THE ever popular Standalone 10k race is taking place on Sunday, October 5, at Standalone Farm in Letchworth Garden City. Organised by the North Herts Road Runners, preparations are well under way for the race which will be limited to 1200 runners. Visit w

THE ever popular Standalone 10k race is taking place on Sunday, October 5, at Standalone Farm in Letchworth Garden City.

Organised by the North Herts Road Runners, preparations are well under way for the race which will be limited to 1200 runners.

Visit www.standalone10k.org.uk to either download an entry form or enter online.

Michael Mello was the only North Herts Road Runner racing at the weekend. He travelled to Burnham Beeches near Slough for the 28th Burnham Beeches half-marathon and completed the hilly but scenic course between Burnham and Farnham Common in 1-40:25.

Nine Fairlands Valley Spartans took part in the last Watford open graded event before the track closed for refurbishment. All ran in 1500m races.

Richard Bate won his race in 4:37.96 with Simon Jackson fifth in 4:43.93.

Andy Patterson won his event with a massive new personal best of 4:45.72.

Six others were in a third race which Steve Smithson won in 5:19.80, beating his season's best by one-10th of a second.

Other times: Sean Thompson 5:23.69, Sara O'Callaghan 6:04.20, Paul Holgate 6:17.89, Rob Shaw 6:24.57, Simon Harris 7:16.19.

Four Spartans tackled the hilly Burnham Beeches Half Marathon on Sunday. First finisher for the club was Jim Brown, 177th out of 932 finishers in 1-34:46, and next was newcomer Steve Mayfield, 409th in 1-47:05.

Paul Holgate was 702nd in 2-02:10 and Alison Suckling 739th in 2-05:03.

David Bowker ran Sunday's Great Yarmouth Half Marathon in 1-35:22.

Paul Holgate ran the undulating Blisworth five-mile race in Northants on Friday evening in a time of 39:32.

* Richard and Lynn Allen from FVS TRI travelled to Peterborough to run the Thorney five-mile road race.

Both were rewarded with personal bests as Richard recorded 32:06 to win second in the male Vet40 category, and Lynn dipped under 40 minutes with a 39:41 to finish 138th from 300 finishers.

Rob Wilson tested his legs after Norseman with a hilly twisty 5k run in 19:27 for ninth from 113 around Bramhall Park, Stockport. The race was one of the Parkrun series of free weekly races held around the country.

Tim Somers completed a 25-mile time trial on the A1 in 1-19:19 in tough windy conditions.