Fairlands Valley Spartans women’s team went straight into a substantial lead after this season’s first Eastern Masters track and field league fixture which was at Bedford. FVS scored 146 compared to the 121 for Milton Keynes and 93 for Cambridge and Coleridge. Seven clubs took part.
FVS individual winners included MONICA BROWN in the 100 metres (50-59) in 14.7 seconds who was also the highest age graded athlete in a field event, the long jump, and won her pole vault; CHRISTINE LATHWELL in the 3,000 metres (35-49) with 10:55.0; TESSA STEPHENSON in the shot (50 – 59) with 8.07 metres; and STEPHANIE MAYFIELD in the pole vault (35-49) with 1.80 metres. They also won the relay for 50 plus runners.
The men were fourth out of the seven teams with 93 points. JOHN HARRIS won the 3000 metres (50 to 59) in 11:15.1; DAVID BOWKER won the 1K walk in 5:30.9 with JAMES KILROY winning the “B” string walk in 6:20.7; STEVE MAYFIELD took the long jump (50-59) with 4.04 metres.
Greenway Challenge
Ten Spartans took on the Greenway Challenge on Sunday. Starting cool it soon turned into a pleasant sunny morning. This was a trail and self navigate event so TODD GRAY did amazingly well to beat the 1:30 barrier. He was fifteenth out of the 295 finishers in 1 hour 28 minutes 34 seconds.
SUZY HAWKINS stormed ahead of her competition to win the women 35 plus category in 1:38:02 – 5 minutes 38 seconds ahead of her nearest rival. She was second woman and 36th overall out of all the men and women.
Despite a heavy fall at about ten miles JIM BROWN was first man 60 plus 21 minutes 16 seconds ahead of the second runner in the category with 1:47:11. He was 89th overall. Jim’s next big challenge will be the Stirling Marathon.
NEIL and TIM ROBINSON also beat two hours. Neil in 1:52:45 and Tim in 1:54:42.
Preparing for the Edinburgh Marathon ERICA GRAYSON ran a new personal best (PB) of 2 hours 8 minutes 11 seconds. CARLA HOWELL came in with 2:03:08.
SOPH GEORGIOU finished in 2:13:53 then CLAIRE EMMERSON and SOPHIE COWAN on a recovery run came in together with 2:23:37.
| Position | Name | Time | Comments |
| 15 | TODD GRAY | 1:28:34 | |
| 36 | SUZY HAWKINS (F) | 1:38:02 | 1st FV35 by 5:38 |
| 89 | JIM BROWN | 1:47:11 | 1st MV60 by 21:16 |
| 118 | NEIL ROBINSON | 1:52:45 | |
| 130 | TIM ROBINSON | 1:54:42 | |
| 162 | CARLA HOWELL (F) | 2:03:08 | |
| 190 | ERICA GRAYSON (F) | 2:08:11 | PB |
| 225 | SOPH GEORGIOU | 2:13:53 | |
| 254 | CLAIRE EMMERSON (F) | 2:23:37 | |
| 255 | SOPHIE COWAN (F) | 2:23:37 |
There were 295 finishers.
Picture courtesy of Danik Bates
Silverstone 10K
Despite the strength of the wind, the cool evening made for an enjoyable run around the Silverstone racing circuit at Wednesday’s popular 10K.  New member Michael Andrews in his first 10K finished in 1086th position of the 1218 finishers in 64:22, while Paul Holgate ran round with his daughter Aimee Holgate in her first ever race in 72:48 in 1185th & 1186th positions.
A warm day in Stratford upon Avon did not stop Paul Holgate recording his best marathon time since 2014, 18 minutes quicker than his 2016 time on the same course as he crossed the line of the popular Shakespeare marathon in a very tired 5:26:31.
Parkrun Reports
STUART STABLES was the first Spartan finisher at Stevenage parkrun, crossing the line 8th in a new course Personal Best time of 20:54. MARK COLLINS (21:44 in 13th) and CHRIS HOLLAND (24:26) were the other Spartans in the top 50, Other male runners were RYAN DUNNING (24:37), DARREN EMMERSON (24:53), TIM ROBINSON (25:36), JIM BROWN (27:52), MICHAEL ANDREWS (28:46, new course PB), STEVEN DOBNER (31:58) and JAMES SOUTH (37:34).
CALLIE CHAPMAN was the first Spartan woman to finish, in 10th in 27:27. PENNY SCHENKEL (28th in 28:00) and SALLY PHILLIPS (32:12) were also top 50 for the women.
Last week’s fastest Spartan woman went even quicker this week. NATALIE LAWRENCE travelled over to Bedford and was second woman to finish in 19:09. Meanwhile at Aldenham Country Park JAMES KILROY finished 13th in 24:11.
Finally DANIEL SUTTON and VERITY FISHER were in the west country at Torbay Velopark which the report as an ideal venue for a fast 5k for anyone holidaying in that part of the country. DANIEL was 31st male finisher in 22:44 while Verity was 7th woman in 24:37.
Coming Events
Many Spartans will be enjoying a busy programme of races, social and training events over the next few weeks. The opportunities include the County 1500 and other track championships in Stevenage on Monday 1st May. Others are:
- First Mid Week Road Race League match in Bishops Stortford on Wednesday 10th May.
- Summer Solstice 10K at St Albans on Tuesday 16th May.
- Stirling Marathon on Sunday 21st May.
- Second Mid Week Road Race League in Stevenage on Wednesday 24th May.
- EMAC Track and Field at Cambridge on Wednesday 7th June.
- Third Mid Week Road Race League in Hitchin on Wednesday 14th June.
- Herts Veteran 10K Championships at Welwyn on Sunday 25th June.
- Fourth Mid Week Road Race League from Ridlins on Wednesday 28th June.
- EMAC Track and Field at Milton Keynes on Wednesday 5th July.
- Mob Match at Welwyn Garden City on Thursday 13th July.
- Fairlands Valley Challenge from Stevenage on 15th and 16th July
- EMAC Track and Field at Stevenage on Wednesday 26th July.
- Fairlands Valley Relays in Stevenage on Thursday 27th July.
- Herts Senior 5K Championships at Hatfield on Wednesday 30th August.
- Herts Veteran 5K Championships at Hatfield on Wednesday 13th 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.
- St Neots Half Marathon on Sunday 19th November. Enter fast.
- Hertfordshire Five Mile Championship for Veterans at Hatfield on Sunday 26th Nov.
- Bass Belle 10 near Royston on Sunday 26th November.