Twenty Spartans swapped the joys of Christmas shopping to do a not so muddy run around Trent Park on Sunday morning. This was the third of the five races in this season’s cross country league which includes eighteen clubs.
First woman, first finisher, for Fairlands Valley was CHRISTINE LATHWELL, an impressive 44th overall in 31 minutes 59 seconds for the five mile race. She was followed in by ADRIAN DONNELLY, 69th in 33:34; DANIEL BATES, 108th in 35:10; THOMAS SAUKAE, 116th in 35:26; PETE SMITH, 147th in 37:02; VISHAL SHAH, 152nd in 37:11; MATT PALACIO, 177th in 37:49; STEVE MAYFIELD, 182nd in 38:15; RHIANNON GRIFFIN, second woman for the club who was 194th in 38:38; JULIE SIMMONS, third woman, 196th in 38:52; MARK CHEADLE, 235th in 41:22; ANDY JAY, 247th in 42:07; PETA WILSON, 298th in 46:51; MARK FREEMAN, 302nd in 46:38; NICK WITCOMBE, 313th in 48:26; STEPH MAYFIELD, 318th in 49:02; SHARON CROWLEY, 322nd in 49:30; LORRAINE THOMAS, 324th in 49:41; PAUL HOLGATE, 329th in 50:36 and LIZ CROWLEY, 330th in 51:02.
Position Name Time Category
44 CHRISTINE LATHWELL (F) 31:59 W35
69 ADRIAN DONNELLY 33:34 SM
108 DANIEL BATES 35:10 SM
116 THOMAS SAUKAE 35:26 SM
147 PETE SMITH 37:02 M50
152 VISHAL SHAH 37:11 SM
177 MATT PALACIO 37:49 SM
182 STEVE MAYFIELD 38:15 M40
194 RHIANNON GRIFFIN (F) 38:38 SW
196 JULIE SIMMONS (F) 38:52 W55
235 MARK CHEADLE 41:22 SM
247 ANDY JAY 42:07 M40
298 PETA WILSON (F) 46:51 W35
302 MARK FREEMAN 46:38 M50
313 NICK WITCOMBE 48:26 M40
318 STEPH MAYFIELD (F) 49:02 W35
322 SHARON CROWLEY (F) 49:30 W55
324 LORRAINE THOMAS (F) 49:41 W45
329 PAUL HOLGATE 50:36 M50
330 LIZ CROWLEY (F) 51:02 SW
Team results will be available in a few days. Fairlands Valley Spartans were ninth out of 18 at the previous race in Grovelands Park.
Another PB for Andrea
Andrea Westcott continued her recent good form with a 10K personal best in Oxfordshire on Sunday. Held just outside Bicester, the Andy Reading Memorial 10k was a breezy affair with about half the race on an airfield exposed to the elements. Andrea finished in 55 minutes 30 seconds – an improvement of nearly two and a half minutes on her previous best.
First Saturday
Four Spartans enjoyed the first Saturday of the month 5K race in Letchworth. JOHN HARRIS was 10th in 21 minutes 35 seconds; TRACY PEZ 15th in 22:05; JAMES SEALS 26th in 23:05 and MADDIE PRITCHARD 46th in 26:18.
Nene Valley 10
SIMON BELL recently ran the Nene Valley 10 in 62 minutes 16 seconds.
Coming Events
Many Spartans will be enjoying a busy programme of races, social and training events over the next few weeks including the:
• Handicap 5K in Stevenage on Thursday 19th December
• County Ten Miles Championship in Buntingford on 30th December 2013
• Hertfordshire Cross Country Championships in Watford on Sunday 5th January
• Cross country race four on Therfield Heath on Sunday 12th January
• Cross country race five at Watford on Sunday 16th February
• Presentation Evening on Friday 28th February 2014
• Veterans Cross Country Championships in Royston on 16th March 2014.
Join The Spartans
Live in or near Stevenage? Like running? Fairlands Valley Spartans is your local running club and is on the up! The club was voted the UK’s Best Running Club in 2010. It now has hundreds of members and encourages participation by all. The Spartans have a varied training programme to suit those who want to run 5 kilometres through to full marathons.
The Spartans weekday training sessions are on Tuesday and Thursday evenings. Go along to the new sports centre at Marriotts School – a Sports College, Brittain Way, Stevenage (SG2 8UT) at 7p.m. Up to five running groups go out on training nights – there will be one to suit you!
The Spartan Starter group starts from Marriotts at 7.30p.m. every Monday (except public holidays) and 7p.m. every Thursday.
Most long Sunday morning training sessions start 9.30a.m. sharp. Spartan track training sessions are held at Ridlins Athletics Track, Woodcock Road, Stevenage most Saturdays from 9.15a.m. There are events to enter every Sunday. Newcomers are very welcome – those who have not done very much running yet might prefer to start with a Thursday, Saturday or Monday session.
Try a few sessions before joining. Membership is only £35 per year, £25 without UKA membership. Concessions are available. Membership forms are available on the Spartans website www.fvspartans.org.uk Please ask if you would like a paper copy.
If you want to know more about the Spartans please contact Jim Brown (0793 968 7509 or 01438 354505), Vivienne Honey 07702 846304 or visit their website www.fvspartans.org.uk
E N D S
More from Jim Brown (Press Officer) 0793 968 7509 / 01438 354505 or Vivienne Honey (Secretary) 07702 846304
www.fvspartans.org.uk