marathon training continues!
His Sunday effort followed the Hatfield 5k on Wednesday pacing Jay to a new 5K PB!
Bedford Half
Another famous five Spartans tackled the Bedford Half Marathon. GEORGIE HOOPER had a great run with 1 hour 53 minutes 41 seconds and was 257th out of the 1071 finishers. LINDA GEORGE was in the top half with 2:08:28.
JIM BROWN was a bit off delighted with his 2:12:11 but he was second in his age group and well a bit too warm, Considering he failed to get beyond 10K in his last attempt at a half marathon it was progress so he was happy.
Spartan MARIE COLUCCI went round with a friend and came in a with 2:25:10 and JESSICA CLARKE came in at 2:31:19,
The five avoided the pressures of the thousands in the big city half marathons on the same day but there were some trip hazards to look out for.
Twilight 10K
Saturday evening was time for the Twilight 10K at Bedford. CRAIG BACON finished in 46:01. He was 87th out of 944 finishers.
And JESSICA CLARKE whizzed round the Bedford 5K in 23:53. Fourth in her category and 84th out of 493.
Big Half in London
More than 17,000 runners were in London for the Big Half on Sunday. Eight of them were Spartans.
First in, and in the first thousand, was SIMON FRASER at 876th in 1 hour 28 minutes 39 seconds (1:28:39). A well earned sub 90 minutes.
SALLY PICKLES ran a new personal best (PB) of 2:41:27.
Sammie Sutton’s time for Sunday’s Big Half in London was 2.38.10 not a pb but best for the year and for a few years and she managed a 10k pb for the first 10k!
Jane Wadey said it was her first half marathon since October 2024 and her first ever run in London! It was so lovely to be supported by Amanda Vickers who tried her hardest to get us to under three hours but I was in pain from mile 10 / 11 and every time I tried even a jog, my calf muscles flared up in pain. But really enjoyed it and I had several runners from other deaf groups encouraging me as well. (I now have DEAF printed on the back of my vest). Jane finished in 3:19:03.
The other Spartans were Wayne Simmons 1:58:40; Linda Nolan 2:12:10; Vishal Shah 2:39:33 and Amanda Vickers 3:16:51.
Enduro Stampede
Three Fairlands Valley Spartans were at the St Albans Stampede a 12 hour enduro event. TRICIA HOPPER was 31st, BARRY KING 39th and KAREN LIDDLE 41st.
EMAC
Six Spartan women were in Thurrock for the East of England track and field championships for veteran athletes. They were ELIZABETH CROWLEY, SHARON CROWLEY, KAREN DODSWORTH, CHRISTINE LATHWELL, JOYLYN SAUNDERS- MULLINS and TESS STEPHENSON. Organised by EMAC.
Stripey Saturday – Parkrun Highlights, Saturday 7th September 2025
Another Stevenage Saturday morning with more than 500 people enjoying the local 5K parkrun. First of the month so stripes for Spartans and 41 joined in the fun for 518.
TONY VICKERS ran a new parkrun PB of 23:55 and LINDSAY PATEMAN got a new PPB o 36:42.
At least 59 Spartans ran a parkrun somewhere on Saturday.
Several Spartans helped at Stevenage. The next Spartan “takeover” of Stevenage parkrun will be at 9a.m. on Saturday 13th September. Takeovers are when a club takes on most of the volunteering roles including marshals and pacers.
Position | Gender Position | FVS parkrunner | Time |
7 | 7 | Charlie WHITE | 18:42 |
21 | 21 | Perri GENTRY | 20:56 |
23 | 23 | Jay PAPA | 21:00 |
25 | 25 | Tony RANDFIELD | 21:14 |
35 | 34 | David RIDDELL | 22:03 |
63 | 60 | Matthew COOKE | 23:05 |
66 | 63 | Martin JACOB | 23:08 |
73 | 69 | Daniel VILJOEN | 23:34 |
76 | 72 | Grant RAMSAY | 23:37 |
82 | 77 | Tony VICKERS | 23:55 |
89 | 84 | Martin DUDLEY | 24:20 |
98 | 92 | Darren EMMERSON | 24:52 |
131 | 12 | Natalie WHITE | 25:56 |
149 | 19 | Jayne RIDDELL | 26:25 |
168 | 144 | Mark BEASLEY | 27:12 |
176 | 151 | Ryan DUNNING | 27:33 |
185 | 27 | Carole SHELDRICK | 27:45 |
198 | 164 | Keith ABRAHAMS | 27:59 |
214 | 37 | Claire EMMERSON | 28:24 |
222 | 181 | Peter SACH | 28:42 |
234 | 189 | Jim BROWN | 28:54 |
237 | 46 | Ada JANUSIENE | 29:03 |
287 | 63 | Debbie BLANTERN | 30:37 |
294 | 224 | Chris HOLLAND | 30:47 |
335 | 241 | Kartik SHARMA | 32:14 |
336 | 242 | Ahaan SHARMA | 32:14 |
339 | 91 | Pamela VILJOEN | 32:20 |
384 | 115 | Caroline CROFT | 34:26 |
393 | 265 | Michael O’KEEFE | 34:59 |
399 | 124 | Karen PALMER | 35:11 |
417 | 271 | Paul JENNINGS | 35:53 |
420 | 272 | Lloyd DIAS | 36:25 |
428 | 144 | Lindsay PATEMAN | 36:42 |
439 | 151 | Jayne DYMOKE | 37:32 |
459 | 168 | Tracy HAYGARTH | 38:24 |
474 | 176 | Melody BROWN | 40:04 |
478 | 178 | Hayley PEACH | 40:20 |
483 | 181 | Rebecca RAYNER | 41:19 |
504 | 299 | Roger BIGGS | 49:57 |
517 | 203 | Niki PLUMB | 58:39 |
518 | 204 | Sally PICKLES | 58:41 |