THE closing date for entering the Stevenage Half Marathon is this Monday (October 30). The event itself, organised by the Fairlands Valley Spartans, is on the following Sunday (November 5). Nearly 700 entries had been received by the weekend. There is a l

THE closing date for entering the Stevenage Half Marathon is this Monday (October 30).

The event itself, organised by the Fairlands Valley Spartans, is on the following Sunday (November 5).

Nearly 700 entries had been received by the weekend. There is a limit of 1,000 runners with no entries accepted on the day.

The race includes the county and South of England championships and will take place just as the Stevenage 60th anniversary celebrations build to a climax.

The race starts near Woodcock Road at 10.30am and is on a two-lap course including Gresley Way, Six Hills Way, Fairlands Valley Park (north and south), and Broadhall Way.

The course is all on cycleways and surfaced footpaths.

The finish will be in front of the Bert Hill Stand at Ridlins athletics track. Spectators will be welcome.

You must be at least 17 to enter the half marathon. You can download an entry form from www.fvspartans.org.uk

Or contact 01438 354505 or 01438 359173.

Entries are £10 for members of running clubs (£12 for everyone else).

Younger runners will be welcome on the two-mile fun run which starts at 10.35am. Entries are just £2.

Fourteen Fairlands Valley Spartans took part in the first cross-country league match of the season. It was based in Cheshunt and attracted the largest number of runners seen in a local cross-country event for a long time.

Starting together, the men raced over three laps and the women over two.

Spartan men: Martin Wood, 27th in 31:13; Graham Blackburn, 53rd in 32:47; Steve Smithson, 75th in 34:02; Dave Stephenson, 92nd in 35:22; Nick Crowley, 94th in 35:45; Mark Glading, 106th in 36:33; Michael Ling, 124th in 38:20; Mark Freeman 140th in 40:05; Tony Willson 147th in 41:08.

Spartan women: Amanda Brook, 34th in 24:57; Sharon Crowley 46th in 25:55; Lorraine Thomas 65th in 29:21; Nikki Nation 73rd in 30:17; Monica Read 78th in 30:28.

Andrew Hull and Ann Tryssesoone ran the Buckingham 10k on Sunday. Hull clocked up a new personal best of 44:14 while Tryssesoone took 57:20.

Misty rain at the start and a scenic and relatively flat course meant excellent marathon conditions at Abingdon. Frances Ridgway ran the race in 3-43:55.

The Comet's Sportsman of the Year Roger Biggs ran the Breakers Marathon on Rhode Island, USA, in 3-45:07, on Saturday.

He then travelled 2,000 miles to Louisville, Kentucky, to run another marathon, this time along the banks of the Ohio River, on Sunday in 3-48:01.

Biggs was second veteran aged 55 plus in both races.

Three Spartans were on the South Downs for the Founders Challenge Marathon.

It was wet, unbelievably hilly, off road and definitely a challenge. Mike Newbitt finished in 5-27 and Mark Sanders and Michaela Norton-Lay came in together after 7-18.