Great Eastern Run
This year’s Great Eastern Run in Peterborough was a fantastic event for fast times with eleven Spartans joining the fun.
Spartan KRISTIAN ATANASOV blasted round Sunday’s Great Eastern Run taking 3 minutes 58 seconds (3:58) of his half marathon personal best and finishing top 100 with 1 hour 16 minutes 31 seconds.
Kris said “here is a little summary of how I think the race went:
Even before the race started, it felt a bit rushed and a little panicked as I was not at the right pace zone and feared I’d have to start with a lot of traffic ahead of me. Luckily, I managed to get into a good position less than three minutes before the start was given.
We went with a bit a of an easy start, then got into a good fast paced rhythm, feeling I could sustain a great pace till the end. The fog was ever present on the roads but there was barely any wind, which made the conditions, very good for a PB (personal best) attempt.
My legs started to feel a bit heavy just after the mid point in the race but I was determined to push myself until the end and managed with the uplift from the spectacular audience to finish strongly and grab myself a 3 minutes and 58 seconds improvement in the half marathon.
Overall, had a great time, achieving a new high in my running season, surrounded by amazing Spartan runners and a cheerleader. The event organisation was very much on top, and I couldn’t have asked for much more.”
Club men’s captain MIKE JEFFS was another happy Spartan. He took 1:06 of his PB to go sub 1:20 (under 80 minutes) with 1:19:16.
Then PETE GENTLE really stirred things up taking 25 minutes 35 seconds (25:35!) off his PB by finishing in 1:27:24. There was another PB from ANNABELLE WHITE who improved by 2:50 to 1 hour 46 minutes exactly.
After a week off with a niggle ROSS GALLAGHER treated this one as a progression run as part of a Sunday long run. His chip time was 1:35:48.
A half marathon is never easy but JIM BROWN really enjoyed his run. OK a bit of misty specs but otherwise the conditions were pretty much spot on for him. Despite 4,701 finishers and being in “the masses” there were no hold ups, very efficient water stations, no significant hazards, a great running surface and if anything slightly downhill for the second half.
It was possible to run across the start line and keep going at a consistent pace. 28:32 for the first 5K and 28:12 for the last 5K gives some idea. He finished in 2:02:08. His best time this year by 1 minute 26 seconds.
Jim said “Of course it might have been nice to have been 129 seconds faster but maybe I can get closer to a significant barrier another time. Great to be able to walk to Stevenage station get on a train, easy walk to the race start and just run.”
SHARON CROWLEY said it was a chilly morning for the Great Eastern Run in Peterborough, but for her it was almost a 40 minute improvement from her Cambridge Half back in March. She finished in 2 hours 13 minutes 26 seconds and was very happy with that.
GERRY ROSEN’s time was 2:28:17, beating his Ealing Half time by almost two minutes. He’s off to the Abingdon Marathon next weekend.
| Pos | First Name | Second Name | Gen | Category | Cat Pos | Chip Time |
| 99 | Kristian | Atanasov | M | MO | 68 | 1:16:31.1 |
| 169 | Mike | Jeffs | M | M40-44 | 36 | 1:19:16.8 |
| 322 | Simon | Fraser | M | MO | 189 | 1:24:03.8 |
| 452 | Pete | Gentle | M | M45-49 | 52 | 1:27:24.10 |
| 814 | Charles | Arnold | M | M65-69 | 4 | 1:34:30.7 |
| 892 | Ross | Gallagher | M | M40-44 | 137 | 1:35:48.3 |
| 1673 | Annabelle | White | F | FO | 162 | 1:46:00.8 |
| 2549 | Caroline | Barter | F | F45 | 63 | 1:56:22.3 |
| 3006 | Jim | Brown | M | M70-74 | 5 | 2:02:08.4 |
| 3665 | Sharon | Crowley | F | F65-69 | 11 | 2:13:26.3 |
| 4214 | Gerry | Rosen | M | M50-54 | 249 | 2:28:17.1 |
Willow 10K at Hatfield
The Willow Foundation is Fairlands Valley Spartans charity of the year and 25 Spartans ran the Willow 10K on Sunday.
A couple beat 50 minutes. STEPHEN MASSEY with 48:56 and TONY VICKERS who was second in his age category with 49:14. JO COOKSLEY was second woman 35 plus with 51:12. ALICE WELCH took a big 4 minutes 20 seconds chunk off her 10K personal best (PB) when she finished in 57:18 and SAM GENTLY took 1:23 off her personal best with 58:38. Her first time under 60 minutes. SALLY PICKLES improved by 2:05 to 1:03:19.
It was a hilly course but SAM SUTTON ran her second fastest 10K with 1:02:02 at the Willow 10K.
HAZEL SMITH said it was a lovely route, and it was great to support the club’s charity of the year!
Hazel finished third in her age category and 97th overall with a chip time of 55 minutes exactly.
| Position | Name | Time (Chip) | Time (Gun) | Category |
| 52 | STEPHEN MASSEY | 48:56 | 49:03 | M35 |
| 57 | TONY VICKERS | 49:14 | 49:21 | MV55 |
| 70 | JO COOKSLEY | 51:12 | 51:18 | F35 |
| 84 | JAYNE RIDDELL | 53:17 | 53:25 | F55 |
| 97 | HAZEL SMITH | 55:00 | 55:14 | F50 |
| 109 | LINDA NOLAN | 55:43 | 55:56 | F60 |
| 125 | ALICE WELCH | 57:04 | 57:18 | FOpen |
| 133 | DAVID RIDDELL | 58:23 | 58:39 | MV60 |
| 137 | SAM GENTLY | 58:38 | 58:53 | FV45 |
| 156 | TIM ROBINSON | 59:56 | 1:00:08 | MV55 |
| 181 | SAM SUTTON | 1:02:02 | 1:02:16 | FV50 |
| 193 | SALLY PICKLES | 1:03:19 | 1:03:34 | FV60 |
| 200 | JOLYON BLAND | 1:03:57 | 1:04:24 | M35 |
| 212 | NICK KLEANTHOUS | 1:05:06 | 1:05:29 | M60 |
| 235 | LIZ CAVELL | 1:08:05 | 1:08:20 | F65 |
| 254 | AMANDA VICKERS | 1:10:18 | 1:10:30 | F50 |
| 266 | JAYNE DYMOKE | 1:12:37 | 1:12:56 | F45 |
| 267 | SALLY PHILLIPS | 1:13:31 | 1:13:45 | F60 |
| 282 | JANE WADEY | 1:16:44 | 1:16:58 | F55 |
| 300 | BECKY RAYNER | 1:20:58 | 1:21:54 | F40 |
| 316 | NIKI PLUMB | 1:25:07 | 1:25:21 | F45 |
| 322 | LEE POTTER | 1:28:57 | 1:29:53 | M35 |
| 326 | EMMA CHAPMAN | 1:31:51 | 1:32:22 | F35 |
| 327 | JANE WHITROW | 1:38:52 | 1:39:43 | F55 |
| 328 | ABBIE WHITROW | 1:38:52 | 1:39:43 | FOpen |
Lucy in Budapest
LUCY PAUL joined Fairlands Valley Spartans two months ago. She’d taken most of last year off running and was just building up again by herself. She says the Tuesday intervals and last Sunday’s 10 miler with the club have definitely improved her running and increased my confidence. She finished the Budapest marathon on Sunday in 4:31:42. Now she’s looking forward to lots more running with FVS.
Manchester Half
Spartan KEITH HOOKER ran the Manchester Half Marathon on Sunday. His previous personal best was 1 hour 41 minutes. Now it’s 1:35:32.
Bournemouth 10K
Lovely weather and no hills for the Bournemouth 10K said PETE COOK. He finished in a season’s best 52:14.
Back in the Spartans
NATALIE LAWRENCE was first woman and eighth out of the 260 runners in the Love Luton Runfest Half Marathon on Sunday. Her time was 1:23:51!
Running the River
The Run the River 10K saw MATTHEW NEWTON finish in 49 minutes 33 seconds (49:33). He was 55th out of the 284 finishers in the multi-terrain event along the Lee Valley,
Here Comes The Stevenage Half
Organised by a local community running club, Fairlands Valley Spartans, and with more than 350 entries so far the Stevenage Half Marathon will be on Sunday 19th October at 10a.m. Entries are open to all aged 17 plus but it will include the Hertfordshire county senior championships.
The two lap course is on tarmac on the town’s famous cycleways. It will include Fairlands Valley Park, Grace Way, the railway station and various points of interest around Stevenage. The event HQ will be at Hampson Park Community Centre.
Each year the event supports a charity. This time it’s the Willow Foundation.
The event is fully licenced, chip timed and with an accurately measured course. It will be held under UKA (United Kingdom Athletics) rules. UKA 29379 with certificate of course accuracy 24/258.
This is the real thing. Fairlands Valley Spartans have organised the Stevenage Marathon and Half Marathon since 1984. There will be dozens of volunteers from FVS and local organisations such as the Scouts. Can you come and stand / wave / cheer / point on 19th October? Contact shm@fvspartans.org.uk
The Half Marathon race is open to all entrants aged 17 years or older on race day. The course is suitable for racing wheelchairs.
Fairlands Valley Spartans are delighted that SK Plumbing and Heating; ASK Physio; Andy Prior Personal Training; the Alternative Catering Company; and RHG Insurance are sponsoring the half marathon this year.
Please visit https://stevenagehalfmarathon.org.uk/ for more information and to enter. Standard entries are only £30. There’s £2 discount for members of UKA affiliated clubs. Don’t delay enter today.
This will be a great local event for spectators.
Bristol and Bath Railway Marathon
Tricia Hopper ran the Bath & Bristol Railway Marathon on Sunday 12 October organised by Relish Running. It was a mostly flat, tarmac out and back route. An enjoyable and friendly run in perfect conditions.
Parkrun Highlights – Saturday 11th October 2025
A new parkrun, Stanborough, has been welcomed to the Hertfordshire family of parkruns but there were still 447 parkrunners at Stevenage on Saturday morning. 35 were from Fairlands Valley Spartans.
Spartan GAIL MACKIE was first woman with 22 minutes 19 seconds. HAYLEY PEACH ran a new parkrun PB with 35:55.
| Position | Gender Position | FVS parkrunner | Time |
| 3 | 3 | Simon JACKSON | 18:29 |
| 14 | 14 | Grant RAMSAY | 20:29 |
| 18 | 18 | Danny SCANLON | 21:08 |
| 36 | 1 | Gail MACKIE | 22:19 |
| 47 | 42 | Matthew COOKE | 22:39 |
| 75 | 68 | Daniel VILJOEN | 24:14 |
| 100 | 89 | Stuart ARCHER | 25:01 |
| 105 | 93 | Darren EMMERSON | 25:13 |
| 107 | 10 | Claire PULLEN | 25:21 |
| 136 | 117 | Matt TUTTON | 26:23 |
| 147 | 127 | Matt CLARKE | 26:51 |
| 167 | 141 | Jim BROWN | 27:58 |
| 210 | 39 | Lorraine HILL | 29:21 |
| 229 | 45 | Ada JANUSIENE | 29:51 |
| 230 | 46 | Fiona CLARKE | 29:52 |
| 285 | 197 | David ACKERY | 31:49 |
| 300 | 204 | Matthew NEWTON | 32:27 |
| 312 | 210 | Kartik SHARMA | 33:02 |
| 313 | 211 | Ahaan SHARMA | 33:03 |
| 320 | 214 | Luke SILVER | 33:45 |
| 324 | 92 | Pamela VILJOEN | 33:56 |
| 338 | 100 | Lindsay PATEMAN | 34:37 |
| 352 | 109 | Penny SCHENKEL | 35:36 |
| 357 | 112 | Hayley PEACH | 35:55 |
| 358 | 113 | Caroline CROFT | 35:57 |
| 359 | 114 | Carole SHELDRICK | 35:58 |
| 372 | 120 | Jenny GARRETT | 37:37 |
| 373 | 121 | Julie SHADBOLT | 37:38 |
| 394 | 134 | Tracy HAYGARTH | 39:18 |
| 400 | 244 | Paul JENNINGS | 39:57 |
| 408 | 143 | Melody BROWN | 41:16 |
| 429 | 256 | Roger BIGGS | 50:32 |
| 435 | 159 | Nikki NATION | 52:50 |
| 436 | 258 | Tony RANDFIELD | 53:01 |
| 442 | 163 | Bonnie BRAZIL | 57:06 |