Tag: Willow 10k

Categories
News Race Results

WILLOW 10K

Great Eastern Run

This year’s Great Eastern Run in Peterborough was a fantastic event for fast times with eleven Spartans joining the fun.

Spartan KRISTIAN ATANASOV blasted round Sunday’s Great Eastern Run taking 3 minutes 58 seconds (3:58) of his half marathon personal best and finishing top 100 with 1 hour 16 minutes 31 seconds.

Kris said “here is a little summary of how I think the race went:

Even before the race started, it felt a bit rushed and a little panicked as I was not at the right pace zone and feared I’d have to start with a lot of traffic ahead of me.  Luckily, I managed to get into a good position less than three minutes before the start was given.

We went with a bit a of an easy start, then got into a good fast paced rhythm, feeling I could sustain a great pace till the end. The fog was ever present on the roads but there was barely any wind, which made the conditions, very good for a PB (personal best) attempt.

My legs started to feel a bit heavy just after the mid point in the race but I was determined to push myself until the end and managed with the uplift from the spectacular audience to finish strongly and grab myself a 3 minutes and 58 seconds improvement in the half marathon.

Overall, had a great time, achieving a new high in my running season, surrounded by amazing Spartan runners and a cheerleader. The event organisation was very much on top, and I couldn’t have asked for much more.”

Club men’s captain MIKE JEFFS was another happy Spartan.  He took 1:06 of his PB to go sub 1:20 (under 80 minutes) with 1:19:16.

Then PETE GENTLE really stirred things up taking 25 minutes 35 seconds (25:35!) off his PB by finishing in 1:27:24.  There was another PB from ANNABELLE WHITE who improved by 2:50 to 1 hour 46 minutes exactly.

After a week off with a niggle ROSS GALLAGHER treated this one as a progression run as part of a Sunday long run.  His chip time was 1:35:48.

A half marathon is never easy but JIM BROWN really enjoyed his run.  OK a bit of misty specs but otherwise the conditions were pretty much spot on for him.  Despite 4,701 finishers and being in “the masses” there were no hold ups, very efficient water stations, no significant hazards, a great running surface and if anything slightly downhill for the second half.

It was possible to run across the start line and keep going at a consistent pace.  28:32 for the first 5K and 28:12 for the last 5K gives some idea.  He finished in 2:02:08.  His best time this year by 1 minute 26 seconds.

Jim said “Of course it might have been nice to have been 129 seconds faster but maybe I can get closer to a significant barrier another time.  Great to be able to walk to Stevenage station get on a train, easy walk to the race start and just run.”

SHARON CROWLEY said it was a chilly morning for the Great Eastern Run in Peterborough, but for her it was almost a 40 minute improvement from her Cambridge Half back in March.  She finished in 2 hours 13 minutes 26 seconds and was very happy with that.

GERRY ROSEN’s time was 2:28:17, beating his Ealing Half time by almost two minutes.  He’s off to the Abingdon Marathon next weekend.

PosFirst NameSecond NameGenCategoryCat PosChip Time
99KristianAtanasovMMO681:16:31.1
169MikeJeffsMM40-44361:19:16.8
322SimonFraserMMO1891:24:03.8
452PeteGentleMM45-49521:27:24.10
814CharlesArnoldMM65-6941:34:30.7
892RossGallagherMM40-441371:35:48.3
1673AnnabelleWhiteFFO1621:46:00.8
2549CarolineBarterFF45631:56:22.3
3006JimBrownMM70-7452:02:08.4
3665SharonCrowleyFF65-69112:13:26.3
4214GerryRosenMM50-542492:28:17.1

Willow 10K at Hatfield

The Willow Foundation is Fairlands Valley Spartans charity of the year and 25 Spartans ran the Willow 10K on Sunday.

A couple beat 50 minutes.  STEPHEN MASSEY with 48:56 and TONY VICKERS who was second in his age category with 49:14.  JO COOKSLEY was second woman 35 plus with 51:12.  ALICE WELCH took a big 4 minutes 20 seconds chunk off her 10K personal best (PB) when she finished in 57:18 and SAM GENTLY took 1:23 off her personal best with 58:38.  Her first time under 60 minutes.  SALLY PICKLES improved by 2:05 to 1:03:19.

It was a hilly course but SAM SUTTON ran her second fastest 10K with 1:02:02 at the Willow 10K.

HAZEL SMITH said it was a lovely route, and it was great to support the club’s charity of the year!

Hazel finished third in her age category and 97th overall with a chip time of 55 minutes exactly.

PositionNameTime (Chip)Time (Gun)Category
52STEPHEN MASSEY48:5649:03M35
57TONY VICKERS49:1449:21MV55
70JO COOKSLEY51:1251:18F35
84JAYNE RIDDELL53:1753:25F55
97HAZEL SMITH55:0055:14F50
109LINDA NOLAN55:4355:56F60
125ALICE WELCH57:0457:18FOpen
133DAVID RIDDELL58:2358:39MV60
137SAM GENTLY58:3858:53FV45
156TIM ROBINSON59:561:00:08MV55
181SAM SUTTON1:02:021:02:16FV50
193SALLY PICKLES1:03:191:03:34FV60
200JOLYON BLAND1:03:571:04:24M35
212NICK KLEANTHOUS1:05:061:05:29M60
235LIZ CAVELL1:08:051:08:20F65
254AMANDA VICKERS1:10:181:10:30F50
266JAYNE DYMOKE1:12:371:12:56F45
267SALLY PHILLIPS1:13:311:13:45F60
282JANE WADEY1:16:441:16:58F55
300BECKY RAYNER1:20:581:21:54F40
316NIKI PLUMB1:25:071:25:21F45
322LEE POTTER1:28:571:29:53M35
326EMMA CHAPMAN1:31:511:32:22F35
327JANE WHITROW1:38:521:39:43F55
328ABBIE WHITROW1:38:521:39:43FOpen

Lucy in Budapest

LUCY PAUL joined Fairlands Valley Spartans two months ago.  She’d taken most of last year off running and was just building up again by herself.  She says the Tuesday intervals and last Sunday’s 10 miler with the club have definitely improved her running and increased my confidence.  She finished the Budapest marathon on Sunday in 4:31:42.  Now she’s looking forward to lots more running with FVS. 

Manchester Half

Spartan KEITH HOOKER ran the Manchester Half Marathon on Sunday.  His previous personal best was 1 hour 41 minutes.  Now it’s 1:35:32.

Bournemouth 10K

Lovely weather and no hills for the Bournemouth 10K said PETE COOK.  He finished in a season’s best 52:14.

Back in the Spartans

NATALIE LAWRENCE was first woman and eighth out of the 260 runners in the Love Luton Runfest Half Marathon on Sunday.  Her time was 1:23:51!

Running the River

The Run the River 10K saw MATTHEW NEWTON finish in 49 minutes 33 seconds (49:33).  He was 55th out of the 284 finishers in the multi-terrain event along the Lee Valley,

Here Comes The Stevenage Half

Organised by a local community running club, Fairlands Valley Spartans, and with more than 350 entries so far the Stevenage Half Marathon will be on Sunday 19th October at 10a.m.  Entries are open to all aged 17 plus but it will include the Hertfordshire county senior championships.

The two lap course is on tarmac on the town’s famous cycleways.  It will include Fairlands Valley Park, Grace Way, the railway station and various points of interest around Stevenage.  The event HQ will be at Hampson Park Community Centre.

Each year the event supports a charity.  This time it’s the Willow Foundation.

The event is fully licenced, chip timed and with an accurately measured course.  It will be held under UKA (United Kingdom Athletics) rules.  UKA 29379 with certificate of course accuracy 24/258.

This is the real thing.  Fairlands Valley Spartans have organised the Stevenage Marathon and Half Marathon since 1984.  There will be dozens of volunteers from FVS and local organisations such as the Scouts.  Can you come and stand / wave / cheer / point on 19th October?  Contact shm@fvspartans.org.uk

The Half Marathon race is open to all entrants aged 17 years or older on race day.  The course is suitable for racing wheelchairs. 

Fairlands Valley Spartans are delighted that SK Plumbing and Heating; ASK Physio; Andy Prior Personal Training; the Alternative Catering Company; and RHG Insurance are sponsoring the half marathon this year.

Please visit https://stevenagehalfmarathon.org.uk/ for more information and to enter.  Standard entries are only ÂŁ30.  There’s ÂŁ2 discount for members of UKA affiliated clubs.  Don’t delay enter today.

This will be a great local event for spectators.

Bristol and Bath Railway Marathon

Tricia Hopper ran the Bath & Bristol Railway Marathon on Sunday 12 October organised by Relish Running.  It was a mostly flat, tarmac out and back route.  An enjoyable and friendly run in perfect conditions.

Parkrun Highlights – Saturday 11th October 2025

A new parkrun, Stanborough, has been welcomed to the Hertfordshire family of parkruns but there were still 447 parkrunners at Stevenage on Saturday morning.  35 were from Fairlands Valley Spartans.

Spartan GAIL MACKIE was first woman with 22 minutes 19 seconds.  HAYLEY PEACH ran a new parkrun PB with 35:55.

PositionGender PositionFVS parkrunnerTime
33Simon JACKSON18:29
1414Grant RAMSAY20:29
1818Danny SCANLON21:08
361Gail MACKIE22:19
4742Matthew COOKE22:39
7568Daniel VILJOEN24:14
10089Stuart ARCHER25:01
10593Darren EMMERSON25:13
10710Claire PULLEN25:21
136117Matt TUTTON26:23
147127Matt CLARKE26:51
167141Jim BROWN27:58
21039Lorraine HILL29:21
22945Ada JANUSIENE29:51
23046Fiona CLARKE29:52
285197David ACKERY31:49
300204Matthew NEWTON32:27
312210Kartik SHARMA33:02
313211Ahaan SHARMA33:03
320214Luke SILVER33:45
32492Pamela VILJOEN33:56
338100Lindsay PATEMAN34:37
352109Penny SCHENKEL35:36
357112Hayley PEACH35:55
358113Caroline CROFT35:57
359114Carole SHELDRICK35:58
372120Jenny GARRETT37:37
373121Julie SHADBOLT37:38
394134Tracy HAYGARTH39:18
400244Paul JENNINGS39:57
408143Melody BROWN41:16
429256Roger BIGGS50:32
435159Nikki NATION52:50
436258Tony RANDFIELD53:01
442163Bonnie BRAZIL57:06
Categories
Club News Race Results

Hitchin 5k, Half’s, Marathons, Hills and More!

Hitchin 5k 

Nine Spartans raced round Hitchin in the town’s 5K race.  Only a week after running a fast time in the London Marathon it was won by FVS own ANDREW PATTERSON in 16 minutes 2 seconds. 

HARRIET SMITH was the second woman 20 plus and fastest female from Fairlands in 23 minutes 51 seconds. 

ADRIAN DONNELLY was 15th in 20:01.  The other Spartans were SAM SIMMONS 21:06; MARC RIDLEY 23:06; DAVID KENNEDY 23:23 NICK KLEANTHOUS 26:54; MATT TUTTON 27:24 and MONICA SMITHSON 30:32.  There were 228 finishers. 

Runners at Hitchin 5k

Willow 10K 

Spartans DANNY SCANLON, JIM BROWN and JUDY KING made the short trip to Hatfield for a 10K race.  This was a friendly multi-terrain charity event for the Willow Foundation in the picturesque grounds of Hatfield House.  Danny was 10th in 44 minutes 3 seconds, Jim finished 60th in 55:37 and Judy came in 184th with 1:16:10.  There were 211 finishers.  Judy said her run has really boosted her confidence for future races including the Great South Run (10 miles) and the Stevenage Half Marathon on 6th November.  Willow organises special days for seriously ill young adults. 

Danny and Judy at the Willow run

Royal Parks Half 

CRAIG BACON finished the Royal Parks Half Marathon in less than 1 hour 40 minutes with 1:39:23. 

VISHAL SHAH did the run round London in 2:13:52 and CALLIE CHAPMAN finished in 2:47:19. 

Craig, Callie and Vish with their medals

Chicago Marathon 

Spartans DUNCAN FLOUNDERS and ROSS GALLAGHER were in Chicago for the marathon.  Duncan ran a couple of events for the first time in a long time this weekend. 

He finished the Chicago 5K in 26 minutes 29 seconds (26:29) and then the full Chicago Marathon in 3 hours 53 minutes 14 seconds (3:53:14). 

Duncan said, “The marathon was an awesome experience despite being two years late. Crowds lined the course for pretty much every step of the way and they were all amazing. The whole city heats up for this for days beforehand and it didn’t disappoint. Lots of fun, the inevitable pain around 30k but managed to work through that and actually enjoyed the last few kilometres.  Great event. 

ROSS GALLAGHER completed the Chicago marathon in a time of 3:08:43. 

Target was a sub 3:10 so he was delighted to walk away with 3:08 and a 15 minute PB from London 2022. 

Ross said, “After a chilly start the sun came up for what were perfect running conditions.  Great crowd and support which were particularly needed for the last three miles ‘these felt much longer than just a park run’.  

International Spartan Ross!

Tring Ridgeway Run 

On Sunday 9th October Tim Robinson ran the 40th Tring Ridgeway Run. A 15km trail run in the Chilterns organised by Tring Running Club who organise several very good races throughout the year in the Chiltern Hills.  The race starts in Tring and heads up to the Bridgwater Monument on the Ashridge Estate before winding through the woods down to Steps Hill and over Pitstone Hill back to Tring for a total ascent of around 750ft.  The ascent to the Bridgewater Monument was fairly steady going but once into the woods the constant up and down meant several walk breaks and there was a strong headwind on Pitstone Hill despite the sun.  Tim took advantage of the long downhills to make up for lost time and finished 256th in a time of 1:35:45. 

Tim enjoying the rolling hills!

Maverick Lincolnshire 

JANE WHITROW and her dog Rufus had a day trip out to do a 10k…actually a 10.5k Canicross run at the beautiful Grimsthorpe Castle park.  It was the first Maverick event for them – they loved it and the alcohol free cold beer at the finish was very welcome! 

Official time was 1 hour 17 minutes on a beautiful and “undulating” course. 

A happy Jane and Rufus!

Parkrun

For all the Spartan Parkrun results from the 8th October 2022 please click the link – Parkrun Consolidated Results 8th October

Categories
Club News Race Results

MAGNIFICENT MANCHESTER

Eight Spartans In Manchester!  Entries are open for our own Stevenage Half Marathon! 

Eight Spartans excelled themselves by finishing the Manchester Marathon on Sunday. 

For PAUL and ALISON SHELLEY it was their second ever marathon.  It was warmer than they’d expected it to be and they both gave it their all.  Paul improved his personal best by 14 minutes and finished in 3 hours 13 minutes 36 seconds.  He was 1,098 out of the 9,473 men and 61st out of 929 men aged 50 plus.  Alison took 23 minutes off her personal best (PB) with 4 hours 13 minutes 16 seconds and was 84th out of the 415 women aged 50 plus. 

MATT CLARKE was pleased to get under four hours, 3:58:01, despite disruptions to his preparation.  For FIONA CLARKE it was an emotional run but she completed her target of three marathons this year with 4 hours 52 minutes 21 seconds.  Fiona was raising money for the East and North Hertfordshire Hospitals Trust.  She said that for her it was an ugly race, very scrappy, the hardest of the three but she did it! 

WENDY THARANI ran the London Marathon only a week earlier but she still finished Manchester in 4 hours 38 minutes 55 seconds.  DAVID PATTMAN came in with 4:01:07 and STEVEN DOBNER with 4:12:53. 

Wendy and Fiona are all smiles at the Manchester finish line!

For LIZ SMITH it was an experiment to see if her prodigious cycling fitness could get her round a marathon.  It did. She finished with a smile in 5 hours 10 minutes 34 seconds. 

Position Name Time Comments 
1148 PAUL SHELLEY 3:13:36 PB (13 minutes) 
4948 MATT CLARKE 3:58:01  
5366 DAVID PATTMAN 4:01.07  
6476 STEVEN DOBNER 4:12:53  
6527 ALISON SHELLEY 4:13:16 PB (23 minutes) 
9036 WENDY THARANI 4:38:55 Ran London 
10130 FIONA CLARKE 4:52:21 Three Done 
11402 LIZ SMITH 5:10:34  

Metropolis 

On Sunday, ADRIAN BUSOLINI participated in the inaugural running of Metropolis, a story-driven night time ultra experience through central London.  Starting with some properly engaging & atmospheric immersive theatre, runners were given new identities and tasked with completing a range of mandatory and optional missions to help the RUN resistance network.  

Guided by What 3 Words locations, they had to devise optimised route choices on the fly, accounting for factors such as time windows, deadlines, water supply, and the practicalities of navigating around London on a Saturday night; all the while evading ‘The Eyes’ who were trying to hunt us down with the help of GPS tracking. Ultimately we had to connect with a resistance leader to learn of our extraction location, and make it to the rendezvous point before ‘the last transport from Metropolis’. Billed as a 50 kilometres race, Adrian ended up exceeding 75 from targeting a number of the bonus missions. 

The race directors Richard and Mark put a lot of effort into devising this experience, crafting the backstory, preparing the theatrical elements & actor roles, the technological live tracking for the missions, and practicalities of the Eyes hunting participants; down to the details such as the witty mission locations, origami birds, and the extraction location embedded in a fortune cookie. If you fancy a memorable, immersive experience that also happens to involve a fair amount of running, then keep an eye out for what Richand and Mark come up with next. 

Results are yet to be finalised, but according to the current state of the leaderboard I finished in second, somehow… 

Adrian taking on Metropolis

Jonathan Second At Windsor 

Spartan JONATHAN PARR was second at the Windsor Autumn 5K around Dorney Lake in 16 minutes 7 seconds. 

Yuko Is World Champion 

YUKO GORDON from Fairlands Valley Spartans is a marathon world champion.  She won the World Age Group Championships which were incorporated in the London Marathon.  Her time was 3 hours 25 minutes 30 seconds.  She was 6 minutes 54 seconds ahead of her nearest rival Sharon Smith (3:32:24) and 13 minutes 8 seconds ahead of third placed Jeannie Rice from the USA 3:38:380.  

Having cleaned up Yuko went straight back into London for the WANDA age group marathon party. 

(Yuko’s victory was confirmed after last week’s release had been distributed.  Twenty Spartans finished the race). 

Yuko, our very proud World Champion celebrating in style!

Royal Parks Half 

GERRY ROSEN has had a really difficult year with Covid and other issues but he beat his half marathon personal best by seven minutes with 2 hours 35 minutes 30 seconds at the Royal Parks Half Marathon. 

Run With Willow 

Two Spartans CAROLYN LINSELL and JIM BROWN ran the Willow Foundation 10K at Hatfield House on Sunday.  Jim said it was a really relaxed and friendly wind down after the previous week’s London Marathon though he was woken up by a cattle grid at about five kilometres.  Carolyn finished in 55 minutes 26 seconds, her third fastest 10K, and Jim in 58:20.  Carolyn was 39th and Jim 51st out of the 131 runners.  This was a mixed terrain event with the start very close to Hatfield Station. 

Carolyn & Jim at the Willow 10K

Inspired by the London and Manchester Marathons?  Here Comes The Stevenage Half! 

Inspired by the London and Manchester Marathons?  Now you can be one of hundreds running in Stevenage on Sunday 21st November as entries for the town’s half marathon are open. 

With only six weeks to go to the Stevenage Half Marathon it’s time to start getting ready and entered.  This year the race will be on Sunday 21st November (a couple of weeks later than usual). 

Entries for the Stevenage Half Marathon are open.  Go to https://stevenagehalfmarathon.org.uk/   

Parkrun Highlights – Saturday 9th Oct 2021 

Although many were enjoying an England Athletics track training session at Ridlins or preparing for races the next day a warm October morning saw twenty two Fairlands Valley Spartans attend Parkrun events. 

In Stevenage, CHARLOTTE KEARNEY ran a personal best (PB) time of 29 minutes and 44 secondss, completing the course in the top 40 females.  On her 75th Parkrun outing, GAIL MACKIE finished as the 8th female in 25 mins and 32 secs closely followed by ASHLEY SCHOENWETTER in 25 mins and 33 secs (9th female).  TOBY ECCLESHALL was the first male Spartan to complete the course in 22 minutes and 13 seconds. 

Elsewhere MICHAEL O’KEEFE and JAMES McSWEENY respectively ran the Henlow Bridge Lakes and Hillsborough Forest routes for the first time in 28 mins and 48 secs and 24 mins and 08 secs. 

HELEN HARRIS and JIM BROWN were both running their 60th parkruns. 

(All the Spartans running parkruns on Saturday are included near the end of this release). 

Time To Get Muddy 

The cross country season starts this Sunday 17th October with a Sunday League race at Cheshunt. 

Tables 

Full results for all Spartans when there are a lot at an event will be listed below.   

Spartan Parkrun Results: 

  Position Gender Position Parkrunner Time â€Ż 
Stevenage parkrun 27 24 Toby ECCLESHALL 00:22:13 â€Ż 
  72 8 Gail MACKIE 00:25:32 â€Ż 
  73 9 Ashley SCHOENWETTER 00:25:33 â€Ż 
  94 81 Jim BROWN 00:26:37 â€Ż 
  97 83 Mark BEASLEY 00:26:43 â€Ż 
  119 96 Matt CLARKE 00:27:47 â€Ż 
  133 24 Nicola ANDERSSON 00:28:31 â€Ż 
  145 112 Paul JENNINGS 00:29:04 â€Ż 
  146 28 Penny SCHENKEL 00:29:08 â€Ż 
  149 31 Fiona CLARKE 00:29:17 â€Ż 
  159 117 Danik BATES 00:29:41 â€Ż 
  160 37 Charlotte KEARNEY 00:29:44 PB! 
  161 38 Chloe CHAPMAN 00:29:44 â€Ż 
  218 62 Theresa KEAST 00:32:58 â€Ż 
  221 65 Beth FOLEY 00:33:15 â€Ż 
  284 102 Helen HARRIS 00:51:01 â€Ż 
  286 163 Roger BIGGS 01:06:49 â€Ż 
  â€Ż â€Ż â€Ż â€Ż â€Ż 
Wimpole Estate parkrun 233 87 Sally PHILLIPS 00:35:21 â€Ż 
  â€Ż â€Ż â€Ż â€Ż â€Ż 
Canons Park parkrun 18 15 Tim SABAN 00:22:27 â€Ż 
  â€Ż â€Ż â€Ż â€Ż â€Ż 
Henlow Bridge Lakes parkrun 83 66 Michael O’KEEFE 00:28:48 â€Ż 
  â€Ż â€Ż â€Ż â€Ż â€Ż 
Hillsborough Forest parkrun 22 18 James MCSWEENEY 00:24:08 â€Ż 
      
Westmill parkrun 23 17 Andy JAY 00:26:06 â€Ż 

www.fvspartans.org.uk