Categories
Club News Race Results

TRENT PARK – MIDWEEK LEAGUE

There was a lot on in the world on Thursday 4th 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 25th place out of the 194 male finishers.  ADRIAN BUSOLINI 38th in 37:56; JONATHAN PARR 41st in 38:02; BRIAN BRACKSTONE 43rd 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, 26th woman in 46:56.  YUKO GORDON won her age group with 51:14.  She was 47th woman overall.

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

RaceCatVetNo.TimeNameSurnameCat.M/FFemale Pos.
1431017102046:56SuzyHawkinsV 45F26
193134110051:14YukoGordonV 65F47
2171844107353:19JoCooksleyV 35F59
248109056:55SophieParsonsSF77
2592864107558:37WendyTharaniV 45F82
275327210911:02:36ClaireEmmersonV 45F92
280167610851:03:36JudyKingV 55F96
293208410781:08:06LizCarvellV 55F104
295218610991:10:32MonicaSmithsonV 55F106
299248710861:13:19CallieChapmanV 35F107
301228810791:17:08JaneWadeyV 55F108
RaceCatVetNo.TimeFirst NameLast NameCat.M/FMale Pos
25101436:47KirkNduguSM25
38102837:56AdrianBusoliniSM38
41161898838:02JonathanParrV 40M41
43319102738:14BrianBrackstoneV 50M43
74100241:16JayPapaSM72
127226499645:51MattGiffordV 50M107
131436899746:19AlexeyZherdevV 40M111
1364671101046:41RobertWrightV 40M114
14547598747:11BrianWhiteV 60M119
18089499050:25CharlieArnoldV 60M140
2113811099252:42SimonHaighV 50M156
22663115101154:31MattTuttonV 40M162
249102256:55RyanRiddellSM172
26245130101658:58PeteCookV 50M178
26961329991:00:20JimBrownV 70M180
2714613310241:01:05TimRobinsonV 50M182
2741813410211:02:14NickKleanthousV 60M183
29110261:07:37PeterSachSM188
298201429861:11:37PaulHolgateV 60M192

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 20th 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 190th with 1:33:06; ANNABELLE WHITE was 198th with 1:35:09 and FIONA CLARKE 212th 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 112th in 1:21:51 and ROBERT WRIGHT 65th 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 239th in 1:21:17.

PosMFCatPosBibNameCatGunChip
20.1938901Paul SHELLEYMV501:07:271:07:25
65.55232178Robert WRIGHTMV401:15:481:15:30
112.91362127Chris WATLINGMS1:22:091:21:51
188.134458942Matt TUTTONMV401:33:191:32:56
190.5598902Alison SHELLEYFV551:33:281:33:06
198.60158896Annabelle WHITEFS1:35:301:35:09
212.67208906Fiona CLARKEFV451:38:091:37:47
254.160438829Gerry ROSENMV501:52:321:52:10

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 31st July.

Parkrun Highlights 6th July

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

ANNABELLE WHITE ran her 150th 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.

Categories
Club News Race Results

Spartans in Chingford Mid Week League

 

34 Spartans made the difficult early evening journey to Chingford for the third in the series of Mid Week League road races. 

This was on a tough six mile course in Epping Forest.  SIMON JACKSON was third veteran and 12th overall in 34 minutes 58 seconds; PETE SMITH first man 60 plus in 43:52 and TONY RANDFIELD third in 44:42. 

This time MICHELLE REEVES was the fastest woman for FVS with 44:24 and MARIE COLUCCI second with 47:51.  ABBIE PEZ was third woman under 20 with 54:08. 

Speedies in the forest.

CAROLYN LINSELL was second woman 65 plus with 62:24 and CATHY CRAIG third with 66:50. 

There were 15 Spartan women and 19 men.  The fourth and final counting race in the 2022 Mid Week Road Race series will be in Trent Park, north London at 7.45p.m. on Thursday 30th June 

All smiles happy to of accomplished ‘The Hill!’

(For all 34 Spartan times and positions please see the table near the end of this release) 

Hot and Hilly in St Albans 

It was hot and hilly for the St Albans Half Marathon. 

Spartan JOHN HARRIS was second man 60 plus and 130th out of the 1,600 finishers in 1 hour 34 minutes 16 seconds. 

MATT CLARKE came in at 1:43:27 and FIONA CLARKE 2:07:12. 

CHLOE CHAPMAN said it was a really well organised event, although there were some big hills the route was beautiful.  The ice lolly at the end was much needed.  She finished in 2:14:19. 

John and The Clarkes with their medals after a hot half

JIM BROWN was taken ill during the race but did eventually finish in 2 hours 35 minutes exactly. 

JANE WADEY ran the 5K at St Albans.  She came in with 33:53.  She said she found it a bit hard, as it was very hilly which she hadn’t anticipated and also hot but it was the first actual chip-timed race she has done. 

ROGER BIGGS completed the 5K in 49:29. 

Adrian Busolini – Grand Trail du Saint Jacques (GTSJ) 

The awesome Adrian!

ADRIAN BUSOLINI raced the 74 kilometres Grand Trail du Saint Jacques in France.  One of the UTMB (Ultra Trail) World Series events there were 3.2 kilometres of climbing.  He was 23rd in 9 hours 34 minutes 55 second.  Here’s his story: 

The first half of the race wends its way up and down the hillsides rising from the Allier river, which are plastered with dense forest: a vibrant, dark green carpet so uncommon in England, which has been almost entirely deforested.  Frequently steep, dry and slippery, poles are highly recommended on these trails. 

Starting right at the back of the first wave after getting confused by the (lack of) instructions in Monistrol, within minutes I was stuck in queues at the base of the first single track ascent. It was painfully apparent I had a gargantuan challenge on my hands to try to forge a path through, and the narrow trails in the first half of GTSJ make it a very tough course to do that. After some 30-40 or so km I had managed to clear the slower part of the field, just as the temperature rose to around 30C – but now I had to push on, and start making up time, as opposed to just places.  

50K is where the course peaks, and it’s mostly a gradual downhill thereafter, with the hilly, forested landscape making way for sweeping plains and fields. I was starting to run low on food and water, and was rationing supplies, daring not to stop at any of the public water spots alongside my fellow runners so as not to lose any more time (having been joined by marathon and 32K competitors at this point, the course was, again, fairly crowded). 

As I dehydrated and cooked out in the unshaded plains, passing runner after runner stationary and bent double over their poles, I kept my eye out for the iconic symbols of Le Puy en Velay, where the race concluded: the chapel of St Michael perched incredibly atop its own extinct volcano, and the imposing terracotta statue of Mary and child similarly overlooking the city.  I did not spot them until I descended into the streets of the city itself, when I cranked into another gear and pushed on through a surprisingly good crowd up the final climb to the cathedral, a stunning location for the finish. 

An important lesson for future trail races: don’t hang around in reception venues waiting for instructions, or presume where the start is. Get yourself to that start line early. Recovering from a back of the pack start can be non-trivial. 

That said, 23rd place in a “by UTMB” race – I’ll happily take that. 

Over the Sea to Skye 

STEVE DOBNER and DAVID PATTMAN completed the Isle of Skye half in 2:01.59. 

The weather was against them – 50mph wind, sideways rain and hail.  With an elevation gain of 368 metres, it’s definitely a challenging course but also an amazing experience. 

Steve and Dave still smiling through the rain after completing their race!

British Masters Steeplechase Silver 

It was SILVER for GRANT RAMSAY in the British Masters Steeplechase Championship in Derby. 

Over 3,000 metres he was second man 50 plus with 12 minutes 50 seconds. 

Tony in the Forest 

Spartan TONY RANDFIELD won the men over 60 (MV60) award at the Marston Forest 5K on Friday.  He finished in 20 minutes 46 seconds and was 62nd out of the 341 finishers. 

Hampshire Hoppit 

TONY RANDFIELD and ROB WRIGHT ran the Hampshire Hoppit trail marathon.  They kept together to finish in a moving time of 4 hours 45 minutes 10 seconds. 

Tony and Rob rehydrating post race.

Parkrun Highlights Saturday 11th June 

Eighteen Fairlands Valley Spartans ran in Parkrun events on Saturday morning. 

Mark GOODWIN ran a PB time of 22 minutes and 54 seconds on the Stevenage course.  Alongside Stuart ARCHER who finished the course 3rd overall in 19 minutes and 36 seconds and Jim BROWN who won his age category in 26 minutes and 55 seconds.   

Visits to new courses were completed by, Michael O’KEEFE on the Armley course in 30:17, and Tracy HAYGARTH at Fell Foot, Newby Bridge in 34:40. 

Parkrunners in the sun!

Tables 

Midweek Road Race League Division 1 – Race 3 – Chingford 6 miles – Wednesday 8th June 

Position Gender Pos Cat Vet Name Surname Time Cat. M/F Comments  
12 12 Simon Jackson 34:58 V 40 3rd Vet 
24 24     Adrian Busolini 36:21   
39 39     Simon Fraser 37:38   
85 78     Mike Jeffs 40:50   
86 79     Ross Gallagher 40:51   
90 82     Stuart Archer 41:29   
114 98     Robert Wright 43:23   
121 103 56 Pete Smith 43:52 V 60 1st MV60 
133 20 14 Michelle Reeves 44:24 V 35   
140 119 71 Tony Randfield 44:42 V 60 3rd Vet 60 
161 132 52 84 Grant Ramsay 43:00 V 40   
184 149 35 97 Matt Clarke 47:17 V 50   
194 38 13 26 Marie Colucci 47:51 V 35   
209 164     David Kennedy 48:41   
216 169 113 Mark Goodwin 49:12 V 60   
223 48 17 34 Tracy Pez 49:31 V 45   
232 176 42 119 Darren Emmerson 50:00 V 50   
281 80   Abbie Pez 54:08 U 20 3rd FU20 
289 205 57 146 Tim Robinson 55:22 V 50   
293 208 16 148 Nick Kleanthous 56:01 V 60   
296 85 27 64 Wendy Tharani 56:17 V 45   
300 88 28 66 Claire Emmerson 56:30 V 45   
310 213 63 153 Karl Shreeve 56:28 V 50   
312 96     Chloe Chapman 57:57   
313 97 30 73 Vicky Archer 57:46 V 35   
331 112 88 Carolyn Linsell 62:24 V 65 2nd FV65 
338 219 67 159 Michael O’Keefe 64:05 V 50   
339 117 32 93 Ada Janusiene 64:07 V 35   
341 119 39 95 Jenny Garrett 64:14 V 45   
342 120 23 96 Monica Smithson 65:14 V 55   
346 124 100 Cathy Craig 66:50 V 65 4th FV65 
350 127 25 103 Sharon Crowley 69:12 V 55   
352 221 68 161 Jonathan Jones 70:19 V 50   
353 129 33 105 Callie Chapman 70:31 V 35   

15 women.  19 men. 

Spartans at parkruns 11th June 

Parkrun Position Gender Position Parkrunner Time 
Stevenage Stuart ARCHER 00:19:35 
  26 26 Mark GOODWIN 00:22:54 
  39 37 Matt CLARKE 00:24:23 
  41 39 Toby ECCLESHALL 00:24:37 
  54 50 James MCSWEENEY 00:25:07 
  93 77 Jim BROWN 00:26:55 
  94 16 Nicola ANDERSSON 00:26:56 
  102 18 Fiona CLARKE 00:27:43 
  115 22 Andrea WESTCOTT 00:28:17 
  122 94 Kartik SHARMA 00:28:45 
  160 49 Chloe CHAPMAN 00:31:47 
  191 119 David SCOTT 00:35:37 
          
Wimpole Estate 264 108 Mo WARRILLOW 00:38:34 
          
Fell Foot, Newby Bridge 183 74 Tracy HAYGARTH 00:34:40 
          
Letchworth 27 25 Paul MAGUIRE 00:24:09 
          
Armley 81 53 Michael O’KEEFE 00:30:17