Fairlands Valley Spartans JONATHAN PARR has won another race. He won the Kew Gardens 10K on Saturday with a time of 33 minutes 54 seconds. It was part of the Richmond Running Festival and he beat 1886 other runners.
Great Welsh Half
Carmarthenshire was the setting for a great result for JOHN HARRIS. He ran the Great Welsh Half Marathon in 1 hour 31 minutes 4 seconds, was 38th out of the 576 finishers and first runner aged 55 plus. The event started and finished in Pembrey Country Park and was along the Welsh scenic coastal path.
Essex
THOMAS SAUKA completed the Essex walker LDWA challenge marathon, in 5 hours 47 minutes. He said the event is run in a lovely area, starting at Galley Wood Heritage Centre, which is a lovely wooded area, going out to Ingatestone and back to the start, some lovely villages and lanes around the course as well as woodland.
This was his first marathon of the year. He said he’s a bit out of practice but looking forward to the next one.
Ibiza Relay Marathon
Callie CHAPMAN and Hazel SMITH ran the relay marathon in Ibiza. Hazel ran the first half then handed over to Callie before they both reunited to cross the finish line together.
It was hot and hilly but both were over the moon with their combined time of 4 hours 35 minutes 18 seconds.
Flitwick
CATHY CRAIG had to run her 20 miles training run on a very windy Thursday instead of the weekend after discovering midweek that she had an entry in Sunday’s Flitwick 10K. Sunday was a perfect day for a run in beautiful hilly countryside with a nice downhill finish. She ran it in 63:31, third in her age category, a nice way to start tapering for her marathon.
Brighton Marathon and 10K
WENDY THARANI completed the Brighton marathon in 5.12.22 only a week after running the Manchester Marathon! She now deserves a massive rest! EMMA SOUTHERINGTON finished in 6 hours 20 minutes 18 seconds.
SAMANTHA SUTTON took part in the Brighton 10K on Sunday and finished with a time of 1 hour 12 minutes 54 seconds.
Calderdale Hike
On Saturday Sharon and Mike Crowley took part in the 42nd Calderdale Hike back after a break of two years. The walk started and finished in Sowerby Bridge, the suggested route followed part of the Pennine Way and over the M62. The route involved over a 1000 metres of climb, the pair completed the short walk of 27 miles in 8 hours and 45 minutes, Sharon being second lady home.
Parkrun Highlights 9th April
SIMON JACKSON won the Stevenage parkrun in 17 minutes 2 seconds, a parkrun PB for him.
Twenty six Spartans headed out to nine different venues for Parkrun last Saturday with Darryl STEVENS running at Stadspark, Netherlands!
Grant RAMSAY also achieved a top ten finish at Stevenage, with a time of 19:24.
Congratulations to Jenny GARRETT and Michael O’KEEFE who have achieved unofficial milestones of 40th and 130th Parkruns. Jim BROWN achieved his own unofficial milestone of 75 parkruns, halfway to his next T shirt, and this was his first run of any kind since an encounter with Omnicron.
There were 211 runners at Stevenage including 18 Spartans.
John ROXBOROUGH tried out another new venue at Bury Field, Newport Pagnell. That’s John’s 101st different parkrun venue.
Spartan parkrunners on Saturday 9th April
| Stevenage parkrun | ||||
| Position | Gender Position | parkrunner | Run Time | |
| 1 | 1 | Simon JACKSON | 17:02 | Winner |
| 7 | 7 | Grant RAMSAY | 19:24 | Top Ten |
| 17 | 17 | Tony RANDFIELD | 21:06 | |
| 38 | 35 | Sam SIMMONS | 23:58 | |
| 46 | 43 | Toby ECCLESHALL | 24:17 | |
| 58 | 53 | Darren EMMERSON | 25:14 | |
| 105 | 84 | Matt CLARKE | 27:33 | |
| 110 | 21 | Debbie BLANTERN | 28:00 | |
| 145 | 42 | Fiona CLARKE | 31:20 | |
| 146 | 43 | Chloe CHAPMAN | 31:22 | |
| 151 | 102 | Jim BROWN | 31:34 | 75th |
| 152 | 46 | Jenny GARRETT | 31:35 | 40th |
| 166 | 55 | Tracy HAYGARTH | 33:39 | |
| 199 | 76 | Gail MACKIE | 41:40 | |
| 204 | 80 | Angie WATERS | 44:52 | |
| 208 | 120 | Roger BIGGS | 46:48 | |
| Gunpowder parkrun | ||||
| Position | Gender Position | parkrunner | Run Time | |
| 85 | 24 | Mo WARRILLOW | 27:15 | |
| 86 | 59 | David PATTMAN | 27:16 | |
| Brandon Country Park parkrun | ||||
| Position | Gender Position | parkrunner | Run Time | |
| 41 | 31 | James MCSWEENEY | 26:56 | |
| Panshanger parkrun | ||||
| Position | Gender Position | parkrunner | Run Time | |
| 71 | 62 | Mike REYNOLDS | 25:34 | |
| Teignmouth Promenade parkrun | ||||
| Position | Gender Position | parkrunner | Run Time | |
| 42 | 35 | Andy JAY | 24:17 | |
| Stadspark parkrun | ||||
| Position | Gender Position | parkrunner | Run Time | |
| 21 | 9 | Darryl STEVENS | 39:42 | Netherlands |
| Henlow Bridge Lakes parkrun | ||||
| Position | Gender Position | parkrunner | Run Time | |
| 47 | 26 | Michael O’KEEFE | 32:54 | 130th |
| Bury Field parkrun | ||||
| Position | Gender Position | parkrunner | Run Time | |
| 16 | 15 | John ROXBOROUGH | 24:57 |