Great Yarmouth - Fairlands Valley Spartans

20s PLENTY AT OUNDLE

SAMANTHA TOPHILL ran the Oundle 20 mile race on her birthday. Sam finished in 3 hours 14 minutes 8 seconds (3:14:08) and was second in her age group.

Berko is not Flat

After a ceilidh on Saturday evening. JIM BROWN and PENNY SCHENKEL’s long “easy” run turned out to be the Berkhamsted Half Marathon. Not flat! It was a lovely sunny morning but there was still some black ice on the course after the previous night’s low temperatures. There were a record 1400 entries. Jim finished in 2:03:56 and Penny ran her fastest recent half marathon with 2:20:54.

By the Seaside

Spartan ROBERT WRIGHT ran the Great Yarmouth Seafront Half Marathon in 1:37:25.

Burghley Seven

On Sunday morning MATT TUTTON ran the Burghley 7 mile Road Race in a chip time of 58:49 which he was very happy with. He said conditions were perfect under the clear blue sky with the finish outside Burghley House.

John Harris Muddy in Letchworth

JOHN HARRIS was second in the muddy first Saturday in the month 5K race in Letchworth. He finished in 22:24.

Serpentine Last Friday of the Month

It might have been frosty leaving Stevenage that morning but it was sunny, mild and with a light breeze in Hyde Park, London for Serpentine’s Last Friday of the Month 5K. JIM BROWN finished in 28:26.

This was the first of Jim’s races in three days.

Parkrun Highlights Saturday 1^st March – stripey Saturday

There were sixty Spartans at parkruns on Saturday 1^st March – stripes day.

39 from Fairlands Valley won at their local parkrun in Stevenage. SIMON JACKSON was second in 17:21 and GRANT RAMSAY seventh in 19:05.

LINDA GEORGE and JUDY KING both ran new parkrun personal bests. Linda in 27:03 and Judy in 29:13.

PETE COOK ran his 30^th parkrun in 25:50. HANNAH MANTON ran her 25^th in 33:01; and PAUL HOLGATE his 80^th in 35:49.

Despite a large turnout of 581 runners ALISON SHELLEY and JIM BROWN worked their way through and helped each other to their fastest parkruns so far this year. Jim coming in with 28:14 and Alison with 28:29.

Spartans elsewhere included MATTHEW NEWTON at Ingrebourne Hill parkrun (Rainham) which he finished in 19:57; JESSICA CLARKE and JAY PAPA at England’s most easterly town, Lowestoft, where they finished in 22:30 and 23:31; ANDY JAY on Tooting Common in 28:51 and SAMANTHA SUTTON and MATTHEW PATTMAN were in Cheshire completing the Delamere parkrun in 42:11 and 53:03.

NICK AND GEORGIE BESTS IN STAFFORD

Stafford Half Marathon

There were perfect conditions for NICK GILL and GEORGIE HOOPER at the Stafford Half Marathon. They made the most of a fast course and both achieved substantial personal bests. Nick ran a 1:34:01 PB. His previous best was 1:37:50 at the Stevenage Half Marathon in 2017. Georgie ran a 1:48:58 PB. Her previous PB was 1:54:22 at the Richmond Half in 2019.

Great Yarmouth Endurance Weekend

Several Spartans enjoyed a weekend of running at Great Yarmouth.

After several disappointing runs this year JIM BROWN was a bit happier with his half marathon at Great Yarmouth managing to get under two hours with 1 hour 57 minutes 3 seconds, a year’s best by 5 minutes 22 seconds.

ELLIE McDERMOTT ran the half in 2 hours 28 minutes 18 seconds. A bit of a cold north easterly breeze but it stayed dry.

In the Great Yarmouth 10K CHRISTINE ZVEREV raced up and down the seafront and finished in 64 minutes 29 seconds.

Ashridge Boundary Run

SUSAN McANENY and ZOE JACKSON had a beautiful spring day to enjoy the scenic and very undulating course of the Ashridge Boundary trail run.

They thoroughly enjoyed the run, taking it at a casual pace and walking some of the bigger hills. They enjoyed reaching Ivinghoe beacon and the views that rewarded them with.

They finished the 16.5 miles in 3 hour 10 minutes and enjoyed the homemade cake at the finish!

THOMAS SAUKA finished in 2:42:39 and WENDY THARANI in 3:42:36.

Parkrun Highlights 19^th March

Twenty-four Fairlands Valley Spartans ran in the Spring sunshine at Parkrun events this weekend, making it a Saturday morning of milestones.

TOBY ECCLESHALL ran his 100th event on the Stevenage course in a time of 23 minutes and 26 seconds while DARRYL STEVENS ran for the 190th time at the Brockenhurst event in 45 minutes and 48 seconds.

At Woodhouse Moor, Leeds PAUL MAGUIRE ran a parkrun PB times of 23 minutes and 9 seconds. Paul said, “This was a three lap run around the park with a hill climb at the end of each lap and the end. It was a big field of 450 runners and I was very pleased with my time of 23:09. I was 97th overall and third in my age category.”

NICK KLEANTHOUS ran a parkrun PB at Preston Park with 25 minutes and 25 seconds.

In addition, STEVE WELLS was third overall in Thetford running a time of 20 minutes and 24 seconds.

Tables

Spartans at Parkrun on Saturday 19^th March

Parkrun	Position	Gender Position	Parkrunner	Time
Stevenage	24	22	Matt CLARKE	00:22:24
	26	24	Craig BACON	00:22:30
	32	30	Toby ECCLESHALL	00:23:26
	36	34	Andrew MCGUINNESS	00:23:46
	59	55	Steven DOBNER	00:24:52
	110	99	Darren EMMERSON	00:27:49
	123	18	Claire EMMERSON	00:28:07
	127	106	David PATTMAN	00:28:27
	128	22	Mo WARRILLOW	00:28:28
	132	25	Debbie BLANTERN	00:28:42
	137	27	Fiona CLARKE	00:28:57
	166	42	Sharon CROWLEY	00:30:38
	178	51	Caroline CROFT	00:31:41
	268	150	Roger BIGGS	00:47:54
	271	109	Hazel SMITH	00:56:34
	272	110	Callie CHAPMAN	00:56:38

Woodhouse Moor	97	78	Paul MAGUIRE	00:23:09

Gunpowder	118	64	Paul JENNINGS	00:33:51

Brockenhurst	124	68	Darryl STEVENS	00:45:48

Thetford	3	3	Steve WELLS	00:20:24

Preston Park	147	111	Nick KLEANTHOUS	00:25:25

272 finishers at Stevenage.