Entries Open for the Stevenage Half Marathon
Only eleven weeks to go to the Stevenage Half Marathon and it’s time to start getting ready. 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. This club and community event has a history going back 37 years and is organised by Fairlands Valley Spartans. With a break due to Covid 19 in 2020 it’s back for 2021. You have got time to get fit to run and you can train with www.fvspartans.org.uk Once you join all the many training sessions each week and the advice is free.
The Stevenage Half Marathon began in 1984 and takes place annually with a full marathon every 10 years (the next Stevenage marathon is due 2024).Race headquarters is at Ridlins Athletic Stadium, with the race itself comprising of two loops taking in Fairlands Valley Park, Stevenage Showground, before passing Stevenage Football Club before returning to Ridlins Stadium for your second lap and then the race to the finish on the track at Ridlins.The route is completely road or cycle way based, so there are no muddy sections to worry about and is completely signposted and marshalled so you can be sure of a warm welcome and encouragement all the way around the 13.1 miles.Although designed as a charity fundraising event, the course is officially measured and previously has hosted the Hertfordshire Road Running Half Marathon and Marathon championships, attracting some of the top local elite athletes and the occasional World Record Holder.The event is a charity fundraiser, with volunteers from Fairlands Valley Spartans Running Club, The Rotary Club of Stevenage, Grange Rotary Club, Stevenage Scouts and Stevenage Air Cadets giving their time freely to make the event a huge success. All proceeds go to local charities. The 2019 event provided in excess of £3000 in donations to worthy causes and the Spartans hope the Stevenage Half Marathon 2021 is even more successful.
Each Year the Spartans nominate a charity to support and the chosen charity for 2021 is Feed Up Warm Up.To enter have a look at https://stevenagehalfmarathon.org.uk/
CCC
‘After years of dreaming’ ADRIAN BUSOLINI was in Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, France for the CCC (Cormayeur; Champex; Chamonix) this weekend. This Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc is a run through Italy, Switzerland and France around the Mont Blanc massif. Just before the start the cold weather mandatory kit extensions were unexpectedly triggered so he’s got more clothing than in any other event.
With the 100k course having over 6k of ascent it made for the most climbing that Adrian has ever done in a day (possibly even a week!) and it was the first time he had raced with poles.
Starting in Courmayeur (Italy) the course worked its way through Champex-Lac (Switzerland) and finished in Chamonix (France). Adrian said, ‘The course was beautiful and brutal in equal measure. The support from the locals was unparalleled and the nightmare finish in Chamonix was a moment to savour.’ He finished 227th of 2011 participants of which 433 did not finish. Final running time was 16 hours 45mins 47 seconds.
Hitchin 5K
A number of Spartans took to Hitchin town centre on Sunday to race 5K. STUART ARCHER was first Spartan home in 19.49 and came 7th overall, winning his age category. BRIAN WHITE came in with a time of 21.21 and was also 1st in his age category. YUKO GORDON gained a time of 22.25 and was 3rd over all woman. She said that she’d hoped to run it inside the British W70 record of 22.12 but it was not the case on the day but it was a nice feeling to have won an open prize. VISHAL SHAH ran it in 27.29 and ERICA GRAYSON ran the course in 27.38 having gone straight to the race from a night shift! SUE HAMER swiftly followed her in 28.52. MONICA SMITHSON looked strong at the finish coming in with 30.05.
Velo Park 10K
On Saturday SHELBE MOONBEAM ran 10K at London’s Velo Park. Having never been to the course before she thought the course was flat until she arrived and saw the hills! It is a lap course of 6 one mile loops. Shelbe said ‘It was the hardest run I think that I have ever done. By mile 4 I was ready to give up but I carried on and am so proud of myself!’
She wanted to complete the race in 1 hour 20mins but her finished time was actually 1.18.16.
Last Fridays are back
Despite being made to work very hard coaching on Thursday evening JIM BROWN was determined to make it to Hyde Park for the first Last Friday of the Month 5K since February 2020. With a slow start he went round in 26 minutes 58 seconds which was good enough to get him in the top 100. This was on the two lap course. The lunch-time events have been organised by the Serpentine Running Club since 1992.
Flying On Number 68 – Saturday 28th August.
Fly 5K was one of the stars of lockdown keeping runners moving and in touch during the restrictions.
Two Spartans recorded times this week. JIM BROWN with a time of 26.58. He was 81st and 3rd in the V65 age category. PAUL HOLGATE was 118th recording a time of 31.11, he was 4th in the V60 category. 160 times in total were recorded for the Fly 5k this week.
Parkrun Highlights 28th August 2021 – sixth week back
The end Summer holiday season saw Spartans travelling a little further afield for their parkrun fix.
There were plenty of first time runs: JENNY GARRETT at St Albans in 28:14, TRACY STILES at Sedgefield (32.13), BETH FOLEY at Blickling in Norfolk (33:59), MARIAN MORLEY at Sherwood Pines near Mansfield (26:53) and JAMES McSWEENEY at Soham Village College (24:22).
A trio of Spartans at Wimpole Estate: BARRY KING (27:32), NICK WITCOMBE (35:25) and SALLY PHILLIPS in a new PB of 35.26. MICHAEL O’KEEFE was at Houghton Hall near Dunstable (29.07). VERITY FISHER and DANNY SUTTON were at their now “home” parkrun of Rutland Water running 31:38 and 31:39 respectively. KAREN PALMER took a short trip to Letchworth (33:56).
Back in Stevenage, there was a speedy field with the male course record narrowly missed. There were PBs for SUZY HAWKINS (19:52) and ANDREW McGUINESS (21:01).
Tables
Full results for all Spartans when there are a lot at an event will be listed below.
Spartans in parkruns. Full results for 28th August are below:
St Albans parkrun
A total of 417 runners took part
| Position | Gender Position | Parkrunner | Run Time |
| 1 | 1 | Jonathan SCOTT | 00:17:59 |
| 4 | 1 | Rebecca FLAHERTY | 00:18:54 |
| 201 | 40 | Jenny GARRETT | 00:28:14 |
Stevenage parkrun
A total of 287 runners took part
| Position | Gender Position | Parkrunner | Run Time |
| 1 | 1 | Oscar BELL | 00:15:29 |
| 5 | 5 | Jonathan PARR | 00:16:55 |
| 11 | 1 | Harriet KEALY | 00:19:31 |
| 13 | 12 | Steve WELLS | 00:19:45 |
| 15 | 2 | Suzy HAWKINS | 00:19:52 |
| 27 | 23 | Andrew MCGUINNESS | 00:21:01 |
| 51 | 46 | Toby ECCLESHALL | 00:23:04 |
| 63 | 55 | Martin DUDLEY | 00:23:50 |
| 69 | 58 | Sam SIMMONS | 00:24:22 |
| 73 | 62 | Matt CLARKE | 00:24:26 |
| 97 | 79 | Tim ROBINSON | 00:25:57 |
| 101 | 83 | Mark BEASLEY | 00:26:02 |
| 124 | 99 | Steven DOBNER | 00:27:13 |
| 125 | 100 | Nick GILL | 00:27:13 |
| 127 | 21 | Georgie HOOPER | 00:27:17 |
| 145 | 111 | David PATTMAN | 00:28:37 |
| 176 | 132 | Roger HEAD | 00:30:54 |
| 177 | 133 | Paul JENNINGS | 00:30:59 |
| 211 | 141 | Stephen SMITHSON | 00:32:57 |
| 234 | 70 | Fiona CLARKE | 00:35:10 |
| 244 | 154 | Kartik SHARMA | 00:36:10 |
Sedgefield Parkrun
A total of 234 runners took part
| Position | Gender Position | Parkrunner | Run Time |
| 1 | 1 | Andy HARDY | 00:18:09 |
| 25 | 1 | Izzy MORGAN | 00:23:13 |
| 162 | 40 | Tracy STILES | 00:32:16 |
Houghton Hall parkrun
A total of 182 runners took part
| Position | Gender Position | Parkrunner | Run Time |
| 1 | 1 | Perry PAYNE | 00:16:45 |
| 2 | 1 | Rosie MCNABOLA | 00:18:25 |
| 87 | 68 | Michael O’KEEFE | 00:29:07 |
Wimpole Estate parkrun
A total of 333 runners took part
| Position | Gender Position | Parkrunner | Run Time |
| 1 | 1 | Chris DARLING | 00:17:18 |
| 24 | 1 | Carla BROWN | 00:21:07 |
| 144 | 117 | Barry KING | 00:27:32 |
| 269 | 170 | Nick WITCOMBE | 00:35:25 |
| 270 | 88 | Sally PHILLIPS | 00:35:26 |
Blicking parkrun
A total of 235 runners took part
| Position | Gender Position | parkrunner | Run Time |
| 1 | 1 | Neil ADAMS | 00:16:57 |
| 22 | 1 | Amy MARTIN | 00:21:18 |
| 182 | 65 | Beth FOLEY | 00:33:59 |
Sherwood Pines parkrun
A total of 273 runners took part
| Position | Gender Position | parkrunner | Run Time |
| 1 | 1 | Peter UDALL | 00:17:47 |
| 27 | 1 | Cheralynne TODD MCINTRYE | 00:22:17 |
| 100 | 10 | Marian MORLEY | 00:26:53 |
Rutland Water parkun
A total of 311 runners took part
| Position | Gender Position | parkrunner | Run Time |
| 1 | 1 | Mark POPPLE | 00:17:12 |
| 4 | 1 | Hannah LORD | 00:18:40 |
| 213 | 74 | Verity FISHER | 00:31:38 |
| 214 | 130 | Daniel SUTTON | 00:31:39 |
Letchworth parkrun
A total of 155 runners took part
| Position | Gender Position | parkrunner | Run Time |
| 1 | 1 | Peter CLARKE | 00:19:08 |
| 45 | 1 | Frances STANTON | 00:26:05 |
| 127 | 41 | Karen PALMER | 00:33:56 |
Soham Village College parkrun
A total of 115 runners took part
| Position | Gender Position | parkrunner | Run Time |
| 1 | 1 | James SMITH | 00:17:01 |
| 5 | 1 | Bethan EVERSON | 00:19:03 |
| 33 | 28 | James MCSWEENEY | 00:24:22 |