ALMOST 700 competitors completed the Stevenage Half Marathon on Sunday with winner Tendai Chinhanhu of Poole Runners setting a new course record. He completed the course in 1hr 5mins 40secs just 14 seconds ahead of David Mitchin-son of Newham Harriers. Ja

ALMOST 700 competitors completed the Stevenage Half Marathon on Sunday with winner Tendai Chinhanhu of Poole Runners setting a new course record.

He completed the course in 1hr 5mins 40secs just 14 seconds ahead of David Mitchin-son of Newham Harriers.

Jane Kangara was the women's winner in 1hr 19m 35s and was 42 seconds ahead of Kerry MacKay of Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers at the finishing line.

Chris King of Fairlands Valley Spartans was the first woman veteran (45 plus) to finish and also took gold in the county championship and in the South of England Championship. She ran a new personal best time for the distance of 1hr 32m 31s.

In a tight battle for the county male veteran medals Spartans' Jim Brown ran a new season's best of 1hr 27mins 10secs to take gold in the super vet 50 plus category. He was 47 seconds ahead of the silver medallist

Jim now has five current county gold medals in the marathon, half marathon, 10 miles, track 10k and track 5k categories as well as silver for track 1500m and bronze for the road 10k.

Spartans' women's team of Chris King, Amanda Brook and Tracy Pez won gold in the Herts open team championships and were third in the South of England Championships.

Chris also led the Spartans' women team to a silver medal in the county team championship.

The Spartans' men won gold in the county team championship for veteran men. All finished within 90 seconds of each other with Andrew Garrett finishing in 1h 25m 42s, Martin Wood 1h 26m 13sm Graham Blackburn 1h 26m 17s and Jim Brown 1h 27m 10s.

Six members of FVS TRI also competed in the event and first home for the club was John Rose who was returning after a long-term injury. His time was 1h 34m. Kate Turner, making her road racing debut, ran an excellent 1h 38m which was good enough to give her sixth spot in the women's open event.

North Herts Road Runners provided 15 competitors with Dave Frampton first in the vets 50 category in a time of 1h 27m 3s giving the club third place in the senior category and runners-up in the vets section.

Pete Northover was the first Squirrel to finish in a new personal best time of 1h 21m 31s followed by Adrian Sherwood who also beat his personal best to cross the line in 1h 26m 9s.

Also in the successful teams were Richard Thackeray (1h 29s 6s) and Johnny Spinks (1h 31m 46s).