The Spartans club handicap 5K returned on Thursday evening and there were 41 runners.
Running round the Fairlands, Grace, Martins, Verity, Fairlands Ways course the winner on the night was a very quick SIMON FRASER in a new PB (personal best) time of 16:48, with CHRIS WATLING second in 23:54 and ADRIAN BUSOLINI third in 17:52.
ANNA SWANEPOEL won the women’s handicap with a new personal best (PB) of 27 minutes 48 seconds. PENNY SCHENKEL was second across the line with a year’s best 34:20 and KAREN ELLIS just two seconds behind third with a year’s best (YB) 25:11 which was 1:42 quicker than her previous fastest 5K time this year.
Fastest runner on the night was Simon Fraser with Adrian Busolini second quickest in 17:52 and Charlie White third quickest (19:18). GRANT RAMSAY continued his return to form at fourth fastest with 19:22. Tracy Pez was quickest female (24:15) with Karen Ellis second quickest and Nikki Wilby, 25:41, third quickest.
In handicap races the slower runners, on recent performance, start first and if everyone runs exactly to form they will all finish together. So a pursuit race and the best improver wins.
Thus SIMON FRASER was first across the line 36 seconds of CHRIS WATLING. Chris finished 12 seconds ahead of ADRIAN BUSOLINI in third even though Chris’ net time was 23:54 and Adrian’s 17:52
The next handicap 5K will be on Thursday 1st September 2022 and it would be fantastic if the Spartans can get even more than 41 taking part next time.
A big thank you to helpers and supporters: Vicky and Stuart Archer and boys; Sharon and Mike Crowley; Jan and Nick Fry; Tony Randfield; Hannah Sypula and Tony Willson.
EMAC – East of England track and field hit by downpour
The last Eastern Masters central division competition at Bedford on 20th July was cut short due to a downpour which left the track and field completely flooded and unsafe. Some events took place before the heavens opened, with our women’s team completing another clean sweep, this time in the distance hurdles – W35 400m Nikki Wilby, W50 300m Andrea Westcott, and W60 300m Sharon Crowley.
Stephanie Biggar won the W35 javelin competition, marking her last appearance for the team with a new PB! Christine Lathwell also scored top points, winning the W35 mile in horrendous conditions with race bibs disintegrating before crossing the line! Monica Brown won the W50 long jump, making a brave return to the event that caused her injury last year. Other points scored on the evening – Wendy Tharani (third W50 mile), Carolyn Linsell (third W60 mile), Marian Morley (second W50 javelin), Joylyn Saunders-Mullins (second W60 javelin), Fiona Clarke (fourth W35 long jump and a new PB!), and Karen Dodsworth (second W50 long jump). Tracey Jackson was due to make her debut for the team, but the weather had other ideas!
The men’s team had wins from Chris Westcott (M35 mile) and Grant Ramsay (M50 mile) with other points from Pete Smith (second M60 mile and second M60 300m hurdles), Anton McCalla (third M35 discus), Nick Kleanthous (fifth M50 discus), Ron Westcott (third M60 discus)
The final will be held at the Bedford International stadium on Sunday 4th September. The Spartans women’s team will be attempting to retain their championship title.
Three in Three for Jim
It was three 5K races in three days for JIM BROWN. His second was at the Serpentine Last Friday of the Month 5K in Hyde Park on a dry, sunny, warm with a light breeze Friday lunch time. He finished in a reasonable 27 minutes 8 seconds and was second in his age group. His first was the Spartans handicap 5K on Thursday evening and his third in the Stevenage parkrun where his previous exploits came to haunt him a bit in the last 1.5 kilometres.
Parkrun Highlights Saturday 30th July
GRANT RAMSAY wearing his Team GB top from the recent world masters championships WON the Stevenage parkrun in 18 minutes 21 seconds.
Fairlands Valley Spartan members were out in force on Saturday with thirty seven members taking part at ten different parkrun venues across the country. It was a bumper weekend of achievements with personal bests, year bests, first finishes and top tens.
Congratulations to Sam SIMMONS running his 50th Parkrun at Stevenage, coincidently finishing at 50th place with a time of 23:45. Congratulations also go to Adrian DONNELLY (19:58 at Stevenage) and Michael O’KEEFE (27:18 at Henlow Bridge Lakes) who both achieved personal bests this weekend.
Grant RAMSAY was fastest at Stevenage, coming first with a year best (YB) time of 18:21. Alison WOOD and Sam PRETTY (who made her debut at Stevenage Parkrun) took home first and second lady with times of 21:42 (YB) and 21:55 respectively.
There were three other top ten finishers this week, with Adrian DONNELLY fifth, Ashley KING eighth lady both at Stevenage (25:15) and Karen ELLIS sixth lady at Sheringham (26:41 YB).
Four more year bests were achieved with Chloe CHAPMAN (27:15) and Claire EMMERSON (27:20) both running at Stevenage, Peter CARPENTER (43:17) at Squerryes Winery and Maria SWIFT (29:13) at Sandringham.
25 of the 229 finishers at Stevenage were Spartans. Last but not least, five Spartans reached unofficial milestones with Nicola PATTMAN completing her 20th Parkrun, Jonathan JONES (80th), Alison SHELLEY (90th), Thomas SAUKA (110th) and Martin DUDLEY (150th) all at Stevenage.
Tables
All the Spartan handicap 5K runners in finish line order
| Pos | NAME | SURNAME | Time | Fem. Pos | Comments | Speed Pos | F. Speed Pos |
| 1 | SIMON | FRASER | 16:48 | PB (0:03) | 1 | ||
| 2 | CHRIS | WATLING | 23:54 | First 10K | 10 | ||
| 3 | ADRIAN | BUSOLINI | 17:52 | YB (New) | 2 | ||
| 4 | ROGER | HARDMAN | 28:30 | SB (0:01) | 24 | ||
| 5 | ANNA | SWANEPOEL | 27:48 | 1 | First 10K | 22 | 5 |
| 6 | GRANT | RAMSAY | 19:22 | 4 | |||
| 7 | JOHN | NELMS | 24:05 | 11 | |||
| 8 | JIM | BROWN | 34:20 | 36 | |||
| 9 | PENNY | SCHENKEL | 34:20 | 2 | YB (New) | 37 | 12 |
| 10 | KAREN | ELLIS | 25:11 | 3 | YB (1:42) | 16 | 2 |
| 11 | JON | SYPULA | 26:17 | SB (New) | 19 | ||
| 12 | BRIAN | WHITE | 23:18 | YB (1:04) | 7 | ||
| 13 | MICHAEL | O’KEEFE | 28:24 | 23 | |||
| 14 | LUKE | GURNEY | 23:41 | PB (2:41) | 8 | ||
| 15 | MARK | GOODWIN | 23:43 | 9 | |||
| 16 | CRAIG | BACON | 23:02 | 6 | |||
| 17 | CHARLIE | WHITE | 19:18 | 3 | |||
| 18 | NICOLA | NATION | 29:30 | 4 | SB (0:31) | 26 | 6 |
| 19 | TIM | ROBINSON | 24:54 | SB (0:15) | 14 | ||
| 20 | NIKKI | WILBY | 25:41 | 5 | SB (1:50) | 18 | 3 |
| 21 | TRACY | PEZ | 24:15 | 6 | YB (New) | 13 | 1 |
| 22 | STEVE | PIKE | 29:32 | SB (New) | 27 | ||
| 23 | GRANT | MURPHY | 29:40 | First 10K | 29 | ||
| 24 | JANE | WADEY | 32:45 | 7 | 34 | 10 | |
| 25 | MARK | FREEMAN | 27:44 | SB (New) | 20 | ||
| 26 | CHLOE | CHAPMAN | 27:45 | 8 | YB (0:30) | 21 | 4 |
| 27 | MARTIN | DUDLEY | 25:06 | 15 | |||
| 28 | NICK | GILL | 21:52 | 5 | |||
| 29 | AMANDA | VICKERS | 39:34 | 9 | SB (New) | 39 | 14 |
| 30 | VISHAL | SHAH | 25:12 | 17 | |||
| 31 | SALLY | PHILLIPS | 34:59 | 10 | 38 | 13 | |
| 32 | DAVID | KENNEDY | 24:13 | 12 | |||
| 33 | MONICA | SMITHSON | 30:32 | 11 | 31 | ||
| 34 | ANNABELLE | WHITE | 33:53 | 12 | 35 | 11 | |
| 35 | JONATHAN | JONES | 31:57 | 32 | |||
| 36 | TONY | ARGYROU | 32:07 | SB (New) | 33 | 9 | |
| 37 | KELLY | EVANS | 29:55 | 13 | YB (New) | 30 | 8 |
| 38 | YUKO | GORDON | 29:36 | 14 | 28 | 7 | |
| 39 | ANDY | JAY | 28:56 | 25 | |||
| 40 | SUSAN | MURPHY | 45:20 | 15 | First 10K | 41 | 15 |
| 41 | ROGER | BIGGS | 43:47 | 40 |
All the Spartan parkrun results
| Position | Gender Position | parkrunner | Time | Comments |
| Stevenage parkrun (25 FVS) | ||||
| 1 | 1 | Grant RAMSAY | 18:21 | YB |
| 5 | 5 | Adrian DONNELLY | 19:58 | PB |
| 12 | 12 | Tony RANDFIELD | 20:26 | 1st in age group |
| 15 | 1 | Alison WOOD | 21:42 | First woman and YB |
| 20 | 19 | William MORLEY | 21:53 | First SM 18 – 19 |
| 21 | 2 | Sam PRETTY | 21:55 | First visit to Stevenage PR |
| 28 | 25 | David PATTMAN | 22:49 | |
| 30 | 27 | Steven DOBNER | 22:58 | |
| 42 | 38 | Thomas SAUKA | 23:35 | 110th |
| 48 | 43 | Martin DUDLEY | 23:49 | 150th |
| 50 | 45 | Sam SIMMONS | 23:54 | 50th |
| 66 | 8 | Ashley KING | 25:15 | |
| 70 | 60 | Toby ECCLESHALL | 25:32 | |
| 75 | 65 | Nick KLEANTHOUS | 25:47 | |
| 79 | 67 | Darren EMMERSON | 26:03 | |
| 88 | 74 | Simon JACKSON | 26:31 | |
| 89 | 15 | Alison SHELLEY | 26:42 | 90th |
| 95 | 17 | Chloe CHAPMAN | 27:15 | YB |
| 96 | 18 | Claire EMMERSON | 27:20 | YB |
| 99 | 81 | Jim BROWN | 27:34 | 1st in age group |
| 130 | 33 | Debbie BLANTERN | 29:29 | |
| 159 | 113 | Jonathan JONES | 31:27 | 80th |
| 177 | 54 | Marian MORLEY | 33:29 | |
| 187 | 60 | Nicola PATTMAN | 35:04 | 20th |
| 227 | 87 | Helen HARRIS | 54:36 | |
| Sheringham parkrun | ||||
| 64 | 6 | Karen ELLIS | 26:41 | YB |
| Clair parkrun (W. Sussex) | ||||
| 116 | 77 | Darryl STEVENS | 37:15 | |
| Panshanger parkrun | ||||
| 67 | 57 | Mike REYNOLDS | 25:20 | |
| Rutland Water parkrun | ||||
| 62 | 48 | Chris HOLLAND | 25:33 | |
| Squerryes Winery parkrun | ||||
| 152 | 91 | Peter CARPENTER | 41:37 | YB |
| Land’s End parkrun | ||||
| 83 | 23 | Mo WARRILLOW | 29:35 | |
| Henlow Bridge Lakes parkrun | ||||
| 62 | 54 | Michael O’KEEFE | 27:18 | PB |
| 102 | 26 | Monica SMITHSON | 32:49 | |
| 121 | 40 | Tracy HAYGARTH | 37:08 | |
| Sandringham parkrun | ||||
| 87 | 19 | Maria SWIFT | 29:13 | YB |
| Southport parkrun | ||||
| 45 | 39 | Matt CLARKE | 24:14 | |
| 91 | 19 | Fiona CLARKE | 27:18 |