It was windy in Willian as another good turnout of 44 Spartans tackled the third cross country league race of the season. The race was organised by Fairlands Valley Spartans and Hitchin Running Club and attracted over 400 runners from 14 clubs. The first mile or so of the two lap five mile race was largely uphill and straight into a very strong wind but there was a great descent back towards Manor Wood. FVS were represented by three women’s teams, 15 runners and had more than enough for three men’s teams with 29 male finishers.
There were three Spartans in the top ten. CRAIG HALSEY fourth in 28 minutes 6 seconds; ANDREW PATTERSON sixth in 28:38 and GRANT RAMSAY ninth in 28:53. SIMON JACKSON and CHRIS WESTCOTT also beat the half hour. Simon was 12th in 29:08 and Chris 23rd in 29:52. The eight man “A” team was completed by STEFFAN FORD, eighth in 30:43; PAUL HEWITT 44th in 31:07 and DAN HUKIN 55th in 31:51.
All the women in the Spartans “A” team beat 40 minutes. This time the club’s fastest female was TRACY PEZ, 193rd overall in 37 minutes 57 seconds; CLAIRE PULLEN was close behind, 196th in 38:03. The five runner team was completed by SUZY HAWKINS, 204th in 38:19; MADDIE PRITCHARD, 223rd in 38:58 and HAZEL CLARK, 242nd in 39:22.
CLAIRE COX, 261st in 40:39 led in the women’s “B” team; NICOLA HABERLAND was 284th in 41:58; ISOBEL GREEN 304th in 42:35. SARAH PIKE made a “B” team impact at 312th and 42 minutes 59 seconds and PETA WILSON was 320th in 43:46.
4 CRAIG HALSEY 28:06 Men’s “A” team
6 ANDREW PATTERSON 28:38 Men’s “A” team
9 GRANT RAMSAY 28:53 Men’s “A” team
12 SIMON JACKSON 29:08 Men’s “A” team
23 CHRIS WESTCOTT 29:52 Men’s “A” team
38 STEFFAN FORD 30:43 Men’s “A” team
44 PAUL HEWITT 31:07 Men’s “A” team
55 DAN HUKIN 31:51 Men’s “A” team
67 DAVID RIDDELL 32:27 Men’s “B” team
76 JOHN HARRIS 32:54 Men’s “B” team
102 STEVE GREEN 34:07 Men’s “B” team
125 ADRIAN DONNELLY 35:07 Men’s “B” team
132 DAVID BOWKER 35:26 Men’s “B” team
157 JOHN NELMS 36:35 Men’s “B” team
165 KARL CLARKE 36:57 Men’s “B” team
170 THOMAS SAUKA 37:11 Men’s “B” team
175 TODD GRAY 37:21 Men’s “C” team
190 MARK GOODWIN 37:51 Men’s “C” team
193 TRACY PEZ (F) 37:57 Women’s “A” team
196 CLARE PULLEN (F) 38:03 Women’s “A” team
204 SUZY HAWKINS (F) 38:19 Women’s “A” team
223 MADDIE PRITCHARD (F) 38:58 Women’s “A” team
224 JAMES KILROY 39:00 Men’s “C” team
235 STEVE SMITHSON 39:08 Men’s “C” team
242 HAZEL CLARK (F) 39:22 Women’s “A” team
260 DARREN EMERSON 40:26 Men’s “C” team
261 CLAIRE COX (F) 40:39 Women’s “B” team
273 MARK CHEADLE 41:10 Men’s “C” team
283 TIM ROBINSON 41:56 Men’s “C” team
284 NICOLA HABERLAND (F) 41:58 Women’s “B” team
304 ISOBEL GREEN (F) 42:35 Women’s “B” team
312 SARAH PIKE (F) 42:59 Women’s “B” team
314 JIM BROWN 43:12 Men’s “C” team
319 ROB SHAW 43:40
320 PETA WILSON (F) 43:46 Women’s “B” team
346 ANDY SMITH 46:40
356 MARK FREEMAN 47:46
370 LIZ CARVELL (F) 49:20 Women’s “C” team
372 OLWEN BATTY (F) 49:33 Women’s “C” team
379 ANDREA WESTCOTT (F) 50:20 Women’s “C” team
381 STEVE GOUGH 50:40
391 SHARON CROWLEY (F) 52:14 Women’s “C” team
395 VIKKI MEREDITH (F) 54:08 Women’s “C” team
397 PAUL HOLGATE 55:06
The next cross country league race will be in Watford on Sunday 17th January. The county cross country championships will be in Stevenage on Sunday 10th January. Advance entries are essential for the county races but not for the league.
Victory Five
TESSA and DAVE STEPHENSON travelled back to their old home of Portsmouth to take part in the Victory 5 Mile road race for the first time in over ten years. The very windy conditions on Sunday, with the last two miles heading directly into the wind along the shoreline made for very hard running. They were both happy with their times, Tessa finishing in 44 minutes 24 seconds and Dave in 36 minutes 48 seconds.
Cancun Mexico
On Saturday 5th December CAROL PAUL ran the Cancun marathon in Mexico. The race started at 5pm in hot and humid conditions which were really oppressive. It did not cool down much once it got dark. On an out and back course from downtown Cancun around the hotel district Carol completed the marathon in 5 hours and 4 seconds.
Spain for Biggs
ROGER BIGGS was in Malaga in Southern Spain, on a lovely pleasant weekend. The marathon was a flattish run, mostly near the sea, but hard work as the sun got higher in the sky. He completed the 42.2km in 4:42:54
Parkrun Report
VERITY FISHER had a great race in the St Albans Parkrun on Saturday. She finished in 23 minutes 32 seconds. DANNY SUTTON was 13 seconds behind in 23:45.
Coming Events
Many Spartans will be enjoying a busy programme of races, social and training events over the next few weeks including the:
Festive Five in Welwyn Garden City on Sunday 13th December.
Handicap 5K in Stevenage on Thursday evening 17th December.
Serpentine 5K on Friday 18th December (obviously won’t be on Christmas Day).
County 10 miles Veterans Championship and Open 10 at Buntingford on Monday 28th December.
New Year’s Day 10K in Hyde Park on Friday 1st January 2016.
County Cross Country Championships in Stevenage on Sunday 10th January 2016.
Fourth cross country league race in Watford on Sunday 17th January.
Fred Hughes 10 including the County Ten Mile Championships for Veterans on Sunday 24th January.
South of England Cross Country Championships in London on Saturday 30th January.
Watford Half Marathon including the County Championships for Veterans on Sunday 7th February.
Fifth and final cross country league race on Therfield Heath on Sunday 14th February.
County Veterans Cross Country Championships on Sunday 13th March (probably Watford).
Halstead Marathon, including Hertfordshire County Championships for seniors and veterans, on Sunday 8th May.
Stevenage Half Marathon, a Stevenage 70 event, on Sunday 6th November.
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, Telford Avenue, 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 9a.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 yet done very much running might prefer to start with a Thursday, Saturday or Monday session.
Try a few sessions before joining. Membership is only ÂŁ37 per year, ÂŁ25 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. You can also join online.
If you want to know more about the Spartans please contact Jim Brown (0793 968 7509), Andy Neatham 0777 197 5499 and 01438 816889; or Karen Palmer (07734678566) or visit their website www.fvspartans.org.uk
E N D S
More from Jim Brown (Press Officer) 0793 968 7509; Andy Neatham 0777 197 5499 and 01438 816889 or Karen Palmer (Secretary) 0773 467 8566
www.fvspartans.org.uk