Tag: Montane Spine

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News Race Results

POSH 20/20

Very Posh for the 20/20.  Thought you saw some very posh people running around Stevenage on Thursday evening?  Yes you did.  Fairlands Valley Spartans organised their 20/20 run but with a difference.  It raised £550 for the EDS Ehlers-Dandos Support UK charity and everyone was encouraged to dress posh – so trainers but also fascinators; gowns; top hats; dinner jackets.  That’s the posh bit.  20/20?  Everyone started on Gunnels Wood Road and ran for 20 minutes towards the football club and Broadwater.  Wherever you got after 20 minutes, and, of course, that varied turn round and run for 20 minutes back again.

A Little Birthday Run

NICK GILL ran the St Albans Half Marathon for the first time on Sunday – using the undulating course for a marathon training session.  He loved the race atmosphere and the free ice lolly after, coming in at 1:38:22.  Nick was 241st.

The St Albans Half Marathon was a little birthday run for JIM BROWN.  Up and down those hills.  He kept a little back for the rest of his birthday and came third in his category on chip time and finished in 2:07:32.

There were 2,254 finishers in the half.

PENNY SCHENKEL ran the 10K which shared much of the same course as the half marathon.  Penny went round in 1:07:32.  She was 241st out of the 642 finishers.

Spartans Start the Spine Race

Spartans raced from 0.1 to 432 kilometres in the last few days.

Some Spartans are tackling the UK’s most brutal race.  The Montane Spine 2026.

Jodie Kansas started from Edale on Saturday morning taking on the Challenger South, a 108 mile race from Edale to Hawes with a time limit of 60 hours.  She was first woman in just 31 hours, only an hour outside the record, and fourth overall.

Unfortunately John Nelms had a fall after 50 miles and had to withdraw.

Darren Wilby was starting on Sunday morning in the full 268 mile Spine race from Edale to Kirk Yetholm in Scotland which has a time limit of seven days.

Marston Forest 5K

JAY PAPA ran a massive personal best (PB) at the Marston Forest 5K on Friday evening.  His new best time is 17:48.

In the same event CHARLIE ARNOLD ran 23:27.

ANDY SHAW came in with 20:43 and SUZY HAWKINS with 22:36.  Suzy said it was a lovely event followed by a BBQ.

TONY RANSFIELD finished in 21:24 and NIKKI NATION in 33:18.

The popular event was organised by Ampthill & Flitwick Flyers.

Mid Week

The next Mid Week League race will be in Harlow on Wednesday evening 17th June.  After two races the Spartans are mid-table but some of the margins are tight so they could move up in races three and four.

Spartan women lead Track and Field League plus success in championships

After two meetings the Spartan women are leading the west division of the EMAC (Eastern Masters) league with 185 points compared with second placed Corby / Northampton on 157. 

The Spartan men are third on 177 chasing Marshall Milton Keynes who are on 264.5.

Following on from their recent league match, several Fairlands Valley Spartans members took part in the Eastern Masters Track & Field Championships on Sunday at the Sandy Athletics Track.  In lovely summer conditions were perfect for many season’s bests.

On the track, the sprints saw Ian Rawlinson in the Men over 55 age group take Gold in both 100 metres and 200 metres.  In the over 60 age group, Steve Mayfield took Silver in the 100m & Dave Stephenson took Bronze in the 100m & Silver in the 200m.  Tessa Stephenson also took Gold in both 100 & 200m in the Women over 65 age group.

Sharon Crowley finished off the Track events winning Gold in the 1500 metres for Women over 65.

In the field events, Joylyn Saunders-Mullins won Silver in the over 70 Women’s Hammer & Gold in the Javelin.  Husband Tim managed a Bronze in the Hammer & Silver in the Shot Putt.  Steve Mayfield also took Silver in the Javelin and was 4th in the Long Jump & 6th in the Discus.

1,000,000 parkruns – Parkrun Highlights

Parkrun achieved an incredible milestone on Saturday.  Its one millionth event since parkrun started in 2004.  Many Spartans celebrated by completing a parkrun in Stevenage or elsewhere.

In Stevenage which has just celebrated 10 years there were 559 finishers.

Dozens of Spartans joined in the Stevenage including MEGAN SUTTON the fastest female from Fairlands with a new parkrun personal best of 23:59; ZOE JACKSON was second with 26 minutes exactly (26:00) and BRONYA BROWN third in 27:34.

New member SAMUEL PAUL was third with a new parkrun personal best of 17:20.  GRANT RAMSAY and JAY PAPA both beat 20 minutes with 19:19 and 19:39.

PositionGender PositionFVS parkrunnerTime
33Samuel PAUL17:20
1817Grant RAMSAY19:19
2120Jay PAPA19:39
4543Danny SCANLON21:46
4644Toby ECCLESHALL21:49
8577Lee PICKERSGILL23:36
937Megan SUTTON23:59
133116Daniel VILJOEN25:31
139122Brian WHITE25:42
144126Matt CLARKE25:47
147129Paul SHELLEY25:53
148130Peter SACH25:54
14915Zoe JACKSON26:00
156136Paul MAGUIRE26:05
19831Bronya BROWN27:34
19932Fiona CLARKE27:35
21336Samantha SUTTON27:46
25453Alison SHELLEY28:50
255196Ryan DUNNING28:51
26457Lorraine HILL29:04
289213Jim BROWN29:39
31376Sarah ILLINGWORTH30:18
32882Julie SHADBOLT30:36
342241Steve TINSLEY30:49
347243Steve PLATT30:56
390114Debbie BLANTERN32:45
402268Nick KLEANTHOUS32:59
409271Keith MANTON33:08
418129Pamela VILJOEN33:30
437138Angie KEELING34:52
449149Hannah MANTON35:34
491299Michael O’KEEFE39:30
497301Lloyd DIAS40:09
556214Carolyn LINSELL58:47
559217Sharon CROWLEY58:59

Here Come the Relays in the Park – Almost Full

The 33rd FVS Relays in the Park are nearly full.  They will be at 7.15p.m. on Thursday 16th July.  Each leg is three kilometres and teams will consist of four runners.  The event incorporates the Hertfordshire AARC (County) Senior & Veteran Championships

Below is the link for teams to enter.  All entries must be completed 24 hours before the event; there will be no entries on the night.  There is capacity for 150 teams.  138 entries (552 people) had been received at the time of writing so don’t delay if you want to run.

https://my.raceresult.com/390611/registration

This is a great event to run and a great event to watch.  It’s possible to see runners twice on each stage.

Categories
Club News Race Results

ADRIAN ARRIVES

Amazing ADRIAN BUSOLINI has finished the Montane Winter Spine Race.  He finished in just over 134 hours (134:02:24) – so nearly 34 hours to spare.  Spartan Adrian was 42nd out of the 78 who finished.  82 others started but did not make it to the finish.

The Montane Winter Spine is widely regarded as Britain’s Most Brutal endurance race. It’s a non-stop, 268 mile (432 kilometres) race along the most iconic and demanding national trail in Britain; the Pennine Way.  Beginning from Edale in Derbyshire, runners have a time limit of 168 hours to reach the elusive village of Kirk Yetholm in the Scottish Borders.  They climb over 10,000 metres as the route crosses some of the most beautiful but difficult terrain found in England, including the Peak District, Yorkshire Dales, Northumberland National Park, Hadrian’s Wall and the Cheviots.  It’s a truly epic challenge that will tests physical resilience and mental fortitude.  The up to 150 participants will experience the full intensity and ferocity of the British Winter including deep snow, storm force winds and driving rain.

Spartan Adrian started from Edale, Derbyshire at 0800 on Sunday 12th January and had to be finished at Kirk Yetholm in the Scottish Borders by 0800 on Sunday 19th.  He encountered daytime temperatures between zero and 10 degrees but night times between minus ten and plus degrees.

County Ten Championships

Eight Spartans, four women and four men, ran the Hertfordshire County 10 Mile Championships on an undulating course in St Albans on Sunday.  They were incorporated in the Fred Hughes 10 event.  Chilly but nothing like the freezing conditions at the Hatfield 10K last week.

Under the hour for ten miles is always a great achievement and Spartan SIMON FRASER did it with 58 minutes 13 seconds (58:13) which gave him 42nd place out of the 1,012 finishers.

Next came MICHAEL FISHER in 1:05:33 and MATTHEW NEWTON in 1:11:05. 

YUKO GORDON was second woman 70 plus with 1:18:40.

JIM BROWN ran what he called a “magic time.”  He couldn’t do it last year but wondered if he could beat 90 minutes.  It wasn’t looking good at five miles – 45:25 – but a big effort in the second half saw him cross the line in 1:29:59 for a season’s best.  Achieving a target by one second is a bit magic, one second the other way would be very disappointing.

Then there was ANNE TRYSSESOONE with 1:31:27.  PENNY SCHENKEL improved on her last attempt by more than two minutes to finish in 1:41:06.

SHARON CROWLEY was almost four minutes faster than the time she ran at Buntingford at the end of 2024 with her 1:53:18.

The next county championship will be the Watford Half Marathon on Sunday 2nd February 2025.  Includes the county championships for seniors (all adults, men and women).

PositionNameChip Time
42Simon FRASER58:13
125Michael FISHER1:05:33
217Matthew NEWTON1:11:05
354Yuko GORDON1:18:40
603Jim BROWN1:29:59
653Ann TRYSSESOONE1:31:27
844Penny SCHENKEL1:41:06
970Sharon CROWLEY1:53:18

Parkrun Highlights – Saturday 18th January

A small increase ion temperature saw attendance jump up by nearly seventy at Saturday’s parkrun in Stevenage.  There were 544 finishers including 24 Spartans.  CAROLINE CROFT ran her 100th parkrun in 33 minutes 15 seconds.  GRANT RAMSAY was top ten with 18:52 and ASHLEY JOHNSON was a top ten woman with 23:13.

There were 22 Spartans at other parkruns including a first visit to the Oaklands College parkrun for JANE WADEY.  She definitely recommends trail shoes for this one.  It was a two lap course which Jane reckons was 60% mud.  She finished in 39:21.

Jane added, “As I’m a member of the deaf park run runners, I knew that there would be BSL (British Sign Language) at Oaklands college park run this weekend.  I offered to volunteer but as they said they had enough I decided to run instead.  It was the inaugural event and was opened by the High Sheriff Annie Brewster JP and we were welcomed by the Principal of Oaklands College.There were 254 in attendance with various local clubs represented.  The course was quite muddy in places so trail shoes might be a good idea.  It is two laps, some of it is on paved paths but then you run around the edge of the rugby fields and through the woods but on the whole it is pretty flat.”

PositionGender PositionFVS parkrunnerTime
87Grant RAMSAY18:52
7365Tony RANDFIELD23:04
7768Toby ECCLESHALL23:10
808Ashley JOHNSON23:13
8373Craig BACON23:18
10390Daniel VILJOEN24:12
10794Martin DUDLEY24:37
135116Ryan DUNNING25:25
156133Mark BEASLEY26:13
16420Lorraine HILL26:44
188155Matt CLARKE27:34
19328Fiona CLARKE27:43
224178Jim BROWN28:36
247191Paul JENNINGS29:25
25548Claire EMMERSON29:35
268203Nick KLEANTHOUS29:56
31679Pamela VILJOEN31:22
32988Monica SMITHSON31:49
367109Caroline CROFT33:15
380118Nikki NATION34:09
393124Chloe CHAPMAN34:47
401252Stephen SMITHSON35:07
501198Tracy HAYGARTH42:51
517284Roger BIGGS46:47
Categories
Club News Race Results

AMAZING ADRIAN 

Amazing ADRIAN BUSOLINI from Fairlands Valley Spartans has completed one of the toughest running events anywhere.  He ran 268 miles of the Pennine Way in 120 hours 45 minutes 46 seconds in the Montane Spine Winter Race.  This was a non-stop expedition style race from Edale in Derbyshire to Kirk Yetholm in the Scottish Borders.  The time limit was 168 hours. 

Gold, Silver and Bronze for Spartans in the 30th Aniversary Fred Hughes 10 

There were gold, silver and bronze medals for Fairlands Valley Spartans at the 30th Anniversary Fred Hughes 10 (miles) race from St. Albans on Sunday.  The race included the county championships for veterans. 

SIMON JACKSON said it was very windy and hilly.  He took SILVER in the men 40 plus category in 57 minutes 48 seconds (57:48) which was also a 40 second personal best from 13 years ago! 

JOHN HARRIS is the new county champion for men 60 plus.  He won with 1 hour 12 minutes 5 seconds (1:12:05). 

Photo Credit – Keith Fenwick

Successfully defending a BRONZE medal he won only three weeks ago at the very end of 2023 JIM BROWN finished in 1:30:57 for third in the county championship for men 70 plus.  That was 57 seconds quicker than on the same course twelve months ago and 46 seconds quicker than the last county championship. 

In the open race GABBIE O’BRIEN finished in 1:17:14 and MARIE COLUCCI in 1:22:36.  It was great to see 15 Spartans in the open race which had 1,003 finishers. 

Pos Name Time Category Cat Gender Gender Grade Pace Comments 
16 Simon JACKSON 00:57:47 Ages 40 – 49 2 Male 16 78.23 5:46 min/m County Silver 
138 Mike JEFFS 01:09:23 Ages 20 – 39 60 Male 127 64.30 6:59 min/m  
187 John HARRIS 01:12:05 Ages 60 – 69 2 Male 160 74.93 7:14 min/m County Gold 
207 Matt GIFFORD 01:12:45 Ages 50 – 59 29 Male 175 68.64 7:20 min/m  
208 Matthew NEWTON 01:12:37 Ages 40 – 49 74 Male 176 62.52 7:20 min/m  
294 Gabrielle OÆBRIEN 01:17:14 Ages 20 – 34 18 Female 53 62.56 7:49 min/m  
412 Marie COLUCCI 01:22:36 Ages 45 – 54 38 Female 102 63.50 8:22 min/m  
596 Jim BROWN 01:30:57 Ages 70 – 99 4 Male 402 64.61 9:17 min/m County Bronze 
809 Wendy THARANI 01:41:11 Ages 45 – 54 116 Female 316 54.09 10:22 min/m  
816 Alison SHELLEY 01:41:08 Ages 45 – 54 119 Female 321 55.73 10:26 min/m  
824 Nick KLEANTHOUS 01:42:31 Ages 60 – 69 47 Male 498 51.25 10:29 min/m  
833 Nicola PATTMAN 01:42:13 Ages 45-54 122 Female 332 55.17 10:32 min/m  
862 Sue HAMER 01:44:53 Ages 45 – 54 131 Female 356 53.18 10:48 min/m  
891 Sharon CROWLEY 01:46:47 Ages 65 – 99 7 Female 377 60.52 11:05 min/m  
962 Rebecca RAYNER 01:59:59 Ages 35 – 44 111 Female 432 41.40 12:25 min/m   

Yuko Wins At Farnborough 

YUKO GORDON was the fastest woman aged 70 plus in the Farnborough Half Marathon.  She finished in 1:44:34 and was 86th out of 732 women. 

Parkrun 20th January 

For the Consolidated Results please click the link