Spartan YUKO GORDON travelled a long way to Telford in the West Midlands to run a 10K race. One of three selection races for next year’s 10K Masters England team. This was her 17th race in past 15 weeks, which included two full marathons and two overseas races in Tokyo and Lisbon as well as representing England in a masters’ international cross country in Wales.  She won all except one.
Yuko won her category, women 65 plus (W65) but was disappointed with her time of 44 minutes 45 seconds in very wet condition. Â She felt tired from the beginning, not surprisingly but controlled the pace well to finish by out-kicking a younger opponent in the final 80 metres.
Seven at Festive Five (Miles)
STEVE GREEN ran his fastest five mile run this year. 33 minutes 16 seconds at the Festive Five which he says was organised superbly by Garden City Runners with all the profits going to Isabel Hospice.   He was 20th overall.
ERICA GRAYSON said the marshals did an amazing job ensuring the traffic was well managed for the runners.   She said there were lots of friendly festive runners, even a water station half way and added though was no bling but a chocolate Father Christmas on finishing.  Best of all she beat here personal best by 63 seconds to finish in 43 minutes 10 seconds. All that followed by coffee and cake.   A great morning and home by 11am.
STEVE GREEN was 20th in 33:16; CHRIS HOLLAND 36th in 36:51; ERICA GRAYSON 81st with a new personal best of 43:10; KAREN PALMER 45:20; LINDA NOLAN 45:39; ROWENA RUTLEDGE 51:37; and CATHY CRAIG 52:26.
Stevenage Santa Scamper
Sunday 9th December saw the Stevenage Santa Scamper 5K. A fundraiser for the Garden House Hospice care in Letchworth.  DAN HUKIN finished 1st male in 18:41.
JULIE SHADBOLT and KAREN ELLIS had a lovely social run in Santa outfits for the festive season. Â The event was well organised with marshals offering lots of encouragement!
Milton Keynes Winter Half Marathon
In the Milton Keynes Winter Half Marathon Edward Hare was 909th in 1:57:47; Robert Wright 1,258th 2:08:00 after a slow congested first four miles; Maggie Montgomery 1,965th 3:17:52 (“Not sure I’m ready but let’s get the bling”). There were 1,977 finishers
Cross Country – Home Fixture This Sunday
Fairlands Valley Spartans host this Sunday’s cross country league race. About five hundred runners are expected in Fairlands Valley Park, south of Six Hills Way, for a 10.30a.m. start. Only members of clubs affiliated to the league can race but there’s nothing to stop you joining Fairlands Valley Spartans now. Go to www.fvspartans.org.uk
The race will be over 4.9 miles/8K of park land.  The course is a three lap course around the showground side of Fairlands Valley Park. Trail shoes are recommended for the grass surface.
Fairlands Valley Spartans women’s “A” team jumped up to fourth place out of twenty in the second race and are now matching the club’s men who are sixth overall after two events. The women veterans are in the medal range with third place. Both women and men are only a small number of points away from moving up more positions and could do that at the next league race which will be a home fixture; in the south end of Fairlands Valley Park this Sunday morning 16th December.
Result from Lanzarote.
Roger BIGGS was on the lovely Spanish Island of Lanzarote, for a 10 kilometre event alongside the annual marathon.
The 10km event (which was actually 10.7km), started in the Capital Arrecife, and finished in Costa Teguise. Â On a lovely sunny day, Roger completed the over-distance event in a time of 1 hour 16 minutes 28 seconds.
Parkrun Roundup Saturday 8th December
Melanie BUTT achieved a new parkrun PB this week. Melanie was one of 15 Spartans to run at Stevenage and finished in a new best time of 31:19.
Jonathan PARR was first male at Hermanus in 19:12, while Emma NEWBERRY was first lady in Stevenage in 22:44. Other top gender positions in went to Stuart ARCHER 6th 20:40 at Stevenage, Kelly McHALE 6th 25:53 at Panshanger, Hannah NEALE 7th 23:55 at Coldhams Common in Cambridge, John NELMS 9th 21:08 at Great Denham.
(See the end of this release for all Saturday’s Spartan Parkrun results).
Tables
Festive Five
| Position | Category Pos. | Name | Category | Gun | Chip | Graded |
| 20. | 8. | Steve GREEN | MV40 | 0:33:18 | 0:33:16 | 71.6% |
| 36. | 14. | Chris HOLLAND | MS | 0:36:55 | 0:36:51 | 59.8% |
| 81. | 10. | Erica GRAYSON | FV45 | 0:43:22 | 0:43:10 | 62.1% |
| 104. | 17. | Karen PALMER | FV45 | 0:45:32 | 0:45:20 | 61.2% |
| 111. | 7. | Linda NOLAN | FV55+ | 0:45:56 | 0:45:39 | 65.3% |
| 166. | 36. | Rowena RUTLEDGE | FV45 | 0:51:50 | 0:51:37 | 51.3% |
| 171. | 18. | Cathy CRAIG | FV55+ | 0:52:42 | 0:52:26 | 63.4% |
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Parkruns Saturday 8th December
| Parkrun | Pos | Gen | Parkrunner | Time | Notes |
| Barclay | 48 | 14 | Rowena RUTLEDGE | 00:31:21 | |
| Coldham’s Common | 74 | 7 | Hannah NEALE | 00:23:55 | |
| Great Denham | 10 | 9 | John NELMS | 00:21:08 | |
| Hermanus | 1 | 1 | Jonathan PARR | 00:19:12 | |
| Letchworth | 66 | 46 | Paul JENNINGS | 00:33:39 | |
| Melksham | 98 | 66 | Darryl STEVENS | 00:36:26 | |
| Panshanger | 45 | 42 | Mark GOODWIN | 00:23:54 | |
| Panshanger | 69 | 6 | Kelly MCHALE | 00:25:53 | |
| Panshanger | 202 | 56 | Nicola HATHERLY | 00:35:29 | |
| Panshanger | 203 | 57 | Niki PLUMB | 00:35:48 | Course PB |
| Pymmes | 17 | 17 | John ROXBOROUGH | 00:23:20 | |
| Stevenage | 6 | 6 | Stuart ARCHER | 00:20:40 | |
| Stevenage | 23 | 1 | Emma NEWBERRY | 00:22:44 | |
| Stevenage | 24 | 23 | Martin DUDLEY | 00:22:52 | |
| Stevenage | 63 | 56 | Michael O’KEEFE | 00:26:16 | |
| Stevenage | 69 | 62 | David SCOTT | 00:26:40 | 90th Parkrun |
| Stevenage | 70 | 63 | David PATTMAN | 00:26:42 | |
| Stevenage | 107 | 90 | Paul HOLGATE | 00:28:04 | |
| Stevenage | 120 | 21 | Verity FISHER | 00:28:46 | 240th Parkrun |
| Stevenage | 121 | 22 | Alison SHELLEY | 00:28:47 | |
| Stevenage | 134 | 29 | Monica SMITHSON | 00:29:10 | 20th Parkrun |
| Stevenage | 141 | 33 | Claire PULLEN | 00:29:38 | |
| Stevenage | 161 | 43 | Melanie BUTT | 00:31:19 | PB |
| Stevenage | 169 | 49 | Ida LEO | 00:31:48 | |
| Stevenage | 171 | 50 | Sally MCBRIDE | 00:31:51 | |
| Stevenage | 230 | 88 | Nichola DURENT | 00:43:56 | |
| Westmill | 13 | 12 | Jonathan JONES | 00:26:17 | |
| Wimpole Estate | 140 | 117 | Barry KING | 00:27:36 | |
| Wimpole Estate | 258 | 176 | Nick WITCOMBE | 00:35:59 | Course PB |