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NEWS RELEASE: BIG PUSH NEEDED IN MID WEEK LEAGUE

Big push needed for final MWL race, Spartans get in the Olympic mood, news from Hadrians Wall, Herts Hobble and more

Trish & Karen at the end of their Hadrians Wall adventure
Trish & Karen at the end of their Hadrians Wall adventure

News Release   24th June 2012

BIG PUSH NEEDED IN MID WEEK LEAGUE

Getting in the Olympic Mood

Fairlands Valley Spartans will have to work hard in Thursday evening’s fourth and last counting event in the Mid Week Road Race League after a mishap in the Harlow race on Wednesday.  In order to avoid relegation the club is calling on all who can to run the seven mile event in St. Albans on the 28th.

A slightly reduced but still impressive contingent of sixty two Spartans lined up for Wednesday’s Mid Week League race which was on a largely cross country 10K course in Harlow.  The running surface and undulating terrain did not seem to worry some as their were several personal best times.

ROB WILLIS (35th) ran his first 10K for the club in 38 minutes 14 seconds; DARREN WILBY (135th) improved to 45:09; JON SYPULA (152nd) to 45:54; JULIE SIMMONS (175th) to 47:21; RHIANNON GRIFFIN (180th) to 47:38; JENNIFER ROBERTSON (195th) to 48:44; VISHAL SHAH (201st) to 49:05; TONY VICKERS (204th) to 49:14; TRACY BULLOT (226th) to 51:19; and SARAH SAPSTEAD (312th) to 1:04:46.  Many improved on their times on the faster Welwyn Garden City course!

TRUDIE MOLLOY and SIMON STEWART ran their first 10Ks in 52:19 and 52:49 respectively.

SIMON JACKSON (11th in 35:56); SHAW PYE (16th in 36:20); ANDY NEATHAM (17th and fourth “vet” in 36:22); GRANT RAMSAY (30th in 37:42) and ANDREW PATTERSON (31st in 37:53) were the fastest men for the club.  TRACY PEZ (150th in 45:51); Julie Simmons (above); Rhiannon Griffin (above); Jennifer Robertson (above) and DAWN EASBY (198th in a season’s best 48:48) were the quickest Spartan women.

IRIS HORNSEY was the first woman vet (65 plus) in a season’s best 59:35; BEV HARLOW was second woman vet (55 plus) in 52:22: and BARRY OSBORNE was third vet man (60 plus) in 43:42.

A club casualty on a bridleway just over 5K stopped or delayed several Spartans who were in the top half of the field.  This inevitably had an effect on the team result.

The Spartan men came fourth out of the six teams but unfortunately their women, more dramatically affected by the incident and missing some of their faster runners, came last.  This meant the club were fifth on the night and in the same position in the league.  They must improve to at least fourth to survive in division one.

The results for all sixty Spartan finishers will be found at the very end of this release.

Hadrians Wall

This weekend Spartans TRICIA HOPPER and KAREN LIDDLE took part in the Hadrians Wall ultra 69 mile race over 2 days, finishing in a total 16 hours and 57 minutes.

They both feel tired but fab and even had a little left to break into a sort of sprint over the Millenium bridge.  Tricia and Karen quite rightly really chuffed at their achievement.

Roger’s a Winner in Hardest Marathon

ROGER BIGGS took part in possibly the hardest road marathon in the UK on Sunday — the Lancaster Castle Marathon.  There was a long climb out Lancaster into the surrounding countryside, then several stiff climbs before a monster hill at 18 miles.  Despite this, Roger ran the whole 26.2 miles in good conditions.  Roger’s time was good enough over a tough course to place as the first vet 60, winning £50 for his troubles, with a time of 4 hours 8 minutes 10 seconds.

Herts Hobble

Nine Spartans slipped and slid their way around a not surprisingly extremely muddy Hertfordshire Hobble which this year took in the Hertfordshire villages of Bramfield, Chapmore End, Westmill, Thunderidge, Sacombe, Dane End, Little Munden, Green End, Great Munden, Ardeley, Walkern, Benington and Watton-at-Stone.

Their times for the 26.4 miles were Carol Paul 5 hours 35 minutes 24 seconds; Mike Newbitt 5:35:24; Sharon Crowley 6:14:42; Paul Holgate 6:14:42; Dave Paul 6:18:11; Rob Hardy 6:23:54; Chas Avis 7:14:41 and Dave Carter 8:00:00.

Ramsay’s Recovery

GRANT RAMSAY continued his road to recovery with an impressive sixth place in the Colworth 8.1 mile trail race and a time of 56 minutes 50 seconds.  There were 200 finishers.

Olympic Warm Up

Fairlands Valley Spartans got in the Olympic mood with their own torch procession and games at Ridlins Track on Sunday afternoon.

Coming Events 

Many Spartans will be enjoying a busy programme of races, social and training events over the next few weeks including the:

  • Mid Week Road Race League Seven Miles in St. Albans on Thursday 28th June.
  • Mob Match at Trent Park on Wednesday 11th July.
  • EVAC Track and Field event in Milton Keynes on Wednesday 11th July.
  • Fairlands Valley Challenge (Off Road) on Sunday 15th July.
  • Relays in the Park (3K legs) on Thursday evening 19th July.
  • County 5K Championships in Stevenage on Sunday 9th September.
  • County 5 Miles Championship in Stevenage on Sunday 23rd September.
  • Stevenage Half Marathon on Sunday 4th November.

Join The Spartans

Live in or near Stevenage?  Like running?  Fairlands Valley Spartans is your local running club and is on the up!  The club was voted the UK’s Best Running Club in 2010.  It now has over 400 members and encourages participation by all.  The Spartans have a varied training programme to suit those who want to run 5 kilometres through to full marathons.

The Spartans weekday training sessions are on Tuesday and Thursday evenings.  Go along to drama studio next to the gymnastics centre at Marriotts School — a Sports College, Telford Avenue, Stevenage (SG2 0AN) at 7p.m.  Up to five running groups go out on training nights — there will be one to suit you!

The Spartan Starter group starts from Marriotts at 7.30p.m. every Monday (except public holidays) and 7p.m. every Thursday.

Most long Sunday morning training sessions start 9.30a.m. sharp.  Spartan track training sessions are held at Ridlins Athletics Track, Woodcock Road, Stevenage most Saturdays from 9.15a.m.  There are events to enter every Sunday.  Newcomers are very welcome — those who have not done very much running yet might prefer to start with a Thursday, Saturday or Monday session.

Try a few sessions before joining.  Membership is only £27 per year.  Concessions are available.  Membership forms are available on the Spartans website www.fvspartans.org.uk  Please ask if you would like a paper copy.

If you want to know more about the Spartans please contact Jim Brown (01438 354505 or 0793 968 7509), Stephanie Mayfield 01438 815859 or visit their website www.fvspartans.org.uk

E N D S 

More from Jim Brown (Press Officer) 01438 354505 / 0793 968 7509 or Stephanie Mayfield (Secretary) 01438 815859

www.fvspartans.org.uk

***********

Full Mid Week League result for all 60 Spartans:

Race

Pos

Name Surname

Cat.

Time

PB

11

11

Simon Jackson

S

35:56

16

16

Shaw Pye

S

36:20

YB

17

17

Andy Neatham

V 40

36:22

PB

30

29

Grant Ramsay

S

37:42

31

30

Andrew Patterson

S

37:53

35

34

Rob Willis

S

38:14

1st 10K

40

39

Chris Westcott

S

38:29

55

52

Danny Hukin

S

39:18

YB

71

65

Todd Gray

S

40:57

86

78

Pete Smith

V 50

42:20

88

80

Barry Osborne

V 60

42:21

3rd MV60

110

97

Steve Mayfield

V 40

43:42

YB

135

116

Darren Wilby

S

45:09

PB

140

119

Steve Elder

V 50

45:16

YB

144

122

Lee Lawrence

S

45:29

150

24

Tracy Pez

V 35

45:51

151

127

Matt Gill

S

45:48

152

128

Jon Sypula

S

45:54

PB

157

131

Jody Flett

S

46:13

YB

159

133

Mark Goodwin

V 50

46:10

162

136

Robert Evans

S

46:25

175

30

Julie Simmons

V 45

47:21

PB

177

146

Roger Biggs

V 60

47:24

180

33

Rhiannon Griffin

S

47:38

PB

195

40

Jennifer Robertson

S

48:44

PB

198

43

Dawn Easby

S

48:48

SB

201

158

Vishal Shah

S

49:05

PB (equal)

204

159

Tony Vickers

V 40

49:14

PB

220

165

Andy Jay

V 40

50:31

221

166

James Day

S

50:31

222

167

Matthew Palacio

S

50:54

226

57

Tracy Bullot

V 35

51:19

PB

231

60

Trudie Molloy

V 35

52:19

1st 10K

233

172

Robert Shaw

V 60

52:26

235

62

Beverley Harlow

V 55

52:22

2nd FV55

236

173

Simon Stewart

S

52:49

1st 10K

238

174

Paul Holgate

V 50

52:47

243

65

Sarah Pike

S

53:38

245

66

Karen Ellis

V 35

53:57

247

179

Steve Pike

V 50

54:15

250

181

Steve Carter

V 40

54:46

251

182

Mark Cheadle

S

54:54

252

69

Stephanie Mayfield

V 35

54:50

260

72

Sharon Crowley

V 45

55:37

266

188

Nick Witcombe

V 40

56:06

267

189

Chris Leigh

V 40

56:05

268

190

Barry King

V 40

56:05

YB

271

79

Julie Twomey

V 45

56:19

272

192

Roger Hardman

V 60

56:10

280

86

Lorraine Thomas

V 45

58:12

YB

281

87

Victoria Sealy

S

58:15

287

91

Jeanette Collins

V 45

59:14

288

92

Iris Hornsey

V 65

59:35

1st FV65 SB

293

97

Lisa Gavigan

V 35

1:00:22

296

100

Andrea Westcott

V 35

1:00:48

304

107

Claire Drake

S

1:02:01

1st 10K

311

111

Tracy Stiles

V 35

1:04:45

312

112

Sarah Sapstead

S

1:04:46

PB (equal)

318

201

Jim Brown

V 60

1:13:50

319

202

Mick Connell

V 50

1:13:50

There were 320 finishers.  203 men and 117 women.

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