Thirty Spartans enjoyed the club’s 1500 metres “Try It” session at Ridlins Track on Saturday morning. GRANT RAMSAY was fastest in 4 minutes 40.5 seconds while YUKO GORDON was the quickest woman in 6:09.3. The other runners were:
Mike Green 5:07.0; Todd Gray 5:09.4; Thomas Sauka 5:16.3; Stuart Haycroft 5:17.3; Paul Harris 5:26.3; Craig Bacon 5:41.5; Callum Beasley 5:47.3; Mark Beasley 5:49.8; Mark Goodwin 5:56.9; Darren Emmerson 5:58.2; Steve Smithson 6:05.0; Hazel Clark 6:15.1; Tim Robinson 6:15.4; Barry King 6:20.8; Jordon Quicke 6:05.09; Andy Jay 6:28.79; Caroline Barter 6:37.10; Karl Shreeve 6:40.55; Andrea Westcott 6:48.42; Roger Biggs 7:00.92; Anton McCalla 7:15.46; Steve Gough 7:21.42; Rob Shaw 7:24.11; Sean Millwood 7:26.63; Monica Smithson 7:30.39; Sharon Crowley 7:34.49; Cathy Craig 7:42.92; and Graham Hill 8:14.71.
| Runner | Number | Time | Race |
| Grant Ramsay | 457 | 4:40.5 | Race 2 |
| Mike Green | 386 | 5:07.0 | Race 2 |
| Todd Gray | 385 | 5:09.4 | Race 2 |
| Thomas Sauka | 392 | 5:16.3 | Race 2 |
| Stuart Haycroft | 395 | 5:17.3 | Race 2 |
| Paul Harris | 387 | 5:26.3 | Race 2 |
| Craig Bacon | 390 | 5:41.5 | Race 2 |
| Callum Beasley | 388 | 5:47.3 | Race 2 |
| Mark Beasley | 393 | 5:49.8 | Race 2 |
| Mark Goodwin | 394 | 5:56.9 | Race 2 |
| Darren Emmerson | 455 | 5:58.2 | Race 2 |
| Steve Smithson | 397 | 6:05.0 | Race 2 |
| Yuko Gordon | 396 | 6:09.3 | Race 2 |
| Hazel Clark | 398 | 6:15.1 | Race 2 |
| Tim Robinson | 391 | 6:15.4 | Race 2 |
| Barry King | 399 | 6:20.8 | Race 2 |
| Jordon Quicke | 292 | 6:05.09 | Race 1 |
| Andy Jay | 382 | 6:28.79 | Race 1 |
| Caroline Barter | 297 | 6:37.10 | Race 1 |
| Karl Shreeve | 376 | 6:40.55 | Race 1 |
| Andrea Westcott | 380 | 6:48.42 | Race 1 |
| Roger Biggs | 378 | 7:00.92 | Race 1 |
| Anton McCalla | 295 | 7:15.46 | Race 1 |
| Steve Gough | 377 | 7:21.42 | Race 1 |
| Rob Shaw | 357 | 7:24.11 | Race 1 |
| Sean Millwood | 379 | 7:26.63 | Race 1 |
| Monica Smithson | 381 | 7:30.39 | Race 1 |
| Sharon Crowley | 298 | 7:34.49 | Race 1 |
| Cathy Craig | 296 | 7:42.92 | Race 1 |
| Graham Hill | 299 | 8:14.71 | Race 1 |
Not Rio
Three Spartans competed in the “Not The Rio Marathon” in the London Olympic Park on Sunday. DAVID BOWKER speed walked in preparation for the “Shine” Marathon at the end of September. He finished in 5 hours 20 minutes 40 seconds.
The event started with a circuit of the Velopark, then went out into the park for nine laps before finishing inside the Velodrome.
The continuous small climbs and descents made it a hard marathon. CAROL PAUL ran round in 4 hours 13 minutes 40 seconds and ROGER BIGGS in 4:59:39.
Fast Walk
On Tuesday DAVE BOWKER was second in the last of the Veterans’ Athletic Club series of midweek five mile walking races with a personal best of 52 minutes 18 seconds.
Tim at Kimbolton
TIM SABAN ran the Kimbolton Castle Half Marathon in 1 hour 41 minutes 5 seconds. 1:41:05.
Parkrun Report
With the 1500m races taking place at Ridlins there were fewer Spartans in parkrun action this weekend.
At Stevenage, KEITH COUGHLIN was first Spartan finisher and 2nd male a time of 18:28. CHRIS HOLLAND ran another new course PB to finish in 24:47 while ANDY PRIOR was third Spartan male in 25:15. For the women CLAIRE COX was 4th finisher in 24:16, TRACY PEZ was 7th in 25:15 and VERITY FISHER was 8th in 25:16, a new course PB.
There was also a new course PB for TRACY STILES, who finished in 29:55. The other Spartan runners were DANIEL SUTTON (26:43), HAZEL SMITH (27:24), IRIS HORNSEY (30:03), CHLOE EMMERSON (31:17), ROBERT HARDY (39:18), PAULINE HARDY (39:36) and tail-runner KERSTIN WEINER (43:15).
At St Albans, CRAIG HALSEY was first across the line in 16:47, while at the Wimpole Estate JOHN ROXBOROUGH finished in 23:31.
Finally, JOHN WALSH ran at LYMINGTON WOODSIDE, finishing in 32:58.
Coming Events
Many Spartans will be enjoying a busy programme of races, social and training events over the next few weeks including the:
- Harlow 10 on Sunday 4th September.
- Herts 5K senior championships on Wednesday 7th September.
- Herts 5K veteran championships on Wednesday 21st September.
- FVS Handicap 5 / 10 in Stevenage on Sunday 25th September.
- Standalone 10K including County Vets Championships on Sunday 2nd October.
- Open 5K race in Hatfield on Wednesday 5th October.
- Peterborough Half Marathon on Sunday 9th October.
- Abingdon Marathon on Sunday 23rd October.
- First Cross Country League Race in Cheshunt on Sunday 23rd October.
- Stevenage Half Marathon, a Stevenage 70 event, on Sunday 6th November.
- Second Cross Country League Race on Sunday 13th November (new date).
- St Neots Half Marathon on Sunday 20th November.
- County Five Miles Open Championship in Hatfield on 27th November.
- Spartans Christmas Social on Saturday 10th December.
- Third Cross Country League Race on Sunday 18th December.
- Boxing Day Five in Witham on Monday 26th December.
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 hundreds of 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 the new sports centre at Marriotts School – a Sports College, Telford Avenue, Stevenage (SG2 8UT) 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 9a.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 yet done very much running might prefer to start with a Thursday, Saturday or Monday session.
Try a few sessions before joining. Membership is only ÂŁ37 per year, ÂŁ25 without UKA affiliation. Concessions are available.
Membership forms are available on the Spartans website www.fvspartans.org.uk
Please ask if you would like a paper copy. You can also join online.
If you want to know more about the Spartans please contact Jim Brown (0793 968 7509), Andy Neatham 0777 197 5499 and 01438 816889; or Karen Palmer (07734678566) or visit their website www.fvspartans.org.uk