Ware Tens
Spartans Alison and Paul Shelley ran the “Ware Running Festival” 10 mile race on Sunday. They said it’s always a very well marshalled and well organised race.
Alison finished in 1:34:18 and Paul was pleased to finish 14th overall in 1:07:39.
They both found it quite a tough course as always with uneven and stony terrain in parts and undulating. At least the pot holes didn’t have water in them this year though parts of the tow path quite difficult to run on as the surface is very uneven. They were grateful to complete before the massive thunderstorm and downpour.
It was Nick Gill’s first Ware 10 (mile) on Sunday. He finished in 1:11:52 for 31st place. Nick used the race as part of a 15-mile/24kilometre long run, and did a progression run -starting steady and getting faster every mile to the finish! It was a lovely route with lots of support from fellow runners and marshals – and the sun shined for us!
ROBERT WRIGHT finished in 1:17:36 and MATT TUTTON in 1:32:58. In addition CALLIE CHAPMAN ran the Ware 10K in 1:09:57.
Eastern Masters!
Fairlands Valley Spartans women’s team won the Eastern Masters Athletic Outdoor Track & Field fixture at Corby on Wednesday evening. Their winning margin was a huge 48 points. Between them MONICA BROWN, SHARON CROWLEY, KAREN DODSWORTH, YUKO GORDON, TESSA STEPHENSON and JOYLYN SAUNDERS-MULLINS scored 93 points compared with 45 for second placed Milton Keynes AC. After three matches FVS lead the Central West Division with 204 points ahead of Bedford and County on 156 and Milton Keynes with 136.
The events included 100 metres, 400 metres, one mile, 2 kilometre walk, hammer, shot, long jump, high jump and relays with age groups from 35 plus to 70 plus. EMAC organise events for athletes aged 35 plus.
Chiltern Ridge Half Marathon
The Chiltern Ridge Half Marathon started in Wendover and Spartan SUZY HAWLINS was there. The event is a scenic trail run taking over 500 metres of elevation. Some of the climbs were more of a scramble than a run.
Suzy said she made the mistake of starting too far back and was held up on single track for the first couple of miles.
She finished in 2:03:07 for eighth women and said it was a lovely event and will return next year.
Race for Life
Dozens of Spartans were volunteer marshals for Sunday’s Race for Life in Stevenage.
Parkrun Highlights, Stripes Day Saturday 5th July.
Saturday’s Stevenage parkrun with 553 taking part. Forty of them were Fairlands Valley Spartans. They included RICHARD MOORE with a new parkrun personal best (PPB) of 22:58; WAYNE SIMMONS with a new PPB of 24:17; TONY VICKERS with a new PPB of 24:48; MEGAN SUTTON fastest female from Fairlands, fourth woman and a new PPB of 25:07 and EMMA CHAPMAN with a new PPB of 45:33.
It was the quickest parkrun of the year for JIM BROWN who ran his 199th Stevenage parkrun in 27:25. He was first 70 plus and ROGER BIGGS first 75 plus with 49:24.
CLAIRE EMMERSON ran her 190th parkrun in 27:55 and RYAN DUNNING his 120th in 28:02.
The first in from FVS was PERRI GENTRY under 20 minutes with 19:35. MIKE JEFFS was next Spartan with 22:01.
Altogether 49 Spartans ran parkruns. Some others included SALLY PICKLES and NIKI PLUMB who visited Westmill parkrun. Sally finished in 34:16 and Niki in 41:25.
CHARLIE WHITE was second in the New Earswick (York) parkrun with a new PPB of 17 minutes 33 seconds (17:33).
