Categories
News Race Results

Andrew and Eloise Win Handicap 5K

The Spartans held their last evening handicap 5K of the year on Thursday.

First to finish was Andrew Fenwick in 36:11, 4:19 ahead of handicap, closely followed by Andrew Gardner returning to the club with a SB 22:37 and new member Stephen Massey in 24:14. Eloise Hind was first woman in 24:58 with Rebecca Rayner 2nd lady in in a SB 37:29 and Jayne Dymoke 3rd with a new PB of 35:35.

Adrian Busolini was fastest runner on the night in 17:55 with Matthew Jackson 2nd quickest in 20:34 and Charlie Arnold 3rd fastest in 21:58.  Oli Lacigova was fastest lady in 22:15 with Eloise 2nd quickest and Sam Gentry 3rd fastest lady in 28:02.

The handicap 5Ks will return in the Spring but there will be a choice of Handicap 5 miles or 10 miles on Sunday morning 9th November.  Further details to follow later in the year.

PosFirst NameLast NameOwn TimeH’CAPFinish TimeComp HCAP
1ANDREWFENWICK36:114:3040:414:19
2ANDREWGARDNER22:3718:1540:524:08
3STEPHENMASSEY24:1416:4540:594:01
4ELOISEHIND24:5816:4541:433:17
5AHAANSHARMA31:0411:0042:042:56
6KARTIKSHARMA31:0511:0042:052:55
7PAULMAGUIRE24:4117:4542:262:34
8REBECCARAYNER37:295:1542:442:16
9JAYNEDYMOKE35:357:1542:502:10
10ADRIANBUSOLINI17:5525:1543:101:50
11HAYLEYPEACH37:545:3043:241:36
12ADAMHILL31:5211:4543:371:23
13NICHOLADURENT43:530:0043:531:07
14SHARONCROWLEY43:540:0043:541:06
15CHARLESARNOLD21:5822:0043:581:02
16JOHNNELMS23:3220:3044:020:58
17JUDYKING30:1813:4544:030:57
18MATTHEWJACKSON20:3423:3044:040:56
19AMANDAVICKERS33:5410:1544:090:51
20JANEWADEY39:115:0044:110:49
21CRAIGBACON23:1421:0044:140:46
22OLILACIGOVA22:1522:0044:150:45
23PETECOOK26:0118:1544:160:44
24TONYVICKERS24:1620:0044:160:44
25LEANNEWILSON30:1414:1544:290:31
26FIONACLARKE31:2113:1544:360:24
27MATTTUTTON25:5818:4544:430:17
28CHRISWATLING26:2818:1544:430:17
29SAMGENTRY28:0216:4544:470:13
30MATTHEWCOOKE22:3622:1544:510:09
31KARLSHREEVE28:3616:3045:06(0:06)
32MARTINDUDLEY25:5419:3045:24(0:24)
33MATTCLARKE28:5817:1546:13(1:13)
34MICHAELO’KEEFE37:089:1546:23(1:23)
35LIZCARVELL36:0411:4547:49(2:49)
36TIMROBINSON31:1017:1548:25(3:25)

Cross Country

There was very early, and very sunny, start to the cross country season on Sunday.  34 Spartans, 15 women and 19 men, finished the first of five races which was at the Lucy Warren open space in Hoddesdon.

About 350 runners ran one small and three large laps to cover approximately 7.8 kilometres.

The first two Spartan men were both under 30 minutes with ADRIAN BUSOLINI 15th in 29:05 and MIKE JEFFS 23rd in 29:55.

CHLOE SIMPSON and GEORGIE HOOPER were the first two females from Fairlands.  Chloe 120th overall with 36:05 and Georgie 122nd in 36:13.

Lots more details should be available from the race organisers in the next couple of days.

The second race will be in Trent Park on Sunday 2nd November.

PositionNameTimeCategory
15ADRIAN BUSOLINI29:05MS
23MIKE JEFFS29:55M40
40JAY PAPA31:14MS
62ADRIAN DONNELLY32:48M40
97DAVID RIDDELL35:03M60
109CHARLIE ARNOLD35:38M60
120CHLOE SIMPSON36:05W35
122GEORGIE HOOPER36:13W35
142STEPHEN MASSEY38:01M50
147MARTIN WOOD37:31M60
156MATT COOKE37:57MS
165MARTIN JACOB38:46M40
173ANITA WELTZ39:08W35
176SIMON HAIGH39:12M50
179TONY VICKERS39:22M50
193ANNABELLE WHITE39:53WS
207DARREN EMMERSON40:26M50
212NICK GILL41:00**MS
254JAYNE RIDDELL43:30W55
263JACKIE PERRY44:02W55
266MARK FREEMAN44:09M60
285SAM GENTRY46:05W45
286JODIE WILSON46:06WS
290LEANNE WILSON46:22WS
295JIM BROWN46:31M70
296CLAIRE EMMERSON46:41W45
317SHARON CROWLEY51:30W65
321KARTIK SHARMA52:30M40
323CALLIE CHAPMAN52:50W35
328MICHAEL O’KEEFE56:07M60
329AMANDA VICKERS56:17W45
335BECKY RAYNOR60:50W35
339AHAAN SHARMA62:32**MS
341JANE WADEY65:37W55

Berlin Station

Spartan YUKO GORDON won her category in the Berlin Marathon by 1 minute 46 seconds.  She was the first woman aged 70 plus with 3 hours 52 minutes 28 seconds (3:52:28).  Under four hours at 70 plus is good going!  In a race of over 50,000 people she was 14,353rd

Ouse Valley Way Marathon

On Sunday 21st September Tim Robinson ran the Ouse Valley Way Marathon organised by BRJ Run & Tri.  The route is from St Neots along the Ouse River through St Ives and finishes a few miles up the river in Earith

The ground was hard and uneven along the river.  Tree roots and gravel, and herds of cows made the running tricky.  Tim finished in 6:45:43.

Letchworth 5K

Three Spartans made the short trip to the Letchworth 5K.  Carole Sheldrick was third woman 50 plus in 26:20; Karl Shreeve finished in 28:10 and Monica Smithson was second woman 60 plus with 29:54.

Marmite Creative juices 10k Canicross

Marmite made his Spartans and race debut Sunday in the Creative Juices 10K Canicross near Rickmansworth.  It was a really fun 10k which cost ÂŁ31 and included a medal which is also a bottle opener, a free cup and free beer!  Marmite took 53 minutes 51 seconds but it was really about managing his human – Spartan TERRY SAWYER.

Century Celebration – Parkrun Highlights, Saturday 20th September 2025

54 Spartans ran parkruns.  Thirty were at the 419th Stevenage parkrun where there were almost 500 finishers.

There was a big caped centenary celebration for SHARON CROWLEY.  She planned her campaign so that she ran a parkrun for the 100th time and volunteered for the 50th time on the same day.  She milked it finishing in 46 minutes 21 seconds.

Returning to fitness GRANT RAMSAY was in the top twenty with 20:47.  SAMANTHA SUTTON was the fastest female from Fairlands with a new parkrun personal best of 28:58.

EVA RAMSEY ran her 40th parkrun in 30:33 and JANE WADEY her 70th in 45:45.

And proving you need never stop ROGER HEAD was first man 80 plus with 36:35; ROGER BIGGS third man 75 plus with 49:05 and JIM BROWN first man 70 plus with 28:59.

Spartans away from Stevenage on Saturday included SIMON FRASER 17:47 at Yarborough Leisure Centre (Lincoln); PETE COOK 25:40 at Southwick Country (Trowbridge, Wiltshire); CHARLES ARNOLD 22:12 at Great Denham; SIMON HAIGH 25:47 at Westmill; MARK BEASLEY 26:27 at Blickling (Norwich); ANDY PRIOR 26:36 and KERSTIN PRIOR 26:38 at Clare Castle (Sudbury); DANIEL SUTTON 29:25 and JESSICA CLARKE 29:38 at Rutland Water; RYAN DUNNING 29:35 at Hastings; and SALLY PICKLES whoop, whoop with a sub thirty 29:59 at Flegg High (Great Yarmouth).

PositionGender PositionFVS parkrunnerTime
1818Grant RAMSAY20:47
4442Tony RANDFIELD22:35
7871Daniel VILJOEN24:09
8073Lee PICKERSGILL24:15
9990Jay PAPA24:51
11298Matthew COOKE25:19
20632Samantha SUTTON28:58
207166Jim BROWN28:59
239177Matt CLARKE30:00
24253Fiona CLARKE30:06
25961Eva RAMSEY30:33
31084Pamela VILJOEN32:25
330222Michael O’KEEFE33:17
33196Carole SHELDRICK33:17
341100Elizabeth CROWLEY33:35
381247Lloyd DIAS35:54
397252Roger HEAD36:35
415139Marleen VAN ZWIETEN37:35
420142Beverley HARLOW38:19
444265Paul HOLGATE41:27
455168Liz CARVELL44:18
457170Jane WADEY45:45
462174Sharon CROWLEY46:21
463175Niki PLUMB46:42
465177Nicola HATHERLY46:43
464176Hayley PEACH46:43
466178Emma CHAPMAN46:44
474275Roger BIGGS49:05
475182Nichola DURENT049:11
476183Rebecca RAYNER49:21
Categories
News Race Results

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 1st March – stripey Saturday

There were sixty Spartans at parkruns on Saturday 1st 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 30th parkrun in 25:50.  HANNAH MANTON ran her 25th in 33:01; and PAUL HOLGATE his 80th 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.

Categories
Club News Race Results

ROUND THE GARDEN 5K

There was a win for Spartan JOHN HARRIS in the Letchworth Round the Garden 5K.  He dipped under 20 minutes for a season’s best 19:59, first male 60 plus and 24th overall. 

The other Spartans racing in Letchworth were DAVID KENNEDY 22:56; MONICA SMITHSON in a new season’s best (SB) of 28:32; SAMANTHA SUTTON 33:00; JANE WHITROW 34:22; and ROGER BIGGS 43:16. 

Sunny Letchworth!

Ciaran Second In Norfolk 

CIARAN McANENY ran in the Positive Steps Norfolk 100km race from Castle Acre along the Peddars Way to the North Norfolk Coast, then along the coastal path to Sheringham. 

It was a long day out in the sun and he says he wasn’t quite in top form; but still finished in second place overall in 10 hours 26 minutes.  Some 1 hour 30 minutes behind the winner who was in a different class on the day. 

Ciaran said it was another great event again from the Positive Steps team.  Lovely course (despite around six kilometres of it being on soft sand and shingle beaches) and a really friendly atmosphere. 

Parkrun Highlights Saturday 18th June

In this week’s roundup of Spartans on the Parkrun circuit, we have members running at home around Fairlands and around the country as far as the Isle of Wight this week. 

In Stevenage 228 runners took on the course.  MIKE JEFFS was first Spartan home second overall finishing in 18 minutes 48 seconds which was a course PB (personal best on that parkrun course).  ANN TRYSSESOONE was first female home for the club finishing 67th in 26-25. 

Other results at the lakes were: STEVEN DOBNER 22-55 (28TH), MATT CLARKE 23-51 (39TH), MARTIN DUDLEY 24-21 (45TH), ANDREW MCGUINNESS 24-58 (53RD), JAMES MCSWEENEY 26-15 (66TH), DAVID PATTMAN 26-39 (70TH), BRIAN WHITE 26-47 (73RD), MO WARRILLOW 26-52 (77TH), JIM BROWN 28-19 (101ST), DEBBIE BLANTERN 30-27 (126TH), CHLOE CHAPMAN 32-21 (158TH), FIONA CLARKE 32-22 (159TH), GRANT RAMSAY 34-31 (180TH), TRACY HAGARTH 35-05 (188TH), HILARY DAVIES 35-28 (189TH), CRAIG BACON 36-20 (194TH), SIMON SYPULA 37-17 (202ND) AND ROGER BIGGS 46-737 (223RD).  

Other away day results: 

Medina (Isle of Wight): Nick Kleanthous 27-12 (86th out of 214 runners).  

Roberts Park (Shipley, West Yorkshire): Tony Randfield 21-13 (22nd out of 303 runners). 

Tidworth (Wiltshire): Darryl Stevens 40-47 (91st out of 111 runners).  

Barclay (Hoddesdon, Herts): Annabelle White 31-19 (66th out of 103 runners). 

Letchworth (Herts): Georgie Hooper 32-26 (75th out of 105 runners), Nick Gill 32-27 (76th out of 105 runners).  

Panshanger (Hertford, Herts): Mike Reynolds 28-10 (84th out of 182 runners). 

Henlow Bridge Lakes (Henlow, Beds): Michael O’Keefe 30-21 (70th out of 126 runners).