Stevenage Phoenix Running Club
It was a quiet race week for us this week but impressive nonetheless.
Eryri marathon
This weekend Head Coach Emma Mead and Jodie Kantas travelled to Wales to take part in the 40th edition of the Eryri Marathon. This picturesque but demanding route encircles Yr Wyddfa (the highest peak in Wales) and has twice been named “best British marathon”. The race did not disappoint, and Emma remarked that they were “incredibly fortunate to have amazing weather, and the scenery and support was the best I’ve ever experienced”.
This ballot-entry marathon has a staggering elevation of 838 metres, with an average climb rate of 32 metres per mile and a flat equivalent distance of 29.32 miles. Despite these race conditions, Jodie crossed the finish line in 04:15:15 which is a FV35 club record and a personal best for Jodie, who beat her last PB by one hour. Emma Mead came in at 04:58:20 and was chuffed with her time on the tough course.
Cross CountryLeagueRace2–Barley
On Sunday 27th October cross country race 2 saw a change of venue, due to licensing issues. Luckily, Royston Runners were able to get the agreement of a local farmer to use his land near the village of Barley, approximately three miles southwest of Royston. The sun was shining and team Phoenix was raring to go. Katka described the 2 loop course as “mostly flat with only a small hill. Very well organised.” The results will be released later this week, but well done to Andy Chapman, Ben Murphy, Caitlin Evans, Damla Akkul, Katka Laughton, Lisa Liversidge, Neal Crawley and Peter Tungate for taking part.
ParkRun
We had 17 members at 7 locations this week. Well done to Ben Murphy for achieving a ParkRun PB and to Conor who ran a course PB time in his hometown of Kilkenny, Ireland.
Fairlands Valley Spartans
Barley
A last minute course change saw 15 Spartans running the second cross country league race near Barley on a sunny Sunday morning. On a 7.7 kilometre farmland course DAVID HARRIS-CHERGUIT took just 28 minutes 53 seconds to be first finisher for FVS and tenth overall. ADRIAN BUSOLINI was close behind at eleventh with 29:11; MIKE JEFFS 21st with 30:12; GRANT RAMSAY 27th with 30:24 and DECLAN TRAYNOR 30th with 30:40. So five Spartans in the first thirty.
Clearly a demanding race programme of three cross country races in four weeks with the Stevenage Marathon in the middle had some impact on participation but those that were there had a great time. The next cross country will be in Trent Park on Sunday 3rd November.
Marathon Eryri – Snowdon
The 40th running of Marathon Eryri took place on a glorious Autumn day with lots of sunshine and beautiful reflections in the numerous lakes along the course which runs around the Snowdon mountain with three big climbs at miles 2-4 miles; 13-15 miles and 22-24 miles. Four Spartans took part this year including Paul Holgate running his 35th consecutive Snowdon marathon (every year it has been held since 1988) and Sharon Crowley running her 32nd consecutive Snowdon (more than any other female), while Steph Mayfield and husband Steve (running for his 1st claim club Stevenage & North Herts AC) took part for their very first time.
Results: Steve Mayfield in a season’s best 3:57:55; Steph Mayfield in 5:19:51; Sharon Crowley in 6:39:47 and Paul Holgate in 6:41:36.
The Coolest Run – Polar Circle Marathon Greenland
JOHN HARRIS ran the Coolest Marathon in the World, and in his opinion the most beautiful.
He said the Polar Circle Marathon in Greenland is a marathon to savour and enjoy, rather than his normal head down run as fast as he can type of marathon.
Apparently it was minus 10 degrees at the start, with the wind across the open spaces making it much colder.
The sun came out later making it the perfect scenic run.
John said the shoe crampons did their job on the Ice Cap and apart from doing the splits after 2K, he managed to stay on his feet.
It was not a flat marathon by any means, with over 1800 feet of climb during the 26.2 miles. A truly memorable marathon and one John highly recommends. He finished in 5:34:17
Beachy Head Half Marathon
Tim Robinson ran the Beachy Head Half Marathon on Sunday 27th October. Usually running the Marathon, he decided to drop down to the half distance following last week’s Stevenage Marathon where he ran 5:02:06 in very poor weather conditions. Beachy Head felt very tough despite perfect conditions with heavy legs.
Making the most of the long downhill sections between mile 4 and 8 left enough in reserve for the final 4 climbs over four of the Seven Sisters and the fast downhill off Beachy Head. 2:46:54.
Serpentine
After a careful first kilometre following his recent marathon Spartan JIM BROWN ran the Last Friday of the Month 5K in 27:49. That slightly improved his average in the series to 64%.
The next Serpentine lunch-time run in Hyde Park will be on Friday 29th November.
Ricky Road for Matt
MATT TUTTON ran the Ricky Road 10 mile as part of Team KitAid. He said it was a lovely run in the Autumn sunshine, through countryside and by houses he could only afford through creative means. There were a couple of unwelcome hills and a long descent towards the finish line. In the Chilterns who’d thought.
Matt also decided to break a habit of a lifetime as he approached the finish line … with a smile! He finished in 1:32:03.
Parkrun Highlights 26th October – Spooky
Compared with the previous week the numbers jumped up by nearly 200 as 527 ran the spooky Stevenage parkrun on the Saturday before Halloween.
There were 27 Spartans with GRANT RAMSAY first in at sixth with 18:35. GAIL MACKIE was fastest female from Fairlands, 12th woman in 25:33.
CAROLINE CROFT ran her 90th parkrun in 34:49 and despite taking a black cat and an enormous spider round with him JIM BROWN still managed to be first man 70 plus with his 34:50.
Altogether 47 Spartans ran parkruns. Those elsewhere included WILLIAM MORLEY 19:33 and STEVE WELLS 21:05 at Storeys Field (Cambridge); ALISON WOOD 23:57 and MARTIN WOOD 26:11 at Barnstaple; JACKIE PERRY 26:41 at Colby; MIKE REYNOLDS 26:45 at Panshanger; SUZY HAWKINS 28:49 at Henlow Bridge Lake; MATT CLARKE 29:55 at Rickmansworth; NIKKI NATION 30:03 at South Norwood; and NICK KLEANTHOUS 31:29 at Eastbourne.
