The Stevenage Half Marathon was a fantastic success. Lovely two lap course if a little testing in places. And despite a forecast it was dry throughout for most finishers. And, we think for the first time, it was won by a woman.
Spartan DAVID HARRIS-CHERGUIT won the Hertfordshire County Championships for men with 1 hour 17 minutes 25 seconds (1:17:25) but he didn’t win the race. After 13.1 miles he was beaten by eleven seconds by Freya Weddell from St Albans.
Fairlands Valley Spartans were delighted with GOLD and BRONZE in the men’s team competition and SILVER and BRONZE in the women’s team championship.
The men’s GOLD team consisted of David, the new men’s champion; KIRK NDUGU third senior man in 1:21:17; ROSS GALLAGHER 1:30:49 – his best time this year by 52 seconds; and TERRY SAWYER 1:33:28 – a personal best by 2:58. The silver team were GRANT RAMSAY 1:36:14; MATT GIFFORD 1:39:57; MICHAEL FISHER 1:40:00 and MARTIN JACOB in 1:40:46 – a new PB by 3:50. Four to count in the men’s teams.
LINDA GEORGE 2:07:43; VICKY ARCHER 2:08:50 and new Spartan JODIE WILSON 2:10:57 won SILVER in the women’s championship. LEANNE WILSON, also new to the club, 2:11:00; ALISON SHELLEY 2:12:00 and ALICE WELCH in her first half with 2:12:17 won BRONZE. Three counted for women’s teams.
TONY VICKERS reduced his half marathon time by 22 minutes 33 seconds (!) with his 1:55:21 and ALEX SCOFIELD his by 9:36 with 1:58:30.
JIM BROWN was third man over 70 with 2:02:59 and PETER SACH cut his PB by 9:53 with 2:17:42. Also amongst the new PBs were SAMANTHA SUTTON down 3:49 with 2:21:44 and AMANDA VICKERS down 8:07 with 2:47:11.
Just over 400 entered the event and there were 347 finishers including 43 Spartans.
The event was organised by a local community running club, Fairlands Valley Spartans and included the Hertfordshire county senior championships.
Each year the event supports a charity. This time it was the Willow Foundation.
This was the real thing. Fairlands Valley Spartans have organised the Stevenage Marathon and Half Marathon since 1984. There were dozens of volunteers from FVS including the race director Jessica Clarke and local organisations such as the Scouts.
Fairlands Valley Spartans were delighted that SK Plumbing and Heating; ASK Physio; Andy Prior Personal Training; the Alternative Catering Company; and RHG Insurance sponsored the half marathon this year.
It was a great local event for spectators and supporters.
| Pos | Cat Pos | MF | Name | Cat | Chip | Age % |
| 2 | 1 | 1 | David HARRIS-CHERGUIT | MV40 | 1:17:25 | 82.0% |
| 7 | 3 | 6 | Kirk NDUGU | MS | 1:21:17 | 73.4% |
| 21 | 9 | 19 | Kristian ATANASOV | MS | 1:29:23 | 65.3% |
| 27 | 11 | 24 | Ross GALLAGHER | MV40 | 1:30:43 | 67.0% |
| 38 | 14 | 34 | Terry SAWYER | MV40 | 1:33:28 | 65.7% |
| 48 | 2 | 6 | Melanie BATE | FV40 | 1:35:35 | 72.7% |
| 55 | 8 | 49 | Grant RAMSAY | MV50 | 1:36:14 | 69.5% |
| 57 | 20 | 50 | Lewis GREEN | MS | 1:36:41 | 60.6% |
| 76 | 12 | 67 | Matt GIFFORD | MV50 | 1:39:52 | 68.1% |
| 77 | 29 | 68 | Michael FISHER | MS | 1:39:55 | 58.8% |
| 78 | 27 | 69 | Martin JACOB | MV40 | 1:40:39 | 60.4% |
| 100 | 18 | 89 | Paul SHELLEY | MV50 | 1:44:28 | 65.6% |
| 105 | 41 | 94 | Melvin AUBURN | MS | 1:45:25 | 55.9% |
| 106 | 19 | 95 | Simon HAIGH | MV50 | 1:45:23 | 66.3% |
| 127 | 39 | 113 | Lee PICKERSGILL | MV40 | 1:49:07 | 56.2% |
| 128 | 46 | 114 | Perri GENTRY | MS | 1:49:07 | 53.4% |
| 156 | 29 | 137 | Tony VICKERS | MV50 | 1:55:21 | 58.9% |
| 177 | 48 | 148 | Richard MOORE | MV40 | 1:58:06 | 54.0% |
| 178 | 49 | 149 | Pete GENTLE | MV40 | 1:58:11 | 53.6% |
| 185 | 60 | 156 | Alex SCOFIELD | MS | 1:58:30 | 49.1% |
| 209 | 69 | 172 | Lloyd DIAS | MS | 2:02:20 | 48.1% |
| 212 | 3 | 175 | Jim BROWN | MV70+ | 2:02:59 | 66.2% |
| 228 | 14 | 44 | Linda GEORGE | FV40 | 2:07:21 | 53.1% |
| 234 | 16 | 49 | Vicky ARCHER | FV40 | 2:08:32 | 54.4% |
| 235 | 57 | 186 | Matt TUTTON | MV40 | 2:08:25 | 46.9% |
| 236 | 16 | 187 | Martin DUDLEY | MV60 | 2:08:41 | 56.3% |
| 239 | 36 | 188 | Andy PRIOR | MV50 | 2:08:59 | 53.6% |
| 245 | 77 | 191 | Keith HOOKER | MS | 2:09:21 | 44.9% |
| 248 | 25 | 56 | Jodie WILSON | FS | 2:10:28 | 49.7% |
| 251 | 27 | 58 | Leanne WILSON | FS | 2:10:31 | 49.7% |
| 256 | 14 | 61 | Alison SHELLEY | FV50 | 2:11:30 | 60.5% |
| 258 | 30 | 63 | Alice WELCH | FS | 2:11:51 | 49.2% |
| 262 | 15 | 65 | Sarah ILLINGWORTH | FV50 | 2:13:21 | 58.9% |
| 271 | 80 | 202 | Peter SACH | MS | 2:17:42 | 42.3% |
| 277 | 43 | 206 | Tim ROBINSON | MV50 | 2:19:07 | 49.2% |
| 283 | 44 | 209 | Pete COOK | MV50 | 2:21:16 | 49.4% |
| 286 | 17 | 76 | Samantha SUTTON | FV50 | 2:21:44 | 52.1% |
| 331 | 25 | 100 | Amanda VICKERS | FV50 | 2:47:11 | 44.7% |
| 332 | 30 | 101 | Jayne DYMOKE | FV40 | 2:47:26 | 43.5% |
| 334 | 31 | 102 | Rebecca RAYNER | FV40 | 2:50:57 | 40.1% |
| 335 | 22 | 233 | Paul HOLGATE | MV60 | 2:54:21 | 44.1% |
| 346 | 98 | 237 | Lee POTTER | MS | 3:36:48 | 27.2% |
| 347 | 46 | 110 | Emma CHAPMAN | FS | 3:47:36 | 28.9% |
Abingdon Marathon – Slightly Agonising
The five Spartans at the Abingdon Marathon came home with some great achievements. CHARLIE COOK cut his marathon PB time by 2:24 with his 3 hours and just 29 seconds (3:00:29); NICK GILL by 13:39 to 3:00:40 and JAY PAPA by 5:21 to 3:06:40.
TONY RANDFIELD ran his fastest marathon this season with 3:38:47 and GERRY ROSEN improved by 8 minutes on his 2024 Stevenage Marathon time with 5:23:25. He’s having a week’s R&R now but off again next weekend as he prepares for an ultra.
Nick Gill said, “The Abingdon Marathon… what a rollercoaster! The aim going in was 2:55, but with a firm eye on my first sub-3. What followed was 15 miles of cruising along around that pace, and then disaster… cramp! For the remaining 11 miles I was managing bouts of cramp in both legs, picking it up when it eased and slowing down when it hit hard. It ended with a slightly agonising 3:00:40 finish – but 13 minutes and 39 seconds quicker than my previous best (April 2024). Yes we chase times on the clock and yes I would love it if my marathon time started with a “2” – but the biggest feeling I take away from it is how lucky I am to have so many amazing people in my life. The support from my Spartans family and wider running community was incredible. I’m so grateful”
Centurion Running – 100 miles in a day and two new belt buckles
Spartan Ciaran McAneny took part in the Centurion Running Autumn 100 mile race at the weekend.
Based in Goring the race is an out and back course across four legs; with Leg 1 along the Thames Path, Legs 2 and 3 on the Ridgeway and Leg 4 back on the Thames Path.
Ciaran had a near perfect day, setting a new PB by almost two hours in a time of 17:11:57, finishing 7th overall and taking home the V50 win.
JOHN NELMS was 128th with 25 hours 59 minutes. Such an amazing effort from both of them.
Yorkshire Ten
Chris Watling enjoyed his annual outing to the Yorkshire Ten Mile run. He was hoping to be somewhere between 1 hour 30 and 1 hour 25 but did it in 1:24:16. Perfect running weather and with a start and finish in Heslington. He was very pleased.
Great South Run
PAUL MAGUIRE ran the Great South Run in Portsmouth and Southsea on Sunday.
He finished the ten mile course in 1 hour 22 minutes. The atmosphere was brilliant despite the wet and windy weather. Paul was very happy with my time which was my first official run for more than a year so he’ll take that. He ran with his son Ronan who has trained with Spartans in the past and who finished in 1 hour and 8 minutes.
Parkrun Highlights – Saturday 18th October 2025
The Stevenage Half Marathon was the big news this week but there were 459 parkrunners at Stevenage on Saturday and 36 of them were Spartans.
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.
| Position | Gender Position | parkrunner | Time |
| 2 | 2 | Simon JACKSON | 18:27 |
| 11 | 9 | Grant RAMSAY | 19:58 |
| 35 | 30 | Toby ECCLESHALL | 22:10 |
| 41 | 35 | Steve WELLS | 22:22 |
| 63 | 54 | Daniel VILJOEN | 23:30 |
| 70 | 60 | Tony RANDFIELD | 24:00 |
| 99 | 82 | Jay PAPA | 25:10 |
| 105 | 85 | Darren EMMERSON | 25:26 |
| 168 | 31 | Eva RAMSEY | 27:44 |
| 170 | 130 | Ryan DUNNING | 27:47 |
| 176 | 33 | Sharon CROWLEY | 28:01 |
| 177 | 135 | Matt CLARKE | 28:02 |
| 200 | 39 | Lorraine HILL | 28:46 |
| 222 | 166 | Kartik SHARMA | 29:23 |
| 224 | 48 | Fiona CLARKE | 29:27 |
| 255 | 184 | Ahaan SHARMA | 30:30 |
| 278 | 72 | Monica SMITHSON | 31:16 |
| 323 | 99 | Pamela VILJOEN | 33:21 |
| 331 | 105 | Lindsay PATEMAN | 33:33 |
| 340 | 107 | Caroline CROFT | 33:50 |
| 341 | 108 | Carole SHELDRICK | 33:51 |
| 353 | 221 | Jim BROWN | 34:27 |
| 355 | 114 | Penny SCHENKEL | 34:28 |
| 354 | 113 | Tracy PEZ | 34:28 |
| 365 | 121 | Sally PICKLES | 35:05 |
| 375 | 229 | Stephen SMITHSON | 35:53 |
| 378 | 230 | Paul HOLGATE | 36:17 |
| 380 | 129 | Karen ELLIS | 36:25 |
| 379 | 128 | Jenny GARRETT | 36:25 |
| 381 | 231 | Keith MANTON | 36:39 |
| 382 | 130 | Jo MANSFIELD | 37:04 |
| 400 | 236 | Paul JENNINGS | 38:48 |
| 405 | 146 | Beverley HARLOW | 39:58 |
| 408 | 149 | Tracy HAYGARTH | 40:38 |
| 436 | 172 | Debbie BLANTERN | 47:24 |
| 441 | 246 | Roger BIGGS | 49:50 |