Spartans’ magnificent county seven

Fairlands Valley Spartans women's team came home with seven medals from the Herts County Cross-Country Championships in Digswell, Welwyn.

Barbara Wilson took individual silver in the veteran 55 plus category.

In the team competitions, Peta Wilson, Juliet Brown and Sarah O'Callaghan were silver medallists in the 35 to 44 category.

Barbara Wilson, Tessa Stephenson and Sharon Crowley won bronze in the 45 and over competition.

Lorraine Thomas and Nicki Nation also took part in the women's race.

Women's times: Juliet Brown 27:01, Peta Wilson 27:18, Barbara Wilson 28:14, Sara O'Callaghan 28:36, Tessa Stephenson 31:10, Sharon Crowley 32:19, Lorraine Thomas 32:34, Nicki Nation 33:52.

Anthony White, Mark Freeman (both Vet 50) and Dennis Cannon (Vet 60) were in the men's race.

Men's times: Dennis Cannon 28:12, Anthony White 51:52, Mark Freeman 55:30.

Jim Brown has won East of England gold medals for 20 miles and full marathon.

He won the gold medals in the Eastern Vets 50 plus category - his times were 2-20:27 and 3-06:54.

Declan Clynes showed his preparation for the London Marathon is going well. He was 14th in Sunday's Wymondham 20 in 2-13:51 - an excellent time on a blustery day.

Jim Brown was 26th in 2-18:59 - six and a half minutes faster than the same race last year. He was second Vet 50 and there were about 300 finishers.

Four Spartans went off to the lovely Chiltern hills for the off-road Chilterns Kanter from Tring.

Rob Hardy completed this marathon epic in 6-27:16. Mark and Michaela Sanders took 7-15:30.

Pauline Hardy completed the associated 15-mile event in 4-30:59.

Roger Biggs tackled the Steyning Stinger - a tough trail marathon on the South Downs near Brighton.

There was lots of mud, water, hills, rain and wind again and he finished in 5-05:55.

The veteran members of North Herts Road Runners turned out in force for the Herts Cross-Country Vets Championships at Digswell on Sunday.

The lady Vet45 team of Karen Dodsworth, Christine Sharp and Rachel Lancaster packed well to finish in sixth, seventh and eighth positions and won the silver medal.

This scoring team was ably backed up by Jo Harbon, Anna Priestley, Lisa Thackeray and Ann Wonnacott.

Also winning a silver medal was Don Powell in the Vet70 category.

Since Don was the club's only competitor over 70, he scored for the bronze medal winning Vet60 team, along with Brian Bailey, Graham Thompson and Ian Sutcliffe.

The medal haul was completed with another bronze from the Vet50 team of Stewart Bryant, Dave Frampton and Rob Riggall.

In the younger age groups, Tony Anderson led the men home in eighth with Peter Sibbett 11th, followed by Adrian Sherwood, Duncan Hooker, Norman Leslie, Dave Ross, Johnny Spinks, Dave Howitt, Colin Calcutt and Colin Hewitt.

Another group of Squirrels, including those too young to qualify for the vets competition, successfully avoided the wild animals in a 10k race around Woburn Safari Park and nearby abbey and deer sanctuary.

Gary Cook, continuing his recent good form, was first home for the club in a new personal best time of 36:17, closely followed by Pete Northover in 36:54.

Allison Cook (46:00) and new members Oliver Saville (42:51) and Adrian Muxlow (53:14) also posted their best ever times for the distance.

Other times: Gerald Rolfe 45:24, Roger Bamberough 48:22, Marie Shonk 54:00, Beverley Evison 54:01, Lindsay Cook 58:20, Vanessa Rolfe 1-03:03.

FVS TRI's Richard Easterbrook took more than six minutes off his previous best to set a new time of 42:46 at the Woburn 10k. He finished 119th from the 1,303 finishers.

Three FVS TRI ironmen tackled the bad weather and hilly course of the Berkhamsted Half Marathon.

Mike Utton was first home for the club in a time of 1-28:33 for 59th position. Kevin Ash was 86th in 1-31:10 and GB age group international Kevin Smart 125th in 1-34:11.