Tag: Mid Week League

MARIE AND GEORGIE ARE WINNERS

Post author By Peter Sach
Post date July 13, 2025
No Comments on MARIE AND GEORGIE ARE WINNERS

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Marie, Georgie, Olivia, Sharon, Simon, Paul and Ralph from Fairlands Valley Spartans were all major award winners in the four race Mid Week League series.

On Wednesday evening all the clubs in all three divisions gathered in Welwyn Garden City for the traditional “mob match” and prize presentations.

MARIE COLUCCI had a clear lead in the women 45 plus competition with 12 points compared with her nearest rivals 24 and 26.

GEORGIE HOOPER and OLIVIA LACIGOVA tied in first place for women 35 plus. They were both on 12 well ahead of the third runner with 41. SHARON CROWLEY was first woman 65 plus.

In the men’s senior (20 -34) contest Spartan SIMON FRASER was equal second with 23 points. PAUL SHELLEY was third man 50 plus with 21 and RALPH DADSWELL won the 60 plus with just 6 points (two first places and two seconds).

The Fairlands Valley veterans (i.e. 35 plus) were second in the division two team competition.

The “mob match” is perhaps a little less competitive and a bit more fun than the counting races but nevertheless 53 Spartans ran the race and many gave it a good go on another warm evening.

GEORGIE HOOPER 49:34 and MARIE COLUCCI 50:35 were the first Spartan women to finish. Their “A” team of eight runners was completed by TRACY PEZ 53:35; MEGAN SUTTON 57:18; OLIVIA NATION 57:20; CLAIRE EMMERSON 59:28; JESSICA CLARKE 1:01:05 and JUDY KING 1:02:08. PENNY SCHENKEL led in the “B” team with 1:03:27.

Six Spartan men beat 40 minutes for the nominal 10 kilometres. They were ADRIAN BUSOLINI 36:50; NICK GILL 37:19: MIKE JEFFS 37:24; CHARLIE WHITE 37:39; DAVID HARRIS-CHERGUIT 39:11 and DANNY HUKIN 39:23.

The men’s “A” team of 12 runners was completed by PETE GENTLE 41:02; RALPH DADSWELL third man 60 plus in 41:04; PAUL MOULD 42:47; MICHAEL FISHER 43:04; PAUL SHELLEY 43:21 and TERRY SAWYER 43:25. MARK COLLINS led in the men’s “B” team with 43:39.

Parts of the course were a bit congested for the 637 runners and there were some tricky kerbs but it was a great opportunity for members of 22 running clubs to meet up and enjoy each other’s company.

Position	First Name	Last Name	Time	Cat.	Cat Pos
33	Adrian	Busolini	36:50	S
43	Nick	Gill	37:19	S
46	Mike	Jeffs	37:24	V 40	13
49	Charlie	White	37:39	S
77	David	Harris-Cherguit	39:11	V 40	25
80	Danny	Hukin	39:23	V 40	26
122	Pete	Gentle	41:02	V 40	42
123	Ralph	Dadswell*	41:04	V 60	3
155	Paul	Mould	42:47	V 40	55
161	Michael	Fisher	43:04	S
168	Paul	Shelley	43:21	V 50	26
169	Terry	Sawyer	43:25	V 40	59
176	Mark	Collins	43:39	V 40	61
234	Alexey	Zherdev	45:55	V 40	75
236	Matthew	Cooke	46:00	S
239	Craig	Bacon	46:09	V 50	37
248	Charlie	Arnold	46:30	V 60	14
259	Peter	Orton	46:57	V 60	17
287	Keith	Hooker	48:16	V 40	80
288	Melvin	Auburn	48:18	S
315	Danny	Scanlon	49:15	V 40	87
324	Georgie	Hooper	49:34	V 35	9
345	Marie	Colucci	50:35	V 45	12
346	Simon	Haigh	50:35	V 50	66
371	Andy	Prior	51:33	V 50	71
389	Martin	Wood	52:46	V 60	31
410	John	Nelms	53:35	V 50	78
411	Tracy	Pez	53:35	V 45	25
430	Darren	Emmerson	54:16	V 50	82
431	Tony	Vickers	54:24	V 50	83
486	Megan	Sutton	57:18	S
487	Olivia	Nation	57:20	S
490	Jim	Brown	57:27	V 70	6
500	Simon	Sypula	58:23	V 50	94
520	Claire	Emmerson	59:28	V 45	42
538	Karl	Shreeve	1:01:02	V 50	99
539	Jay	Papa	1:01:04	S
540	Jessica	Clarke	1:01:05	S
550	Judy	King	1:02:08	V 55	30
561	Penny	Schenkel	1:03:27	V 55	31
585	Rose	Sutton	1:05:48	S
587	Sam	Gentry	1:05:57	V 45	51
590	Sharon	Crowley	1:06:12	V 65	7
609	Tim	Robinson	1:08:12	V 50	107
613	Liz	Carvell	1:08:47	V 65	8
614	Paul	Holgate	1:08:50	V 60	54
615	Samantha	Sutton	1:08:53	V 45	57
618	Andy	Jay	1:09:54	V 60	55
622	Nick	Kleanthous	1:10:46	V 60	56
626	Callie	Chapman	1:12:20	V 35	50
627	Hazel	Smith	1:12:20	V 45	60
633	Sally	Phillips	1:15:23	V 55	42
634	Amanda	Vickers	1:16:05	V 45	62

Saucony London 10K

Today MATT TUTTON took part in the Saucony London 10K starting outside The Ritz and finishing on Whitehall. He swapped the FVS stripes (temporarily!) for the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity white vest with multi coloured cells. Despite a knee niggle he managed a time of 52:18.

Parkrun Highlights, Saturday 12^th July.

Another warm one with about 23 degrees at 9a.m. but there were 459 finishers in Saturday’s Stevenage parkrun. 26 of them were Fairlands Valley Spartans.

The fastest Spartan of the weekend was Pete GENTLE at Hastings with 18:09. Altogether 42 ran parkruns. Spartans elsewhere included Jay PAPA 22:42 and Jessica CLARKE 31:29 at Ferry Meadows (Peterborough); Charles ARNOLD (23:02), John NELMS (23:38); Caroline BARTER (26:44) and Peter SACH (31:44) at Henlow Bridge Lakes; Thomas SAUKA (26:19) at Panshanger (Hertford / WGC); Matt NEWTON (27:02) at Gunpowder (Waltham Abbey); Yuko GORDON (27:59) at Letchworth; Andy JAY (29:21) at Westmill; Hannah MANTON (29:56) at Gorleston Cliffs and Keith ABRAHAMS (36:08) at Lanhydrock (Bodmin).

Back in Stevenage SIMON JACKSON was third in 18 minutes 14 seconds (18:14) MEGAN SUTTON was the fastest female from Spartans with 25:15.

JIM BROWN ran his 200^th Stevenage parkrun in 27:59.

Position	Gender Position	FVS parkrunner	Time
3	3	Simon JACKSON	18:14
14	14	Paul SHELLEY	20:47
47	46	Tony RANDFIELD	22:55
62	60	Matthew COOKE	23:28
83	80	Martin DUDLEY	24:36
89	85	Daniel VILJOEN	24:50
97	7	Megan SUTTON	25:15
103	94	Lee PICKERSGILL	25:32
110	99	Darren EMMERSON	25:48
131	119	Ryan DUNNING	26:44
169	147	Jim BROWN	27:59
206	31	Claire EMMERSON	29:15
260	199	Matt CLARKE	31:11
264	53	Samantha SUTTON	31:29
270	56	Fiona CLARKE	31:36
272	58	Debbie BLANTERN	31:40
284	65	Alison SHELLEY	32:00
286	209	Nick KLEANTHOUS	32:04
305	77	Penny SCHENKEL	33:09
309	80	Monica SMITHSON	33:13
337	230	Paul JENNINGS	34:00
361	239	Lloyd DIAS	35:01
375	112	Chloe CHAPMAN	35:57
376	113	Caroline CROFT	36:03
456	271	Roger BIGGS	55:08
458	162	Sharon CROWLEY	56:22

Tags Mid Week League, parkrun, Saucony London 10k

News Race Results

SPARTANS STAY UP

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74 Fairlands Valley Spartans made absolutely sure the club stayed in division two of the Mid Week League when they raced 10K near Buntingford on Wednesday evening. This was the fourth and final counting race in the series and 28 FVS women and 46 FVS men took part. In fact over the series they did so well they came close to promotion to division one.

More than 600 tackled the undulating and sometimes quite narrow course with a brute of a climb from 9K to the finish.

That did not seem to worry two Spartan Olivias too much. OLIVIA HAMILTON and OLIVIA LACIGOVA were ninth and 18^th women in the race with 44:30 and 46:13. In between came GEORGIE HOOPER tenth woman with 44:47 and second in her age category. In fact there were THREE Olivias in the Spartans “A” team of eight runners. OLIVIA NATION finished her first 10K race in 54:31. The others in the top Spartan eight were MARIE COLUCCI, third in her age category with 47 minutes exactly; JAYNE RIDDELL 53:08; JO COOKSLEY in 53:25 and JESSICA CLARKE in 54:06.

Just outside the “A” team there was an impressive 54:51 by MEGAN SUTTON and YUKO GORDON was second woman 65 plus with 55 minutes exactly. LINDA NOLAN finished in a personal best (PB) 56:28 and LINDA GEORGE in a PB 57:24 with CLAIRE EMMERSON chasing down runners from other clubs to give herself 58:36, her best time this year.

HANNAH MANTON improved by 11 minutes 10 seconds from the Stevenage race to finish in 1:01:31.

The Spartan men got ten runners under 40 minutes with SIMON FRASER showing the way at fifth overall with 34:48. ANDREW PATTERSON was 12^th man with 36:04 and ADRIAN BUSOLINI 22^nd in 37:16.

PAUL SHELLEY was third man 50 plus with 38:59; RALPH DADSWELL first man 60 plus with 40:55 and JIM BROWN third man 70 plus in 59:01.

PERRI GENTRY 39:25 and MARTIN JACOB 47:37 both ran new personal bests.

On the night the Spartan men were third out of the seven division two clubs racing. Altogether there were 16 clubs in the event. The FVS women were fourth. Overall Fairlands Valley Spartans were third in the series with 42 points which compares with Royston second on 47 and Ware winners with 51 but well ahead of Bishops Stortford who were fourth with 28. Stevenage Striders and Harlow were relegated.

Another amazing turnout meant the Spartans had three complete men’s teams, three complete women’s teams and 14 other runners!

Now the Spartans can look forward to the “mob match” which will be in Welwyn Garden City on Wednesday 9^th July and to the Relays in the Park which the Spartans are hosting on Thursday evening 17^th July.

Race	Women	First Name	Last Name	Time	Cat.
159	9	Olivia	Hamilton	44:30	S
167	10	Georgie	Hooper	44:47	V 35
213	18	Olivia	Lacigova	46:13	V 35
228	21	Marie	Colucci	47:00	V 45
369	51	Jayne	Riddell	53:08	V 55
373	53	Jo	Cooksley	53:25	V 35
392	60	Jessica	Clarke	54:06	S
400	63	Olivia	Nation	54:31	S
409	67	Megan	Sutton	54:51	S
415	69	Yuko	Gordon	55:00	V 65
436	74	Sally	Reeve	56:08	V 45
445	77	Linda	Nolan	56:28	V 55
450	80	Alison	Shelley	56:41	V 55
463	82	Linda	George	57:24	V 35
490	93	Claire	Emmerson	58:36	V 45
505	101	Carole	Sheldrick	59:46	V 45
507	103	Annabelle	White	59:50	S
523	110	Hannah	Manton	1:01:31	S
539	118	Judy	King	1:02:45	V 55
568	130	Sharon	Crowley	1:06:31	V 65
576	134	Liz	Carvell	1:08:32	V 65
579	136	Samantha	Sutton	1:09:19	V 45
592	141	Amanda	Vickers	1:11:03	V 45
595	142	Ada	Janusiene	1:11:32	V 35
597	143	Callie	Chapman	1:12:07	V 35
598	144	Penny	Schenkel	1:12:08	V 55
599	145	Hazel	Smith	1:12:09	V 45
601	146	Sally	Phillips	1:15:21	V 55

Race	Men	First Name	Last Name	Time	Cat.
5	4	Simon	Fraser	34:48	S
14	12	Andrew	Patterson	36:04	V 40
28	22	Adrian	Busolini	37:16	S
49	35	Steffan	Ford	38:55	V 40
52	37	Paul	Shelley	38:59	V 50
60	43	Michael	Fisher	39:17	S
62	44	Nick	Gill	39:22	S
63	45	Perri	Gentry	39:25	S
64	46	Nathan	Kirley	39:28	S
70	49	Ross	Gallagher	39:56	V 40
83	59	Jay	Papa	40:45	S
84	60	Kirk	Ndugu	40:46	S
88	61	Ralph	Dadswell*	40:55	V 60
106	72	Terry	Sawyer	41:44	V 40
140	91	Pete	Gentle	43:46	V 40
168	102	Stuart	Archer	44:48	V 40
173	104	Paul	Mould	44:57	V 40
198	113	Charlie	Arnold	45:45	V 60
203	116	Alexey	Zherdev	45:53	V 40
222	125	Keith	Hooker	46:38	V 40
226	127	Peter	Orton	46:56	V 60
227	128	Craig	Bacon	46:57	V 50
241	136	Matthew	Cooke	47:36	S
242	137	Martin	Jacob	47:37	V 40
244	139	Tony	Randfield	47:42	V 60
272	148	Melvin	Auburn	48:49	S
291	152	Lee	Pickersgill	49:28	V 40
316	161	Simon	Haigh	50:51	V 50
349	171	Matt	Tutton	52:33	V 40
351	172	Darren	Emmerson	52:39	V 50
354	174	Alex	Scofield	52:43	S
357	176	Martin	Wood	52:47	V 60
364	178	Joseph	Wasnock	52:55	S
370	181	Martin	Dudley	53:11	V 60
372	182	Tony	Vickers	53:23	V 50
387	186	John	Nelms	53:53	V 50
439	199	Lloyd	Dias	56:14	S
452	204	Simon	Sypula	56:43	V 50
453	205	Pete	Cook	56:46	V 50
496	210	Jim	Brown	59:01	V 70
504	211	Karl	Shreeve	59:44	V 50
524	217	Tim	Robinson	1:01:32	V 50
527	218	David	Ackerley	1:01:35	S
552	224	Steve	Tinsley	1:04:04	V 40
583	232	Paul	Holgate	1:10:00	V 60
588	233	Nick	Kleanthous	1:10:32	V 60

Eastern Masters!

The Eastern Masters Athletic Club held its Outdoor Track & Field Championships at Sandy on Saturday. Temperatures were up to 34C with a very blustery wind. Five Spartan athletes were competing in their FVS Stripes across a range of age groups, with many medals being won.

On the track, Gold Medals were won by Roger Head in the 400 metres for men over 80 (in 1:51.0) and Sharon Crowley for 1500 metres and 2km Race Walk (7:58.5 & 16:42.4) meanwhile Tessa Stephenson was happy with her season best times in the 100m & 200m (18.9s & 38.7s) as she continued her return to competition after two years off through injury.

In the field events Joylyn & Tim Saunders-Mullins led the way in the over 70 age group. Tim won Gold in the Hammer (29.36m), Bronze in the Shot Putt (8.03m) and was fourth in the Discus (14.28m), whilst Joylyn also won Golds in the Shot Putt (6.32m) and Javelin (19.45m).

Fairlands Valley Spartans masters athletes next head out to Corby for the third meeting in the Eastern Masters League on Wednesday evening (2^nd July).

Parkrun Highlights Saturday 28^th June.

Not quite as hot as last week but another warm parkrun in Stevenage. At 9a.m. Saturday morning it was about 21 degrees but this time numbers jumped back up to beyond 500 with 517. There were 26 Spartans and three of them including the fastest runner were in the top five.

SIMON FRASER was first with 17:17; KIRK NDUGU third with 17:31 and SIMON JACKSON fourth with 17:40.

TONY VICKERS ran his tenth parkrun in a new parkrun personal best (PPB) of 25:50. Running her 130^th parkrun GAIL MACKIE was the fastest female from Fairlands with 26:42 and HAZEL SMITH ran her 60^th parkrun in 29:12.

Altogether 49 Spartans ran parkruns. Those elsewhere included CHARLIE WHITE coming sixth with 17:48 at Heslington; JAY PAPA 18:51, KEITH HOOKER 21:46, ANNABELLE WHITE 22:26 and JESSICA CLARKE 23:59 at Storeys Field; MATTHEW COOKE 22:20 at Jubilee, Bedford; MATT GIFFORD 22:58, CHARLES ARNOLD 25:55 and CAROLINE BARTER 26:46 at Henlow Bridge Lakes; PAUL SHELLEY 23:38 and ALISON SHELLEY 32:54 at Lanhydrock; SUZY HAWKINS 24:51 and NICK GILL 28:24 at Letchworth; DARREN EMMERSON 25:44 and CLAIRE EMMERSON 28:28 at Pocket; JANE McFARLANE 28:43 at Hafan Pwllheli; KEITH ABRAHAMS 29:10 at Salisbury; MATTHEW NEWTON 31:06 at Gunpowder and ROGER BIGGS 50:49 at Medina, Isle of Wight.

Position	Gender Position	FVS parkrunner	Time
1	1	Simon FRASER	17:17
3	3	Kirk NDUGU	17:31
4	4	Simon JACKSON	17:40
11	11	Ciaran MCANENY	19:15
16	16	Grant RAMSAY	19:38
85	79	Thomas SAUKA	24:20
97	90	Pete COOK	24:49
130	118	Tony VICKERS	25:50
153	135	Toby ECCLESHALL	26:42
154	12	Gail MACKIE	26:42
177	150	Ryan DUNNING	27:11
196	23	Susan MCANENY	27:39
213	174	Jim BROWN	28:06
241	42	Fiona CLARKE	29:12
242	43	Hazel SMITH	29:12
269	205	Maurice BALLARD	30:02
309	68	Debbie BLANTERN	31:37
315	231	Nick KLEANTHOUS	31:45
361	95	Monica SMITHSON	33:18
387	109	Carole SHELDRICK	34:12
388	110	Caroline CROFT	34:14
409	126	Chloe CHAPMAN	35:33
410	264	Paul JENNINGS	35:35
436	141	Hilary DAVIES	36:49
497	300	Lloyd DIAS	48:11
504	304	Tony RANDFIELD	50:44

Tags Buntingford 10, EMAC, Mid Week League, parkrun

News Race Results

JUST ONE POINT IN IT

Fairlands Valley Spartans are ahead on score and just need one extra race point to secure promotion in the Mid Week League. They are way ahead of all the other clubs in participation but after three out of the four evening races just need that one more competitive point.

Going into the third Mid Week League race the tussle for the vital second place was really tight.

And then on Thursday evening an amazing 77 Spartans, 30 women and 47 men, made the journey to Ware to run and finish in race three.

That meant FVS had three complete women’s teams of eight and three complete men’s teams of twelve finish the multi-terrain and undulating 9.5 kilometre race.

On the night ADRIAN BUSOLINI, sixth overall in 34:21 and SIMON FRASER, seventh overall in 34:30 led in the Spartans with SIMON JACKSON close to top ten at 14^th in 34:56. Even the FVS “A” teams twelfth counter, PAUL SHELLEY was well under 40 minutes with 38:53.

They helped the team to second place

In the age group tussles RALPH DADSWELL was second 60 plus in 39:33; BRIAN WHITE first 70 plus in 52:39 and JIM BROWN third 70 plus in 56:18.

There were some high category places for Spartans in the women’s race. OLIVIA LACIGOVA was tenth overall but won the 35 plus category with 43:57; GEORGIE HOOPER was second with 44 minutes exactly. MARIE COLUCCI was second in the 45 plus contest with 46:12. All eight team “A” women squeaked under 54 minutes to put them in third place.

All this means that after three out of the four races Fairlands Valley Spartans are just short of the vital second spot with 33 points compared with Royston’s 34. However the FVS score is 144 so one point in the last races would be enough.

Race one 609 runners from divisions two and three – 87 Spartans

Race two 515 runners from divisions two and three – 62 Spartans

Race three 385 runners from division two only– 77 Spartans.

16 clubs took part in races one and two and seven in race three so that’s fantastic participation by FVS. More Spartans ran in race three than from any other club.

After three races Fairlands Valley Spartans will not be relegated but it would be great to win that promotion.

The fourth and final counting race will be in Royston on Wednesday evening 25^th June.

Spartan Men’s Results

Race	Time	Name	Surname	Cat.
6	34:21	Adrian	Busolini	S
7	34:30	Simon	Fraser	S
14	34:56	Simon	Jackson	V 40
25	36:06	Kirk	Ndugu	S
33	36:39	Mike	Jeffs	V 40
37	36:51	David	Harris-Cherguit	V 40
39	37:02	Michael	Fisher	S
42	37:20	Nathan	Kirley	S
48	37:56	Steffan	Ford	V 40
52	38:20	Ross	Gallagher	V 40
58	38:45	Richard	Bate	V 40
60	38:53	Paul	Shelley	V 50
66	39:11	Perri	Gentry	S
72	39:33	Ralph	Dadswell*	V 60
85	40:59	Terry	Sawyer	V 40
87	41:08	Stuart	Archer	V 40
91	41:39	Paul	Mould	V 40
94	41:56	Mark	Collins	V 40
108	42:55	David	Riddell	V 60
112	43:14	Alexey	Zherdev	V 40
114	43:35	Jay	Papa	S
119	43:53	Charlie	Arnold	V 60
120	43:55	Nick	Gill	S
123	44:00	Tony	Randfield	V 60
136	45:59	Craig	Bacon	V 50
141	46:12	Keith	Hooker	V 40
189	49:22	Simon	Haigh	V 50
199	50:25	Martin	Wood	V 60
209	51:03	Martin	Dudley	V 60
222	52:16	Martin	Jacob	V 40
227	52:37	Alex	Scofield	S
228	52:39	Brian	White	V 70
232	52:56	Darren	Emmerson	V 50
235	53:09	Tony	Vickers	V 50
246	53:34	Joseph	Wasnock	S
260	54:24	Pete	Cook	V 50
271	55:14	Lloyd	Dias	S
281	56:07	Patrick	Anyadi	S
283	56:18	Jim	Brown	V 70
285	56:23	Simon	Sypula	V 50
294	57:10	Paul	Maguire	V 50
304	58:13	Ryan	Riddell	S
313	58:43	Tim	Robinson	V 50
316	59:14	Karl	Shreeve	V 50
329	1:01:26	David	Ackerley	S
350	1:04:38	Nick	Kleanthous	V 60
352	1:04:50	Paul	Holgate	V 60

Spartan Women’s Results

Race	Time	Name	Surname	Cat.
122	43:57	Olivia	Lacigova	V 35
124	44:00	Georgie	Hooper	V 35
142	46:12	Marie	Colucci	V 45
170	48:18	Annabelle	White	S
205	50:54	Vicky	Archer	V 35
206	50:55	Tracy	Pez	V 45
212	51:15	Jayne	Riddell	V 55
252	53:55	Sally	Reeve	V 45
263	54:35	Olivia	Nation	S
273	55:24	Jessica	Clarke	S
275	55:30	Linda	George	V 35
277	55:39	Megan	Sutton	S
299	57:48	Sophie	Parsons	S
300	57:52	Linda	Nolan	V 55
312	58:39	Jo	Cooksley	V 35
332	1:01:47	Claire	Emmerson	V 45
333	1:01:48	Hannah	Manton	S
342	1:02:43	Sharon	Crowley	V 65
351	1:04:40	Sam	Gentry	V 45
357	1:05:41	Ada	Janusiene	V 35
358	1:05:44	Callie	Chapman	V 35
360	1:05:52	Liz	Carvell	V 65
365	1:07:36	Hazel	Smith	V 45
366	1:07:37	Penny	Schenkel	V 55
367	1:07:38	Elizabeth	Crowley	V 35
370	1:08:46	Samantha	Sutton	V 45
376	1:10:14	Sally	Phillips	V 55
377	1:11:50	Amanda	Vickers	V 45
383	1:18:40	Jane	Wadey	V 55
384	1:22:34	Marleen	Van Zwieten	V 55

Prifysgol Abertawe Hanner Marathon

The Swansea Half Marathon was also a representative international masters race and Spartan ASHLEY JOHNSON was running for England. Ashley had a fall during the race but got up and finished in 1 hour 27 minutes 16 seconds (1:27:16).

MARIE COLUCCI also ran the Swansea half marathon. Despite a fuelling error she was pleased with her time of 1.45.40 on tired legs. She said there were beautiful views along the course!

There were 5,730 finishers. Ashley was 295^th overall, easily top 10%, and Marie 1,358^th.

Ten Times Up Death Hill

Spartan JIM BROWN completed his birthday weekend – and Father’s Day – by running up “Death Hill” ten times. Yes the Finsbury Park Half Marathon consists of nine complete laps but with the lead in and lead out that means runners have to climb what the organisers call death hill ten times.

It was tough and warm. Jim was happy to win his category with 2:06:46 which he noted was almost 24 minutes faster than the age group below him.

Hyrox Harris

John Harris was at the HYROX World Champs in Chicago on Friday 13th June. He qualified to represent England at the World Champs back in April at the Warsaw Hyrox event.

A tough but wonderful occasion and he was so proud to represent his country

Parkrun Highlights Saturday 14^th June.

Spartan SIMON JACKSON won the Stevenage parkrun by a big margin with his 17 minutes 57 seconds in his 70^th parkrun.

GRANT RAMSAY was top ten with 19:46.

Other mini-milestones included TOBY ECCLESHALL running his 180^th parkrun in 24:06; DARREN EMMERSON his 230^th in 25:29 and ANNBALLE WHITE her 180^th in 30:32.

LORRAINE HILL was the fastest female from Fairlands in27:26.

Birthday Boy JIM BROWN finished in 28:07 beating the next runner in his category by more than 16 minutes.

47 Spartans ran in parkruns on Saturday.

Tags Finsbury Park Half Marathon, Hyrox World Championships, Mid Week League, parkrun, Ware MWL

News Race Results

LOADSA SPARTANS AT MID WEEKS

Post author By Peter Sach
Post date June 8, 2025
No Comments on LOADSA SPARTANS AT MID WEEKS

There were 609 runners in race one of this season’s Mid Week Road Race League which was held in Stevenage on Wednesday 28^th May and 87 of them were from Fairlands Valley Spartans. 16 clubs took part so that’s fantastic participation by FVS.

The Spartan men and Spartan women were both second in the Division Two race. Overall the club were equal first on points. That’s a great start to the series.

GEORGIE HOOPER was second in her category with 44:34, MARIE COLUCCI was second in hers with 46:01 and OLIVIA LACIGOVA fourth in hers with 44:59. MEGAN SUTTON ran a new personal best of 54:57, amazing on that course. Women’s “A” teams consisted of eight runners and the Spartans had a total of 35 female runners.

SIMON FRASER was sixth overall with 34:22. DAVID HARRIS-CHERGUIT was tenth man and third in his category with 35:27. RALPH DADSWELL was fastest man 60 plus with 39:45. Men’s “A” teams consisted of 12 runners and the Spartans had a total of 52 male runners.

In addition FVS won the veteran women’s competition and won the veterans combined men and women event.

Then there was another tremendous turnout from Fairlands Valley Spartans at the Watford midweek race on Wednesday 4^th June. Sixty three ran the away event. When the results are published FVS should be near the top of the table after two events in the series of four.

The next league race will be in Ware on Thursday evening 12^th June.

Super Six at St Albans Half

The St Albans Half Marathon will never be flat but at least the Spartans Super Six who raced were spared the scorching temperatures common on this event in recent years.

SIMON HAIGH was first in for FVS with 1 hour 48 minutes 2 seconds. JIM BROWN improved his best time for this year by 19 seconds with 2 hours 3 minutes 34 seconds (2:03:34) and after some serious acceleration and tactical stuff in the last mile got third male over 70 by seven seconds. So a former Mayor of Stevenage beat a former Mayor of St Albans by seven seconds. Tony from St. Albans is five weeks younger. All good entertainment.

Next Spartan in was MATT TUTTON with 2:07:17 with SUE HAMER running 2:07:33. Soon SARAH ILLINGWORTH was pushing for the line and 2:12:27. PENNY SCHENKEL said she enjoyed the hills and ran in with 2:23:28.

There were 2,162 finishers.

PB Georgie at Hitchin Half

Spartan GEORGIE HOOPER ran a great new personal best at the Hitchin Half Marathon. Remembering the event’s nickname of the Hitchin Hard Half and all those hills 1:40:38 was very good going. She was third in her category.

ADRIAN DONNELLY was 13^th out of the 192 runners with 1:31:59.

Ultra Hannah

Spartan HANNAH MANTON completed 10 laps at Endure24 (80km/50miles)!

She said the trail course was muddier than any football pitch she’d ever played on.

Hannah finished the ten five mile laps in Wasing Park, Reading in 23 hours 46 minutes 2 seconds. 1142 completed the event.

JESSICA CLARKE and JAY PAPA were part of a team of four “Jays Gems” at ENDURE24!

They managed 27 laps (135 miles) as a team of four, constantly having someone out on the course. Jay and Jess both smashed out 7 laps (35 miles) each!

Jess said this is such a physical challenge but also a huge mental challenge, running through the night in the pitch black, doubling up to 10 mile laps so your team gets more rest takes a lot of determination!

Despite the rain, mud and the yellow weather warning, we had an insane weekend of running! Bring on 2026

Penny Spartan of the Month

The mug for Spartan of the Month (SOTM) for May has been awarded to PENNY SCHENKEL.

Penny was Mayoress of Stevenage for 2024 to 2025 and attended over 200 civic commitments along with continuing her normal ‘day job’.

Despite last year’s disappointment with a stress fracture and having to defer her London Marathon place she got on with preparing to run this year.

Penny ended up running one of the most sensible races enjoying every step and wore her Spartan stripes with pride!

Her stripes caught the eye of lots of photographers meaning she had a big beaming smile, an appearance on TV and even gave a little jig on the finish line!

Marston Vale Forest 5K

CHARLIE ARNOLD ran Friday evening’s Marston Forest 5K in 21:05.

Tewin 10K

HAZEL SMITH said she had a lovely day out in Tewin. She took exactly 65 minutes for a very hilly 10K route.

Meanwhile MICHAEL FISHER was fourth in the event in 42:07; TONY RANDFIELD came in with 54:20; SUSAN McANENY with 58:26; ANDY JAY with 1:09:04 and CALLIE CHAPMAN with 1:18:15. Su said she enjoyed it a lot and was third in her age category. There were 140 finishers.

JANE WADEY ran the Tewin 5K in 38:48. She said she booked the run last minute on Saturday, not having done a Trail 5k before. Was a bit nervous but it was a lovely setting and very low key which helped settle my anxiety. She watched the 10k runners go and then about five minutes later it was our turn. There were some costumes including a unicorn which kept stopping at first, laces etc. It was a different course to the 10k although there was one bit they ran same as me and then another bit which was very steep up for me but straight downhill for them.

She was really pleased when she realised she had a chance of beating her Saturday park run result which she did by 30 seconds and then waited for the 10k runners to finish.

Swansea

MARIE COLUCCI ran the Swansea half marathon on Sunday. Despite a fuelling error she was pleased with her time of 1.45.40 on tired legs. She said there were beautiful views along the course!

Parkrun Highlights – Saturday 31^st May and Saturday 7^th June.

The 627 runners at Stevenage on 31^st May included 30 from Fairlands Valley Spartans running club.

MEGAN SUTTON ran a new parkrun personal best of 25 minutes 12 seconds and ROSEMARY ONABAWORIN improved to 41:59.

Spartans took first and fourth at the Panshanger parkrun on 31^st May with ANDREW PATTERSON in 17:09 and SIMON JACKSON in 18:23.

Then there were 526 finishers at the Stevenage parkrun on 7^th June. First Saturday of the Month so a stripey day for Fairlands Valley Spartans which brought out 38 runners from the club.

JESS CLARKE, 30:41 and JAY PAPA 30:44 both ran Newbury parkrun.

Tags Endure24, Hitchin Half, Marston Forest 5k, Mid Week League, parkrun, St Albans Half, Swansea Half, Tewin 10k

Club Midweek League News Race Results

SPARTANS PARKRUN TAKE OVER

Post author By Peter Sach
Post date July 14, 2024
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Co-ordinated by JANE WADEY Fairlands Valley Spartans organized another really successful take over of the Stevenage parkrun on Saturday. Take overs are when one organisation takes on most of the volunteer roles at a parkrun.

There were 477 finishers including 39 Spartans. The Spartan pacers helped to get 25 people to new parkrun personal bests. They included CHRIS WATLING with a new PPB of 23:01 and DAVID ACKERY with 24:44. ASHLEY JOHNSON one of the pacers celebrated her 20^th parkrun with 23:52. MARK BEASLEY ran his 130^th in 25:46; MARIE COLUCCI, another pacer, her tenth with 27:41; and new member Rosemary ONABAWORIN her first in 42:24.

There were 477 finishers including 39 Spartans. Many other Spartans were marshals, helping to set up the event, volunteering in all sorts of ways.

Jim and Yuko win in League

YUKO GORDON and JIM BROWN were prizewinners in Division One of the Mid Week League. Proving that Fairlands Valley Spartans just keep going they both won the oldest categories with Yuko winning the series for women aged 65 and over and Jim winning for men aged 70 plus. There were 14 MV70s.

The awards were made after the “Mob Match” 10K in Welwyn Garden City in which 21 Spartans raced.

The fastest Spartan in the mob match was KIRK NDUGU, 17^th in 36:13; with ADRIAN BUSOLINI and BRIAN BRACKSTONE not far behind with 36:59 (24^th) and 37:23 (27^th). WENDY THARANI was the fastest female from Fairlands with 59:35 chased in by CLAIRE EMMERSON who finished in 59:39.

Race	First Name	Last Name	Time	Gen Pos	Cat	Vet	Cat.	M/F	Improve	Team
17	KIRK	NDUGU	36:13	17			S	M	0:19	1
24	ADRIAN	BUSOLINI	36:59	23			S	M	0:57	2
27	BRIAN	BRACKSTONE	37:23	25	3	12	V 50	M	0:51	3
71	JAY	PAPA	41:47	64			S	M		4
99	ROBERT	WRIGHT	44:07	83	31	49	V 40	M	2:34	5
158	CHARLIE	ARNOLD	48:27	122	12	78	V 60	M	0:32	6
186	SIMON	HAIGH	50:19	134	25	90	V 50	M	2:23	7
210	DAVID	ACKERY	52:12	150			S	M	0:24	8
236	MARTIN	DUDLEY	54:04	161	21	114	V 60	M	0:09	9
240	DARREN	EMMERSON	54:19	163	32	116	V 50	M		10
253	PETE	COOK	55:27	169	34	121	V 50	M	3:31	11
262	JIM	BROWN	56:28	174	5	125	V 70	M	3:49	12
282	WENDY	THARANI	59:35	98	32	70	V 45	F
283	CLAIRE	EMMERSON	59:39	99	33	71	V 45	F	2:57
284	TIM	ROBINSON	59:40	183	42	134	V 50	M	0:36
300	NICK	KLEANTHOUS	1:01:07	186	25	137	V 60	M	1:07
306	JUDY	KING	1:02:14	116	19	81	V 55	F	1:22
323	LIZ	CARVELL	1:05:44	126	23	90	V 55	F	2:22
329	SHARON	CROWLEY	1:08:48	131	9	95	V 65	F
335	JANE	WADEY	1:15:12	134	25	98	V 55	F	1:56

Mob Match 10k Results

Parkrun Highlights 13^th July (#355)

Altogether 59 Spartans ran parkruns on Saturday. Spartans at parkruns elsewhere included JAY PAPA 19:49 at Congleton; CHLOE CHAPMAN 27:07 at Kings Lynn; PETE SMITH 28:15 at North Yorkshire Water Park; DZENANA TOPIC 37:38 and DARRYL STEVENS 46:05 at the Wimpole Estate; and TRACY HAYGARTH 40:31 at Westmill.

Position	Gender Position	parkrunner	Time	Comments
11	11	Grant RAMSAY	19:51	Pacing (20)
27	25	Charlie WHITE	20:53	Pacing (21)
49	47	David RIDDELL	22:11
65	61	Chris WATLING	23:01	New PPB
66	62	Graham HOARE	23:03
80	5	Ashley JOHNSON	23:52	Pacing (24). 20 parkruns.
102	95	David ACKERY	24:44	New PPB
111	9	Georgie HOOPER	24:57	Pacing (25)
131	119	Lee PICKERSGILL	25:36
137	124	Mark BEASLEY	25:46	130 parkruns
142	13	Annabelle WHITE	25:53	Pacing (26)
144	129	Ryan DUNNING	25:58
145	130	Martin DUDLEY	26:00
153	135	Charles ARNOLD	26:14	Pacing (27)
173	147	Toby ECCLESHALL	26:45
174	25	Gail MACKIE	26:45
211	39	Marie COLUCCI	27:41	Pacing (28). 10 parkruns.
248	192	Andy JAY	28:57	Pacing (29)
257	196	Matt CLARKE	29:14
269	203	Peter SACH	29:26	100 parkruns
281	207	Keith HOOKER	29:47	Pacing (30)
296	215	Jim BROWN	30:44	Pacing (31)
313	82	Monica SMITHSON	31:28
326	229	Nick KLEANTHOUS	32:00	Pacing (32)
347	103	Yuko GORDON	32:49	Pacing (33)
357	241	Paul JENNINGS	33:21
374	120	Penny SCHENKEL	34:22
375	248	Matthew NEWTON	34:23
381	124	Hilary DAVIES	34:42
385	128	Jane WADEY	34:58	Take over co-ordinator
396	134	Jo MANSFIELD	35:53
397	256	Stuart ARCHER	35:57
414	147	Sally PICKLES	37:18
425	156	Samantha SUTTON	37:48
456	275	Andy PRIOR	41:57
459	173	Rosemary ONABAWORIN	42:24	First parkrun
460	174	Kerstin WEINER	42:47
476	185	Nichola DURENT	50:54	Tail end
477	186	Sharon CROWLEY	51:40	Tail end

Parkrun Results

Tags Mid Week League, parkrun

Club News Race Results

TRENT PARK – MIDWEEK LEAGUE

Post author By Peter Sach
Post date July 7, 2024
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There was a lot on in the world on Thursday 4^th July but 30 Spartans – 19 men and 11 women made it to the final counting event in this summer’s Mid Week League race.

Run in Trent Park, Cockfosters this was a largely off tarmac event with some grinding climbs in the woods. It was dry!

On the night the fastest from Fairlands was KIRK NDUGU with 36:47 for 25^th place out of the 194 male finishers. ADRIAN BUSOLINI 38^th in 37:56; JONATHAN PARR 41^st in 38:02; BRIAN BRACKSTONE 43^rd in 38:14 and third man over 50 were also under 40 minutes on the tough course.

108 women finished. SUZY HAWKINS was the fastest female from Fairlands, 26^th woman in 46:56. YUKO GORDON won her age group with 51:14. She was 47^th woman overall.

The “Mob Match” will be in Welwyn Garden City on Wednesday 10^th July.

Race	Cat	Vet	No.	Time	Name	Surname	Cat.	M/F	Female Pos.
143	10	17	1020	46:56	Suzy	Hawkins	V 45	F	26
193	1	34	1100	51:14	Yuko	Gordon	V 65	F	47
217	18	44	1073	53:19	Jo	Cooksley	V 35	F	59
248			1090	56:55	Sophie	Parsons	S	F	77
259	28	64	1075	58:37	Wendy	Tharani	V 45	F	82
275	32	72	1091	1:02:36	Claire	Emmerson	V 45	F	92
280	16	76	1085	1:03:36	Judy	King	V 55	F	96
293	20	84	1078	1:08:06	Liz	Carvell	V 55	F	104
295	21	86	1099	1:10:32	Monica	Smithson	V 55	F	106
299	24	87	1086	1:13:19	Callie	Chapman	V 35	F	107
301	22	88	1079	1:17:08	Jane	Wadey	V 55	F	108

Race	Cat	Vet	No.	Time	First Name	Last Name	Cat.	M/F	Male Pos
25			1014	36:47	Kirk	Ndugu	S	M	25
38			1028	37:56	Adrian	Busolini	S	M	38
41	16	18	988	38:02	Jonathan	Parr	V 40	M	41
43	3	19	1027	38:14	Brian	Brackstone	V 50	M	43
74			1002	41:16	Jay	Papa	S	M	72
127	22	64	996	45:51	Matt	Gifford	V 50	M	107
131	43	68	997	46:19	Alexey	Zherdev	V 40	M	111
136	46	71	1010	46:41	Robert	Wright	V 40	M	114
145	4	75	987	47:11	Brian	White	V 60	M	119
180	8	94	990	50:25	Charlie	Arnold	V 60	M	140
211	38	110	992	52:42	Simon	Haigh	V 50	M	156
226	63	115	1011	54:31	Matt	Tutton	V 40	M	162
249			1022	56:55	Ryan	Riddell	S	M	172
262	45	130	1016	58:58	Pete	Cook	V 50	M	178
269	6	132	999	1:00:20	Jim	Brown	V 70	M	180
271	46	133	1024	1:01:05	Tim	Robinson	V 50	M	182
274	18	134	1021	1:02:14	Nick	Kleanthous	V 60	M	183
291			1026	1:07:37	Peter	Sach	S	M	188
298	20	142	986	1:11:37	Paul	Holgate	V 60	M	192

A Win For Yuko at the Newport Pagnell Carnival 5K

YUKO GORDON won her age group F70 (and 60 & 65 as well) at Newport Pagnell Carnival 5K, near Milton Keynes in 22:20 on Saturday 6th July. It was a flat fast course over traffic free main road with 500 plus runners. Crowds were surprisingly big along the course.

After Mount Chingford and the Trent Park Woods recently, she felt this was too good to be true. However, a fast course is one thing but she said my legs had a problem adjusting to the speed this time. Still, she was happy with the season’s best.

The Carnival 5K is a uniquely fast and flat 5k road race through the historic market town of Newport Pagnell. On closed roads in front of thousands, it’s run ahead of the annual town Carnival Parade. The race finishes on the carnival meadow in the show arena where there’s a day of entertainment and fun. For the 4th consecutive year, there were two different runs. One to suit all abilities: The ‘Serious’ 5K and the family fun 5K.

Ware 10 + 10 – PB for Paul

GERRY ROSEN took part in the Ware 10 (miles). It was a two lap affair with a nasty uphill first mile. A tough little cookie. Gerry was hoping to beat 2hrs and well and truly did it, his time was 1 hour 52 minutes 10 seconds.

The fastest of the eight Spartans was PAUL SHELLEY 20^th of the 269 finishers with 1:07:25; third in his age group and a new personal best (PB) by eight seconds. ALISON SHELLEY was first female from Fairlands at 190^th with 1:33:06; ANNABELLE WHITE was 198^th with 1:35:09 and FIONA CLARKE 212^th with 37:47.

MATT DUTTON took part in the 10 mile race at the Ware festival of running with a chip time of 1:32:56. His first ever 10 mile race. Matt said he managed to miss the heavy rain showers but large puddles were an obstacle at mile 1 and 6 guaranteeing wet feet!!

CHRIS WATLING was 112^th in 1:21:51 and ROBERT WRIGHT 65^th with 1:15:30.

269 finishers.

JANE WHITROW ran the Ware 10K. She said the event was really well organised with lots of water stations and friendly marshals. Jane finished 239^th in 1:21:17.

Pos	MF	CatPos	Bib	Name	Cat	Gun	Chip
20.	19	3	8901	Paul SHELLEY	MV50	1:07:27	1:07:25
65.	55	23	2178	Robert WRIGHT	MV40	1:15:48	1:15:30
112.	91	36	2127	Chris WATLING	MS	1:22:09	1:21:51
188.	134	45	8942	Matt TUTTON	MV40	1:33:19	1:32:56
190.	55	9	8902	Alison SHELLEY	FV55	1:33:28	1:33:06
198.	60	15	8896	Annabelle WHITE	FS	1:35:30	1:35:09
212.	67	20	8906	Fiona CLARKE	FV45	1:38:09	1:37:47
254.	160	43	8829	Gerry ROSEN	MV50	1:52:32	1:52:10

Race for Life

Some Spartans including JIM BROWN and PENNY SCHENKEL ran the Stevenage Race for Life. Jim’s event was lucky but Penny’s finished in a downpour.

EMAC – Spartans 2 and 3.

Fairlands Valley Spartans were second and third in the latest Eastern Masters track and field league event.

The FVS women including SHARON CROWLEY, CHRISTINE LATHWELL; MARIAN MORLEY; JOYLYN SAUNDERS-MULLINS; TESSA STEPHENSON and ANDREA WESTCOTT were second with 118 points, just 19 behind the winners.

The men were third in their match with 86. Their team included CHARLES ARNOLD; MARK FREEMAN; NICK KLEANTHOUS; STEVE MAYFIELD; TIMOTHY SAUNDERS-MULLINS and DAVID STEPHENSON.

The event included running from 100 metres to one mile (1609 metres); walking 2 kilometres; throwing and jumping. The league is for male and female veteran athletes aged from 35 upwards divided in various age categories.

The next EMAC track and field fixture is in Sandy on Wednesday evening 31^st July.

Parkrun Highlights 6^th July

DANIEL VILJOEN achieved a major parkrun milestone on Saturday morning. His run at Stevenage was his 250^th which he finished in 24 minutes 4 seconds (24:04). There were 19 Spartans among the 363 finishers of the very wet 354^th Stevenage parkrun including SIMON JACKSON second in 17:40 and GRANT RAMSAY sixth in 18:57.

ANNABELLE WHITE ran her 150^th parkrun in 31:32.

19 of the 363 finishers at a very wet Stevenage parkrun were Spartans.

Spartans elsewhere included SUZY HAWKINS 25:03 at Henlow Bridge Lakes; NICK KLEANTHOUS 33:11 at Tamar Lakes near Bude and CHLOE CHAPMAN 34:05 at Lanhydrock, Bodmin.

Tags EMAC, Mid Week League, MWL, Race for Life, Trent Park, Ware Ten

Club News Race Results

RACE FOR LIFE, REMEMBERING CATHY

Post author By Vicky Archer
Post date July 9, 2023
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Lots of Spartans took part in Race for Life on Sunday as part of the Cancer Research fundraising event.

It is usual to see a lot of Spartans at this event as those that don’t take part offer their marshalling skills to encourage and support others.

This year saw a larger than normal amount of Spartans take part as they were honouring a beloved Spartan member who we sadly lost earlier this year. The family were out supporting the wonderful charity and so our members also took to the course to support and remember Cathy.

Cathy Craig was a true inspiration to so many of us. From 5k up to Ultra’s and back down to EMAC, you name it Cathy did it. She was a renowned trophy winner at our annual Presentation Evening and we believe that she may of achieved the whole collection of awards available including the much sought after award of Spartan of the Year at this years ceremony.

Cathy would always greet everybody with a warm, infectious smile and would always be supportive and encouraging offering lots of runners tips where she could.

The Race for Life event would have been a day that Cathy loved! Dressing up in tutu’s, coloured wigs and head boppers, she would have been at the front of the queue!

#bemorecathy

EMAC

The FVS women’s team finished in third place in the EMAC league central division at Bedford on Wednesday. EMAC run a track and field league for veteran athletes in the East of England. Cambridge & Coleridge were out in force after their narrow defeat last month, winning on the night with 141 points with Marshall Milton Keynes placed second with 110 points and FVS with 106. FVS remain top points scorers with 393 points, but it all comes down to the last match in Sandy next month.

Spartan Women – SHARON CROWLEY, ASHLEY JOHNSON, CHRISTINE LATHWELL, PAULA McMAHON, MARIAN MORLEY, JOYLYN SAUNDERS-MULLINS and ANDREA WESTCOTT

Wins on the night came from Sharon Crowley in the 2km A string walk and W60 hammer throw. Sharon also placed 4^th in the W50 100m and 5^th in the W60 1500m. Other points came from Christine Lathwell, who placed 5^th in the W35 100m after sprinting to the start line having placed 4^th in the 2km B string walk. Christine also covered the W35 triple jump, finishing 4^th. Joylyn Saunders-Mullins secured 2^nd place in the W60+ 100m, 3^rd in the W60+ 400m, and 2^nd in the W60+ shot put.  Paula McMahon made a mad dash from her car straight to the start line for the W35 400m, changing in to her spikes while the other women were lining up! Despite the lack of a warm up, Paula finished in a very respectable 3^rd place. Andrea Westcott placed 2^nd in the W50 400m, 4^th in the W35 hammer, and 6^th in the W35 shot put. Marian Morley started the evening with a new PB in the W50 shot put, finishing 3^rd and also placed 3^rd in the W50 hammer. Ashley Johnson made a welcome return to the team, running a great W35 1500m and finishing 2^nd.

The W35 relay team of Paula McMahon, Christine Lathwell, Ashley Johnson, and Joylyn Saunders-Mullins finished 3^rd in the 4 x 200m

The men’s team conststing of CHARLIE ARNOLD, ANTON McCALLA, NICK KLEANTHOUS, STEVE MAYFIELD, MICHAEL O’KEEFE, ANDREW PATTERSON, TIM SAUNDERS-MULLINS and CHRIS WESTCOTT did themselves proud, finishing fourth on the night, just 8 points behind third placed Cambridge & Coleridge.

Wins from Andy Patterson in the M35 1500m and Tim Saunders-Mullins in the M60+ hammer throw combined with points scored by Anton McCalla, Nick Kleanthous, Chris Westcott, Charlie Arnold, Steve Mayfield, and Michael O’Keefe so the Spartans team remain in fourth place overall.

Mid Week League Round Up

Not only did Fairlands Valley Spartans get promoted to the top division in the Mid Week League (see last week’s release) but they had some great individual prize winners.

SAM PRETTY was second woman in the open competition; ASHLEY JOHNSON second in the women 35 plus category; SIMON FRASER third man in the open competition; ANDREW PATERSON WON the men 40 plus category with RICHARD BATE third.

AND Fairlands Valley Spartans were overall winners in the veterans contest.

Ultra 5k

MIKE JEFFS took on the ultra 5k challenge at Box End Bedford. This was a gruelling challenge running a 5k on the hour every hour for five hours. He managed to keep his times consistent which helped him achieve a third place finish. Mike’s first ever podium finish for a running event.

Wendover Woods 100 Miles

Adrian Busolini WON the Centurion Wendover Woods 100 mile event in 20 hours 24 minutes 59 seconds.

With 600m of climb and a mix of terrains, just one lap of this Wendover course is quite punchy. So 10 laps, in conditions only slightly cooler than SDW100, was always going to be a challenge for the 30 souls who toed the start line.

13 of them made it to the end, and Adrian was glad to be the first – not just because that meant he got to take home an almost life-sized Centurion trophy, but because he could catch an hour of rest and a few pretty awesome crepes before the Wendover Weekender kicked off, with Allie talking crewing and The Green Runners demonstrating how to repair shoe uppers. 

It was the first time Centurion had run a camping, talks and general fun & games weekend like this, and they put on a really good show, with the volunteers standing out as usual being the ultra awesome folks they are. Good times, good conversations, and a weekend well spent.

Adrian looking like he’s just taken a stroll in the park rather than running 100 miles…

Parkrun Highlights Saturday 8^th July 2023

For the full Consolidated Results please click the link

Personal Best Achievements

ASHLEY JOHNSON was first female at Stevenage in a new parkrun personal best of 20 minutes 21 seconds for her 10^th parkrun.

NICK GILL ran his 100^th parkrun at Stevenage and did it with a new parkrun personal best of 18 minutes 40 seconds (18:40) which got him a top ten sixth place out of the 406 finishers.

NICOLA ANNDERSSON ran a new parkrun PB of 26:22 in Ballina, Ireland

Tags EMAC, Mid Week League, Race for Life, Ultra 5K, Wendover Woods 100 Miles

Club News Race Results

SPARTANS PROMOTED!

The Spartans are promoted! In the final counting race of the Mid Week series Stevenage based Fairlands Valley Spartans squeezed past Royston Runners to grab second spot and thus promotion to the top division in the Mid Week League.

In the end it couldn’t have been much closer with Watford first with 39 points, Spartans second with 38 and Royston missing out with third and 37.

They did it by coming second in the men’s contest while Royston slipped to fourth. While the Spartans were third in the women’s event, with home team Barnet winning Royston coming two places behind in the men’s race gave FVS the opportunity.

The Trent Park race had a largely off road six miles course. There were 449 runners overall for the combined divisions two and three event and 43 were Spartans.

There were some brilliant Spartan performances including SAMANTHA-PRETTY CONNORS (41:30); ASHLEY JOHNSON (41:45) and CHRISTINE LATHWELL (42:02) all top ten at fourth, fifth and sixth in the women’s race. Samantha won her category (FV35); Ashley was second and Christine was second in the FV45. YUKO GORDON was first woman 65 plus with 49:36.

And the FVS men had four in the top ten. ANDREW PATTERSON (33:45); SIMON FRASER (33:54); ADRIAN BUSOLINI (34:17) and SIMON JACKSON (35:06) were fourth, fifth, sixth and ninth! Andrew was the fastest man over 40 and Simon Jackson third.

As a bonus the club won the veterans championship with 41 points ahead of Watford on 39 and Barnet on 27 – having beaten Watford by one race position on Thursday, just one race position by one runner – but what they are really celebrating is promotion to division one.

Ware 10 miles

Spartan MIKE JEFFS ran an amazing new personal best (PB) of 64 minutes 14 seconds in the challenging Ware ten mile race on Sunday morning. He was fourth senior man, fifth overall.

JIM BROWN defended his 70 plus “title” which he won last year. This time he finished in exactly 100 minutes and exactly four minutes ahead of his nearest rival.

MO WARRILLOW was fourth FV45 in 1:29:30 and ROBERT WRIGHT was another Spartan top ten in his category. He was seventh MV40 in 1:14:07.

DAVID PATTMAN and STEVEN DOBNER came in with 1:22:37 and 1:23:33. There were 220 finishers.

Pos	Cat Pos		Name	Cat	Gun	Chip	Comments
5.	4	6087	Mike JEFFS	MS	1:04:15	1:04:14	PB
29.	7	6155	Robert WRIGHT	MV40	1:14:07	1:14:03
84.	25	6144	David PATTMAN	MV40	1:22:37	1:22:30
90.	26	6143	Steven DOBNER	MV40	1:23:33	1:23:25
122.	4	6168	Mo WARRILLOW	FV45	1:29:38	1:29:30
178.	1	6094	Jim BROWN	MV70+	1:40:10	1:40:00	1^st MV70

7 Peaks in Snowdonia

Spartan JOHN NELMS took part in a national police competition on Saturday joining teams from 30 different forces racing on a 22 mile all off road route over 7 peaks in Snowdonia. With almost 9000 feet of elevation and weather ranging from freezing rain to glorious sunshine, the team finished 21st out of 40 and 2nd in the super veterans’ category (all four team members had to be over 50 on race day).

Parkrun Highlights Saturday 1^st July 2023

Congratulations to MATTHEW NEWTON running a parkrun PB of 18:50 at St Albans.

For the Consolidated Results please click the link.

Tables

Women at Trent Park (Division 2 Race) – Thursday 29^th June

Tkt	Race	Name	Surname	Time	Div Pos	Cat	Vet	Cat	M/F	Team
7	89	Samantha	Pretty-Connors	41:30	4	1	2	V 35	F	A
8	92	Ashley	Johnson	41:45	5	2	3	V 35	F	A
9	94	Christine	Lathwell*	42:02	6	2	4	V 45	F	A
27	174	Georgie	Hooper	46:14	17	5	10	V 35	F	A
30	177	Gabrielle	O’Brien	46:21	19			S	F	A
35	196	Marie	Colucci	47:16	21	6	12	V 45	F	A
56	239	Yuko	Gordon	49:36	32	1	17	V 65	F	A
93	326	Mo	Warrillow	54:18	58	14	34	V 45	F	A
102	341	Nicola	Andersson	55:13	63	16	39	V 45	F
108	349	Chloe	Chapman	55:51	68			S	F
119	365	Anna	Swanepoel	57:07	74	16	47	V 35	F
146	411	Sharon	Crowley	1:03:08	89	15	58	V 55	F
156	425	Monica	Smithson	1:07:00	96	16	64	V 55	F
170	445	Callie	Chapman	1:17:22	101	19	69	V 35	F
171	446	Hazel	Smith	1:17:22	102	27	70	V 45	F

Men at Trent Park (Division 2 Race) – Thursday 29^th June

Ticket	Race	Name	Surname	Time	Div Pos	Cat	Vet	Cat	M/F	Team
5	5	Andrew	Patterson	33:45	4	1	1	V 40	M	A
6	6	Simon	Fraser	33:54	5			S	M	A
7	7	Adrian	Busolini	34:17	6			S	M	A
12	12	Simon	Jackson	35:06	9	3	3	V 40	M	A
17	17	Jonathan	Parr	36:08	14			S	M	A
24	24	Richard	Bate	37:14	19	6	8	V 40	M	A
39	39	Mike	Jeffs	38:34	25			S	M	A
41	41	Nick	Gill	38:39	26			S	M	A
79	84	Adrian	Donnelly	41:09	51	20	26	V 40	M	A
85	93	Ross	Gallagher	41:58	55			S	M	A
86	96	Danny	Scanlon	42:03	56	23	30	V 40	M	A
97	110	Stuart	Archer	42:47	61			S	M	A
106	123	Robert	Wright	43:46	65	27	37	V 40	M	B
111	130	Matt	Gifford	44:08	68	11	40	V 50	M	B
121	141	David	Pattman	44:42	74	29	44	V 40	M	B
125	146	Alexey	Zherdev	44:54	75	30	45	V 40	M	B
139	163	Francois	Swanepoel	45:54	84	35	53	V 40	M	B
148	178	Pete	Smith	46:22	87	5	56	V 60	M	B
157	191	Craig	Bacon	46:58	90	15	59	V 50	M	B
187	248	Charlie	Arnold	50:02	109	10	75	V 60	M	B
233	324	Nick	Kleanthous	54:12	132	13	94	V 60	M	B
240	343	Matt	Tutton	55:31	138			S	M	B
252	374	Tim	Robinson	58:15	146	29	104	V 50	M	B
253	376	John	Harris	58:33	147	17	105	V 60	M	B
254	377	Jim	Brown	58:35	148	6	106	V 70	M
264	404	Michael	O’Keefe	1:01:21	152	31	109	V 50	M
270	427	Paul	Holgate	1:07:37	155	19	112	V 60	M
273	437	Paul	Jennings	1:12:40	157	55	114	V 40	M

Tags 7 Peaks Snowdonia, Mid Week League, Ware 10 miles

Club News Race Results

SUB THREE AT FIRST MARATHON FOR DAVID

Post author By Vicky Archer
Post date May 28, 2023
No Comments on SUB THREE AT FIRST MARATHON FOR DAVID

Spartan DAVID HARRIS-CHERGUIT beat three hours in his first ever marathon. He ran the Edinburgh Marathon in 2 hours 54 minutes 13 seconds and was seventh in the men 45 plus category. David’s really pleased and proud of the result.

Also at Edinburgh was ROB WRIGHT and he ran a new personal best (PB) of 3 hours 31 minutes 6 seconds.

Round Up of Mid Week League Race 1

Fairlands Valley Spartans gave their promotion hopes a tremendous boost in the first race in the 2023 Mid Week League series. The Spartans had 67 finishers, more than any other club.

FVS were second in the men’s “A” race just behind Watford and second in the women’s “A” race just behind Royston. That meant that overall they scored ten match points – the same as current league leaders Watford.

In the veterans competition the Spartans were second just behind Watford but WON the women’s event well clear of Bishop Stortford. That means they lead the veterans contest.

The Spartan women in the top ten were SAMANTHA PRETTY-CONNORS third, and first female 35 plus, in 40 minutes 4 seconds (40:04); CHRISTINE LATHWELL fourth, and second FV45, in 40:28 and ASHLEY JOHNSON sixth, and second 35 plus, in 40:59.

The club’s leading men were SIMON FRASER sixth in 33:37; ANDREW PATTERSON eighth, and first man 40 plus, in 33:47; SIMON JACKSON tenth, and second man 40 plus, in 34:17 and, just out of the top ten but not far behind ADRIAN BUSOLINI eleventh in 34:27.

Fairlands Valley Spartans had no less than three senior men’s teams, three senior women’s teams, five veteran men’s teams and six veteran women’s teams. Senior men’s teams consisted of 12 runners. Senior women teams had eight runners. The 67 Spartans consisted of 38 men and 29 women.

Hatfield Broad Oak 10k

Jim Brown completed the course in 55:43 and Penny Schenkel in 59:05.

Serpentine 5k

Once through the first kilometre Spartan Jim Brown enjoyed himself and finished first MV70 in 27 minutes 24 seconds (63.7%).

Parkrun Highlights Saturday 27^th May

Please click the link for the Consolidated Results from last weeks Parkruns

Tags Broad Oak 10k, Edinburgh Marathon, Mid Week League

Club News Race Results

TRENT PARK TRAILS

A huge thunderstorm and tremendous downpour confronted Fairlands Valley Spartans as they made their way to Trent Park, Cockfosters for the fourth Mid Week League event but 29 made it, enjoyed the rainbow and finished the event. This was an evening largely off road 10K event.

The fastest of the 18 men were ADRIAN BUSOLINI 25^th in 37 minutes 59 seconds and SIMON FRASER 30^th in 38:36. PETE SMITH was the fastest 60 plus in the race with 45:53 and ROGER HARDMAN second 70 plus with 63:12.

For the women SUZY HAWKINS was 16^th in 44 minutes 40 seconds. YUKO GORDON was the fastest 65 plus woman with 53:10.

Altogether 306 runners finished the race. The end of series celebration, the mob match, is at Welwyn Garden City on the 6^th July.

Ware Ten

There were two trophies for Fairlands Valley Spartans at Sunday’s testing Ware 10 mile race. JIM BROWN won the male 70 plus award with 1 hour 34 minutes 32 seconds and JAN FRY won the women 65 plus category with 1:54:04.

ROB WRIGHT was the fastest Spartan with 1:19:52. He was 67^th out of the 260 finishers.

STEVEN DOBNER said it was super weather for a scenic run around Ware and Hertford. A few large lumps and some fast downhill sections on an enjoyable but tricky course. A fantastic local event which deserves to be supported as they always put on a great race.

He said he felt strong and happy to finish in 1:24:07 having spent most of the run alongside DAVID PATTMAN who finished a few seconds later in 1:24:11.

The fastest female from Fairlands was MO WARRILOW with 1:35:53. CHRIS SAUNDERS ran his first ten mile race in 1:36:11 and NICOLA PATTMAN came in with 1:52:59.

In the Ware 10K DZENANA TOPIC was 163^rd in 1:11:45 and JONATHAN JONES 165^th in 1:11:54.

Roger on the River Thames Towpath

On Friday ROGER BIGGS ran his longest race since September 21, with an event along the River Thames towpath in Walton-on-Thames.

Eight out-and-back laps represented a total race distance equivalent to a half marathon (13.1 miles). Roger completed the course 3:57:29

Parkrun Highlights Saturday 2^nd July

Stevenage parkrun was back above the 250 runner mark on Saturday.

Stripey Saturday saw 24 Fairlands Valley Spartan members travelled to seven different Parkrun venues across the country.

Jonathan PARR took first place at Exmouth finishing at 16:56, also taking the titles of fastest and the further travelled Spartan.

Debbie BLANTERN was the fastest female Spartan finishing at 29:27 at Stevenage.

Nikki NATION ran a personal best of 31:55, also at Stevenage.

Three runners achieved year’s best times with Sam SIMMONS (20:04) and Hilary DAVIES (33:43) at Stevenage and Chris HOLLAND (24:50) at Rutland Waters.

Unofficial milestones were achieved by Roger BIGGS completing 110th Parkruns, Michael O’KEEFE 140th and Danik BATES 220^th this weekend.

Stevenage celebrates its 250^th parkrun on Saturday 16^th July. Make sure you have your free parkrun barcode and that your parkrun profile includes Fairlands Valley Spartans.

Tables

Spartan Men

Race	Men Pos	Cat	Vet	Time	Name	Surname	Cat.	M/F	Comments
25	25			37:59	Adrian	Busolini	S	M	A team
30	30			38:36	Simon	Fraser	S	M	A team
67	64			41:52	Ross	Gallagher	S	M	A team
78	73	27	32	42:49	Adrian	Donnelly	V 40	M	A team
121	100			45:49	Nick	Gill	S	M	A team
124	102	1	57	45:53	Pete	Smith	V 60	M	1st MV60 and A team
135	108	43	63	46:57	Grant	Ramsay	V 40	M	A team
156	121	23	73	48:17	Craig	Bacon	V 50	M	A team
166	127	26	79	49:13	Martin	Wood	V 50	M	A team
168	129	51	81	49:26	David	Pattman	V 40	M	A team
174	134	5	86	49:46	Mark	Goodwin	V 60	M	A team
200	153	63	102	52:08	Steven	Dobner	V 40	M	A team
249	180	49	127	58:14	Tim	Robinson	V 50	M
267	185	14	132	1:00:43	Jim	Brown	V 60	M
275	188	2	135	1:03:12	Roger	Hardman	V 70	M	2nd MV70
286	191	55	138	1:05:01	Michael	O’Keefe	V 50	M
296	193	57	140	1:07:35	Andy	Jay	V 50	M
306	194	16	141	1:27:31	Paul	Holgate	V 60	M

194 men in the race. 18 Spartans.

Spartan Women

Race	Pos	Cat	Vet	Time	Name	Surname	Cat.	M/F	Comments
103	16	4	12	44:40	Suzy	Hawkins	V 45	F	4th FV45
204	48	13	33	52:29	Tracy	Pez	V 45	F
205	49	1	34	53:10	Yuko	Gordon	V 65	F	1st FV65
231	63	21	45	56:17	Karen	Ellis	V 45	F
250	70	24	51	58:29	Wendy	Tharani	V 45	F
261	77	23	58	59:52	Georgie	Hooper	V 35	F
290	99	38	79	1:06:14	Jenny	Garrett	V 45	F
291	100	39	80	1:06:31	Mo	Warrillow	V 45	F
301	108	20	87	1:11:51	Jane	Wadey	V 55	F
303	110	27	89	1:14:50	Callie	Chapman	V 35	F
305	112	21	91	1:27:30	Sharon	Crowley	V 55	F

11 Spartan women. 112 in race.

Spartan at the Ware Ten

Pos	Name	Chip	Category	Cat Pos	Gender	Age Grade	Pace	Comments
67	Robert WRIGHT	1:19:52	Ages 20 – 39	21	Male	55.98	4:59 min/km
91	Steven DOBNER	1:24:07	Ages 40 – 49	21	Male	57.21	5:14 min/km
93	David PATTMAN	1:24:11	Ages 40 – 49	23	Male	55.28	5:14 min/km
171	Jim BROWN	1:34:32	Ages 70+	1	Male	62.56	5:53 min/km	Winner MV70
182	Mo WARRILLOW	1:35:53	Ages 45 – 54	18	Female	57.05	5:58 min/km
185	Chris SAUNDERS	1:36:11	Ages 20 – 39	42	Male	46.23	5:59 min/km	First 10 mile race
242	Nicola PATTMAN	1:52:59	Ages 35 – 44	33	Female	45.73	7:02 min/km
243	Jan FRY	1:53:04	Ages 65+	1	Female	64.62	7:03 min/km	Winner FV65

There were 260 finishers.

Spartans at Parkruns on Saturday 2^nd July

Position	Gender Position	parkrunner	Run Time
Westmill parkrun
43	34	Nick KLEANTHOUS	29:37
Stevenage parkrun
2	2	Grant RAMSAY	18:31
18	16	Sam SIMMONS	22:04	YB
63	54	James MCSWEENEY	25:20
68	57	Matt CLARKE	25:31
77	66	David PATTMAN	26:13
78	67	Danik BATES	26:21	220th
104	87	Steven DOBNER	27:41
112	90	Jim BROWN	27:58
138	28	Debbie BLANTERN	29:27
167	39	Nikki Katherine NATION	31:55	PB
173	42	Jane WADEY	32:34
184	49	Hilary DAVIES	33:43	YB
201	57	Mo WARRILLOW	35:07
202	58	Erica GRAYSON	35:07
233	79	Sharon CROWLEY	40:02
234	141	Paul HOLGATE	40:03
242	145	Tony RANDFIELD	43:22
243	146	Roger BIGGS	44:16	110th
Rutland Water parkrun
55	47	Chris HOLLAND	24:50	YB
Exmouth parkrun
1	1	Jonathan PARR	16:56
Great Dunmow parkrun
70	47	Darryl STEVENS	38:18
Hunstanton Promenade parkrun
12	1	Nicola KENNEDY	26:45
Henlow Bridge Lakes parkrun
49	41	Michael O’KEEFE	28:52	140th

Tags Mid Week League, Roger Biggs, Ware Ten

Club News Race Results

MIDWEEK RACING IS BACK

Mid Week racing is back for the first time in three years. 409 raced in Wednesday evening’s Mid Week League race and 79 of them were from Fairlands Valley Spartans. The six mile race started and finished at the showground end of Fairlands Valley Park in Stevenage.

There was some amazing running at the front end of the race which was won in 31:25 and the Spartans were fifth on the night.

First in for the Spartans was SIMON JACKSON 15^th out of 259 men in 32:59. Not far behind came JONATHAN PARR at 17^th in 33:03; SIMON FRASER 23^rd in 33:39 and ANDREW PATTERSON 26^th with 33:52.

PETE SMITH was third man 60 plus in 41:44.

The quickest woman completed the largely Gunnels Wood Road cycleway based course in 34 minutes 54 seconds. SUZY HAWKINS 16^th woman out of 151 at 40:38 was the fastest of the 34 females from Fairlands and GABRIELLE O’BRIEN was 26^th in 41:41 with ASHLEY KING just two seconds behind her 27^th in 41:43.

MARIE COLUCCI (45:27); ABBIE PEZ second under 20 (45:31); GEORGIE HOOPER (46:50), CLAIRE PULLEN (47:09) and TRACY PEZ (also 47:09) completed the FVS women’s “A” team.

Marie, Tracy, Abbie and Gabrielle being chased down by Pete.

KELY McHALE led in the women’s “B” team with 47:56.

VICKY ARCHER did a magnificent job as tail runner bringing the last runner in at 1 hour 21 minutes 57 seconds.

Men’s teams consisted of twelve runners while women’s teams had eight so there were three men’s teams and four women’s from FVS. The race was organised by Fairlands Valley Spartans and North Herts Road Runners.

The second Mid Week Road Race League event will be in St. Albans on Wednesday evening 25^th May.

(For all the Spartan MWRRL results please look near the end of this release).

Hertfordshire County Championships

JONATHAN PARR raced in the 5,000 metres Hertfordshire County Championships at the weekend and won the trophy.

He said it wasn’t the fastest race in the wind and the rain but he was really pleased with the result. He won the GOLD medal in 16 minutes 28 seconds.

The event was at the Bedfordshire International Athletics Track.

Oxford Town & Gown 10K

SITA CHITAMBO ran the Oxford Town and Gown 10K in 63 minutes 11 seconds.

Mammoth Half

EMMA SOUTHERINGTON and SAMANTHA SUTTON ran the Mammoth Half in Norfolk on Sunday. On a very tough course from Mundesley to Sheringham Emma finished in 2 hours 49 minutes 28 seconds and Samanth in 2:55:07. There were 823 feet of climbs.

Emma and Sam smiling with their well earnt medals!

Parkrun Highlights

Thirty-three Fairlands Valley Spartans entered Parkrun Events in the May sunshine this weekend.

SIMON FRASER was first to finish the Stevenage event in a time of 17 minutes and 41 seconds. He was closely followed by GRANT RAMSAY who was third overall in 18:46, and ALISON SHELLEY was the first Spartans female to finish with 26:35. Completing his 100th Parkrun event on the same course, TONY RANDFIELD ran in 31 minutes and 50 seconds.

NICK KLEANTHOUS ran a parkrun PB time at the Gunpowder Parkrun of 24:52. On the Westmill run, DAVID ACKERLEY finished fifth in 21:34.

Stevenage parkrunners including Tony in his 100 cape!

Tables

Spartans in Race One of the Mid Week League

Race	Pos	Cat	Vet	No.	Time	Name	Surname	Cat.	Team	M/F	12
15	15	3	3	1055	32:59	Simon	Jackson	V 40	A	M	15
17	17			1045	33:03	Jonathan	Parr	S	A	M	17
23	23			1065	33:39	Simon	Fraser	S	A	M	23
26	26	8	8	1053	33:52	Andrew	Patterson	V 40	A	M	26
45	43			1084	35:07	Adrian	Busolini	S	A	M	43
48	46			1067	35:22	Kelvin	Beyioku	S	A	M	46
58	54	19	23	1073	35:58	Danny	Hukin	V 40	A	M	54
61	57	20	24	1086	36:07	Steffan	Ford	V 40	A	M	57
77	72	27	32	1074	37:32	Grant	Ramsay	V 40	A	M	72
83	77			1049	37:43	Paul	Hewett	S	A	M	77
85	79			1071	37:47	Stuart	Archer	S	A	M	79
91	83			1057	38:03	Ross	Gallagher	S	A	M	83
95	86			1066	38:38	Mark	Williams	S	B	M	86
96	87			1050	38:39	Mike	Jeffs	S	B	M	87
106	93			1046	39:25	Nick	Gill	S	B	M	93
113	99	13	45	1078	40:04	Paul	Shelley	V 50	B	M	99
124	108	17	53	1041	40:37	John	Harris	V 50	B	M	108
133	115	2	58	1052	40:54	Steve	Wells	V 60	B	M	115
142	121	42	64	1085	41:17	Mark	Collins	V 40	B	M	121
147	123			1081	41:31	Robert	Wright	S	B	M	123
155	127	3	69	1042	41:44	Pete	Smith	V 60	B	M	127
181	148	28	87	1061	43:05	Matt	Clarke	V 50	B	M	148
189	155	32	92	1083	43:31	Martin	Wood	V 50	B	M	155
190	156	55	93	1048	43:32	Thomas	Sauka	V 40	B	M	156
199	162			1047	43:58	Sam	Simmons	S	C	M	162
204	165	60	100	1079	44:27	David	Pattman	V 40	C	M	165
211	171	8	105	1051	44:43	Tony	Randfield	V 60	C	M	171
218	176	37	109	1059	45:04	Craig	Bacon	V 50	C	M	176
230	182	11	114	1044	45:41	Mark	Goodwin	V 60	C	M	182
248	192	44	123	1043	46:38	Paul	Maguire	V 50	C	M	192
269	203	49	134	1064	47:59	Darren	Emmerson	V 50	C	M	203
274	207	73	138	1076	48:43	Steven	Dobner	V 40	C	M	207
275	208			1075	48:43	Luke	Gurney	S	C	M	208
286	215	54	145	1082	49:32	Tim	Robinson	V 50	C	M	215
305	225	19	154	1062	50:54	Nick	Kleanthous	V 60	C	M	225
308	227	58	156	1063	51:12	Mark	MacDonald	V 50	C	M	227
320	232			1068	52:34	Chris	Parsons	S		M	232
323	233	59	161	1058	52:47	Karl	Shreeve	V 50		M	233
331	236	21	164	1054	53:24	Steve	Pike	V 60		M	236
336	238	22	165	1056	53:56	Jim	Brown	V 60		M	238
341	241	80	168	1060	54:41	Simon	Sypula	V 40		M	241
342	242			1080	54:41	Steve	Tinsley	S		M	242
389	252	70	178	1069	1:03:08	Jonathan	Jones	V 50		M	252
391	253	71	179	1070	1:03:19	Taher	Tharani	V 50		M	253
405	256	25	182	1072	1:19:15	Paul	Holgate	V 60		M	256

45 FVS men

Women

Race	Pos	Cat	Vet	No.	Time	Name	Surname	Cat.	Club	M/F	8
127	16	4	11	1159	40:38	Suzy	Hawkins	V 45	A	F	16
153	26			1183	41:41	Gabrielle	O’Brien	S	A	F	26
154	27	12	19	1169	41:43	Ashley	King	V 35	A	F	27
224	44	15	31	1164	45:27	Marie	Colucci	V 35	A	F	44
227	46	2		1186	45:31	Abbie	Pez	U 20	A	F	46
249	56	19	40	1185	46:50	Georgie	Hooper	V 35	A	F	56
253	58	2	42	1168	47:09	Claire	Pullen	V 55	A	F	58
254	59	21	43	1187	47:09	Tracy	Pez	V 45	A	F	59
268	65	21	49	1157	47:56	Kelly	McHale	V 35	B	F	65
291	73	28	57	1162	49:46	Karen	Ellis	V 45	B	F	73
309	81	27	64	1158	51:23	Kelly	Evans	V 35	B	F	81
322	89	34	71	1171	52:39	Nicola	Andersson	V 45	B	F	89
326	91	35	73	1181	53:00	Claire	Emmerson	V 45	B	F	91
329	93	36	75	1167	53:15	Wendy	Tharani	V 45	B	F	93
332	95	37	77	1166	53:29	Carole	Sheldrick	V 45	B	F	95
356	109	44	90	1161	56:02	Sarah	Illingworth	V 45	B	F	109
358	111	46	92	1160	56:10	Debbie	Blantern	V 45	C	F	111
371	119	32	100	1176	58:57	Christine	Zverev	V 35	C	F	119
374	122	18	103	1175	59:24	Monica	Smithson	V 55	C	F	122
384	132	54	113	1178	1:02:27	Mo	Warrillow	V 45	C	F	132
390	136	33	117	1188	1:03:19	Callie	Chapman	V 35	C	F	136
395	139	58	120	1170	1:05:27	Tracy	Haygarth	V 45	C	F	139
396	140	26	121	1182	1:05:58	Jane	Wadey	V 55	C	F	140
398	141	27	122	1184	1:09:25	Sally	Phillips	V 55	C	F	141
399	142	59	123	1165	1:09:32	Samantha	Sutton	V 45	D	F	142
400	143	60	124	1172	1:10:33	Nicola	Hatherly	V 45	D	F	143
401	144	28	125	1173	1:11:18	Sally	Pickles	V 55	D	F	144
402	145	29	126	1180	1:11:27	Jane	Whitrow	V 55	D	F	145
403	146	30	127	1179	1:11:28	Judy	King	V 55	D	F	146
404	147	34	128	1163	1:11:54	Stephanie	Biggar	V 35	D	F	147
406	148	61	129	1174	1:19:54	Amanda	Vickers	V 45	D	F	148
407	149	35	130	1190	1:21:57	Nichola	Durent	V 35	D	F	149
408	150	31	131	1189	1:21:57	Sharon	Crowley	V 55		F	150
409	151	36	132	1177	1:21:57	Vicky	Archer	V 35		F	151

34 FVS women.

Spartans at parkrun

Parkrun	Position	Gender Position	Parkrunner	Time	Comments
Stevenage	1	1	Simon FRASER	00:17:41	Winner
	3	3	Grant RAMSAY	00:18:46	Third
	48	46	Thomas SAUKA	00:23:20
	66	59	Ryan DUNNING	00:24:26
	67	60	Darren EMMERSON	00:24:33
	107	14	Alison SHELLEY	00:26:35
	110	15	Ashley SCHOENWETTER	00:26:44
	126	106	Matt CLARKE	00:27:12
	130	21	Claire EMMERSON	00:27:30
	138	114	Mark BEASLEY	00:27:47
	154	28	Mo WARRILLOW	00:28:19
	155	125	David PATTMAN	00:28:19
	156	126	Steven DOBNER	00:28:20
	164	131	Jim BROWN	00:28:37
	165	32	Debbie BLANTERN	00:28:41
	170	135	Toby ECCLESHALL	00:28:56
	189	46	Nicola ANDERSSON	00:30:25
	190	47	Karen ELLIS	00:30:26
	204	57	Erica GRAYSON	00:31:48
	205	146	Tony RANDFIELD	00:31:50	100th
	263	167	Simon SYPULA	00:39:14
	278	172	Roger BIGGS	00:47:56
	279	103	Sharon CROWLEY	00:47:57

Southsea	337	99	Tracy HAYGARTH	00:34:04

Bedford	106	88	Sam SIMMONS	00:26:05

Westmill	6	5	David ACKERLEY	00:21:34
	24	20	James MCSWEENEY	00:25:51

Gunpowder	45	36	Nick KLEANTHOUS	00:24:52	Parkrun PB

Houghton Hall	101	22	Annabelle WHITE	00:31:22

Brockenhurst	75	44	Darryl STEVENS	00:44:16

Henlow Bridge Lakes	28	28	Paul MAGUIRE	00:23:59

North Walsham	62	20	Samantha SUTTON	00:37:43

Tags Herts County Championships, Mammoth Half, Mid Week League, Oxford Town and Gown

Club News Race Results

SPARTANS RUNNERS UP

Mid Week League

Fairlands Valley Spartans were runners up in the 2021 series of Mid Week Road Race League 10K races. They were comfortably in second place in the top division with 27 points and a score of 1,624 positions. Trent Park won with 31 points and a score of 1,158 while North Herts were third with 25 points and a score of 1,850. (A low score is a good score as, for example, first place scores only one point). The Spartan men WON while the club’s women were second.

The result was confirmed in the fourth race when the Spartans men and women were both third but overall the club came second. FVS kept up their participation rates compared with other clubs. There are six clubs in division one. In race four 21 of the 76 women were Spartans and 36 of the 94 men were from the Stevenage based club.

Spartan highlights from race four included SIMON JACKSON second overall in 34 minutes 51 seconds; ANDREW PATTERSON third overall in 35:13 and ADRIAN BUSOLINI sixth overall in 36:16.

BRIAN WHITE was first man over 60 with 44:26; BARRY OSBORNE first man over 70 with 44:36 and WILLIAM MORLEY first male under 20 with 55:12. SIMON JACKSON was also second man over 40.

In the women’s race YUKO GORDON was in the top ten and first over 65 with 46 minutes 19 seconds and CAROLYN LINSELL second over 65 with 57:25.

JO BOWDERY was eleventh in 46:58 and TRACY PEZ fifteenth in 48:40. ZOE JACKSON just missed the top twenty at 21^st in 51:46.

As the league has not had any massed start races this year all these times were recorded virtually; in the Spartans specially organised wave 10K event or in open and accurately measured 10K races.

24 Spartans ran all four midweek 10K races.

(Look near the end of this release for tables giving results for all 57 Spartans).

Big Half

In the Vitality Big Half Marathon YUKO GORDON was first in her age category, 70 plus, with 1 hour 38 minutes 35 seconds.

Spartan ASHLEY JOHNSON ran an excellent 1 hour 42 minutes 21 seconds in the event which attracted nearly 10,000 runners.

MARIAN MORLEY was running her first race in London and her first half other than the New Forest Virtual Half Marathon in 2020.

She said it was really enjoyable and finished in 2 hours 7 minutes 36 seconds which is a half marathon personal best (PB) and added there was good entertainment on the route and quite a few spectators.

SUE HAMER and ERICA GRAYSON finished together in 2:15:55.

Entries Open for the Stevenage Half Marathon

Entries for the Stevenage Half Marathon are open. This club and community event has a history going back 37 years and is organised by Fairlands Valley Spartans. With a break due to Covid 19 in 2020 it’s back for 2021. This year the race will be on Sunday 21^st November (a couple of weeks later than usual).

To enter have a look at https://stevenagehalfmarathon.org.uk/

Tessa Takes Gold at National Championships

In a very close race, TESSA STEPHENSON became National 200 metres Gold Medallist in the race for Women aged 60 to 64 at the British Masters Championships, held in Derby at the weekend. After trailing the leader all the way, Tessa raised herself to take the lead in the last few metres in a time of 32.58 seconds. Earlier in the day, she had finished in sixth place in the 100m in a time of 15.86 seconds, using this as a warm up for her preferred event. In the category for men aged 55 to 59, her husband DAVE competed in the 400 metres finishing in second for the Silver Medal in a time of 65.45 seconds.

At the same championships GRANT RAMSAY was third man 45 plus in the 3,000 metres steeplechase with 12 minutes 10.84 seconds.

Parkrun Highlights 21^st August 2021 – fifth week back

Stevenage Parkrun hit a new post lockdown record with 341 finishers in the fifth week back. 24 of them were Spartans.

Parkrun report by Danik Bates

Steve Wells was the only Spartan to manage a sub-20-minute 5km on Saturday morning at the course in Stevenage whilst Suzy Hawkins was spot on twenty minutes. 341 runners took part in this week’s event.

Results: STEVE WELLS 19-52 (10th), SUZY HAWKINS 20-00 (13th), BARRY OSBORNE 21-26 (32nd), JAMES MCSWEENY 23-53 (71st), MARTIN DUDLEY 24-07 (79th), CLIVE CANNON 24-29 (92nd), DARREN EMMERSON 24-40 (102nd), KAREN ELLIS 25-29 (118th), SAM SIMMONS 25-55 (132nd), NICK KLEANTHOUS 26-14 (139th), JIM BROWN 26-34 (144th), DANIK BATES 26-38 (147th and with a stroller), NICOLA ANDERSSON 27-26 (164th), STEVEN DOBNER 27-46 (172nd), DAVID PATTMAN 27-47 (173rd), TOBY ECCLESHALL 28-04 (180th), PAUL HOLGATE 29-47 (200th), FIONA CLARKE 32-11 (241st), MATT CLARKE 32-12 (242nd), CHLOE CHAPMAN 32-28 (244th), TRACEY STILES 32-56 (247th), HILARY DAVIES 33-01 (248th), BETH FOLEY 34-30 (267th) and SHELBE MOONBEAM 41-27 (312th).

Away days:

Upton House (near Poole, Dorset): JOHN ROXBOROUGH 26-29 (128th), KEN JUDE 26-47 (138th). There were 337 runners.

Wimpole Estate (Cambs): BARRY KING 28-38 (144th), NICK WITCOMBE 35-47 (242nd). There were 295 runners.

Rutland Water (Rutland): DANIEL SUTTON 25-56 (90th), VERITY FISHER 32-18 (197th). There were 265 runners.

Millennium County – Forest of Marston (Beds): MICHAEL O’KEEFE 29-02 (68th). There were 129 runners.

Littlehampton Promenade (West Sussex): DARRYL STEVENS 36-53 (162nd). There were 179 runners.

CAROLYN LINSELL enjoyed her first run in her Spartans stripes! She ran the Hunstanton Promenade parkrun was first in her age group and took two seconds of her parkrun PB with 25:57.

A total of 33 Spartans.

Flying On Number 66 and 67

In anticipation of Sunday’s celebration numbers were down a bit for Saturday’s 66^th virtual Fly 5K. However there were 151 runners including three Spartans. JIM BROWN was 68^th and second in category with 26 minutes 34 seconds; NICOLA ANDERSSON 78^th in 27:24 and PAUL HOLGATE second in his category and 99^th with 29:46.

Fly 67 was the live celebration on Sunday. It was at Drift Limits, Bovingdon near Berkhamsted on Sunday 22^nd August to bring people together who had not seen each other through months of virtual racing. The same three Spartans took part. NICOLA ANDERSSON in a new Fly 5K personal best of 25:43; JIM BROWN in 26:04 and PAUL HOLGATE in 29:36.

Fly 5K was one of the stars of lockdown keeping runners moving and in touch during the restrictions.

Sharon Sprints for Bronze in the Virtual Coast Challenge

After nearly 3,000 kilometres SHARON CROWLEY “sprinted” for club bronze in the Virtual Coast Challenge. She “crossed the line” in Bristol on Tuesday evening having followed an anticlockwise route starting from Bristol and following the coasts and borders of England. As she completed the 2,970 kilometres fourth placed BRIAN WHITE was on 2,921.7 kilometres, less than 50 behind.

The other Spartans through the 2,000 kilometre mark by Tuesday evening were JON SYPULA 2,327.2; KEN JUDE 2,255.6; CATHY CRAIG 2,191.9; HAZEL SMITH 2,174.8, LIZ CROWLEY 2,083.4 and PAUL HOLGATE on 2011.3. They and four other Spartans have until the end of the year to finish the event but the “podium” is complete.

Tags Big Half, Fly 5K, Mid Week League, National Championships

Saucony London 10K

Parkrun Highlights, Saturday 12th July.

Prifysgol Abertawe Hanner Marathon

Ten Times Up Death Hill

Hyrox Harris

Parkrun Highlights Saturday 14th June.

Super Six at St Albans Half

PB Georgie at Hitchin Half

Ultra Hannah

Penny Spartan of the Month

Marston Vale Forest 5K

Tewin 10K

Swansea

Parkrun Highlights – Saturday 31st May and Saturday 7th June.

Jim and Yuko win in League

Parkrun Highlights 13th July (#355)

A Win For Yuko at the Newport Pagnell Carnival 5K

Ware 10 + 10 – PB for Paul

Race for Life

EMAC – Spartans 2 and 3.

Parkrun Highlights 6th July

EMAC

Mid Week League Round Up

Ultra 5k

Wendover Woods 100 Miles

Parkrun Highlights Saturday 8th July 2023

Ware 10 miles

7 Peaks in Snowdonia

Parkrun Highlights Saturday 1st July 2023

Tables

Round Up of Mid Week League Race 1

Hatfield Broad Oak 10k

Serpentine 5k

Parkrun Highlights Saturday 27th May

Ware Ten

Roger on the River Thames Towpath

Parkrun Highlights Saturday 2nd July

Tables

Hertfordshire County Championships

Oxford Town & Gown 10K

Mammoth Half

Parkrun Highlights

Tables

Mid Week League

Big Half

Entries Open for the Stevenage Half Marathon

Tessa Takes Gold at National Championships

Parkrun Highlights 21st August 2021 – fifth week back

Flying On Number 66 and 67

Sharon Sprints for Bronze in the Virtual Coast Challenge

Parkrun Highlights, Saturday 12^th July.

Parkrun Highlights Saturday 14^th June.

Parkrun Highlights – Saturday 31^st May and Saturday 7^th June.

Parkrun Highlights 13^th July (#355)

Parkrun Highlights 6^th July

Parkrun Highlights Saturday 8^th July 2023

Parkrun Highlights Saturday 1^st July 2023

Parkrun Highlights Saturday 27^th May

Parkrun Highlights Saturday 2^nd July

Parkrun Highlights 21^st August 2021 – fifth week back