KARL SHREEVE and JANE WADEY won Thursday evening’s Fairlands Valley Spartans club handicap 5K race in Stevenage. 28 Spartans took part.
The winner was Karl Shreeve showing a much improved return to form in 29 minutes 15 seconds (29:15), six minutes ahead of handicap with Jane Wadey second (1st female) in 34:06, four seconds ahead of Sally Pickles with a 2:22 Season Best (SB) time of 34:10. New member Lee Burton was second man in 28:48 and Steve Platt third in a Year Best time of 26:17.
Photo Credit Tony Randfield (Sharon Crowley for the headline photo)
The fastest runner on the night was Adrian Busolini with a SB 17:41 with Nick Gill second quickest in 20:01 and Matt Gifford third fastest in a new Personal Best (PB) time of 20:41.
Ashley Johnson was quickest female in 20:45 with Jackie Perry second quickest in 26:10 and Nicola Andersson third fastest in 28:56. 19 of the 28 finishers finished within two minutes of their handicap time.
Photo credit Tony Randfield
St Albans Summer 10k
Spartan JIM BROWN ran the St Albans Summer 10K on Sunday in 54 minutes 49 seconds. He was the first finisher over 70 years of age by more than ten minutes and won GOLD in the Hertfordshire 10K Championship for veteran runners. The county championships were incorporated in the open race in which there were 294 finishers.
Jim says he went through 5K seven seconds late and had doubts whether he could do it but a substantial negative split in the second half of the race meant he beat his target by a few seconds.
ROBERT WRIGHT completed his 10K in 42 minutes 55 seconds and was well placed in the 40 plus category.
It was seriously hot, an estimated 30 degrees at the finish line, for the St. Albans Summer 10K but Danny SCANLON ran it in a quick 42 minutes 57 seconds for 39th place overall. At Saturday’s parkrun Jim BROWN was nervous about the heat but come Sunday he won his age category by more than thirteen minutes with 56:38. Michael O’KEEFE was close to his personal best with 58:22.
Parkrun Highlights Saturday 13th August
The summer holiday period saw thirty two Fairlands Valley Spartan members travelled to 10 different parkrun venues across the country.
Simon JACKSON took first place at Stevenage and was the fastest Spartan this week finishing in 17:13. Jonathan PARR took first place at Hunstanton promenade finishing at 17:59 and Susan MCANENY was the fastest female Spartan with a time of 26:46, 8th female at Stevenage.
Other top ten finishers are Adrian DONNELLY at Malahide (6th, 19:20), John HARRIS at Letchworth (5th, 20:40), Claire PULLEN at Stevenage (9th female, 26:46).
Cathy CRAIG travelled to Blandford park run and achieved a new seasons best in 25C heat of 30:40.
Fairlands Valley Spartans SIMON JACKSON was fifth overall and first veteran in the St Albans 10K on Good Friday. He was under 35 minutes with 34 minutes 37 seconds. There were 633 finishers.
ROSS GALLAGHER also beat 40 with 39 minutes 18 seconds for 35th place.
Thirteen Spartans enjoyed the run the others being ANDREW VAUGHAN 41:08; SAM SIMMONS 45:46; TRACY PEZ 48 minutes exactly; ABBIE PEZ 48:04; DAVID PATTMAN 49:16; GEORGIE HOOPER 50:10; STEVEN DODNER 54:13; NICOLA ANDERSSON 56:06; JIM BROWN 57:29: DZENANA TOPIC 1:15:52 and JONATHAN JONES 1:15:57.
Happy Spartans in the sun
Ramsay Top Of The Euros
On Saturday GRANT RAMSAY took part in the first London Inter Club Challenge (LICC) meeting of the season. All members of running clubs outside of London are also welcome. He got a very good result in the 3000 metres steeplechase and achieved high positions in World & European Masters Rankings. (No 1 in Europe)! This was over 35 barriers which included 7 water jumps. Grant won his event in 12 minutes 1 second which shot him up to the number one spot in the rankings.
Winning Grant!
Ten Marathons in Ten Days for Davie
On Monday DAVIE STAFFORD today completed his 10 marathons in 10 days challenge in Walton on Thames with Phoenix Running. His average time over the 10 days was 4 hours 1 minute and 16 seconds. His fastest marathon was on day 5 when he ran a 3.55.40. Every day had a different name – Fortitude; Gauntlet; Dauntless; Resolute; Perseverance; Adversity; Intrepid; Indomitable; Unbreakable and Invincible
Davie and his amazing collection of medals!
Boston UK Marathon
ROB WRIGHT ran the Boston Marathon, the UK one, in a new personal best (PB) of 3 hours 35 minutes 46 seconds.
Rob reminding us that the best part of racing is the chilling afterwards!
Parkrun Highlights 16th April
The Saturday of the Easter weekend saw thirty Fairlands Valley Spartans run in Parkrun events worldwide.
Running in Stevenage’s Spring sunshine resulted in a first-place finish and parkrun PB for Ciaran McANENY in a time of 17 minutes and 23 seconds. With Vishal SHAH also running a PB of 25:01 and Suzy HAWKINS completing the course as the first female in 20:16.
Paul MAGUIRE joined those running PBs with a time of 23:46 at the Westmill event.
Trying out new courses for the Bank holiday were Monica SMITHSON (31:20) and Steve SMITHSON (34:34) at the Thomas Mills event. Darryl STEVENS headed all the way to the Netherlands for his 193rd Parkrun to complete the Kralingse Bos course in 37:07.
301 finishers at Stevenage including nineteen Spartans.
