Fairlands Valley Spartans
Chepstow Running Festival
On Saturday Spartan GERRY ROSEN tamed four laps of Chepstow Race Course to finish the running festival half marathon. He said the course was not flat, not undulating, in between if that makes sense. There’s a hill very similar to the end of the MK20, zero shade, it was hot, very friendly marshals and a few Spartan shout outs, now to enjoy the very rare Welsh sunshine, Iechyd Da !!
Gerry took part in the Chepstow Half Marathon in the running festival at Chepstow Racecourse. There were also 5K and 10K runners with over 700 in total taking part.
It was rolling terrain and run on gravel and concrete. Unfortunately the clouds dispersed just in time for the start and that made for a very hot difficult morning. Four laps of the inside of the Racecourse with a very cheeky sharp steep hill thrown in every time. He finished in a time of 2 hours 40 minutes.
Richmond to Thames Barrier
Another day, another member doing an Ultra! Spartan JOHN NELMS ran the Richmond to Thames barrier – 33 miles, four river crossings, overall downhill course. He was 33rd in 7 hours 15 minutes exactly.
Stopsley Trail Ten
YUKO GORDON ran the Stopsley Trail ten mile race in 1:35:17 which got her fifth woman overall and first woman 70 plus. She said it was tough but beautiful.
Second in Stour
Back on the long trails again ADRIAN BUSOLINI was second in the Stour Valley Path 100 kilometre event with 9 hours 33 minutes 27 seconds.
EMAC 2025
Fairlands Valley Spartans women’s team has qualified for the final of the East of England Masters (EMAC) track and field competition. They won the local league by an amazing 81 points.
They won their fourth and last counting event by 20 points. The team consisted of MONICA BROWN, LIZ CROWLEY, SHARON CROWLEY, KAREN DODSWORTH, YUKO GORDON, CHRISTINE LATHWELL, JOYLYN SAUNDERS- MULLINS and TESSA STEPHENSON, was held in Milton Keynes on Wednesday 30th July.
The final is being held at Thurrock on Saturday 6th September.
The Spartan men finished a very credible third.
EMAC organise events for veteran athletes.
Parkrun Highlights, Saturday 16th August – a big thank you to Angus
Forty one Spartans joined a massive celebration of the 500th time Angus Kindley has volunteered at a parkrun. They were part of a moving party of 526 parkrunners around the 5K in Fairlands Valley Park. And others from FVS were helping as volunteers themselves.
And the Spartans had four finishers in the top ten. They were SIMON JACKSON third in 17:40; MIKE JEFFS fourth in 18:04; CIARAN McANENY fifth in 18:20 and KIRK NDUGU seventh in 18:41.
There was a big milestone for STEVE PLATT. His 100th parkrun so he caped up and ran round in 31 minutes 20 seconds (31:20).
Congratulations to MEL BROWN who achieved her milestone of 25 parkruns in 42:50.
There were three new parkrun personal bests (PPBs) – PETER SACH in 26:38; SALLY PICKLES in 30:52 and LINDSAY PATEMAN in 42:23.
JAY PAPA ran his 80th parkrun in 20:37.
Angus may not be a Spartan but he’s given thousands of people a little bit of joy on Saturday and Sunday mornings. Thank you from FVS.
More than 53 Spartans ran parkruns on Saturday. Those elsewhere included SHARON CROWLEY who ran a new course best of 30:06 at the Mile End parkrun in 30:06; SIMON HAIGH finished the Clacton Sea Front parkrun in 22:57; and YUKO GORDON who ran the Storeys Field event in 23:25.
Recently two Spartans were out of the country. JIM BROWN and PENNY SCHENKEL took the opportunity to run the Haga parkrun at Solna on the outskirts of Stockholm. A beautiful morning, almost perfect conditions and an interesting course. Two laps 60% gravel, 40% asphalt. Bit of an uphill slog to the one kilometre marker but a very fast section and a run past the Koppartälten (copper tents) which now has an amazing park café. Jim went round in 29:32 and Penny in 31:34. This was Haga’s 366th event and they had 210 finishers.
There’s a free 5 kilometres parkrun in Fairlands Valley Park at 9a.m. every Saturday morning.
w/c 11th August 2025
Stopsley Trail Ten
YUKO GORDON ran the Stopsley Trail ten mile race in 1:35:17 which got her fifth woman overall and first woman 70 plus. She said it was tough but beautiful.
Second in Stour
Back on the long trails again ADRIAN BUSOLINI was second in the Stour Valley Path 100 kilometre event with 9 hours 33 minutes 27 seconds.
EMAC 2025
Fairlands Valley Spartans women’s team has qualified for the final of the East of England Masters (EMAC) track and field competition. They won the local league by an amazing 81 points.
They won their fourth and last counting event by 20 points. The team consisted of MONICA BROWN, LIZ CROWLEY, SHARON CROWLEY, KAREN DODSWORTH, YUKO GORDON, CHRISTINE LATHWELL, JOYLYN SAUNDERS- MULLINS and TESSA STEPHENSON, was held in Milton Keynes on Wednesday 30th July.
The final is being held at Thurrock on Saturday 6th September.
The Spartan men finished a very credible third.
EMAC organise events for veteran athletes.
Parkrun Highlights, Saturday 9th August
More than 53 Spartans ran parkruns on Saturday. They included a winner, at least two parkrun personal bests (PPB) and a bit of parkrun tourism.
26 Spartans were among the 512 at Stevenage parkrun where the fastest time was by Spartan SIMON JACKSON with 18 minutes 21 seconds (18:21). SAMMIE SUTTON ran another personal best, that’s in consecutive weeks, of 29:21 and JAYNE DYMOKE ran a new PPB of 36:55. There were several mini-milestones – LEE PICKERSGILL running his 110th in 23:23; MATT TUTTON his 40th in 25:10; and STEVE PLATT made it one to go to 100 with his 31:59.
Two Spartans were out of the country. JIM BROWN and PENNY SCHENKEL took the opportunity to run the Haga parkrun at Solna on the outskirts of Stockholm. A beautiful morning, almost perfect conditions and an interesting course. Two laps 60% gravel, 40% asphalt. Bit of an uphill slog to the one kilometre marker but a very fast section and a run past the Koppartälten (copper tents) which now has an amazing park café. Jim went round in 29:32 and Penny in 31:34. This was Haga’s 366th event and they had 210 finishers.
Elsewhere six Spartans were at Henlow Bridge Lakes – PAUL MOULD 20:39; MATT GIFFORD 21:56; HANNAH MANTON 30:26; SALLY PICKLES 30:39; PAUL JENNINGS 34:17 and NICOLA HATHERLY 39:34.
YUKO GORDON ran the Great Denham parkrun in 23:54. Several other Spartans were at other parkruns.
