OVER 400 runners and walkers took up the Fairlands Valley Off Road Challenge on Sunday. Twenty-eight of the finishers were from the organising club Fairlands Valley Spartans. The event in Fairlands Valley Park offered competitors the choice of 12 miles, 1

OVER 400 runners and walkers took up the Fairlands Valley Off Road Challenge on Sunday.

Twenty-eight of the finishers were from the organising club Fairlands Valley Spartans. The event in Fairlands Valley Park offered competitors the choice of 12 miles, 18 miles and 26.2 miles, which was a full off-road marathon, routes on the tracks and bridleways around Stevenage and North Herts.

Spartans times 12 miles: Chris Suckling 1-44, Anthony White 1-58, Ian Chappell 1-58, Chris Newbitt 2-01, Andrew Manwaring 2-05, Steve Green 2-09, Lorraine Thomas 2-20, Alison Suckling 2-20, Terry Woolley 2-20. 18-miles: Don Papworth 2-47, Amanda Brook 3-10, Mark Glading 3-23, Richard Sidlin 3-23, Gerry McCabe 3-45, Julie Goodwin 4-00. 26.2miles: Mike Newbitt 4-41, Robert Shaw 5-18, Paul Holgate 5-21, Sharon Crowley 5-40, Mark Beasley 6-08, Chris King 6-11, David Clarke 6-11, Roger Biggs 6-16, Rob Hardy 6-21, Dave Carter 6-32, Michaela Norton-Lay 6-48, Mark Sanders 6-48, Pauline Hardy 6-58.

Simon Bell was an outstanding fifth in 35:56 in the St Ives 10k on Sunday in overcast and humid conditions.

Paul Maguire was 70th in 43:11, Andrew Hull 167th in 47:46 and Dennis Cannon 255th in 52:4 out of 501 finishers.

At a hot and humid Milton Keynes, two Spartans Sue Leigh and Veronica Maguire completed their first half marathon.

Assisted by Chris Leigh, who was using the event as a training run for the Nottingham marathon on September, they completed the course that was longer than billed!

Measured by GPS it ran to 13.3 miles rather than 13.1 miles.

Despite being in the new town, the course was scenic, taking in a long stretch of the Grand Union Canal in the second half of the race.

Sue and Chris finished in 2-17:02 with Veronica clocking 2-19:52.

Spartans sent a mixed team to the Birchwood One Mile Relays in Hatfield last Wednesday.

Spartans times were: Luke Humphreys 5:13.9, Graham Blackburn 5:42.1, Dave Stephenson 5:53.2, Annette Bell 5:57.5, Steve Smithson 5:59.1, Gerry McCabe 6:09.3, Richard Sidlin 6:17.5, Paul Holgate 6:44.3, Selvan Naicker 6:45.1, Sharon Crowley 7:05.0.

Spartan Alison Suckling's marathon effort raised £2,993.75 for Phab Kids and through The Comet would like to thank everyone who supported her especially S.T. Construction, Christopher's Opticians and members of Odyssey.