Spartan STUART ARCHER ran the Manchester Marathon in 3 hours 4 minutes 59 seconds. He was 1,538th out of the 14,168 runners in the super flat but chilly race.
Stuart says his preparation for this one wasnāt great. It included a rolled ankle in January, Achilles issues in February and Covid in March. Not the best prep for a marathon but these things donāt stop us š
So, he said, ānot really knowing what I could do I chose a different game plan. Went at a faster pace and tried to hang on for the last 10K. Hoping to sneak under 3 hoursā¦
Finished in 3:04:59. Not sub 3 But still six minutes off my previous best in Liverpool two years earlier.ā
Next in was MATT CLARKE, 5,062nd in 3:45:09. That was a 4 minutes 35 seconds improvement. Matt and FIONA CLARKE had both run Manchester in October. One of the impacts of the race calendar being affected by the pandemic.
Fiona finished in 4:46:45 which is six minutes quicker than the last attempt and her second fastest marathon. Considering this was two weeks post Covid recovery, she was very happy with it.
CHLOE CHAPMAN ran Manchester marathon.Ā She wasĀ chuffed with her time of 4:43:29.Ā She said it didnāt quite go to plan but she cut her PB (personal best) by 39 minutes (previously 5:22:12).Ā The course was a lot hillier than she expected.Ā Chloe said the Spartan support was great.Ā
WENDY THARANI said it was a very cold Manchester. She finished in 4:49:43.
Fast At Saffron Walden
The power of a flat course said LUKE GURNEY after finishing the Essex Half Marathon in a new personal best of 1 hour 44 minutes 25 seconds. He was proudly wearing his Spartan stripes as he beat his previous time by 12 minutes. His previous PB was 1:56:09. Over the moon with this as he had a target of reaching sub 1:50. Lovely sunny morning and flat course. Started to tire around the 10 mile mark but got there! Really happy with this!
RICKY PEARCE finished the full marathon in 3 hours 14 minutes 6 seconds. He was seventh senior man.
Regents Park 10K
Regents Park was lovely, beautiful sunshine and nice cafĆ©s afterwards for YUKO GORDONās 10K. She won her category and was fourth out of all the women in the race with 46:27.
Zig Zag Cirque du Sore Leg
CIARAN McANENY won the Zig Zag 6 hour Track Race at Wodson Park in Ware on Sunday. Official results show that he completed 200 laps of the track (80km) which is a 25 lap personal best over six hours.
In fact heās validating the result as he recorded 202 laps on his Garmin and in Strava which would bring his distance over 50 miles in 6:01:50 (6 hours plus the final lap).
ELLIE McDERMOTT did the Zig Zag six hour challenge at Ware Track on Sunday. She covered 25 miles in the Cirque du Sore Legs.
Youāll be pleased to know they changed direction after three hours!
First Saturday
In Letchworth JOHN HARRIS ran the NHRR First Saturday of the month 5K in 20 minutes 34 seconds. He was seventh overall.
Parkrun Highlights 2nd April
Stripey Saturday rolled around again on a chilly morning at Fairlands Valley, Stevenage. ROGER BIGGS celebrated his 100th parkrun donning the 100 parkrun cape. Well done Roger!
SUZY HAWKINS was first woman in 20:14. GRAHAM and MARTIN BLACKBURN clocked 24:26 and 21:25 ahead of their move to pastures new. Congratulations to DEBBIE BLANTERN on her new PB of 27:47 and also JANE WADEY 34:15 on her 25thāÆparkrun.
KELLY MCHALE ran a new personal best (PB) of 24 minutes 29 seconds at Wimpole Estate.
There were a trio of Spartans at Gunpowder parkrun: StEVE DOBNER (24:03) plus MO WARRILLOW and DAVID PATTMAN both in 27:07.
MICHAEL OāKEEFE at Henlow Bridge Lakes (35:51).
Spartans at the Stevenage parkrun
A total of 192 runners took part. 19 Spartans.
| PositionāÆāÆ | Gender PositionāÆāÆ | parkrunnerāÆāÆ | Run TimeāÆāÆ | Comments |
| 9 | 1 | Suzy HAWKINS | 00:20:14 | First woman |
| 19 | 14 | Martin BLACKBURN | 00:21:25 | |
| 21 | 16 | Tony RANDFIELD | 00:21:41 | |
| 54 | 44 | Graham BLACKBURN | 00:24:26 | |
| 71 | 57 | Darren EMMERSON | 00:25:34 | |
| 78 | 63 | Tim ROBINSON | 00:26:02 | |
| 89 | 15 | Nicola ANDERSSON | 00:26:46 | |
| 105 | 21 | Claire EMMERSON | 00:27:46 | |
| 106 | 22 | Debbie BLANTERN | 00:27:47 | PB |
| 117 | 88 | Sam SIMMONS | 00:28:52 | |
| 118 | 24 | Erica GRAYSON | 00:28:53 | |
| 140 | 40 | Monica SMITHSON | 00:30:59 | |
| 141 | 41 | Sharon CROWLEY | 00:31:33 | |
| 143 | 43 | Caroline CROFT | 00:32:04 | |
| 153 | 50 | Tracy HAYGARTH | 00:34:07 | |
| 155 | 52 | Jane WADEY | 00:34:15 | 25th parkrun |
| 169 | 63 | Samantha SUTTON | 00:37:38 | |
| 187 | 105 | Roger BIGGS | 00:48:43 | 100th parkrun |
| 189 | 75 | Helen HARRIS | 00:54:04 |