MONICA BROWN was at Lee Valley Indoor Athletics Track on Valentine’s Day to compete in the British Masters Pentathlon Championships and loved winning the Gold medal in the over 50 age group!
Indoor Pentathlon consists of 60 metres Hurdles, High Jump, Shot Putt, Long Jump and 800 metres and Monica lead the age group competition from start to finish ending with a personal best final score of 3230 points.
TESSA STEPHENSON was also competing in the Pentathlon but in the over 55 age group. This was her first indoor pentathlon and she finished with 2249 points to finish fourth. She was especially pleased with her indoor personal best in the shot, with a distance of 8.29 metres, which currently places her third in the UK for her age group.
This meeting also hosted both the Eastern Veterans AC and South of England Veterans Championships with IRIS HORNSEY and DAVE BOWKER competing for the Spartans.
Iris Hornsey continued her good form by running faster than last year’s times in the Over 70 age group. Iris completed the 400 metres in 98.59 seconds to take the Gold Medal in both Championships and the 800 metres in 3minutes 42.71 seconds to take the Silver Medals
Dave Bowker finished the over 55 age group 1500 metres in a time of 5 minutes 8.19 seconds, setting a new Championship Best, and the 3000 metres in 11 minutes 30.27 seconds. Dave was first in both events to take both Gold Medals in each event.
All four athletes are now in contention to represent the Eastern Veterans Region, against teams from all other areas of the UK in the inter-area match at the end of February.
Following on from the Masters championships four Spartans returned to take part, as guests, at the Southern Counties Veterans Athletics Club Championships last weekend.
GRANT RAMSAY and DAVE BOWKER competed in the 3000 and 1500 metre races. Grant finished with times of 9 minutes 55 seconds and 4 minutes 43 seconds in the Men’s 40 age group (2nd in age group in both events) and Dave Bowker with times of 11 minutes 14 seconds (1st in age group) and 5 minutes 19 seconds (2nd in a the Men’s 55 age group).
TESSA STEPHENSON won the Women’s 55 age group Shot Putt competition in a new indoor personal best of 8.57 metres. DAVE STEPHENSON managed 7.32 metres and also 12.68 seconds in his first 60 metre hurdles race in the M50 age group. Both were using this as preparation for upcoming multi event competitions.
Chilly 5K
Perfect running conditions saw some very fast times from the 25 Spartans taking part in this month’s Handicap 5k as almost every participant beat their handicap time, including the fastest female course time recorded in over 4 years, 8 PBs, 2 Season Best and 13 year best times.
Winner on the night was newcomer NEIL ROBINSON, a massive 5:23 quicker than handicap in 24:37, followed by SARAH ATKINSON, supported around the course by JIM BROWN to a new personal best time 28:37, 2:54 quicker than previous.
2nd woman was ANDREA WESTCOTT in 26:37, 2:38 ahead of handicap, with LIZ CARVELL 3rd woman in a year best time of 28:09, 14 seconds quicker than in January.
SIMON SYPULA was 2nd man, taking 61 seconds off his PB to finish in 27:01, with ANDY JAY 3rd man in a new season best time of 22:26.
Fastest runner on the night, despite having to start early and complete most of the run on her own, in the fastest female course time for more than 4 years, was NATALIE LAWRENCE in a new PB time of 18:44.
CLAIRE COX was 2nd quickest woman, with 23:06 for her first 5k with the club, and ISABEL GREEN was 3rd quickest in a new PB time of 23:19, taking 24 seconds off her previous quickest time.
Fastest man was KEITH COUGHLIN in 18:49, 1:11 better than handicap. LIAM HERBERT was 2nd quickest man, celebrating his birthday in style by running a warm-up lap of the 5k course in 21:36 and following that with 20:20 for the Handicap 5k itself, and JAMES KILROY was 3rd fastest man in a new personal best time of 21:17.
There was also a PB for KARL SHREEVE (+0:35 to 6:37), while DAVID BOWKER power-walked his way around the circuit in a new season best time of 31:12, 1:20 faster than in January.
24 of the 25 finishers beat their handicap, with 76% finishing within 1 minute of their adjusted handicap time, and the time difference between 2nd-24th position was just 2:29.
The March Handicap 5k will be on Thursday 17th March 2016.
| Pos | Name | Time | T. Pos | F. Pos | Comments |
| 1 | NEIL ROBINSON | 24:37 | 15 | PB, 1st 5k, Winner | |
| 2 | SARAH ATKINSON | 28:37 | 23 | 7 | PB (2:54) 1st Woman |
| 3 | JIM BROWN | 28:37 | 24 | ||
| 4 | ANDREA WESTCOTT | 26:37 | 17 | 5 | YB, New |
| 5 | SIMON SYPULA | 27:01 | 20 | PB (1:01) | |
| 6 | ANDY JAY | 22:26 | 6 | SB (0:43) | |
| 7 | KARL SHREEVE | 26:37 | 18 | PB (0:35) | |
| 8 | MARTIN DUDLEY | 23:23 | 11 | YB (0:37) | |
| 9 | LIZ CARVELL | 28:09 | 22 | 6 | YB (0:14) |
| 10 | ISABEL GREEN | 23:19 | 9 | 3 | PB (0:24) |
| 11 | NATALIE LAWRENCE | 18:44 | 1 | 1 | PB (0:03) Fast runner on the night |
| 12 | TIM ROBINSON | 23:02 | 7 | YB (0:49) | |
| 13 | JAMES KILROY | 21:17 | 4 | PB (0:04) | |
| 14 | CLAIRE COX | 23:06 | 8 | 2 | PB, 1st 5k |
| 15 | DAVID BOWKER | 31:12 | 25 | SB (1:20) | |
| 16 | MARK GOODWIN | 22:13 | 5 | YB (0:14) | |
| 17 | KEITH COUGHLIN | 18:49 | 2 | YB Fastest man on the night | |
| 18 | LIAM HERBERT | 20:20 | 3 | YB | |
| 19 | DARREN EMMERSON | 23:20 | 10 | YB | |
| 20 | VISHAL SHAH | 23:26 | 12 | YB (2:08) | |
| 21 | LEE PICKERSGILL | 27:12 | 21 | YB | |
| 22 | HAYLEY FAULKNER | 25:36 | 16 | 4 | |
| 23 | CALLUM BEASLEY | 24:00 | 13 | YB | |
| 24 | ROGER BIGGS | 26:51 | 19 | YB | |
| 25 | MARK BEASLEY | 24:30 | 14 | YB |
Andrea’s Bramley
ANDREA WESTCOTT ran the Bramley 10 in 92 minutes 22 seconds.
100 Marathon Club AGM Marathon/The Good The Bad and The Ugly Marathon
CAROL PAUL ran the 100 Marathon Club AGM Marathon on Saturday. Comprising of 13 laps of the cycle park in Fowlmead Country Park near Deal in Kent, Carol completed the race in 4hrs 36 minutes 28 seconds.
The following day the same course hosted The Good, The Bad and the Ugly Marathon, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the first spaghetti western. Although the temperature was good, winds gusting up to 50 mph made for 13 laps of toil, and ROGER BIGGS completed the race in 5hrs 06 minutes and 24 seconds.
Wokingham Half Marathon
JAMES KILROY ran the second if his 2016 challenge half marathons at Wokingham. At the half-way stage he was two minutes inside his PB pace, but calf and breathing difficulties affected him from the 8 mile mark. He ran through the difficulties to finish in a very creditable 1 hr 45mins and 44 seconds.
Celebrate!!
The Fairlands Valley Spartans Presentation Evening, Dinner and Disco will be at Chesfield Downs Gold Club from 7.30p.m. this Friday 26th February. Tickets are just ÂŁ20. More details on www.fvspartans.org.uk
Parkrun Reports
CRAIG HALSEY continued his recent sparking form at Luton Wardown parkrun. He finished first of 185 runners in a fine time of 16:57 but was disappointed not to take the course record and vowed to return in the near future for another attempt. At St Albans TIM SABAN also showed himself to be in fine shape, finishing 34th of 360 runners in a new course PB of 20:21.
Three Spartans headed down to favourite local venue Panshanger Park, with THOMAS SAUKA finishing 36th of 212 in 22:53. LESLEY JEIVE finished 115th in 28:19 and HEATHER MOLONEY finished 146th in 30:03, a new course PB.
JOHN ROXBURGH paid a first visit to Barclay parkrun and finished 6th of 64 in a time of 24:19, while at Cassiobury Park in Watford Darryl Stevens was 277th of 295 finishers in 38:15 in his first run at that venue. LUCY FIELD finished 351st of 478 at Cambridge in 30:56.
Travelling further afield, DANIEL SUTTON and VERITY FISHER headed to Rutland Water, Danny finishing 29th of 134 in 23:52 and Verity finishing 34th in 24:38 (new course PB). At Cleethorpes, EMMA POULTER finished 106th of 120 in 35:28, also a new course PB while at Carlisle ANDREW MARTIN finished 56th of 185 runners, crossing the line in 25:36.
The most northerly Spartan parkrunner of the week was JIM BROWN who ran at Portobello parkrun in Edinburgh and finished 123rd of 220 runners in 27:06 in his first parkrun anywhere.
Coming Events
Many Spartans will be enjoying a busy programme of races, social and training events over the next few weeks including the:
- Handicap 5K in Stevenage on Thursday 18th February.
- Serpentine 5K in Hyde Park on Friday 26th February at 12.30p.m.
- Spartans Presentation Evening on Friday 26th February. Tickets only ÂŁ20.
- County Veterans Cross Country Championships on Sunday 13th March (probably Watford).
- Finchley 20 on Sunday 13th March.
- Handicap 5K on Thursday 17th March.
- Serpentine 5K in Hyde Park on Friday 18th March.
- Essex 20 including Intercounties on Sunday 20th March.
- Sport Relief on Sunday 20th March.
- Maidenhead Easter Ten on Friday 25th March.
- County 20 Miles Championships at Oakley on Sunday 3rd April.
- Flitwick 10K on Sunday 17th April.
- London Marathon on Sunday 24th April.
- County 1500 metres open and veteran track and field championships in Stevenage on Monday 2nd May.
- Pednor Five (including County five miles championship for veterans) on Monday evening 2nd May.
- Halstead Marathon, including Hertfordshire County Championships for seniors and veterans, on Sunday 8th May.
- Relays in the Park, our 3K Relays in Fairlands Valley on Thursday 28th July.
- Standalone 10K including County Vets Championships on Sunday 2nd October.
- Peterborough Half Marathon on Sunday 9th October.
- Abingdon Marathon on Sunday 23rd October.
- Stevenage Half Marathon, a Stevenage 70 event, on Sunday 6th November.
- St Neots Half Marathon on Sunday 20th November.
- County Five Miles Open Championship in Hatfield on 27th November.