There were More awards for Fairlands Valley Spartans in the third and final race of the Hatfield 5K series.
Their men’s team raced to a fantastic second place in the series. In the final race SAM PAUL ran 16:04; CHARLIE WHITE 17:21; MIKE JEFFS 19:27 and NICK GILL 19:53.
Samuel Paul was third man in the series and CHARLES ARNOLD was first man 70 plus.
SU McANENY ran a fantastic new 5K personal best of 23 minutes 8 seconds (23:08) in the third and final race. Really pleased. Good progression over the three weeks.
SIMON JACKSON was second man 50 plus in the third race with 17:06 but did not run the whole series.
On the night there were new personals best of 24:03 for KERSTIN PRIOR and 24:25 for KATIE BARNARD.
SHARON CROWLEY’s 26:17 was her fastest 5K for many years. She got faster every race.
The Hatfield 5K is on a flat two-and-a-half lap course. Just a couple of tricky crossings when some runners were being lapped on their second time round. Although series placings were based on the best two runners people had to finish all three races to qualify. It was pretty dark for some by the end of race three. 22 of the 245 finishers were Spartans.
| Pos. | MF | AG | Name | Cat | Chip Time | Pace |
| 6 | 6 | 6 | Samuel PAUL | MS | 16:04 | 03:13 |
| 23 | 22 | 2 | Simon JACKSON | MV50 | 17:06 | 03:25 |
| 32 | 31 | 19 | Charlie WHITE | MS | 17:21 | 03:29 |
| 82 | 75 | 27 | Mike JEFFS | MV40 | 19:27 | 03:54 |
| 83 | 8 | 5 | Gail MACKIE | FS | 19:27 | 03:54 |
| 95 | 87 | 40 | Nick GILL | MS | 19:53 | 04:00 |
| 105 | 95 | 5 | Ralph DADSWELL | MV60 | 20:08 | 04:03 |
| 132 | 117 | 23 | Andy SHAW | MV50 | 20:59 | 04:14 |
| 134 | 119 | 49 | Zack HAWKINS-SMART | MS | 21:01 | 04:14 |
| 142 | 18 | 5 | Suzy HAWKINS | FV50 | 21:36 | 04:21 |
| 163 | 138 | 53 | Matthew COOKE | MS | 22:14 | 04:30 |
| 166 | 139 | 28 | Andy PRIOR | MV50 | 22:28 | 04:32 |
| 169 | 29 | 11 | Georgie HOOPER | FV40 | 22:42 | 04:35 |
| 176 | 35 | 14 | Susan MCANENY | FV40 | 23:08 | 04:40 |
| 179 | 37 | 14 | Jo COOKSLEY | FS | 23:33 | 04:45 |
| 180 | 143 | 1 | Charles ARNOLD | MV70 | 23:44 | 04:47 |
| 188 | 43 | 9 | Kerstin PRIOR | FV50 | 24:03 | 04:51 |
| 192 | 46 | 15 | Katie BARNARD | FS | 24:25 | 04:55 |
| 212 | 58 | 7 | Sharon CROWLEY | FV60 | 26:17 | 05:19 |
| 224 | 63 | 15 | Sam GENTRY | FV50 | 27:41 | 05:36 |
| 229 | 65 | 16 | Samantha SUTTON | FV50 | 28:31 | 05:46 |
| 236 | 69 | 20 | Rebecca RAYNER | FV40 | 30:34 | 06:11 |
Great North Run – Adam Beats PB, Sarah Had A Great Day
This was SARAH ILLINGWORTH’s 13th Great North Run. She finished the half marathon in 2.15.54, way off a personal best (PB) but not her slowest. But that being said she said it’s not all about the times. The sun was shining, the Red Arrows flew by, lots of fun frolics and Geordie hospitality en route.
It was truly inspirational to hear the lived experiences of some runners, see their resilience and the cash benefits for national and local charities. Just a Great Day at the Great North Run.
ADAM HILL was very happy with his result in the Great North Run even with the amount of congestion on the course! Adam finished in 1:50:07. He beat the Prime Minister who took 1 hour 57 minutes 35 seconds (1:57:35).
PAUL and ALISON SHELLEY also ran the Great North Run. It was the second time for both of them but the first time they both ran the same year. The weather was a lot warmer than we had anticipated but the crowds were fantastic.
Coming back from surgery, Paul ran an incredible time, especially as it was the second of two back-to-back activities in aid of Prostate Cancer having taken part in the Tour de 4 56mile bike ride last weekend, in Glasgow.
Paul finished in 1:37:36 and Alison in 2:09:39.
There were 63,000 runners.
Battersea Half and 10K Saturday
A tremendous ten Spartans descended on Battersea Park for Saturday’s 10K and half marathon races. They are super flat multi-lap races.
PETE GENTLE was 50th out of the 311 in the half marathon with 1:26:22.
GEORGIE HOOPER set a new personal best (PB) at the Battersea Half Marathon – crossing the line in 1:36:34. It was a 4-minute improvement on Georgie’s previous best set last year, and she won her women 40 plus (WV40) age category.
NICK GILL came in just after Georgie in 1:36:37, having used the half as part of a 21-mile marathon training long run. The multi-lapped course meant there were plenty of opportunities to cheer on fellow Spartans!
Spartan TONY VICKERS was second man 55 plus in 1:54:34. ROSS GALLAGHER was well placed at 66th with 1:31:17 and TOM GRIEVSON came in with 1:47:09.
ANDY PRIOR ran his fastest 10K since 2014! 46 minutes 53 seconds. And KERSTIN PRIOR ran a new personal best of 49 minutes 36 seconds. Second in her category. And that’s after both raced at Hatfield last Wednesday.
There was another category second by AMANDA VICKERS with 1:10:46 and VISH SHAH came in with 1:05:13.
SwimRun Jersey for Judy
Recently JUDY KING took part in the 5th SwimRun Jersey 20k. This comprised of six runs totalling 15.5k and five swims totalling 4.5k. The longest run was 4.5k along cliff paths and the longest swim 1.5k.
It was a tough course with many, many cliff steps up and down, a scramble over rocks and jump in the sea! The sea was quite rough so it was hard work and well as being difficult to spot the buoys and support kayaks.
She thoroughly enjoyed it and is considering doing the 33k SwimRun next year!
Fifteen Do The Harvathon
Fifteen Spartans ran the Harvathon at Offley. Not a conventional race. The object was to see how many of the 5K off road loops you could do in the time allowed.
The Spartans were Lucy Paul, Sharon Crowley, Rebecca Rayner, Claire Emmerson, Sammie Sutton, Sue Hamer, Zoe Newell, Marlene van Zwieten, Judy King, Bronya Brown, Callie Findlay, Hazel Smith, Nichola Durent, Jayne Dymoke and Jane Wadey.
Hazel Smith did four laps of the Harvathon. That’s 13.87 miles.
Bronya Brown ran a total of 22 kilometres which included several trips up the notorious cardiac hill.
But Sharon Crowley was the last Spartan standing. Strictly seven laps, that means cardiac hill seven times, not forgetting the rain.
The Harvathon is lapped trail running and walking event held in memory of Ian Harvey. Proceeds support the mental health charity PoetsIN.
Parkrun Highlights
ANDY FENWICK is now officially a sub thirty runner. He finished the Stevenage parkrun in 29 minutes 42 seconds (29:42).
There was a new parkrun personal best (PPB) for SOPHIE KEEBLE – 27:47. She was the fastest female from Fairlands. CAROLE SHELDRICK was second fastest with 27:56 and SALLY PICKLES comfortably under 30 minutes was third with 28:33.
Both JIM BROWN and PENNY SCHENKEL ran their fastest parkruns this year. Jim in 28:36 and Penny in 31:51.
There were mini-milestones for LINDA GEORGE 40th parkrun; STEVE WELLS 190th and RALPH DADSWELL 440th.
505 parkrunners at Stevenage this week.
Altogether 62 Spartans ran parkruns. Spartans elsewhere included KELLY McHALE with her 21:51 and second woman at Great Denham. Some others have their eyes on this event but JAMES GUNN ran the Milano Nord, Italy parkrun. He finished in 22 minutes 13 seconds.
SAMUEL PAUL was first finisher in the Stanborough parkrun with 16:53.
| Position | Gender Pos. | FVS parkrunner | Time |
| 6 | 6 | Steve WELLS | 19:21 |
| 12 | 12 | Simon JACKSON | 19:48 |
| 17 | 17 | Ralph DADSWELL | 20:38 |
| 20 | 20 | Toby ECCLESHALL | 20:57 |
| 70 | 65 | Brian WHITE | 24:36 |
| 83 | 76 | Matthew COOKE | 24:55 |
| 85 | 78 | Daniel VILJOEN | 24:57 |
| 86 | 79 | Charlie WHITE | 24:59 |
| 131 | 116 | David BENNETT-HALLIDAY | 26:46 |
| 160 | 134 | Matt WALTON | 27:29 |
| 169 | 20 | Sophie KEEBLE | 27:47 |
| 175 | 23 | Carole SHELDRICK | 27:56 |
| 193 | 29 | Sally PICKLES | 28:33 |
| 195 | 157 | Jim BROWN | 28:36 |
| 215 | 174 | Jay PAPA | 29:10 |
| 217 | 34 | Alice WELCH | 29:11 |
| 228 | 41 | Linda GEORGE | 29:38 |
| 233 | 182 | Andy FENWICK | 29:42 |
| 240 | 187 | Steve PLATT | 30:05 |
| 261 | 196 | Ryan DUNNING | 30:37 |
| 283 | 211 | Nick KLEANTHOUS | 31:08 |
| 301 | 71 | Penny SCHENKEL | 31:51 |
| 309 | 75 | Caroline CROFT | 32:10 |
| 327 | 84 | Pamela VILJOEN | 33:07 |
| 365 | 103 | Samantha SUTTON | 34:53 |
| 366 | 104 | Hannah MANTON | 34:59 |
| 380 | 114 | Angie KEELING | 35:52 |
| 417 | 143 | Niki PLUMB | 39:04 |
| 429 | 153 | Hayley PEACH | 39:55 |
| 435 | 263 | Keith MANTON | 40:17 |
| 439 | 265 | Lloyd DIAS | 40:38 |
| 482 | 183 | Julie MANTON | 46:39 |
| 485 | 283 | Thomas SAUKA | 47:04 |