There was a superb turnout of 56 Fairlands Valley Spartans running the first race in the 2014 Mid Week Road Race League and the club, which organised the event in Stevenage, had dozens of volunteer helpers.
A brilliant performance by the women’s team secured second position in the ladies race and helped FVS to fourth position overall with the same points as Trent Park who were third.
New member HELEN NUTTALL led the Spartan women home. She was seventh out of the 113 females taking part with her time of 40 minutes 50 seconds. MADDIE PRITCHARD was second Spartan in a new personal best (PB) 42:04, almost 2 minutes quicker than her previous PB. CLAIRE HADDLETON was third female for the club in a season’s best (SB) time of 44:06, closely followed by TRACY PEZ in a new SB time of her own, 44:11. MICHELLE REEVES smashed her PB by more than 6 minutes to 45:32. CLARE MOORE improved her PB by 1:37 to 47:30. JULIE SIMMONS beat her 2013 Stevenage MWRRL time by 25 seconds in 48:10 to finish second veteran (55 plus) overall and seventh Spartan lady. New member HAZEL CLARK completed the scoring for the A team with 48:34 for her first 10k with the club.
The FVS ladies B team finished second of the B teams with 7 PBs and 1 SB by Dawn Easby, Lisa Gray, Isabel Green, Ruth Reilly, Kerstin Weiner, Jeanette Collins, Hayley Faulkner and Felicity Evans. There were also PB times by Sophie Cowan, Sue Hamer & Julie Shadbolt and SBs for Maria Thorne, Lorraine Thomas & Penny Armstrong.
The men’s team secured 5th position led home by Grant Ramsay 1st Vet 40 and 2nd vet overall (of 129 runners) in 11th position overall (of 193), beating his 2013 Stevenage MWRRL time by 46 seconds in 34:36. Simon Jackson was second Spartan man home in 15th position overall, beating his 2013 time by 16 seconds to 35:16. Andy Patterson was third man for the Spartans in a new PB time of 35:54. A welcome return by Brian Brackstone saw him finish fourth Spartan in a new SB time of 36:40, closely followed by new member Keith Coughlin in 9:16 and Todd Gray 40:47.
There were also PB improvements by Kieran Feetham (+4:31), Matthew Gill (+2:06) & Andrew Jordan (+3:41); first time PBs by Paul Whyte, Andy Churn, Paul Maguire, Callum Beasley, Nick Emmett, David Peach, Dave Shaw & Peter Carpenter; and, SB times by Pete Smith, Mark Beasley, Lee Lawrence, James Day, Mark Freeman, Rob Shaw & Nick Stewart.
Times For All 56 Spartans
11. Grant Ramsay 34:36 (1st MV40); 15. Simon Jackson M 35:16; 22. Andy Patterson 35:52 PB (0:24); 28 Brian Brackstone 36:40 SB; 62. Keith Coughlin 39:16 (1st 10K); 81. Todd Gray 40:47; 82. Helen Nuttall 40:49 (3rd Senior Woman); 90. Pete Smith 41:13 SB; 95. Graham Blackburn 41:33; 101. Maddie Pritchard 42:04 PB (1:53); 123. Steve Green 43:15; 124. Kieran Feetham 43:22 PB (4:31); 125. Matthew Gill 43:23 PB (2:06); 126. Mark Beasley 43:26 SB; 133. Claire Haddleton 44:06 SB; 136. Tracy Pez 44:11 SB; 138. Paul Whyte M 44:44 (1st 10K); 140. Bernie Barnaby 44:52; 146. Andrew Jordan 45:30 PB (3:41); 148. Michelle Reeves 45:32 PB (6:18); 163. Andy Churn 46:31 ( 1st 10K); 171. Ryan Dunning 47:28; 172. Clare Moore 47:30 PB (1:37); 173. Paul Maguire 47:31 (1st 10K); 182. Callum Beasley 47:50 (1st 10K); 186. Julie Simmons 48:10 (2nd FV55); 187. Jon Sypula 48:09; 189. Selvan Naicker 48:25; 192. Hazel Clark 48:34 (1st 10K); 199. Lee Lawrence 49:21 SB; 203. Dawn Easby 49:30 SB; 205. Lisa Gray 49:36 PB (0:20); 213. Jim Brown 50:08; 222. Isabel Green 51:09 PB (0:23); 229. Nick Emmett 52:00 (1st 10K); 231. James Day 52:13 SB; 237. Ruth Reilly 53:32 PB (0:52); 243. Kerstin Weiner 54:04 PB (1:51); 247. Mark Freeman 54:12 SB: 249. Jeanette Collins 54:56 SB; 250. Hayley Faulkner 55:02 (1st 10K); 254. Felicity Evans 56:00 (1st 10K); 255. Maria Thorne 56:01 SB; 258. David Peach 56:38 (1st 10K); 262. Rob Shaw 56:35 SB; 264. Lisa Gavigan 57:28; 267. Roger Biggs 57:27; 271. Paul Holgate 57:43; 275. Sophie Cowan 58:31 (1st 10K); 278. Nick Stewart 58:47 SB; 279. Sue Hamer 59:04 (1st 10K); 280. Lorraine Thomas 59:04 SB; 288. Dave Shaw 1:01:35 (1st 10K); 294. Penny Armstrong 1:03:40 SB; 296. Julie Shadbolt 1:03:38 (1st 10K); 299. Peter Carpenter 1:04:50 (1st 10K).
Position Name M/F Time Comments
11 Grant Ramsay M 34:36 1st MV40
15 Simon Jackson M 35:16
22 Andy Patterson M 35:52 PB (0:24)
28 Brian Brackstone M 36:40 SB
62 Keith Coughlin M 39:16 1st 10K
81 Todd Gray M 40:47
82 Helen Nuttall F 40:49 3rd Senior Woman
90 Pete Smith M 41:13 SB
95 Graham Blackburn M 41:33
101 Maddie Pritchard F 42:04 PB (1:53)
123 Steve Green M 43:15
124 Kieran Feetham M 43:22 PB (4:31)
125 Matthew Gill M 43:23 PB (2:06)
126 Mark Beasley M 43:26 SB
133 Claire Haddleton F 44:06 SB
136 Tracy Pez F 44:11 SB
138 Paul Whyte M 44:44 1st 10K
140 Bernie Barnaby M 44:52
146 Andrew Jordan M 45:30 PB (3:41)
148 Michelle Reeves F 45:32 PB (6:18)
163 Andy Churn M 46:31 1st 10K
171 Ryan Dunning M 47:28
172 Clare Moore F 47:30 PB (1:37)
173 Paul Maguire M 47:31 1st 10K
182 Callum Beasley M 47:50 1st 10K
186 Julie Simmons F 48:10 2nd FV55
187 Jon Sypula M 48:09
189 Selvan Naicker M 48:25
192 Hazel Clark F 48:34 1st 10K
199 Lee Lawrence M 49:21 SB
203 Dawn Easby F 49:30 SB
205 Lisa Gray F 49:36 PB (0:20)
213 Jim Brown M 50:08
222 Isabel Green F 51:09 PB (0:23)
229 Nick Emmett M 52:00 1st 10K
231 James Day M 52:13 SB
237 Ruth Reilly F 53:32 PB (0:52)
243 Kerstin Weiner F 54:04 PB (1:51)
247 Mark Freeman M 54:12 SB
249 Jeanette Collins F 54:56 SB
250 Hayley Faulkner F 55:02 1st 10K
254 Felicity Evans F 56:00 1st 10K
255 Maria Thorne F 56:01 SB
258 David Peach M 56:38 1st 10K
262 Rob Shaw M 56:35 SB
264 Lisa Gavigan F 57:28
267 Roger Biggs M 57:27
271 Paul Holgate M 57:43
275 Sophie Cowan F 58:31 1st 10K
278 Nick Stewart M 58:47 SB
279 Sue Hamer F 59:04 1st 10K
280 Lorraine Thomas F 59:04 SB
288 Dave Shaw M 1:01:35 1st 10K
294 Penny Armstrong F 1:03:40 SB
296 Julie Shadbolt F 1:03:38 1st 10K
299 Peter Carpenter M 1:04:50 1st 10K
The next fixture will be in Chingford on Wednesday 4th June. The club are hoping for another massive turnout of Spartans.
Riga Run
Spartan DANIEL BATES ran the Riga Marathon, Latvia on Sunday. He finished 578th of around 8,000 runners with a time of 3 hours 58 minutes 29 seconds. The heat was strong from the start (around +20 – +25) but as this was his third marathon in thirteen days, his body was very tired at the end. However he ran the whole course without stopping but drank too much.
With television interviews done in Latvian and English, photos with lots of locals and other runners and training with the elite runners, race day has come to a close, but he will be back next year on the flattest course in Europe to get that personal best time.
There were two runners from Hertfordshire out of the 137 British runners in the race.
Run For The Hill Of It
On Sunday CAROL PAUL ran The Blue Nose marathon in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. This is the third province in Canada that a Carol has run in. The course was very hilly but then again the clue was in the slogan on the race T-shirt “run for the hill of it”. Carol completed the course in 5:25:05 making it her 290th marathon.
Farthingstone
Barry King, Karen Liddle, Tricia Hopper and Paul Marshal completed a very tough Farthingstone Marathon in 7 hours 24 minutes
Richmond Park Trail MarathonDespite his ongoing Achilles injury, ROGER BIGGS ran his third marathon in four weekends in Richmond Park.
With wall to wall sunshine, and temperatures into the low 20s Centigrade, this was not a day for the weak hearted.
Marathon runners shared the three lap undulating course with other park users, including casual runners and hordes of cyclists, certainly a well used park in South London.
Roger completed the 26.2 mile trail course in 5 hours 32 minutes 47 seconds.
Maybe Roger’s injury luck will change as ‘7’ is supposed to be a lucky number? This was Roger’s 777th marathon!
Coming Events
Many Spartans will be enjoying a busy programme of races, social and training events over the next few weeks including the:
• Second Road Race League (5 miles) race in Chingford on Wednesday 4th June
• Third Road Race League (9K) race in Trent Park on Thursday 12th June
• Serpentine 5K on Friday 27th June
• Fourth Road Race League (10K) in St Albans on Tuesday 1st July
• Mid Week Mob Match (10K) in Welwyn Garden City on Thursday 17th July
• Off Road Challenge in Stevenage on Sunday 20th July
• Relays in the Park in Stevenage on Thursday 31st July
• Handicap 5K in Stevenage on Thursday 14th August.
• Handicap 5K in Stevenage on Thursday 18th September.
• County 5K Veteran Championship in Hatfield on Wednesday 24th September
• County 5K Senior Championship in Hatfield on Wednesday 8th October
• Stevenage Marathon and Half Marathon on Sunday 2nd November
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 9.30a.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 done very much running yet might prefer to start with a Thursday, Saturday or Monday session.
Try a few sessions before joining. Membership is only £35 per year, £25 without UKA membership. Concessions are available. Membership forms are available on the Spartans website www.fvspartans.org.uk Please ask if you would like a paper copy.
If you want to know more about the Spartans please contact Jim Brown (0793 968 7509), Vivienne Honey 07702 846304 or visit their website www.fvspartans.org.uk
E N D S
More from Jim Brown (Press Officer) 0793 968 7509 or Vivienne Honey (Secretary) 07702 846304
www.fvspartans.org.uk