It was a hot one with many club members running through the afternoon but ANDREW PATTERSON from Fairlands Valley Spartans seemed super cool at the finish having run the London Marathon in a fantastic 2 hours 36 minutes 23 seconds. He was 444th out of a record breaking more than 55,646 so easily top 1%.
The first female from Fairlands was ASHLEY JOHNSON. So close to sub three with 3:00:39. She broke a club record.
SIMON FRASER got there with 2:49:29.
LINDA GEORGE was chuffed with her London Marathon time (4:41:57) this year â and itâs a personal best PB (12 minutes 15 seconds faster) than last year’s London Marathon! She was really happy with how it went. Soaked herself in water throughout the course and used every shower on the route, which helped her manage the heat. Also managed a happy jump picture at the meeting point after the race!
CAROL PAUL completed her 23rd London Marathon and 362nd marathon in 5:02:43 on a very warm day in London.
Someone else who has run more than half of the 45 London Marathon was JIM BROWN. Not in the best shape and suffering in the heat but got round in 5:28:40 raising funds for the Mayorâs charities.
Very definitely mission accomplished for PENNY SCHENKEL who completed her first ever marathon in 5 hours 45 minutes 16 seconds.
MELANIE BATE came in with an excellent 3:09:54 and LORRAINE HILL with 5:00:14.
Some with later starts really suffered in the afternoon heat but stuck it out and got the medal. They included first timers SIMON SYPULA 5:22:55 and PETE COOK 5:56:33. Also CLARE DAVIES 5:52:19 and SARAH PARFITT 6:16:27.
New member OLIVIA NATION came in with 4:49:50.
Manchester
AND three Spartans were running the Manchester Marathon where SIMON JACKSON was sub three with 2 hours 48 minutes 17 seconds. He was 200th out of more than 23,000. KEITH HOOKER ran a new personal best of 3:51:01 and LLOYD DIAS finished in 5:25:41.
Gerry âNot The London Marathonâ
GERRY ROSEN ran the half marathon in the Phoenix Running âNot the London Marathonâ event.
Almost 300 people took part including people running their virtual marathons and there were a few people there from all corners of the world, USA, Australia to name a few.
It was his first running event since his Ultra a month ago, but it went well and he finished in a respectable 2 hours 26min 47secs , Gerry says room for improvement as always.
Easy Friday
With Sunday very much on his mind JIM BROWN ran / walked around the Serpentine Last Friday of the Month 5K in 34:08. It was sunny, mild with a light breeze in Hyde Park.
Parkrun Highlights – Saturday 26th April
It may have been the day before tens of thousands ran the London Marathon but 564 ran the 398th Stevenage parkrun on Saturday morning including 22 Spartans.
Amongst them were CLAIRE EMMERSON who ran her 180th parkrun in 28:28.
Elsewhere three were at the Henlow Bridges parkrun where MATT GIFFORD was 35th in 24:33; JOHN NELMS 46th in 25:24 and NICK GILL running there for the first time who was 56th in 25:59. There were 201 finishers.
Three others were at Panshanger. Running there for the first time PETER SACH was 162nd in 28:22; SALLY PICKLES, another first timer, was 216th in 32:43 and NIKI PLUMB 277th in 48:23. There were 318 finishers.
Altogether 47 Spartans were running parkruns â and not just in the UK.There will be a Spartan âtakeoverâ at Stevenage parkrun this Saturday 3rd May and the local parkrun will be celebrating its 400th run on 10th May.
