Fairlands Valley Spartans are active participants in cross country with teams in a local league and in the county championships. On Sunday 48 Spartans, 21 women and 27 men raced in the fourth Sunday league fixture of the season which was at Watford. Both men and women raced over the same distance which was about six miles.
This was on a tough undulating course in Cassiobury Park, Whippendell Wood and on Jaccotts Hill.
There were outstanding performances from SIMON JACKSON, in the top ten overall with ninth out of 472 finishers in 37 minutes 8 seconds and ELLA-MAY HARDS fourth senior woman and 112th overall (i.e. out of all the men and women) in 43 minutes 31 seconds.
There was another great second place out of nineteen for the Spartan women who should have second place for the season secure if they get a good turnout in the last race.
SUZY HAWKINS was ninth woman and third female 35 plus in 44:28; MICHELLE REEVES eighth senior in 45:16 and ALISON WOOD 2nd female 45 plus in 47:16. RHIANNON GRIFFIN completed the women’s “A” team as 38th woman in 51:04.
The competition for the women veteran runners (all aged 35 or more) is exciting. With only one race to go the Spartans could win, come fourth or anywhere in between. Currently FVS are second on 67 points with St. Albans leading with 68 and Trent Park third on 65 and little to divide them on cumulative race positions.
Four more Spartan men beat 40 minutes. They were JON PARR 20th in 38:01; ANDREW PATTERSON 24th in 38:18; CHRISTOPHER WESTCOTT 25th in 38:19 and PAUL HEWETT 39th in 39:41. GRANT RAMSAY, STUART ARCHER and BRIAN WHITE completed the “A” team of eight runners at 64th in 41:04; 79th in 41:56 and 129th in 45:24. Brian was fifth male 60 plus.
Further down the field JIM BROWN was second male 65 plus in 60:27 and PETER CARPENTER second male 70 plus in 1:16:53.
The Spartan men are sixth across the board. Their “A” team were sixth on the day as were the “B” team and the veterans’ team. After four races the “A” team are sixth; the “B” team sixth in their category and the veteran men sixth! To complete the picture the Spartans combined overall position in the league is sixth.
The Spartans had more than enough for four women’s teams (teams of five) and three men’s teams (teams of eight).
Spartan women (21 out of 180 runners).
Women | Overall | Name | Time | Category | Pace | Comments |
6 | 112 | ELLA-MAYÂ HARDS | 43:31 | SL | 07:00 | 4th senior |
9 | 127 | SUZYÂ HAWKINS | 44:28 | FV35 | 07:09 | 3rd FV35 |
13 | 141 | MICHELLEÂ REEVES | 45:16 | SL | 07:17 | 8th senior |
22 | 176 | ALISONÂ WOOD | 47:16 | FV45 | 07:36 | 2nd FV45 |
38 | 236 | RHIANNONÂ GRIFFIN | 51:04 | SL | 08:13 | |
40 | 238 | NATALIEÂ WHITE | 51:07 | SL | 08:13 | Â FB |
52 | 274 | CLAIREÂ EMMERSON | 52:47 | FV45 | 08:30 | Â FB |
74 | 313 | KELLYÂ EVANS | 55:05 | SL | 08:52 | Â FB |
87 | 337 | MOÂ WARRILLOW | 56:42 | FV45 | 09:07 | Â FB |
88 | 338 | FIONAÂ CLARKE | 56:43 | FV35 | 09:08 | Â FB |
103 | 362 | KARENÂ ELLIS | 58:21 | FV45 | 09:23 | Â FC |
138 | 414 | HAZELÂ SMITH | 1:03:33 | FV45 | 10:14 | Â FC |
139 | 415 | VICKYÂ ARCHER | 1:03:33 | FV35 | 10:14 | Â FC |
140 | 416 | JENNYÂ GARRETT | 1:03:34 | FV45 | 10:14 | Â FC |
142 | 418 | SHERYLÂ HANN | 1:03:53 | FV55 | 10:17 | Â FC |
159 | 444 | MONICAÂ SMITHSON | 1:09:39 | FV45 | 11:12 | |
161 | 447 | HAYLEYÂ YENDELL | 1:10:16 | FV35 | 11:18 | |
162 | 448 | SOPHIEÂ COWAN | 1:10:16 | FV40 | 11:18 | |
163 | 449 | SUEÂ HAMER | 1:10:18 | FV45 | 11:19 | |
171 | 459 | CALLIEÂ CHAPMAN | 1:14:15 | FV35 | 11:57 | |
177 | 465 | NICOLAÂ HATHERLY | 1:15:53 | FV45 | 12:13 |
Spartan men (27 out of 292 runners).
Men | Overall | Name | Time | Cat | Pace | Comments |
9 | 9 | SIMONÂ JACKSON | 37:08 | V40 | 05:58 | 3rd MV40 |
20 | 20 | JONÂ PARR | 38:01 | SM | 06:07 | |
24 | 24 | ANDREWÂ PATTERSON | 38:18 | SM | 06:10 | |
25 | 25 | CHRISTOPHERÂ WESTCOTT | 38:19 | V45 | 06:10 | 3rd MV45 |
39 | 39 | PAULÂ HEWETT | 39:41 | SM | 06:23 | |
64 | 64 | GRANTÂ RAMSAY | 41:04 | V40 | 06:36 | |
79 | 82 | STUARTÂ ARCHER | 41:56 | SM | 06:45 | |
129 | 142 | BRIANÂ WHITE | 45:24 | V60 | 07:18 | 5th MV60 |
138 | 154 | STUARTÂ HAYCROFT | 46:07 | V40 | 07:25 | Â MB |
141 | 157 | ELLIOTTÂ WHITE | 46:28 | SM | 07:29 | Â MB |
153 | 172 | TOBYÂ ECCLESHALL | 47:12 | SM | 07:36 | Â MB |
164 | 188 | NICKÂ GILL | 48:15 | SM | 07:46 | Â MB |
165 | 190 | PETEÂ SMITH | 48:22 | V50 | 07:47 | Â MB |
178 | 205 | THOMASÂ SAUKA | 49:32 | V40 | 07:58 | Â MB |
179 | 207 | PAULÂ MAGUIRE | 49:38 | V50 | 07:59 | Â MB |
197 | 234 | DARRENÂ EMMERSON | 50:57 | V50 | 08:12 | Â MB |
212 | 257 | MARTINÂ WOOD | 52:00 | V50 | 08:22 | |
221 | 270 | MARKÂ GOODWIN | 52:41 | V60 | 08:29 | |
231 | 296 | STEVEÂ DOBNER | 53:50 | V40 | 08:40 | |
251 | 340 | ANDYÂ JAY | 56:50 | V50 | 09:09 | |
266 | 379 | JONATHANÂ JONES | 59:47 | V50 | 09:37 | |
267 | 381 | TIMÂ ROBINSON | 1:00:01 | V50 | 09:39 | |
268 | 387 | JIMÂ BROWN | 1:00:27 | V65 | 09:44 | 2nd MV65 |
272 | 404 | JAMESÂ KILROY | 1:02:01 | V40 | 09:59 | |
278 | 429 | KENÂ JUDE | 1:06:40 | V50 | 10:44 | |
288 | 458 | PAULÂ HOLGATE | 1:14:13 | V60 | 11:56 | |
289 | 466 | PETERÂ CARPENTER | 1:16:53 | V70 | 12:22 | 2nd MV70 |
The fifth and final fixture will be on Therfield Heath, near Royston on Sunday 9th February.
(FB means women’s “B” team and so on).
Running A Spring Marathon?
More than 100 Spartans enjoyed the club’s 20:20 training session on Tuesday. Are you running the London Marathon, or another Spring marathon? If you join Fairlands Valley Spartans now you’ll get access to all the club’s free training sessions, on five days in every week; participation in the marathon hub; a training programme and advice.
All Spartans get free use of Ridlins Athletics Track at 9.15a.m. on Saturday morning. That benefit alone is worth about £100 a year. To join the Spartans visit www.fvspartans.org.uk or come along to a Spartans training session which include Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7p.m. from Marriotts Sports Centre, SG2 0AN. Sign up now and you’ll be a member until April 2021.
Yuko’s year ender.
YUKO GORDON last marathon of 2019 was the Great Barrow Challenge Marathon in Suffolk which she finished in 3 hours 46 minutes 32 seconds on 29 December.
The route was a single lap, all smooth tarmac. Â Although the roads were not closed there was hardly any traffic but the race was very hilly, going through posh villages near Bury St. Edmunds. Â The start and finish was from Suffolk Running Centre, very relaxed atmosphere and very well organised.
Parkrun Highlights 11th January 2020
Twelve Parkrun locations saw 46 Spartans run on Saturday morning. Â Fastest man and overall winner on his first appearance at Hackney Marshes was Jonathan PARR with 16:18.
The fastest female Spartan parkrunner was Grace BROWN in 23:24 running at Bedford for the first time.
Joining Jonathan and Grace with top 10 finishes (by gender) were Dean CARPENTER [19:35] 7th, Paul SHELLEY [19:43] 8th, Verity SUTTON-FISHER [24:02] 6th lady at Stevenage. Â Eva RAMSEY [24:25] was third fastest lady at Witton.
Tim SABAN [20:32] achieved a Personal Best [PB] running in Bedford. Congratulations to everyone.
The 190th Stevenage parkrun set another participation record with 586 runners, that’s 24 more than the previous record which was set on New Year’s Day. Wow.
(You can find all the Spartan parkrun results near the end of this release).
Tables
Spartan Parkrun Results for Saturday 11th January
Parkrun | Pos | Gen | Parkrunner | Time | Note |
Hackney Marshes | 1 | 1 | Jonathan PARR | 16:18 | 1st time at Hackney Marshes |
Stevenage | 7 | 7 | Dean CARPENTER | 19:35 | |
Stevenage | 8 | 8 | Paul SHELLEY | 19:43 | |
Bedford | 21 | 21 | Tim SABAN | 20:32 | PB |
Stevenage | 20 | 20 | Daniel SUTTON | 21:08 | |
Carlisle | 13 | 12 | David RIDDELL | 22:18 | 1st time at Carlisle |
Finsbury Park | 159 | 145 | John ROXBOROUGH | 22:45 | 1st time at Finsbury Park |
Bedford | 77 | 10 | Grace BROWN | 23:24 | 1st time at Bedford |
Stevenage | 57 | 54 | Martin DUDLEY | 23:24 | |
Stevenage | 82 | 6 | Verity FISHER | 24:02 | |
Stevenage | 86 | 80 | Matt CLARKE | 24:12 | |
Witton | 25 | 3 | Eva RAMSEY | 24:25 | 1st time at Witton |
Stevenage | 109 | 102 | Sam SIMMONS | 24:48 | |
Stevenage | 111 | 104 | Martyn DOWLING | 24:55 | |
Gunpowder Park | 85 | 12 | Mo WARRILLOW | 25:58 | 1st time at Gunpowder Park |
Carine Glades | 80 | 65 | Mark BEASLEY | 27:14 | 1st time at Carine Glades |
Durham | 196 | 131 | Nick KLEANTHOUS | 27:38 | |
Stevenage | 194 | 166 | Nick GILL | 27:43 | |
Stevenage | 197 | 169 | Jonathan JONES | 27:58 | |
Stevenage | 198 | 29 | Nikki WILBY | 27:59 | |
Stevenage | 210 | 31 | Sofia CARPENTER | 28:14 | |
Stevenage | 212 | 32 | Fiona CLARKE | 28:16 | |
Stevenage | 223 | 39 | Alison SHELLEY | 28:26 | |
Stevenage | 224 | 185 | David PATTMAN | 28:26 | |
Stevenage | 225 | 186 | Ken JUDE | 28:27 | |
Bushy | 898 | 241 | Jane WHITROW | 29:15 | 1st time at Bushy |
Stevenage | 282 | 219 | Jim BROWN | 30:23 | |
Stevenage | 284 | 64 | Carole SHELDRICK | 30:25 | |
Stevenage | 285 | 65 | Debbie BLANTERN | 30:26 | |
Stevenage | 329 | 250 | Tim ROBINSON | 31:32 | |
Stevenage | 330 | 80 | Jan FRY | 31:33 | |
Stevenage | 335 | 82 | Dzenana TOPIC | 31:38 | |
Stevenage | 347 | 92 | Sally PICKLES | 32:00 | |
Stevenage | 359 | 100 | Maria SWIFT | 32:31 | |
Stevenage | 360 | 101 | Kerstin WEINER | 32:32 | |
Stevenage | 361 | 102 | Erica GRAYSON | 32:32 | |
Stevenage | 362 | 103 | Karen PALMER | 32:33 | |
Stevenage | 366 | 104 | Caroline CROFT | 32:43 | |
Panshanger | 313 | 94 | Karen ELLIS | 33:41 | 1st time at Panshanger |
Panshanger | 314 | 95 | Maria THORNE | 33:41 | |
Stevenage | 437 | 291 | Paul HOLGATE | 35:17 | |
Stevenage | 494 | 189 | Helen HARRIS | 37:45 | |
Panshanger | 374 | 129 | Tracy STILES | 37:48 | |
Stevenage | 508 | 311 | Roger BIGGS | 38:35 | |
Stevenage | 544 | 226 | Pam TAYLOR | 41:34 | |
Brockenhurst | 186 | 107 | Darryl STEVENS | 56:28 |