Ultra Martin
The Centurion NDW50 is a 50 miles ultra marathon trail event along the North Downs Way and Spartan MARTIN JACOB did it! The 50 miles point to point started in Farnham, Surrey and finished at Knockholt Pond on the outskirts of London.
Martin said he found the Box Hill stairs tough but he finished within the time limit with 12 hours 34 minutes 37 seconds (12:34:37).
Martin said, “I signed up for the NDW50 knowing it was only two weeks after my Milton Keynes marathon. I knew taking on a 50-mile ultra with such a short recovery would be tough, but I also saw it as an important mental test ahead of my 100-mile race later this year.
When the race began, I felt strong and quickly found a comfortable rhythm, running confidently for much of the first half. Then came the relentless climb at Box Hill, which really punished my legs. From that point on, every downhill felt brutal, and I had to back off the pace to let my legs recover.
Gradually, I found my strength again and pushed through to the finish, crossing the line in 12:34:37 with a strong sprint to the end.”
Ultra Lewis
LEWIS GREEN took on the Ultra Trail Snowdonia 25k Sunday morning (although due to a storm the course was altered).
Lewis was really pleased to finish in under three hours and said it’s the best he’s felt running in the mountains to date.
He finished in 2:55:29. It was the first time he’d run the 25k route after doing the 50k route three times before.
The 400s
Five of the 21 teams at the Gosling Stadium 400 metre relay events were from Fairlands Valley Spartans.
Their senior mixed team were fourth overall and WON their category with CHARLIE WHITE second equal fastest runner in 1:01; GEORGIE HOOPER and GAIL MACKIE fourth equal women runner, with each other in 1:13 and NICK GILL fourth man in 1:02. Making a team total of just 4 minutes 29 seconds only 2 seconds behind second place and four seconds behind the winners – a senior male team.
The FVS veteran male team were second in category with TERRY SAWYER 1:14; DANNY SCANLON 1:18; CHARLIE ARNOLD 1:24 and ANDY SHAW 1:10. The team finished in 5:06.
Meanwhile the FVS veteran women’s team were third with SHARON CROWLEY 1:32; JOYLYN SAUNDERS-MULLINS 1:33; JACKIE PERRY 1:37 and TESSA STEPHENSON 1:40. A total of 6 minutes 23 seconds.
Named Vintage Valley Spartans the second FVS veteran female team finished in a total of 6 minutes 50 seconds with JUDY KING 1:44; LORRAINE HILL 1:39: SAM GENTRY 1:48 and SAMANTHA SUTTON 1:38, a pleasing improvement of 19 seconds on last year.
And the “FVS very senior” team finished in 5:26 with MELVIN AUBURN 1:08; PETE COOK 1:28; MARTIN WOOD 1:29 and CRAIG BACON 1:19.
45 women and 39 men took part.
Hackney Half PB
On Sunday PETER SACH hit a half marathon personal best (PB) at the Hackney Half with 2 hours 16 minutes 3 seconds (2:16.03).
He’s over the moon to get a PB and this was his is third time in a row completing the Hackney Half. The event is always a great one with people lining the streets in support for virtually the entire course. Although rain was threatening this year, it held off, providing nicely temperate conditions for running.
Plymouth Half for Alice
ALICE WELCH completed Sunday’s Plymouth Half Marathon in 01:48:32. After being injured and it being a really tough course (mammoth hills in the middle and the finish is uphill on the hoe!) she said she can’t complain about her time really!
But Alice said it’s a very special city to her and it’s a very scenic route so really nice day. And the day after completing her 25th Parkrun at Central, Plymouth.
Charlie’s Outings
Recently CHARLIE ARNOLD ran 1500 metres in 6:36 at an EMAC (Eastern Masters) event in Milton Keynes. On Sunday he ran the Stort 5 in 44:40. The Stort 5 is an enjoyable and well organised five miles event run on farm trails (there is a 10 mile option) with a festival atmosphere and craft stalls at Cammas Hall Farm near Bishops Stortford.
Wheathampstead Wander
JIM BROWN “relaxed” with the Wheathampstead 10K Trail event. It wasn’t flat! He finished in 1 hour 6 minutes 16 seconds (1:06:16) for second in category. There were 308 finishers.
Relays in the Park.
Entries for the 33rd FVS Relays in the Park have opened. They will be at 7.15p.m. on Thursday 16th July. Each leg is three kilometres and teams will consist of four runners. The event incorporates the Hertfordshire AARC Senior & Veteran Championships
Below is the link for teams to enter. All entries must be completed 24 hours before the event; there will be no entries on the night. Lots of entries have been received so don’t delay.
https://my.raceresult.com/390611/registration
This is a great event to run and a great event to watch. It’s possible to see runners twice on each stage.
Mid Week is Go!
The first Mid Week League race of the season will be in Hemel Hempstead on Thursday evening 21st May. Mid Week League races are about 10K. The Spartans will be aiming for promotion this year.
Parkrun Highlights
There were almost 600 at Saturday’s Stevenage parkrun with 49 from Fairlands Valley Spartans.
Spartan SIMON JACKSON was quickest of the 593 round the 5K with his 17 minutes 48 seconds.
Two Spartans celebrated big milestones. It was CALLIE FINDLAY’s 100th parkrun which she finished in 33:52 and BRONYA BROWN’s 50th in 26:35.
There were new parkrun personal bests from ANDY PRIOR 22:48; ADAM HILL 23:10; SARAH THOMAS 26:54; SALLY PICKLES 27:59 and SAM GENTRY 28:08.
Mini-milestones by LEE PICKERSGILL 130th in 23:49; DANIEL VILJOEN 340th in 24:28 and STEVE SMITHSON 130th in 34:03.
FVS had three parkrun winners as 72 Spartans ran parkruns on Saturday. Those “away” included ANDREW PATTERSON winning the Milton Keynes parkrun with 17:15; KIRK NDUGU winning the Letchworth parkrun in 17:22; KELLY McHALE running her first parkrun in two years with 22:32 at Brook Leys, NW Cambridge; SUZY HAWKINS 26:13 at Wendover Woods; CHARLIE ARNOLD 25:51 at Great Denham; and ALICE WELCH 29:19 at Central parkrun, Plymouth.
| Position | Gender Position | FVS parkrunner | Time |
| 1 | 1 | Simon JACKSON | 17:48 |
| 3 | 3 | Mike JEFFS | 18:03 |
| 10 | 10 | Simon FRASER | 19:09 |
| 11 | 11 | Perri GENTRY | 19:10 |
| 15 | 15 | Jay PAPA | 19:53 |
| 41 | 38 | Danny SCANLON | 21:39 |
| 65 | 61 | Andy PRIOR | 22:48 |
| 75 | 70 | Adam HILL | 23:10 |
| 92 | 85 | Lee PICKERSGILL | 23:49 |
| 93 | 86 | Matthew COOKE | 23:50 |
| 108 | 100 | Martin DUDLEY | 24:18 |
| 114 | 106 | Daniel VILJOEN | 24:28 |
| 117 | 109 | Brian WHITE | 24:30 |
| 138 | 9 | Gail MACKIE | 25:04 |
| 139 | 10 | Georgie HOOPER | 25:14 |
| 152 | 13 | Lorraine HILL | 25:48 |
| 188 | 22 | Bronya BROWN | 26:35 |
| 195 | 23 | Sarah THOMAS | 26:54 |
| 202 | 172 | Paul SHELLEY | 27:01 |
| 219 | 28 | Samantha SUTTON | 27:36 |
| 232 | 32 | Sally PICKLES | 27:59 |
| 233 | 193 | Graham HOARE | 28:00 |
| 237 | 196 | Peter SACH | 28:06 |
| 241 | 34 | Sam GENTRY | 28:08 |
| 248 | 203 | Nick GILL | 28:17 |
| 251 | 205 | Ryan DUNNING | 28:21 |
| 295 | 54 | Sarah ILLINGWORTH | 29:23 |
| 316 | 64 | Fiona CLARKE | 29:55 |
| 325 | 68 | Jo COOKSLEY | 30:12 |
| 326 | 69 | Julie SHADBOLT | 30:13 |
| 328 | 245 | Jim BROWN | 30:18 |
| 344 | 78 | Judy KING | 30:41 |
| 368 | 264 | Keith MANTON | 31:49 |
| 385 | 275 | Ahaan SHARMA | 32:15 |
| 386 | 276 | Kartik SHARMA | 32:17 |
| 425 | 120 | Callie FINDLAY | 33:50 |
| 426 | 121 | Alison SHELLEY | 33:51 |
| 427 | 122 | Claire EMMERSON | 33:52 |
| 428 | 123 | Kerstin WEINER | 33:53 |
| 431 | 126 | Hayley PEACH | 33:54 |
| 434 | 289 | Stephen SMITHSON | 34:03 |
| 438 | 132 | Penny SCHENKEL | 34:07 |
| 454 | 139 | Pamela VILJOEN | 34:33 |
| 466 | 301 | Luke SILVER | 34:55 |
| 490 | 313 | Lloyd DIAS | 36:03 |
| 493 | 159 | Angie KEELING | 36:10 |
| 501 | 165 | Zoe NEWELL | 36:23 |
| 505 | 169 | Sally PHILLIPS | 36:41 |
| 534 | 324 | Kris WESTCOTT | 39:48 |