Elsewhere Sally Gillam has returned from Ireland where she successfully competed in the 29th running of the Dublin marathon. On a very cold morning Gillam negotiated the rolling undulations of the 26.2 mile loop round the city well within her target time of 4hours. Gillam was delighted with her time of 3hours 55 minutes and 14 seconds finishing in the surrounds of Trinity College. In a large field of 11000 entrants Ukranian Andriy Naumov was the male winner in a time of 2:11:06. Clearly overjoyed with his win, he looked like he had another 10 miles at least in him as he crossed the finish line in obviously comfortable form. Thomas Omwenga (Kenya) was 2nd, 1.23 behind Naumov in 2:12:29 and Tomas Abyu (GBR)3rd, in 2:13:06. Russian Larissa Zouska was the first woman home, overtaking leader Haile Kebebush (ETH)in the last mile for a close finish. Zousko won in 2:29.55, 8 seconds ahead of Kebebush in 2:30:03.
Third home was Hadish Letay Negash (ETH) in 2:31:13. Best of the Irish was Michael O'Connor from Galway, in 2:20:49, while former Olympian Maria McCambridge was the first Irish woman home in 2:36:33.

 

English Cross  Country Relays - Mansfield

Ilford have relay grand national

Malcolm Muir provided the class to the Ilford AC squad for the National Cross Country relays on Saturday.  The annual championship brought together 188 clubs from across the length of England and included some of the country’s top runners to run the four leg 3 mile course in Mansfield.  Muir took the difficult first leg and avoided the traditional early stampede to work his way through the field.  His time of 16.49 was a mere 2 seconds shy of his best ever time over this course and represented some excellent form as he works his way into the cross country season.  Veteran athlete, Neil Crisp used his great experience to run a strong even paced leg as he came storming around in a time of 19.13 and handed over to the blossoming talents of Iain Macdonald.  Macdonald has been in fine form and did not let the team down as he completed the increasingly muddy track in an excellent time of 18.38.  Macdonald had gained 11 places and left the squad around halfway up the field in 95th place as he handed over to Matt Maple.  Maple has struggled to regain fitness and struggled around the course as the leading athletes started lapping the Ilford squad.  Maple finished in a time of 20.48 to put the squad in 104th place, a tantalising 4 places and 32 seconds away from the target of 100th place.

Billericay 10k/Barns Green half marathon.

On a misty Sunday Morning 4 runners from Ilford AC contested the Billericay 10k with veteran Neil Crisp leading the squad home in a good time of 38.16 and 24th place despite having raced in the English Cross Country Relays the day before. Abdi Berleen was another to dip under the 40 minute barrier recording 39.52 for 43rd place. In the women's race Lindsey Barker crossed the line in 75th with 42.27 followed by Dianne Crisp 173rd in 47.15 out of a large field of 644 finishers. Adam Hickey of Southend set a course record of 31.29. 

Meanwhile at the popular Barns Green Half Marathon at Horsham, West Sussex, Keith Ennis was the sole Ilford entrant but nevertheless ran a personal best of 1.33.28 for the distance placing him 148th out of a large field of 1283 finishers