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THIS WEEKS NEWS RELEASE

It was a beautiful day for the ten Spartans running Sunday’s Watford Half Marathon. Despite the undulating course four ran new personal bests (PBs) for the 13.1 miles.

News Release                                                                                                 3rd February 2013

 

WATFORD HALF

Tough Guy

It was a beautiful day for the ten Spartans running Sunday’s Watford Half Marathon.  Despite the undulating course four ran new personal bests (PBs) for the 13.1 miles.  MATTHEW GILL improved by 23 seconds to 1 hour 40 minutes 46 seconds (524th); VISHAL SHAH by 4 minutes to 1:43:55 (654th) and BARRY KING by a massive 7 minutes 36 seconds to 1:52:08 (982nd) and JENNIFER ROBERTSON by an incredible 12 minutes 32 seconds to 1:41:30.  She was first woman for the club and 545th overall in the popular race which had 1,703 finishers.

DEAN CARPENTER was the fastest for Fairlands Valley.  He was 317th in 1:34:19.  SUZY HAWKINS finished in 1:44:34 (691st) and KIM TYLER in 1:58:48 (1,229th). 

STEPHEN BLOCK was 1,259th in 1:59:10; PAUL HOLGATE 1,477th in 2:08:47 and NEIL MAIDENS 1,641st in 2:23:48.  Paul reckons he overtook 98 runners in the second half of the race. 

Position Name Time   (Chip) Comments
317 DEAN   CARPENTER 1:34:19  
524 MATTHEW   GILL 1:40:46 PB   (23 seconds)
545 JENNIFER   ROBERTSON (F) 1:41:30 PB   (12:32)
654 VISHAL   SHAH 1:43:55 PB   (4 minutes)
691 SUZY   HAWKINS (F) 1:44:34  
982 BARRY   KING 1:52:08 PB   (7:36)
1229 KIM   TYLER (F) 1:58:48  
1259 STEPHEN   BLOCK 1:59:10  
1477 PAUL   HOLGATE 2:08:47  
1641 NEIL   MAIDENS 2:23:48  

Tough Guy Rob

ROB EVANS, along with seven team mates from work, travelled to Perton near Wolverhampton last week to take part in TOUGH GUY 2013.  The challenge began with a grueling 5-6 mile cross-country run including hill slaloms, deep mud and wooden obstacles before taking on the 3-4 mile “Killing Fields” assault course.

The team had to battle water temperatures of minus 10 degrees C, very deep mud obstacles, electric shocks, claustrophobia, barbed wire, 12 metre high cargo nets with dual rope and plank walks.  As a measure of the toughness of the course there was a shortage of medical staff, ambulances and air ambulances to cope with the number of competitors suffering injuries and hypothermia.  Even some of the rescue divers (in dry-suits!) had hypothermia.  Approximately one third of the 5,000 entrants did not complete the course.

All eight members of the team were tremendously proud to have successfully completed the event.

Tracy First Lady

Spartan TRACY PEZ was first lady in the North Herts first Saturday of the month 5K.  She was 23rd overall in 25 minutes 9 seconds.  KIERAN FEETHAM was 15th in 23:47 and SARAH FEETHAM 50th in 28:40.

The course was very muddy and slippery.  Kieran lost his shoe at one point and had to stop to put it on.

Coming Events

Many Spartans will be enjoying a busy programme of races, social and training events over the next few weeks including the:  

  • Spartans Handicap 5 and 10 mile races on Sunday 10th February (new date).
  • Cross Country League in Watford on Sunday 17th February.
  • County Veterans Cross Country Championships at Willian, Letchworth on Sunday 17th March 2013.
  • Virgin London Marathon on Sunday 21st April.
  • Fairlands Valley Challenge on Sunday 21st July.
  • Stevenage Half Marathon on Sunday 3rd November.

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