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ON TRACK FOR MEDALS

Craig leads flying Spartans in Berlin * Andrew wins the Hitchin 5K

 

From Berlin to Biggleswade there were some fantastic results for Fairlands Valley Spartans at the weekend.  It was three out of three for the Fairlands Valley Spartans trio who tackled 25 laps of the Biggleswade Athletics track in the Hertfordshire 10K track championships.  All came away with medals.

GRANT RAMSAY was quickest of the three with 37 minutes 9 seconds winning SILVER in the veterans’ championship (40 plus) and BRONZE in the open championship.

The next Spartan in was ANDY JAY taking GOLD in the men’s fifty plus race with 48 minutes 48:42 seconds.

The Spartan coming away with the biggest smile on his face was JIM BROWN.  In the absence of anyone of similar ability on the track he time trialled round in 49:52, despite a nagging headwind on the home straight 2 minutes and 1 second faster than the same event last year for DOUBLE GOLD.  Gold sixty plus in the County Championship and GOLD in the East of England event.

Earlier Grant ran the 1500 metres in the Biggleswade Athletics Club open events.  He was first veteran (40 plus) and fourth overall in 4 minutes 47 seconds.  Coming back after an Ironman Triathlon ANN TRYSSESOONE ran the 1500 in 6.45.

grant track

 

Berlin Marathon

While Germany went to the polls five Spartans were running the Berlin Marathon.  CRAIG HALSEY ran an amazing 2 hours 35 minutes 4 seconds, beating the British Championship qualifying time by nearly ten minutes, to come 195th out of the 28,067 finishers so easily in the top one per cent.

RICHARD KENNEDY was 3,210th with 3 hours 13 minutes 46 seconds and TIM SABAN 4,499th with a tremendous 3:21:48.  For the women NICOLA KENNEDY was 1,560th in 3:46:55 and KERSTIN WEINER 1,621st in 3:47:48.

 

Hitchin

Spartan ANDREW PATTERSON won the Hitchin town centre 5K, leading throughout and finishing in 16 minutes 39 seconds.

andrew hitchin

NATALIE LAWRENCE was third senior woman in 20 minutes 16 seconds.

CAROLE SHELDRICK was one happy Spartan saying it was a lovely run, going sub 25 for the first time and finishing with 24:30.

Having done track all summer this was IRIS HORNSEY’s first road race of the year and first 5K in 2017.  She was first woman over 75, just behind the first 65 plus with 30:20.  MONICA SMITHSON ran a season’s best (SB) 27:17.

Two other Spartans were sub twenty.  STUART HAYCROFT with 18:52 and JOHN HARRIS in 19:13.  The other five of the twelve Spartans were CRAIG BACON (21:31); KIERAN FEETHAM (22:04); NIKKI WILBY (23:45); RACHHPAL BAJWA (26:40) and IAN ALEXANDER (43:36).

 

Pos Cat Pos Name Cat Chip Time AG% Comments
1. 1. Andrew PATTERSON MS 16:39 80.1%
14. 6. Stuart HAYCROFT MS 18:52 72.1%
24. 4. John HARRIS MV50 19:13 79.7%
34. 3 Natalie LAWRENCE FS 20:16 72.7%
49. 14. Craig BACON MV40 21:31 66.8%
53. 23. Kieran FEETHAM MS 22:04 59.4%
75. 10. Nikki WILBY FS 23:45 61.9%
90. 10. Carole SHELDRICK FV35 24:30 62.8% PB
127. 18. Rachhpal BAJWA MV50 26:40 58.2%
144. 9. Monica SMITHSON FV45 27:17 61.4% SB
190. 1. Iris HORNSEY FV75 30:20 74.3%
237. 24. Ian ALEXANDER MV50 43:36 35.3%

 

 

Handicap 5K

21 Spartans took part in Thursday evening’s handicap 5K.  First to finish, knocking a massive 1:34 off his previous fastest FVS 5K time was JONATHAN PENNELL in a very impressive 17:52, 15 seconds ahead of second placed PAUL MAGUIRE in a course best time of 21:37 and with new member STUART ARCHER third in 20:44, 57 seconds quicker than his previous best 5k time.

The winning woman was ERICA GRAYSON in her first Handicap 5k, finishing with a time of 26:59, with TESSA STEPHENSON second in a rare handicap 5k appearance in a time of 27:36 in her first 5K for 3 years.  SUE HAMER was third in a year’s best time of 28:25.

The fastest runner on the night was Jonathan with his 17:52, with RICHARD SPRINGALL second quickest in 19:13 and BRIAN WHITE third quickest in a course best time of 19:14, 28 seconds faster than previously achieved.  Erica was quickest lady with Tessa second quickest and SARAH PIKE third quickest in a year best time of 28:09 coming back from injury in time for her Standalone 10k in 10 days time.

There was also a new personal best (PB) for NICK GILL, improving his 5K time by 31 seconds to 19:47 in fifth position overall, and course best times for MARK COLLINS (19:19), JONATHAN FOSTER (22:44), GARETH COWELL (22:08) and KEN JUDE (23:11).

 

Ealing Half Marathon

RUTH REILLY ran a stunning Ealing Half Marathon in 1 hour 37 minutes 10 seconds with JACKIE DOWNES racing round the same event in 1:56:39.

 

Swansea Half Marathon

ROBERT EVANS ran the Swansea Half Marathon in 1 hour 55 minutes 36.7 seconds.  He was 1,439th.

 

Biggs Enigma

The Enigma Marathon is seven and a bit laps around Caldecotte Lake in Milton Keynes. On a warm day, ROGER BIGGS struggled with the ups and downs of the course, but kept going to finish the marathon in 5:43:50.

 

St Paul’s Walden Bury 10km XC

PETER CARPENTER reports that the St. Paul’s Waldenburu 10K is a fairly low key event but enjoyable with a beautiful route – not made for PBs but to enjoy the view going up and down hill!

The charity was an unusual one: Farms for City Children.  Peter’s time was 1:10:51.  He was the eldest competitor, 69th out of 77 overall – with 4 men and 4 women behind him.

 

Stevenage Half Marathon Entries Open

Organised by Fairlands Valley Spartans for more than thirty years the 2017 Stevenage Half Marathon will be on Sunday 22nd October and entries have opened.  Have a look on www.fvspartans.org.uk

 

Parkrun Reports

ALISON WOOD was first lady at Stevenage parkrun in 20 mins 11 secs.  KELLY EVANS was 4th in a new course PB of 24:25 and VERITY FISHER 6th in 24:57. CLAIRE EMMERSON (27:41), HAZEL SMITH (27:41) and CALLIE CHAPMAN (30:23) all finished in the top 50 women, and LISA JERROM ran 30:23.

NICK GILL followed up a PB in the club’s recent handicap 5k with a new course PB of 20:24 here to finish 12th. MARTIN DUDLEY (12th, 22:40), CLIVE CANNON (23:11), DANIEL SUTTON (a creditable 24:11 as the back ends of a 10 mile long run) and CHRIS HOLLAND (24:22) all notched top 50 places. LEE PICKERSGILL (24:43), DAVID SCOTT (26:29), KEN JUDE (27:27, also at the end of a 10 miler), JAMES SOUTH (27:32), JOHN WALSH (28:05), ROGER BIGGS (29:34) and SELVAN NAICKER (37:22) also ran and IAN ALEXANDER tail-walked in 54:27.

With Spartans racing in Berlin, Hitchin and on the track this weekend there were only two “away” parkrun performances this weekend. TIM ROBINSON visited Pymmes for the first time and was 22nd in 24:46, while DARRYL STEVENS was 50th at Brockenhurst in 40:51.

 

Coming Events

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

  • Third Hatfield 5K on Wednesday evening 27th September.
  • Herts Senior 10K Championships at Standalone on Sunday 1st October.
  • Peterborough Half Marathon on Sunday 8th October.
  • Stevenage Half Marathon on Sunday 22nd October.
  • Cross Country League at Trent Park on Sunday 12th November.
  • St Neots Half Marathon on Sunday 19th November.
  • Hertfordshire Five Mile Championship for Veterans at Hatfield on Sunday 26th Nov.
  • Bass Belle 10 near Royston on Sunday 26th November.
  • Spartans Christmas Party on Friday 8th December.
  • Cross Country League at Willian on Sunday 17th December.
  • New Year 10K in Hyde Park on Monday 1st January.
  • Fred Hughes 10 miles at St. Albans on Sunday 21st January.
  • Bramley 20/10 on Sunday 11th February.
  • Finchley 20 miles on Sunday 18th March.
  • Oakley 20 miles on Sunday 18th March.
  • London Marathon on Sunday 22nd April.
  • Stirling Marathonm on Sunday 29th April.

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