There were 27 Spartans at the Standalone 10 and some were very happy including SAMANTHA SUTTON beat one hour for 10K for the first time. Her time was 59:09 which improved her personal best (PB) by a massive 5 minutes 15 seconds (5:15)
GEORGIE HOOPER was the fastest female from Spartans and her 43:32 was a new personal best (PB) by 1:02.
Wow. PETER SACH took 10 minutes 10 seconds (10:10) off his personal best when he finished in 53:39.
MONICA SMITHSON was over one minute quicker than last year, so she was happy with that. Her 1:04:06 represents a new season’s best by 30 seconds.
SHARON CROWLEY improved her season’s time by 1:11 to 57:54; SALLY PICKLES but her PB by 36 seconds to 1:05:24 and JANE WADEY reduced her 2025 time by 2:30 to 1:15:48. GAIL MACKIE improved to 1:15:48.
| Pos | Cat | Name | Cat | Gun | Chip |
| 92 | 24 | Adrian DONNELLY | MV40 | 41:08 | 40:58 |
| 100 | 47 | Nick GILL | MS | 41:31 | 41:24 |
| 159 | 48 | Paul MOULD | MV40 | 43:29 | 43:18 |
| 162 | 49 | Danny SCANLON | MV40 | 43:31 | 43:22 |
| 168 | 10 | Charles ARNOLD | MV60 | 43:40 | 43:29 |
| 170 | 7 | Georgie HOOPER | FV35 | 43:41 | 43:32 |
| 183 | 11 | Tony RANDFIELD | MV60 | 43:56 | 43:46 |
| 234 | 9 | Gail MACKIE | FV35 | 45:44 | 45:34 |
| 261 | 70 | Lewis GREEN | MV40 | 46:33 | 46:11 |
| 468 | 5 | Claire PULLEN | FV55 | 51:14 | 50:50 |
| 471 | 31 | Anita WELTZ | FV35 | 51:16 | 50:52 |
| 537 | 36 | Martin DUDLEY | MV60 | 52:54 | 52:05 |
| 592 | 15 | Jamie HADDLETON | MU20 | 54:12 | 53:47 |
| 604 | 182 | Peter SACH | MS | 54:29 | 53:39 |
| 626 | 46 | Megan SUTTON | FS | 55:02 | 54:13 |
| 638 | 10 | Jackie PERRY | FV55 | 55:16 | 54:51 |
| 688 | 9 | Jim BROWN | MV70 | 56:27 | 55:37 |
| 699 | 50 | Sophie PARSONS | FS | 56:40 | 55:52 |
| 823 | 4 | Sharon CROWLEY | FV65 | 59:04 | 57:54 |
| 892 | 65 | Samantha SUTTON | FV45 | 1:00:21 | 59:09 |
| 1087 | 50 | Monica SMITHSON | FV55 | 1:05:17 | 1:04:06 |
| 1122 | 51 | Sally PICKLES | FV55 | 1:06:37 | 1:05:24 |
| 1283 | 70 | Jane WADEY | FV55 | 1:17:01 | 1:15:48 |
| 1308 | 87 | Paul HOLGATE | MV60 | 1:21:46 | 1:19:55 |
| 1310 | 168 | Rebecca RAYNER | FV35 | 1:23:13 | 1:21:25 |
| 1313 | 140 | Nichola DURENT | FV45 | 1:27:24 | 1:25:36 |
| 1323 | 280 | Lee POTTER | MS | 1:34:18 | 1:32:29 |
Westward Ho! on the North Coast 110
On Saturday ADRIAN BUSOLINI ran the North Coast 110 miles trail event. That followed the north coast of the south west peninsula. A self navigation event based on the South West Coastal Path it included more than 7000 metres of elevation; starting at 7.30a.m; Storm Amy, a blown hip flexor and taking 34 hours 1 minute and 33 seconds including going through the night. Enough said!
Epping Forest 50K
Spartan TERRY SAWYER completed the Epping Forest 50K on Saturday. He said it was a nice and fun event despite the wind. Terry completed the Ultra event in 4 hours 50 minutes 31 seconds (4:50:31).
Here Comes The Stevenage Half
Organised by a local community running club, Fairlands Valley Spartans, and with more than 304 entries so far the Stevenage Half Marathon will be on Sunday 19th October. 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.
Cardiff Half Marathon
After three weeks of no running and almost a week of food poisoning the week of the run SUE HAMER was pleased to finish the Cardiff Half Marathon in 2 hours 21 minutes 50 seconds.
That’s the fourth of the four superhalfs done, next stop Prague.
MICHAEL FISHER cut his PB by 3.5 minutes at the Cardiff Half Marathon.
He said, “I’ve seen some criticism earlier in the year about the Superhalf events but have to say that this was run pretty perfectly in my eyes.
The course itself was tough, with hills in the back half and Storm Amy causing a 3km section in the middle to be tougher than it should. Two short sharp hills right near the end sapped the energy from my legs which meant that sprint finish wasn’t quite there to sneak under that 1.21 mark!  A very near miss with 1:21:02. All in all, what a good day out in the Welsh Capital.”
Cambridge 10K
MATT TUTTON ran the Cambridge 10K on Sunday. He was really pleased with his chip time of 54:43 given it’s been a few months since his last 10k. A flat course is always favourable. Credit to the pacer who did a great job keeping everyone motivated which helped to get him home in under 55 minutes.
Parkrun Highlights – Saturday 27th September 2025
There were black numbers for wind speeds on Saturday morning but Stevenage parkrun went ahead in sunshine with 455 finishers despite a Spartan awayday and a forecast that might have put some off.
The 455 included 171 women and 34 Spartans. The 34 included SIMON JACKSON second with 18:40; LEE PICKERSGILL with a new PPB of 22:41; CHRIS WATLING 25:09 running his 20th parkrun; new member JODIE WILSON the fastest female from Fairlands with 26:36; STEVE TINSLEY 27:30 in his 80th parkrun; and LINDSAY PATEMAN running a new parkrun personal best of 34:04.
Some Spartans had planned a trip to Bushey, home of the original parkrun, for the 21st Anniversary of parkrun, but that event was cancelled due to the weather so they diverted the minibus to get a parkrun “V,” the Valentines parkrun at Ilford. This was a two lap event on flat tarmac paths.
The eleven Spartans had a great time including REBECCA RAYNER running a milestone 25th parkrun in 39:23 and NICOLA HATHERLY her 70th parkrun in 37:24. There were 379 finishers.
Altogether 56 Spartans ran parkruns on Saturday. This was a first of the month stripes day. 34 were at the 421st Stevenage parkrun where there were 455 finishers.
Stevenage Parkrun
| Position | Gender Position | FVS parkrunner | Time |
| 2 | 2 | Simon JACKSON | 18:40 |
| 17 | 16 | Grant RAMSAY | 21:25 |
| 19 | 18 | Tony RANDFIELD | 21:30 |
| 37 | 34 | Lee PICKERSGILL | 22:41 |
| 45 | 42 | Martin JACOB | 22:56 |
| 51 | 47 | Toby ECCLESHALL | 23:06 |
| 76 | 70 | Paul MAGUIRE | 24:13 |
| 81 | 75 | Martin DUDLEY | 24:21 |
| 88 | 82 | Daniel VILJOEN | 24:33 |
| 109 | 99 | Chris WATLING | 25:09 |
| 131 | 117 | Charlie WHITE | 26:18 |
| 145 | 16 | Jodie WILSON | 26:36 |
| 165 | 142 | Ryan DUNNING | 27:16 |
| 174 | 148 | Steve TINSLEY | 27:30 |
| 203 | 168 | Matt CLARKE | 28:12 |
| 211 | 33 | Carole SHELDRICK | 28:22 |
| 224 | 176 | Jim BROWN | 28:48 |
| 235 | 43 | Harriet SMITH | 29:03 |
| 237 | 44 | Fiona CLARKE | 29:08 |
| 252 | 51 | Sarah ILLINGWORTH | 29:45 |
| 296 | 212 | Nick KLEANTHOUS | 31:34 |
| 309 | 76 | Alice WELCH | 31:53 |
| 322 | 83 | Annabelle WHITE | 32:42 |
| 337 | 94 | Pamela VILJOEN | 33:13 |
| 358 | 108 | Lindsay PATEMAN | 34:04 |
| 374 | 237 | Lloyd DIAS | 35:29 |
| 388 | 128 | Julie SHADBOLT | 36:16 |
| 394 | 247 | Stephen SMITHSON | 36:37 |
| 396 | 131 | Hayley PEACH | 36:40 |
| 417 | 150 | Tracy HAYGARTH | 39:53 |
| 422 | 252 | Paul JENNINGS | 42:12 |
| 431 | 159 | Melody BROWN | 44:41 |
| 432 | 160 | Penny SCHENKEL | 44:55 |
| 442 | 258 | Roger BIGGS | 50:47 |
Valentines Parkrun
| Position | Gender Position | FVS parkrunner | Time |
| 30 | 28 | Matthew COOKE | 22:45 |
| 68 | 60 | Peter SACH | 25:09 |
| 83 | 10 | Megan SUTTON | 25:54 |
| 166 | 39 | Jessica CLARKE | 29:47 |
| 167 | 119 | Jay PAPA | 29:48 |
| 168 | 40 | Hazel SMITH | 29:48 |
| 171 | 41 | Samantha SUTTON | 29:57 |
| 265 | 84 | Jayne DYMOKE | 34:49 |
| 299 | 103 | Nicola HATHERLY | 37:24 |
| 313 | 110 | Rebecca RAYNER | 39:14 |
| 316 | 112 | Niki PLUMB | 39:32 |