Fairlands Valley Spartans
Patrick and Samantha Win Handicap
Patrick Anyadi made it back-to-back Handicap 5k victories as he improved his personal best (PB) by 2 minutes 2 seconds (2:02) to finish in 25:33, closely followed by the first lady, Samantha Sutton in a Season’s Best time of 30:12, just two seconds slower than her PB record from 2017. Becca Birt was second lady in her first 5k with a time of 37:25, while Peter Sach finished second man in 25:59 and Jane Wadey third lady with a Year’s Best of 37:38 despite having to stop briefly in the home straight. Karl Shreeve was the third man in a year’s best (YB) 28:02.
Danny Scanlon was fastest runner of the night with a Year’s Best 22:19, Craig Bacon second quickest in 23:23 and John Nelms third fastest in a SB 23:24. Megan Sutton was fastest female in 25:45, with Emily Grieves second quickest in 29:18 and Sam Gentry third fastest in 29:22.
There was also a Year’s Best time for Nichola Durent in 43:59.
Handicap races are won by the best improvers not the fastest runners.
22 Spartans ran. The next handicap 5K will be on Thursday evening 21stAugust.
Doug Anderson 5K
Ten Fairlands Valley Spartans enjoyed a fast Wednesday evening in Bedford for the Doug Anderson 5K. The race went so well for MIKE JEFFS that he improved his personal best (PB) by 24 seconds to 17:08 for second man 40 plus. He was only beaten by one second! He was eleventh overall out of the 405 finishers.
ADRIAN BUSOLINI finished with him for twelfth overall and another 17:08.
CHARLIE WHITE came in at 17:21 and NATHAN KIRLEY completed four Spartans under 18 minutes with 17:59.
ROSS GALLAGHER was third man 40 plus in 18:01 and PAUL SHELLEY won the 55 plus category with 18:05. JAY PAPA made it seven Spartan under 20 minutes with his 18:43.
Meanwhile CHARLES ARNOLD was second man 65 plus with 21:54 and JESSICA CLARKE beat 24 with 23:49. With MATT TUTTON finishing in 24:38 all ten were under 25 minutes.
Serpentine
Dry, bright, humid and 25 degrees for the Last Friday of the Month 5K in Hyde Park, London. Spartan JIM BROWN completed a series of six this year with 28 minutes 54 seconds (28:54). Now he’s got an opportunity to maybe improve on a couple of the times over the next few months. The next race will be at 12.30p.m. on Friday 29th August.
Challenge Round Up
131 completed the recent Fairlands Valley Challenge multi-terrain event from Stevenage. 32 of them were Fairlands Valley Spartans. Five distances were offered. The most popular was the half marathon which was finished by 50 people including 14 Spartans. 27 finished the 50 kilometre Ultra event and 21 the marathon.
Arty Spart
The FVS Daylight running group enjoyed a running tour of some of the new underpass art in Stevenage. They run for about an hour at 10a.m. on Wednesdays.
Parkrun Highlights, Saturday 26th July
There were 460 parkrunners at Stevenage, up 115 on the previous week. 28 Spartans ran the 5K in Fairlands Valley Park.
On his way to second place DAVID HARRIS-CHERGUIT ran a new parkrun personal best (PPB) of 17:09. TONY VICKERS also ran a new parkrun PB (PPB). His was 24:38.
DANIEL VILJOEN ran his 300th parkrun in 24:40 and ADA JANUSIENE her 20th in 30:28.
LINDSAY PATEMAN was a first timer with 44:20.
Altogether 50 Spartans ran parkruns those elsewhere included SALLY PICKLES whop ran a new park run PB (PPB) of 32:15 at Panshanger. In addition ADRIAN BUSOLINI ran 17:55 at Endcliffe, Sheffield and SUSAN McANENY ran the Harleston Magpies, Diss event in 25:44.
SUZY HAWKINS was in Bude for the Tamar Lakes parkrun which she ran in 23:39.
