Spartan ladies stay on top! The third of four Eastern Masters Track and Field league competitions was held in Bedford on Wednesday, with the Spartan ladies extending their lead over rivals Marshall Milton Keynes once again. A spot in the final, to be held in September, is pretty much guaranteed.
The team welcomed another new joiner, the fifth new member this season! ASHLEY JOHNSON bravely fought through an injury to finish fourth in the W35 (women aged 35 plus) 400 metres. CALLIE CHAPMAN (third place long jump) and CATHY CRAIG (2km walk B string winner) both recorded personal bests (PBs) with Callie also finishing third in the W35 100 metres sprint.
Wins on the night included JOYLYN SAUNDERS-MULLINS, again dropping down to a younger age group (W50) and winning both 100 and 400 metres. TESSA STEPHENSON won both W60 400m and shot put. SUZY HAWKINS (W35) and YUKO GORDON (W60) continue to dominate the distance events in their age groups, both winning their 1500m races. SHARON CROWLEY came close to a PB and won the 2km A String walk.
The remaining points were scored by SHERYL HANN (third place W60 100m and second place W50 1500m), STEPHANIE BIGGAR (4th place W35 shot put and 5th place discus), MARIAN MORLEY (3rd place W50 shot put and second place discus), IRIS HORNSEY made a welcome return to competition (3rd place W60 discus), ANDREA WESTCOTT (2nd place W50 long jump) and NIKKI WILBY (second place W35 pole vault). The women also had two relay teams – Callie, Suzy, Nikki and Cathy finished third in the W35 category. Sharon, Yuko, Joylyn, and Tessa won the W50+ race.
The men’s team had a much improved turn out, finishing in fourth place, just six points behind third spot! Andy Patterson broke the club 1500m record, finishing second in the M35 race. Andy also tried his hand at discus (4th place). ANTON MCCALLA returned to the team, earning points in M35 100m, shot put, long jump, and relay. STEVE MAYFIELD also multi-tasked, earning points in M50 100m, discus, long jump, and relay.
PAUL HOLGATE seemed to be on the track every time you looked, running the M60 100m, 400m, and 1500m! The other point scorers were CHRIS WESTCOTT (M35 400m and relay), DAVE STEPHENSON (M50 400m, shot put, and relay), BARRY OSBORNE (M60 1500m and relay), STEVE GOUGH (B string 2km walk and relay), RON WESTCOTT (M60 shot put and discus). GRANT RAMSAY completed the relay team and also took the opportunity to non-score in 1500m and long jump while he was there. TIM SAUNDERS-MULLINS also decided on the night to get some practice in by throwing but non-scoring in the discus.
London Landmarks Half Marathon (LLHM)
Some of the really big city events are coming back and five Spartan women were among about 11,000 runners at the London Landmarks Half Marathon on Sunday. This is London’s central half marathon through Westminster and the City.
Spartan SHELBE MOONBEAM was there doing her very first half marathon. She was running for Tommy’s Charity who help families who have lost a child. She did it for Little Moonbeam who was born sleeping in Oct 2009 at 21 weeks and has raised £395 so far.
Shelbe wanted to run a sub 3 hours half – that’s 15 minutes or under each mile. The first ten miles were all under 15 minutes but by mile 11 she was running on empty. Her finish time was 3 hours 2 minutes and 4 seconds. She is very happy and proud of that.
JACKIE DOWNES finished in 2 hours 1 minute 27 seconds, 3735th.
LINDA NOLAN finished in a time of 2 hours 5 minutes 25 seconds for 4,337th.
FIONA CLARKE came in at 2 hours 7 minutes 13 seconds and was 4,643rd, ADA JANUSIENE finished in 2:19:09. Ada was 6,440th, Jackie, Linda and Fiona were all in the top half. Shelbe had 574 finishers behind her.
Spartan Sets a New British Record at the Running Grand Prix
Spartan YUKO GORDON broke a British record by nearly three minutes in the Running Grand Prix at the Bedford Autodrome recently. She reduced the half marathon record for women aged 70 and over to just 1 hour 37 minutes 50 seconds and only missed the world record by 12 seconds.
Mid-Week Road Race League race four coming up
Fairlands Valley Spartans are in second place in Division One (the top division) of the Mid Week Road Race League and race four is coming up fast.
Like the other fixtures this year runners will race in their localities and then submit times. The window for race four is between Monday 2nd August and Sunday 15th August (inclusive). There will be a “wave” opportunity for Spartans to record a time on Tuesday 10th August but members can record a time for an accurate 10K on any day and submit it up to 15th August.
Parkrun Returns Week Two – 296 in Stevenage
On the second week since the long awaited return of parkrun, Spartans took part across seven different locations, many taking part as “first timers” making their debut at new venues.
First timers were: SALLY PHILLIPS was at Wimpole Hall (39:44), CAREN THAIN at Letchworth (37:13) and TIM ROBINSON (28:53) joining regular Rutland Water parkrunners DANNY SUTTON (28:54) and VERITY FISHER (35:20). DARRYL STEVENS was at Prospect parkrun near Reading (42:25) and JO BOWDRY ran a speedy new parkrun personal best of 22:36 at Tetbury Goods Shed.
Back at “home base” in Stevenage, 24 Spartans ran. There were two personal bests (PBs): ADRIAN DONNELLY in 20:30 and ANDREW MCGUINNESS in 21:24. STEVEN DOBNER completed his longest run ever of 20 miles with the last three at the Stevenage parkrun.
(Full results are below near the end of this news release).
Bedford Paul – Storm Eva
138 runners braved Storm Eva to compete in a Bedford 10K on Friday. The rain stopped in time for the run but it was still slippery underfoot in patches around the country park course. PAUL HOLGATE finished in 128th position in one hour and 57 seconds (1:00:57).
Flying On Number 63
168 runners from 46 clubs ran in the 63rd virtual Fly 5K on Saturday morning. Fairlands Valley Spartans qualified in the team competition and came sixth with MARIAN MORLEY second woman 55 plus and 75th with 26 minutes 24 seconds; PAUL HOLGATE 121st in 30:08; JIM BROWN 123rd in 30:13 and PENNY SCHENKEL 124th in 30:14.
Fly 5K was one of the stars of lockdown keeping runners moving and in touch during the restrictions. There will be a celebration live Fly 5K at Drift Limits on Sunday 22nd August.
Parkrun results
24 Spartans were among the 296 enjoying the second Stevenage parkrun since the restart. 296 is up 40 from race one which was the 200th Stevenage parkrun.
| Position | Gender Position | Parkrunner | Run Time | Comments |
| 15 | 13 | Adrian DONNELLY | 00:20:30 | Parkrun PB |
| 25 | 20 | Andrew MCGUINNESS | 00:21:24 | Parkrun PB |
| 43 | 34 | Toby ECCLESHALL | 00:22:29 | |
| 62 | 52 | Barry OSBORNE | 00:23:55 | |
| 65 | 54 | Danik BATES | 00:24:13 | |
| 68 | 9 | Eva RAMSEY | 00:24:19 | |
| 90 | 73 | Nick KLEANTHOUS | 00:26:02 | |
| 94 | 15 | Natalie WHITE | 00:26:12 | |
| 109 | 83 | Darren EMMERSON | 00:26:48 | |
| 110 | 20 | Jenny GARRETT | 00:26:48 | |
| 122 | 24 | Chloe CHAPMAN | 00:27:31 | |
| 138 | 28 | Fiona CLARKE | 00:28:19 | |
| 153 | 112 | Steven DOBNER | 00:29:51 | End of 20 miles |
| 161 | 114 | Jim BROWN | 00:30:16 | 3rd VM 65-69 |
| 164 | 41 | Penny SCHENKEL | 00:30:20 | |
| 176 | 49 | Catherine CRAIG | 00:31:14 | |
| 183 | 52 | Charlotte SMITH | 00:31:50 | |
| 184 | 53 | Gail MACKIE | 00:31:51 | |
| 192 | 126 | Paul JENNINGS | 00:32:29 | |
| 193 | 57 | Hazel SMITH | 00:32:35 | |
| 194 | 58 | Callie CHAPMAN | 00:32:35 | |
| 202 | 64 | Tracy STILES | 00:33:05 | |
| 214 | 74 | Karen PALMER | 00:33:44 | |
| 251 | 90 | Beth FOLEY | 00:36:31 |