Congratulations Charlie Arnold and Suzy Hawkins. Award winners in the 2026 mid week road race league. After the series of four races in Division Two Charlie WON the men 70 competition and Suzy was second woman 45 plus.
Men Improve
Fairlands Valley Spartans men did much better at the mid week Mob Match on Thursday. That was a great evening in Welwyn Garden City when clubs from all three divisions came together. FVS were sixth out of the 24 clubs beating well known clubs including Trent Park, Barnet, North Herts Road Runners and others from Stevenage.
Due to the heat the course was shortened from 10 kilometres to about 5.7 kilometres. Despite the conditions 531 runners took part in the evening event including 35 Spartans.
SAMUEL PAUL and ANDREW PATTERSON were real high scorers for FVS with Samuel eighth out of the 341 men in 20 minutes 2 seconds (20:02) and Andrew just three seconds behind at ninth in 20:05. Andrew was second man 40 plus in the race.
ASHLEY KING was the fastest female from Spartans with 27:51 with MARIE COLUCCI second fastest in 29:20 and ALICE WELCH third in 30:38.
| Pos | First Name | Last Name | Time | M/F | Cat | Vet |
| 8 | Samuel | Paul | 20:02 | 8 | ||
| 9 | Andrew | Patterson | 20:05 | 9 | 2 | 2 |
| 32 | Nick | Andrews | 21:16 | 31 | 7 | 11 |
| 51 | Ross | Gallagher | 21:59 | 49 | 15 | 20 |
| 61 | Charlie | White | 22:16 | 59 | ||
| 78 | Nick | Gill | 22:44 | 74 | ||
| 117 | Terry | Sawyer | 24:04 | 106 | 39 | 58 |
| 133 | Sam | Jarvis | 24:37 | 116 | 41 | 62 |
| 134 | David | Bennett-Halliday | 24:39 | 117 | ||
| 173 | Danny | Scanlon | 25:40 | 151 | 49 | 85 |
| 230 | Tom | Grieveson | 27:11 | 193 | ||
| 254 | Ashley | King | 27:51 | 40 | 7 | 21 |
| 258 | Adam | Hill | 27:56 | 217 | ||
| 262 | Craig | Bacon | 28:06 | 218 | 51 | 137 |
| 269 | Ralph | Dadswell | 28:17 | 223 | 21 | 141 |
| 275 | David | Riddell | 28:26 | 226 | 22 | 143 |
| 301 | Marie | Colucci | 29:20 | 55 | 14 | 33 |
| 308 | Simon | Haigh | 29:31 | 250 | 63 | 165 |
| 317 | Charlie | Arnold | 29:47 | 255 | 2 | 170 |
| 334 | Tony | Vickers | 30:09 | 265 | 66 | 176 |
| 350 | Jay | Papa | 30:38 | 270 | ||
| 351 | Alice | Welch | 30:38 | 80 | ||
| 440 | Lucy | Paul | 33:41 | 134 | 38 | 94 |
| 451 | Pete | Cook | 34:30 | 309 | 80 | 215 |
| 472 | Sam | Gentry | 35:46 | 157 | 46 | 111 |
| 488 | Karl | Shreeve | 36:43 | 320 | 85 | 224 |
| 489 | David | Ackery | 36:53 | 321 | ||
| 499 | Judy | King | 38:23 | 174 | 29 | 123 |
| 500 | Sharon | Crowley | 38:25 | 175 | 10 | 124 |
| 501 | Elizabeth | Crowley | 38:25 | 176 | 32 | 125 |
| 502 | Andrew | Fenwick | 38:26 | 325 | 88 | 227 |
| 516 | Claire | Emmerson | 41:03 | 181 | 31 | 130 |
| 517 | Penny | Schenkel | 41:03 | 182 | 32 | 131 |
| 523 | Paul | Holgate | 42:09 | 338 | 51 | 238 |
| 528 | Amanda | Vickers | 44:47 | 188 | 55 | 135 |
Aston Is Back – Jay The Winner
The revival of the local Aston Five mile race after a break of more than ten years was very welcome and it was won by a Fairlands Valley Spartan!
This was JAY PAPA’s first race win and he was buzzing. His time of 30 minutes 46 seconds on that lumpy course was fantastic on a warm morning.
All in all the Spartans did pretty well. Jay winner; ASHLEY KING second woman with 37:44; JIM BROWN first 70 plus with 49:28; TONY RANDFIELD second 60 plus with 37:35; SHARON CROWLEY second woman 65 plus with 49:40; and BRONYA BROWN third woman 35 plus with 45:37.
Jim said he was a bit baffled, but pleased, to be a category winner. Looking at the weather, knowing the hilly course and considering recent running struggles he set off at a steady ten minute mile pace but noticed he was catching people in the latter stages.
There were good runs from DANNY SCANLON 36:23; PENNY SCHENKEL 54:07 and MONICA SMITHSON 56:12. WAYNE SIMMONS came in with 50:25 and PAUL HOLGATE with 1:03:33. There were a few comments about the hot last hill.
| Pos | CatPos | MF | Name | Cat | Gun Time | Chip Time |
| 1 | 1 | 1 | Jay PAPA | MS | 30:46 | 30:46 |
| 13 | 6 | 12 | Danny SCANLON | MV40 | 36:25 | 36:23 |
| 14 | 2 | 13 | Tony RANDFIELD | MV60 | 37:38 | 37:35 |
| 16 | 2 | 2 | Ashley KING | FV35 | 37:47 | 37:44 |
| 35 | 3 | 8 | Bronya BROWN | FV35 | 45:43 | 45:37 |
| 52 | 1 | 35 | Jim BROWN | MV70+ | 49:33 | 49:28 |
| 53 | 2 | 18 | Sharon CROWLEY | FV65+ | 49:48 | 49:40 |
| 55 | 9 | 37 | Wayne SIMMONS | MV60 | 50:36 | 50:25 |
| 62 | 7 | 23 | Penny SCHENKEL | FV55 | 54:14 | 54:07 |
| 66 | 9 | 25 | Monica SMITHSON | FV55 | 56:18 | 56:12 |
| 73 | 13 | 46 | Paul HOLGATE | MV60 | 1:03:40 | 1:03:33 |
Captains at Box Park Ultras – Ultra 5K x 10 and x 3
MIKE JEFFS entered the Ultra 5K x 10 at Box Moor Park, Kempston near Bedford. It’s a unique event where you run a 5K lap, starting a new lap on the hour, every hour, for 10 hours. He said he would never usually consider entering an ultra race, but this format really intrigued him.
The day started at 4:00am alongside 57 other runners. After very little sleep thanks to the England game finishing late, the heat, and the challenge of covering the distance, it was certainly a tough day.
He was really pleased to say he completed all 10 laps, finishing with a combined running time of 3 hours and 48 minutes, which was enough to secure second place overall.
Mike said it was one of the toughest but most rewarding running challenges he’s ever done, and he’s really glad he gave it a go.
CALLIE FINDLAY chose the Ultra 5K x 3. Her starts were at 11a.m., 12 noon and 1p.m. so very hot, 27 degrees. She wanted to keep them all under 40 minutes and did that with 37, 37 and 38 minutes so had 23 minute recoveries between her 5Ks.
Mike is the FVS men’s captain and Callie the club women’s captain.
Spartans Are Eastern Leaders – EMAC track and field success
Fairlands Valley Spartans women’s team of MONICA BROWN, YUKO GORDON, REBECCA RAYNER, JOLYLYN SAUNDERS-MULLINS and TESSA STEPHENSON are joint leaders are joint leaders of the Eastern Masters (EMAC)’s west division track and field league. After three meetings they had 267 points, tied with a combined Corby / Northampton team and 31 ahead of Milton Keynes.
If they do well in the fourth and final meeting they will go forward to the final for the whole of the East of England which will be in Milton Keynes on 19th September.
The FVS men’s team of NICK KLEANTHOUS, STEVE MAYFIELD, IAN RAWLINSON, TIMOTHY SAUNDERS-MULLINS and DAVID STEPHENSON were third.
EMAC provide track and field opportunities for veteran athletes over 35.
A Long Way for David
Spartan DAVID BOWKER ran a 24 hour race in the Thetford Forest. He said that at 4.2 miles it was a shorter than usual lap for this kind of event but there was only one incline and minimal tree roots. He completed his 20th lap after 23 hours 20 minutes giving him a total of 84 miles.
Meanwhile
Meanwhile three Spartans ran the Saucony 10K in London. JAMES GUNN with a personal best of 47:30; MATTHEW TUTTON in one hour exactly and TONY ARGYROU in a season’s best 1:19:40.
JONATHAN PARR ran the Whitstable and Herne Bay 10K in 37:49; PAUL MOULD the Stotfold 10K in 45:44 and RALPH DADSWELL the Dulwich Five Miles in a year’s best 39:07.
Parkrun Highlights
The long run of warm Saturdays continued with the temperature around 24 degrees at the finish of the Stevenage parkrun. Nevertheless there were 435 finishers including SAMUEL PAUL who won again, this time in 16:58 and more than 30 other Spartans.
GAIL MACKIE was the fastest female from Fairlands this week 25:04; BRONYA BROWN was second in 28:30 and LORRAINE HILL third in 28:54.
NICK KLEANTHOUS ran his 290th parkrun in 30:42; STEVE PLATT his 120th in 33:03; NIKI PLUMB her 90th in 39:52 and CAROLE SHELDRICK her 60th in 30:56. DAVID SCOTT was a volunteer tailwalker but still qualified him for his 140th completion.
| Position | Gender Position | FVS parkrunner | Time |
| 1 | 1 | Samuel PAUL | 16:58 |
| 4 | 4 | Simon JACKSON | 17:57 |
| 9 | 9 | Steve WELLS | 20:15 |
| 13 | 13 | Grant RAMSAY | 20:46 |
| 60 | 54 | Ralph DADSWELL | 23:50 |
| 72 | 65 | Richard MOORE | 24:35 |
| 81 | 8 | Gail MACKIE | 25:04 |
| 88 | 79 | Daniel VILJOEN | 25:27 |
| 89 | 80 | Martin DUDLEY | 25:29 |
| 117 | 101 | Darren EMMERSON | 26:38 |
| 173 | 30 | Bronya BROWN | 28:30 |
| 186 | 34 | Lorraine HILL | 28:54 |
| 192 | 36 | Alice WELCH | 29:09 |
| 193 | 152 | Jay PAPA | 29:10 |
| 198 | 157 | Ryan DUNNING | 29:18 |
| 237 | 181 | Nick KLEANTHOUS | 30:42 |
| 242 | 52 | Carole SHELDRICK | 30:56 |
| 246 | 54 | Sally PICKLES | 31:03 |
| 252 | 190 | Malcom MACGREGOR | 31:14 |
| 289 | 207 | Maurice BALLARD | 32:38 |
| 298 | 211 | Steve PLATT | 33:03 |
| 322 | 224 | Andy JAY | 34:31 |
| 349 | 106 | Angie KEELING | 36:05 |
| 352 | 109 | Pamela VILJOEN | 36:15 |
| 355 | 110 | Hayley PEACH | 36:57 |
| 360 | 114 | Zoe NEWELL | 37:32 |
| 371 | 243 | Michael O’KEEFE | 38:56 |
| 379 | 124 | Niki PLUMB | 39:52 |
| 421 | 261 | Thomas SAUKA | 52:35 |
| 422 | 150 | Emma WELCH | 53:00 |
| 434 | 264 | David SCOTT | 59:45 |
Here Come the Relays in the Park – Full But Come And Cheer On The Runners
The 33rd FVS Relays in the Park are full. They are a great event to watch. They will be in Fairlands Valley Park, Stevenage at 7.15p.m. on Thursday 16th July. Each leg is three kilometres and teams will consist of four runners. The event incorporates the Hertfordshire AARC (County) Senior & Veteran Championships
The maximum of 150 teams, 600 runners, have entered.
The Fairlands Valley Challenge off road event is coming up on Sunday 19th July.