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News Race Results

BOOST AT TRENT PARK CROSS COUNTRY

28 Fairlands Valley Spartans – eleven women and 17 men – turned out for the third cross country league race in four weeks.  That’s a much stronger women’s team than last time and helped the club’s performance.  The race was in Trent Park.

This Sunday DAVID HARRIS-CHERGUIT ran 19 seconds faster than seven days earlier and moved up from 10th to sixth overall.  This time ADRIAN BUSOLINI was one second faster with his 29:12 and he was 15th.

TRACEY JACKSON led in the Spartan women with her 39:33 with YUKO GORDON second in 40:40.

It seemed warmer and drier in Trent Park than previous years.

The Spartan men improved to fourth out of 20 in the men’s race at Barley only a week ago.

The next Cross Country League race, race four, will be in Stevenage on Sunday 15th December.

Spartan One Two At Bedford

Spartan ASHLEY JOHNSON was first female in Sunday’s Bedford 10K with a brilliant sub 40 time of 39:50 chip time and Spartan MARIE COLUCCI was sixth with 48:52.

Ashley and Marie were first and second in the women 40 plus category and 11th and 34th out of all the 263 finishers.

Ashley said, “It was a twisty, turny course.  Some muddy, cross country parts.  So not as fast as I’d hoped but a win is a win.”

Knebworth – A Win by 15 seconds and Penny was Early

Six Spartans ran the Hertfordshire Half Marathon from Knebworth House.

Spartan KRISTIAN ATANASOV had a top ten run finishing in 1:20:33.  He was ninth out of 1,362 finishers and second senior male.

CHRIS WATLING said it was a tough course, very undulating.  He didn’t feel overly prepared for today coming off the back of two injuries and only two x 5km treadmill runs during recovery over the last two weeks, but he was very happy with his time!  1:53:45.

Chris added it was good preparation for the Baldock Beast in Feb!  Great event and support. Good to see a few Spartans out there today too! 

JIM BROWN reckons he’s still trying to get out of marathon mode and didn’t think there was a sensible chance of getting under two hours on the rolling course but, but with a reasonable last four kilometres he got sight of the leading runner in his category, caught him after going through the gate into the grounds of Knebworth House and dug in to be first man 70 plus by a margin of 15 seconds.

PENNY SCHENKEL was early.  Clearly delighted she beat her predicted time by more than 28 minutes and finished in 2 hours 31 minutes 55 seconds (2:31:55).  The London plan is clicking in.

MARK COLLINS was 80th in 1:33:47 and CLAIRE EMMERSON finished in 2:15:05.

New York Marathon – a Spartan in the Big Apple

Spartan ROSS GALLAGHER ran the New York Marathon in 3 hours 2 minutes 43 seconds (3:02:43).

He ran on Sunday to complete his Abbott World Marathon Majors 6 Stars. 

Ross said it was a fantastic race and up there with some of the best crowds at any race with the Bronx a personal favourite.  The bridges were just as tough as people say… and he thought parks were flat… Central Park isn’t. 

Resolution Track 5K

Five Spartans were among the 39 runners who went 12.5 times round Ridlins Track on Wednesday evening.  This was the Resolution 5K, a guaranteed no hills event.

After spinning around for 19 minutes 15 seconds JAY PAPA was the first Spartan to finish.  SIMON JACKSON wasn’t far behind in 19:27 then MATT GIFFORD 20:49; BRIAN WHITE 22:31 and KARL SHREEVE in 27:12.

PosMFCatPosNameCatTimeAge Gd
773Jay PAPAMS19:1566.7 %
10104Simon JACKSONMV4019:2773.9 %
19196Matt GIFFORDMV5020:4972.5 %
26241Brian WHITEMV6022:3176.5 %
353010Karl SHREEVEMV5027:1256.4 %

39 ran.

Parkrun Highlights 2nd November

Exactly the same number of runners, 527, finished the award winning Stevenage parkrun this week as the previous Saturday.  There were 227 women and 300 men.

This time Spartan GRANT RAMSAY was well in the top ten at fourth with his 18:33.  KAREN ELLIS was fastest female from Spartans with 25:38.

PAUL SHELLEY has just one parkrun to go before a major milestone.  He finished his 99th in 24:49.  MARTIN JACOB ran his 20th in 26:20.

So far there have been 117,694 finishes by 15,674 different people at the 371 Stevenage parkruns.  They won the top award at the Recent Stevenage Together awards.

Spartans running parkrun 5Ks elsewhere included SIMON JACKSON 19:59 at Great Denham; ADRIAN DONNELLY tenth at Henlow Bridge Lakes in 22:15; YUKO GORDON 23:09 at Storey’s Field; SUZY HAWKINS was first woman at Wendover Woods in 23:34; MEGAN SUTTON 27:07 and SAM SUTTON 32:45 at Bedford; LUCY FIELD 27:43 at Sandhurst Memorial; CHRIS HOLLAND 30:20 at Rutland Water; CHLOE CHAPMAN 30:57 at the Pocket parkrun; and STEVE SMITHSON who was the lonesome Spartan at Panshanger.  He said he had a slightly slippy and challenging powerwalk.  He finished in 255th place out of a field of 317 parkrunners in 34:13

Recently Spartans ASHLEY JOHNSON and NIKKI NATION ran the South Norwood parkrun.

South Norwood parkrun ran an event for Black History Month and one of the local running groups called Emancipated Run Crew did a take over. 

Ashley was first woman out of 82 in 20:47 and NIKKI NATION 28th in 30:03.  215 ran and Ashley as fifth overall!

An official ParkRun film crew were there and they interviewed both Nikki and I.

It’s on Facebook if you want to watch it: 

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/4Q61SH4SanLStP7y/?mibextid=WC7FNe

Categories
Club News Race Results

BRILLIANT STEVENAGE HALF MARATHON!

A fantastic half marathon organised by Fairlands Valley Spartans.  A wet morning but hundreds ran the 13.1 miles around Stevenage and 35 of them were Spartans.  The club provided dozens of voluntary helpers including marshals, lead bikes, water stations and refreshments.  Others helped out including the Rotary Club of Stevenage, Grange Rotary Club, Stevenage Scouts, Stevenage Air Cadets and the Garden House Hospice giving their time freely to make the event a huge success. 

This year the Stevenage Half Marathon raised funds for the Garden House Hospice, the Spartans Charity of the Year. 

A few of the amazing Spartan volunteers who smiled all day through the rain!

The event hosted the Hertfordshire County Half Marathon Championships for veteran runners. 

FVS had individual success in two categories.  YUKO GORDON won GOLD for women aged 65 plus in 1 hour 44 minutes 59 seconds and JIM BROWN won GOLD for men aged 70 plus with 1 hour 57 minutes 23 seconds.  

The Spartans women’s team took the GOLD team medals with GEORGIE HOOPER (1:41:17), YUKO GORDON (1:44:59) and PAULA DUNNE (1:57:19) (teams of three and runners aged 35 plus).  In the process Georgie ran a PB which was 7 minutes and 41 seconds quicker than her last half at Stafford earlier in the year and Paula reduced her PB (personal best) by 4 minutes 41 seconds. 

Georgie, Yuko and Paula

The FVS men won SILVER with DAVID HARRIS-CHERGUIT (1:17:57), ANDREW PATTERSON (1:18:10), GRANT RAMSAY (1:29:04) and PAUL SHELLEY (1:40:02) (teams of four and runners aged 40 plus). 

David, Andrew, Grant and Paul

GABRIELLE O’BRIEN and HARRIET SMITH were both running their first half marathons and both did brilliantly.  Gabbie was the fifth senior (i.e. young adult 18 – 34) woman in the race with 1:44:04 and was 89th overall.  Harriet came in with 1:51:27.   

NICK GILL and ROSS GALLAGHER ran together encouraging each other. They finished 30th and 31st in 1:31:05 a personal best (PB) improvement of 2:56 for Nick and 1:35 for Ross. 

Nick and Ross with their awesome medals!

ROB WRIGHT enjoyed a chicken run in fancy dress but still finished in 1:47:01 and was presented with a custom made chicken medal! He was even asked for selfies with other runners. Next year he plans on giving out autographs!  DEREK CORNELIUS was exactly 100th in his first half with 1:46:31. 

The Spartan chicken and his custom made medal! (He did get a normal one as well)

While WENDY THARANI had a brilliant run and managed a season’s best (SB) with 1:59:22 coming fourth in her county category, TIM ROBINSON said that he enjoyed the local support from the many volunteers. Unfortunately the Beachy Head Marathon from two weeks previously was still in his legs and together with the rain and long incline at 7miles faded badly through miles 8 and 9. At mile 10 he found some motivation and kicked on for three sub 9 minute miles to finish a touch over 2 hours which was a year best result. 

Relatively new Spartan JANE WADEY ran her first ever half marathon distance in (2:34:11) and had the following to say – I just wanted to say, it was my first time of running a half marathon and the support of the marshals and everyone on the route was amazing.  I was happy with my time as I had not even thought what time to aim for.  Thanks especially to Sharon and Tony as they escorted me on the last 2 miles, and the ladies at the finish who gave me water and then Pete and the ladies who gave me flapjacks and a brilliant cup of tea at the end!  

The biggest PB was by JUDY KING who took 23 minutes 48 seconds off her time with 2:52:44. Judy ran with JANE WHITROW who accomplished a SB in 2.52.27. 

Wendy, Judy and Jane who even had time to pose for their photo!

The overall winners were both from Ware Joggers.  Kevin Francis was first man in 1 hour 15 minutes 29 seconds and Katy Woodward first woman in 1:25:19. 

A selection of our happy Spartans!

New York Marathon 

JACKIE DOWNES finished the New York Marathon with a chip time of 5:02:02.  An amazing time for what was said to be the hottest New York Marathon ever! 

CHRIS HOLLAND had an incident with his heart rate after an insect bite at mile 5, but after help from the medical tent, he finished in a chip time of 4:56:38. 

International Spartan Jackie with a friend.

Tables 

All 35 Spartans in the Stevenage Half Marathon 

Pos Name Last Name Chip PB, etc Comments 
David HARRIS-CHERGUIT 1:17:57 4th county MV40 
Andrew PATTERSON 1:18:10 22 5th county MV40 
21 Grant RAMSAY 1:29:04 22 5th county MV50 
30 Nick GILL 1:31:05 PB (2:56)  
31 Ross GALLAGHER 1:31:05 PB (1:35)  
65 Paul SHELLEY 1:40:02 22  
77 Georgie HOOPER 1:41:17 4th county FV35 
82 Mike JEFFS 1:42:52  
89 Gabrielle O’BRIEN 1:44:04 First half 5th senior in race 
95 Yuko GORDON 1:44:59 County Gold 
100 Derek CORNELIUS 1:46:31 First half  
104 Robert WRIGHT 1:47:01 “chicken run” 
105 Steven DOBNER 1:47:08 SB (1:09)  
107 David PATTMAN 1:47:23 SB (1:46)  
128 Harriet SMITH 1:51:27 First half  
134 Chris WATLING 1:53:24 PB (9:31)  
157 Paula DUNNE 1:57:19 PB (4:41)  
158 Jim BROWN 1:57:23 County Gold 
159 Wendy THARANI 1:57:35 SB (0:15) 4th county FV45 
168 Alison SHELLEY 1:59:22 22  
169 Luke GURNEY 1:59:13  
170 Martin DUDLEY 1:59:19 SB  
177 Tim ROBINSON 2:00:49 YB (11:52)  
184 Nick KLEANTHOUS 2:02:51 22  
190 Lee PICKERSGILL 2:03:50 22  
194 Robert EVANS 2:03:53 22  
197 Nigel STRONGITHARM 2:04:28 22  
219 Martin JACOB 2:08:39  
220 Michael O’KEEFE 2:09:12 SB (11:16)  
237 Simon SYPULA 2:14:02 SB (3:06)  
273 Jane WADEY 2:34:11 First half  
281 Paul HOLGATE 2:46:09 YB (29:04)  
286 Jane WHITROW 2:52:27 SB (5:44)  
287 Judy KING 2:52:44 PB (23:48)  
289 Christine ZVEREV 2:58:51 YB (0:52)  

Parkrun

For the weekends parkrun results for the Spartans please follow this link – Parkrun Results 5th November 2022