Club 20

The St Albans 10K has the potential to be fast and 24 Spartans were there for the Spring race on Good Friday which had well over 1,000 finishers.

GEORGIE HOOPER was first Spartan woman home and finished first in her age group (women 35 plus, W35-39) with 44:32. She decided to give a big personal best (PB) a go despite still recovering from illness, and was paced by ROSS GALLAGHER (44:31), NICK GILL (44:33) and MICHAEL FISHER (44:39). The race didn’t quite go to plan, but it was the fastest Georgie has run that course.

There was a brilliant new personal best (PB) for ALICE WELCH. Paced by club captain MIKE JEFFS she took 3 minutes 24 seconds off her old best time to finish in 44:35 only three seconds behind Georgie. Alice says she’s really looking forward to the mid week league which starts on 21^st May.

SIMON JACKSON was first Spartan. Thirteenth out of 1049 finishers and second in his category with 36:11. CHARLIE WHITE was second Spartan at 15^th with 36:18. There was a new PB for PERRY GENTRY at 21^st place with a 2:23 improvement in a sub forty 37 minutes 2 seconds.

SHARON CROWLEY was very pleased with her chip time of 57:00 mins. That was more than seven minutes quicker than last year. She was third in her age group in what was her fastest 10K for many years! After the fall at the Hillingdon 20, this race she stayed on her feet!

New Spartan KATIE BARNARD ran a new personal best of 51 minutes 4 seconds (51:04).

SAM GENTRY ran a fantastic new personal best (PB) time of 56:06. Knocking 2:31 off her 10K time. She said she had great pacing support from fellow spartan Annabelle White at the beginning and Marie Colucci pacing her for the last four miles to help her get her PB.

HAYLEY PEACH said “After missing out on a 10K PB two weeks ago at Lee Valley by two seconds I had to have another pop at it so on the way home I booked into the St Albans Easter 10K. At St Albans I got a 37 second PB, beating my 10k time from 13 years ago.”

Pos	BiB	Name	Chip
13	394	Simon JACKSON	36:10
15	748	Charlie WHITE	36:18
21	242	Perri GENTRY	37:02
133	409	Georgie HOOPER	44:32
134	208	Nick GILL	44:33
135	855	Ross GALLAGHER	44:31
139	726	Alice WELCH	44:35
140	911	Mike JEFFS	44:36
141	749	Michael FISHER	44:39
187	236	Toby ECCLESHALL	45:42
215	56	Craig BACON	47:33
308	526	Katie BARNARD	51:04
509	338	Marie COLUCCI	55:11
510	241	Sam GENTRY	56:07
558	807	Jim BROWN	58:46
576	1078	Sharon CROWLEY	57:00
632	586	Annabelle WHITE	59:12
636	1011	Joe WELLER	59:09
657	257	Sally PICKLES	59:50
740	964	Hayley PEACH	1:02:32
995	67	Niki PLUMB	1:14:21
1029	431	Lee POTTER	1:21:03
1044	730	Nichola DURENT	1:30:45
1048	767	Emma CHAPMAN	1:37:55

ATW Half and 10K

On Easter Monday Spartan DANNY SCANLON ran a half marathon on the old FVS course in Stevenage in sunny conditions. He finished in 1 hour 38 minutes 55 seconds (1:38:55) and was 39^th out of the 256 finishers. He was encouraged by cheers from a number of Spartans along the route. Not far behind TONY RANDFIELD was first man aged 65 plus with 1:39:25.

It was under two hours for JODIE WILSON with a great 1:53:48 run. She was third woman 20 plus and in the top 100 in the race.

JIM BROWN used the event to try out his Stevenage Community Trust fundraising kit. He finished in 2 hours 4 minutes 19 seconds and won his age group. He’s after sponsorship. LORRAINE HILL was not far behind with 2:11:26.

LEE POTTER completed the Spartan Six with his 1:38:55.

In the ATW 10K GAIL MACKIE came in first woman 35 plus and 24^th overall out of 231 finishers with 45 minutes 36 seconds. Four other Spartans ran the 10K. LEANNE MILLBROW 1:02:53; JANE WADEY 1:17:03; JAYNE DYMOKE 1:21:03 and EMMA CHAPMAN in 1:46:18.

Berlin Half

Recently Two Spartans ran the Berlin Half Marathon. ROSS GALLAGHER came in with 1:28:15 and JESS CLARKE with 1:49:10.

Judy in Prague

Judy King ran the Prague Half Marathon on Saturday 28th March on a cold and sunny morning. The race went along the river crossing backwards and forwards on different bridges, past the dancing building and through the old town. There were many cobbled roads which meant a concentrated effort to keep lifting your feet up to avoid tripping up. It was a great atmosphere, plenty of water stations and bananas / orange segments given out, so a bit slippery in parts!

Her daughter came to support and take photos, then took her on a 30 minute walk straight after the race to a ‘super cute cafe’!! Judy’s official time was 2:22:26.

After racing lots of 20 mile races in recent weeks lots of Spartans turned out for Fairlands Valley Spartans Spring 20 mile training run on Sunday. As well as 20 miles for those preparing for marathons other distance options were available.

Parkrun Highlights

There were 479 finishers at Stevenage’s parkrun including a massive 46 Spartans despite being in the middle of the Easter weekend.

Several Spartans ran new parkrun personal bests (PPBs) including BECKY RAYNER. It was her 40th parkrun and on stripy Saturday it was a ppb by 2 mins 1 sec, and her first ever sub-30 at 29:35.

JODIE KANTAS also ran a new PPB, 24:24 and was third woman overall; ALICE WELCH ran a new PPB of 25:24; ADA JANUSIENNE a new PPB of 27:56; JULIE MANTON a new PPB of 37:52; and JULIE BUDDEN a new PPB of 45:04.

Spartan DAVID HARRIS-CHERGUIT was second with 17:59.

Papa Personal at Pontypridd.

Jay speeds under 18. Spartan JAY PAPA ran a parkrun in under 18 minutes for the very first time with his 17 minutes 55 seconds at Pontypridd in South Wales. He was tenth in the event.

At the same event KARL SHREEVE finished in 27:33 and JESSICA CLARKE in 31:49.

Altogether there were 71 Spartans on parkruns on Saturday. They also included SARAH ILLINGWORTH who ran the Tyne Green (Hexham) parkrun in 28:05; VICKY ARCHER 30:21 and STUART ARCHER 30:22 were at Sheringham; MARTIN JACOB 25:43 and LINDA GEORGE 29:47 at Poppintree, Dublin.

Position	Gender Position	FVS parkrunner	Time
2	2	David CHERGUIT	17:59
16	15	Perri GENTRY	21:25
57	54	Tony RANDFIELD	23:06
76	72	Charles ARNOLD	23:53
90	84	Daniel VILJOEN	24:21
92	3	Jodie KANTAS	24:24
96	89	Richard MOORE	24:30
104	96	Brian WHITE	24:49
105	5	Marie COLUCCI	24:50
106	97	Lee PICKERSGILL	24:50
108	6	Susan MCANENY	24:57
120	9	Alice WELCH	25:24
127	112	Martin DUDLEY	25:43
140	119	David RIDDELL	26:05
149	20	Lorraine HILL	26:25
154	23	Jayne RIDDELL	26:30
155	127	Peter SACH	26:33
178	32	Claire EMMERSON	27:32
189	36	Ada JANUSIENE	27:56
192	149	Darren EMMERSON	27:59
201	45	JODIE WILSON	28:18
223	55	Samantha SUTTON	29:22
224	160	Matt CLARKE	29:27
226	162	Keith ABRAHAMS	29:31
227	56	Monica SMITHSON	29:31
232	58	Rebecca RAYNER	29:35
239	170	Maurice BALLARD	29:45
244	61	Fiona CLARKE	29:52
255	179	Steve PLATT	30:06
270	188	Nick GILL	30:35
278	192	Nick KLEANTHOUS	31:11
298	83	Debbie BLANTERN	31:48
316	212	Keith MANTON	32:41
349	106	Julie SHADBOLT	34:34
350	107	Penny SCHENKEL	34:35
359	232	Lee Francis POTTER	34:55
369	120	Hannah MANTON	35:41
380	240	Luke SILVER	36:18
399	135	Julie MANTON	37:52
430	154	Jayne DYMOKE	41:20
443	163	Julie BUDDEN	45:04
454	263	Kris WESTCOTT	47:45
455	169	Sam GENTRY	47:53
456	264	Thomas SAUKA	47:53
471	182	Callie CHAPMAN	50:38
472	183	Sharon CROWLEY	50:40

Fairlands Valley Spartans brought home GOLD and BRONZE medals from Sunday’s County 20 mile championships.

SIMON JACKSON flew around the four lap Hillingdon course in 2 hours 2 minutes 8 seconds for the Hertfordshire County Bronze for men 40 plus.

JIM BROWN had a hard time of it in the second half with the trippy pavements, kerbs and generally not being in a good place but persisted getting a terrible time of 4:04:58 but holding on to win County Gold for men 70 plus. He said seventy smiling marshals helped get home round and certainly, in minutes per pound, he got good value for his entry fee.

Barcelona Marathon

Kristian ATANASOV ran a fantastic sub three race at the Barcelona Marathon. He finished in 2 hours 51 minutes 57 seconds (2:51:57).

Wymondham

Today Carol Paul ran the Wymondham 20 in Norfolk, just to the south/west of Norwich.
The race started in the Town and went 2 miles out of town through the country lanes where the competitors completed a 8 mile loop twice and then back to Wymondham. The course was undulating with a big hill in the last mile. Conditions were quite humid and Carol finished in 3:28:26, 5th in her age group F60-64 and 382nd out of 462. The race was really well organised with loads of marshals.

Twin Lakes

BRIAN WHITE ran the Twin Lakes 20 in 2 hours 42 minutes 1 second (2:42:01). He was 87^th out of the 572 finishers in the multi-terrain event.

Ashridge Sam

It was a first time for SAM TOPHILL at the Ashridge Boundary Run. She said it was not her usual running terrain !! – but she went round the 17.5 miles in 3:09:06.

TIM ROBINSON finished in 3:54:31. The off road course with 1600ft of ascent took in Ivinghoe Beacon and a section of stairs through the woods! Was a tough run with most of the trails dried out, exposed tree roots, and heavily rutted tracks. The prize for completion was the traditional Beanie.

Classic Cross Country

Spartan MATTHEW NEWTON ran the classic cross country Orion 15 in the Epping Forest near Chingford. He finished in 2 hours 33 minutes 38 seconds.

Lee Valley PB Matt

On Sunday morning, MATT TUTTON ran the 10K at the Lee Valley Run Fest with a few other Spartans. It was a flat course starting and finishing at the Olympic White-Water centre venturing through the Lee Valley Country Park. Conditions were decent and he managed a chip time of 51:37 which is now is new 10k PB. He was very happy to take a chunk of time off my personal best!

DANNY SCANLON ran the same race in 44:57.Two Spartans ran the ATW Run Fest Half Marathon. SIMON HAIGH with 1:43:30 and MARTIN HAIGH with 2:09:28.

Preparing for Spring Events

42 Spartans took part in the FVS club 5, 10, 15 and 20 mile training runs on Sunday.

Parkrun Highlights Saturday 22^nd March

A total of 498 parkrunners were at the 393^rd Stevenage parkrun and despite it being the start of a very busy weekend 23 were Spartans. SIMON JACKSON was third in 18 minutes 30 seconds (18:30). He was running his 60^th parkrun.

Altogether 40 Spartans were at parkruns across the country.

Position	Gender Position	FVS parkrunner	Time
3	3	Simon JACKSON	18:30
11	10	Grant RAMSAY	19:46
27	23	Tony RANDFIELD	21:34
37	29	Matthew COOKE	22:21
67	53	Martin JACOB	23:33
85	66	Daniel VILJOEN	24:15
161	118	Darren EMMERSON	26:46
172	125	Matt CLARKE	26:56
177	128	Ryan DUNNING	27:05
184	132	Mark BEASLEY	27:14
217	150	Jim BROWN	28:26
237	48	Fiona CLARKE	28:56
241	163	Peter SACH	29:01
252	53	Claire EMMERSON	29:17
254	168	Paul JENNINGS	29:19
313	193	Steve PLATT	30:41
336	91	Debbie BLANTERN	31:36
368	224	Kartik SHARMA	33:18
392	109	Pamela VILJOEN	34:48
420	125	Chloe CHAPMAN	36:12
421	126	Nicola HATHERLY	36:16
451	143	Hannah MANTON	38:49
488	261	Roger BIGGS	47:05