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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