Fairlands Valley Spartans

News Release                                                             
2nd November 2008

SPARTANS SUCCESS AT STEVENAGE HALF MARATHON

The weather improved in time for hundreds of runners to enjoy Sunday’s Stevenage Half Marathon.  Not only did Fairlands Valley Spartans organise and provide dozens of marshals for the event they had successes in the race itself.

The first Spartan to finish was SIMON BELL in 1 hour 17 minutes 32 seconds.  He was second veteran (40 plus) in the race and eleventh overall.

The next four Spartans made up the bronze medal open team winners in the Hertfordshire County Championships.  They were SIMON JACKSON in a new personal best of 1 hour 20 minutes 29 seconds, ANDREW PATTERSON in a new PB of 1 hour 22 minutes 2 seconds, DAVID BOWKER in 1 hour 22 minutes 45 seconds and BEN HARRIS in a new PB of 1 hour 26 minutes 55 seconds.

Not only did David Bowker contribute to the open team he was part of the silver medal winning Spartans vets (all 40 plus) team, won the individual County gold medal for his age group (50 plus) and was first “Vet 50” overall in the race.

The other in the silver medal vets team were MARK BEASLEY (1:30:26); JIM BROWN (1:31:05) and LES BETTS (1:38:03).

Jim was the individual silver medallist in his age group.

ROB SHAW won gold in the County Vet 60 category and RON COHEN silver in the Vet 70s.

Eight of the thirty one Spartans ran new personal bests and seven were running their first ever half marathon.

Full results for the Spartan runners follow:

Pos      Name      Cat.      Time      Comments
11      SIMON BELL      M 40      1:17:32      2nd Vet 40 overall
18      SIMON JACKSON      M Open      1:20:29      PB.  County Team Bronze (Open)
29      ANDREW PATTERSON      M Open      1:22:02      PB.  County Team Bronze (Open)
31      DAVID BOWKER      M 50      1:22:45      1st Vet 50 overall and County Gold (V50), County Team Silver (Vets) and Bronze (Open)
59      BENJAMIN HARRIS      M Open      1:26:55      PB.  County Team Bronze (Open)
71      TODD GRAY      M Open      1:28:50      PB.
90      MARK BEASLEY      M 40      1:30:26      SB.  County Team Silver (Vets)
100      JIM BROWN      M 50      1:31:05      County Silver (V50) and County Team Silver (Vets)
121      TRISTAN EMPTAGE      M Open      1:32:52      First Half.
159      ANNETTE BELL      F 35      1:35:16      PB.
166      ALAN DONALD      M Open      1:35:56      First Half
176      SEAN THOMPSON      M Open      1:36:22      
205      LESLIE BETTS      M 40      1:38:03      First Half.  County Team Silver (Vets)
255      NICK STEWART      M 40      1:42:17      
283      STEVE MAYFIELD      M 40      1:43:47      
293      ROBERT SHAW      M 60      1:43:43      SB.  County Gold (V60)
312      ANTHONY WHITE      M 50      1:45:29      PB.
339      ROBERT EVANS      M Open      1:46:30      First Half
443      SELVAN NAICKER      M Open      1:52:39      
461      CAROL PAUL      F 45      1:53:57      
484      ANDREW SHERIDAN      M Open      1:55:54      
485      PAUL HOLGATE      M 50      1:54:41      
553      CHRISTINE McCULLOUGH      F 45      1:59:54      First Half
590      BEN COLLIER      M Open      2:02:03      PB.
599      NIKKI NATION      F 35      2:02:18      
616      SALLY BEASLEY      F 35      2:04:02      PB.
623      SARAH-JANE TRIM      F Open      2:04:16      First Half
628      ALISON SUCKLING      F 45      2:05:10      
664      RON COHEN      M 70      2:09:23      County Silver (V70)
719      BALWINDER KANDOLA      F 45      2:18:17      
744      JOAN RIDGER      F 45      2:28:49      First Half

There were 757 finishers.

A Win For Dennis At Bedford

DENNIS CANNON continued his winning streak with a fine run in the rain at the Bedford Riverside 6 miles race recently.  After the steep hills of Ampthill the previous week the flat course at Bedford was relatively easy, resulting in a fast time of 49 minutes 33 seconds.  This gave Dennis another 1st place in the V70 section.  He is now off to Vietnam for a well earned rest, and has promised his wife to leave his running shoes at home.

Biggs At Bass Pro Marathon - Springfield, Missouri

ROGER BIGGS ran his first marathon since September following an Achilles injury.  He was in Springfield, Missouri on Sunday for the Bass Pro Marathon.  Using the famous Jeff Galloway method of run/walk throughout the marathon enabled Roger to complete the marathon in 4:41:19 without causing further damage to the Achilles.

The marathon started at 7am, but with no clouds in the sky and little wind, temperatures soon climbed into the mid 20'sC.

Serpentine

It was sunny, still, cool and damp underfoot for Friday’s Serpentine 5K race in London’s Hyde Park.  Spartan JIM BROWN was 79th out of 228 in 20 minutes 24 seconds.


Sorry But It Is Too Late To Enter The 5K Series

All the places in the series of three evening 5K races in Stevenage have gone.  The races are on Wednesdays 12th November, 26th November and 10th December.  The event will be on the Fairlands Way, Verity Way, Martins Way, Grace Way, Fairlands Way cycleway circuit.

Coming Events

Many Spartans will be enjoying a busy programme of races, social and training events over the next few weeks including the: 

•      Henlow 10 on Wednesday daytime 12th November.
•      First race Spartans Stevenage 5K series Wednesday evening 12th November.
•      St. Neots Half Marathon on Sunday 16th November.
•      Second race Spartans Stevenage 5K series Wednesday evening 26th November.
•      Wolverton Five Mile race on Saturday 29th November.
•      Spartans Christmas Party on Friday 5th December.
•      Luton Marathon including County Championships on Sunday 7th December.

See www.fvspartans.org.uk for details.

Join The Spartans

Live in or near Stevenage?  Like running?  Fairlands Valley Spartans is your local running club and is on the up!  The club has well over 100 members and encourages participation by all.  The Spartans have a varied training programme to suit those who want to run 5 kilometres through to full marathons. 

The Spartans weekday training sessions are on Tuesday and Thursday evenings.  The club have recently moved to better, more modern facilities at the gymnastics centre Marriotts School – a Sports College, Telford Avenue, Stevenage (SG2 0AN).  Meet them there at 7p.m.

The Spartan Starter group starts from Marriotts at 7.30p.m. every Monday and 7p.m. on Thursdays.

Most long Sunday morning training sessions start 9.30a.m. sharp.  Spartan track training sessions are held at Ridlins Athletics Track, Woodcock Road, Stevenage most Saturdays from 9.15a.m.  There are events to enter every Sunday.  Newcomers are very welcome – those who have not done very much running yet might prefer to start with a Thursday, Saturday or Monday session. 

Try a few sessions before joining.  Membership is only £20 per year.  Subscriptions should be sent to Fairlands Valley Spartans c/o Chris King 16 Redwing Close, Stevenage, Herts, SG2 9FE,  (07779 880 522).

If you want to know more about the Spartans please contact Jim Brown (01438 354505 or 0793 968 7509), Chris King (07779 880 522) or visit their website www.fvspartans.org.uk

E N D S

More from Jim Brown (Press Officer) 01438 354505 / 0793 968 7509, Chris King (Secretary) 07779 880 522 (christine-king@orange-ftgroup.com)

www.fvspartans.org.uk