21 Fairlands Valley Spartans competed in two races on Sunday. Despite the cold three ran new personal bests (PB) and 16 ran new season’s bests (SB).
Hatfield Five
At the Hatfield Five which started and finished at the University of Hertfordshire’s College Lane site DAN HUKIN ran well under thirty minutes to finish 40th out of the 545 with 29 minutes 28 seconds. MARK GOODWIN was well up in the men 60 plus category with 37 minutes 34 seconds and 209th overall.
VISH SHAH was pleased how fast his race was and his 42:26 finish time.
PENNY SCHENKEL improved her season’s best time to 47:55; MONICA SMITHSON to 48:45; and SHARON CROWLEY to 55:55 but DZENANA TOPIC took the limelight with a brand new personal best of 53 minutes 4 seconds. There were four Spartan women and four Spartan men.
There were 545 finishers who also included JIM BROWN with 47:55.
Five mile races are quite rare these days but there will be another one in Welwyn Garden City this Sunday – the Festive Five.
Bassingbourn Bass Belle
Thirteen Spartans ran the Bass Belle Ten. Two DARREN EMMERSON and JACKIE DOWNES ran new personal bests and ten others ran new season’s bests.
GRANT RAMSAY was first finisher for the club with 67 minutes 25 seconds (SB). He was 25th out of the 331 finishers. YUKO GORDON was eighth women with 1:15:09 (SB).
Darren Emmerson’s new personal best is 1 hour 22 minutes 51 seconds and Jackie Downe’s new PB stands at 1:27:20.
HAZEL SMITH said, “It was bitterly cold with patches of ice. I’m super pleased with my time as it was my first long run in a few weeks.
KAREN ELLIS ran a season’s best (SB) of 1:28:53 and Hazel a SB of 1:28:54.
1:43:52 was good enough for PAUL HOLGATE to beat his Ware Ten time by 19 seconds to set a new season’s best. He said it was a bitterly cold bright day with lots of ice on the 1.5 miles off-road section so very pleased.
The others with new season’s bests for ten miles were CLAIRE EMMERSON 1:36:22; CATHY CRAIG 1:44:19; ERICA GRAYSON 1:45:08; SUE HAMER also 1:45:08 and JONATHAN JONES 1:52:51.
The 331 finishers also included JENNY GARRETT in 1:36:23.
Parkrun Highlights for Saturday 27th November 2021
Storm Arwen caused havoc around the UK but it didn’t stop 19 Spartans completing their Parkruns. All their parkrun milestones and best positions were achieved at Stevenage on Saturday.
NIC PATTMAN and HARRIET PACE both achieved personal bests with 28:23 and 29:56 respectively. SUZY HAWKINS was first lady in the race finishing with a time of 20:05.
GRANT RAMSAY was the fastest of the 17 Spartans, completing in 19:14 and finishing third overall.
GRACE COVENTRY finished in 25:02 and was 5th lady, achieving her best time this year (YB). THOMAS SAUKA (21:26) and CAROLE SHELDRICK (27:20) also ran year’s bests.
DEBBIE BLANTERN achieved an unofficial milestone of 70 Parkruns.
MIKE REYNOLDS was the only Spartan at Panshanger this time. He finished 43rd in 24:44.
At the Kingdom Parkrun in Penshurst, Kent MICHAEL O’KEEFE was 48th in 31:52.
Tables
Spartans at the Hatfield Five (Sunday 28th):
| Pos | Name | Gun | Chip | Category | Cat Pos | Gender | Gender Position | Comments |
| 40 | Dan HUKIN | 29:33 | 29:28 | Ages 40 – 49 | 9 | Male | 36 | SB |
| 209 | Mark GOODWIN | 38:02 | 37:34 | Ages 60 – 69 | 11 | Male | 160 | SB |
| 304 | Vishal SHAH | 43:20 | 42:26 | Ages 30 – 39 | 42 | Male | 213 | SB |
| 408 | Jim BROWN | 49:25 | 47:55 | Ages 60 – 69 | 24 | Male | 238 | |
| 409 | Penny SCHENKEL | 49:26 | 47:55 | Ages 50 – 59 | 46 | Female | 162 | SB |
| 417 | Monica SMITHSON | 49:52 | 48:45 | Ages 50 – 59 | 48 | Female | 168 | SB |
| 470 | Dzenana TOPIC | 54:22 | 53:04 | Ages 50 – 59 | 65 | Female | 207 | PB |
| 500 | Sharon CROWLEY | 57:27 | 55:55 | Ages 60 – 69 | 22 | Female | 233 | SB |
There were 545 finishers.
Spartans at the Bass Belle 10 Sunday 28th November):
| Pos | First Name | Last Name | Time | Comments |
| 25 | Grant | Ramsay | 1:07:25 | SB |
| 57 | Yuko | Gordon | 1:15:09 | SB. 8th woman. |
| 114 | Darren | Emmerson | 1:22:51 | PB |
| 161 | Jackie | Downes | 1:27:20 | PB |
| 177 | Karen | Ellis | 1:28:53 | SB |
| 178 | Hazel | Smith | 1:28:54 | SB |
| 237 | Claire | Emmerson | 1:36:22 | SB |
| 238 | Jenny | Garrett | 1:36:23 | x |
| 267 | Paul | Holgate | 1:43:52 | SB |
| 283 | Cathy | Craig | 1:44:19 | SB |
| 285 | Erica | Grayson | 1:45:08 | SB |
| 286 | Sue | Hamer | 1:45:08 | SB |
| 314 | Jonathan | Jones | 1:52:51 | SB |
There were 331 finishers.
Spartans at parkrun on Saturday 27th November
Spartans (17) at Stevenage Parkrun
| Position | Gender Position | parkrunner | Run Time | |
| 3 | 3 | Grant RAMSAY | 00:19:14 | |
| 6 | 1 | Suzy HAWKINS | 00:20:05 | |
| 13 | 12 | Thomas SAUKA | 00:21:26 | YB |
| 24 | 22 | Andrew MCGUINNESS | 00:22:21 | |
| 39 | 36 | Toby ECCLESHALL | 00:23:27 | |
| 57 | 51 | James MCSWEENEY | 00:24:39 | |
| 63 | 5 | Grace COVENTRY | 00:25:02 | YB |
| 74 | 63 | Nick KLEANTHOUS | 00:26:07 | |
| 88 | 14 | Carole SHELDRICK | 00:27:20 | YB |
| 90 | 15 | Gail MACKIE | 00:27:35 | |
| 101 | 79 | Sam SIMMONS | 00:27:59 | |
| 102 | 20 | Chloe CHAPMAN | 00:28:00 | |
| 110 | 25 | Nicola PATTMAN | 00:28:23 | PB |
| 123 | 30 | Harriet PACE | 00:29:56 | PB |
| 128 | 34 | Debbie BLANTERN | 00:30:07 | 70th |
| 146 | 41 | Caroline CROFT | 00:31:23 | |
| 171 | 51 | Hilary DAVIES | 00:33:55 |