Ilford AC Press Report Week Ending Sunday 1st December 2013
Essex Veterans Cross-Country Championship
Claybury Park
Saturday 30 November
There was a good turn out of the older members of Ilford AC s endurance
squad for the Essex Veterans Cross-Country Championship held over a
demanding 3 lap 5 mile course in Claybury Park last Saturday.
Top performance of the day for the club came from Spencer Hempstead in the
M40 category he placed 2nd to race winner Adrian Mussett of Colchester
Harriers in 28 mins 26 secs to take the silver medal. Backing up were Steve
Philcox in 14th with 30m 03s and a fine run from Paul Holloway in 30m 57s
for 23rd. Closing the team was Kevin Wotton in 26th spot with 31m 29s. The
team placed 4th in the club competition. Also in action were Gary Floate
(62nd 36.09) and Dan Cogan (68th 37.44)
In the M50 plus race Neil Crisp, just returning to racing after injury, led
the way for the below strength team in 24th with a time of 33m 02s. next
home was Terry Knightley in 37m 39s for 57th, with Steve Parker close behind
in 59th with 38m 05s. Club coach Rob Sargent turned out and despite a tumble
on the first lap closed the scorers for the club with 39m 59s in 73rd. The
team in this race finished 11th. Steve Cheal came home 89th in 43m 20s,
while Graham Williams finished 4th M70 in 100th and 47m 45s.
In the ladies race for women in category F35 upwards the Ilford team put in
a fine team performance to finish 4th overall despite their team featuring
no runners in the F35 age group. Leading the way was F55 race winner Bree
Nordin (her 6th county gold medal of the year) in 23rd overall with 38m 13s.
Following her home were Mel Jones in 39m 15s and 27th, placing her 8th in
the F45 event, and Dianne Crisp in 32nd with 40m 03s for 11th in the F45
grouping. Closing the team was 15th F45 Nicola Hopkinson in 43th and 41m
26s.
Report by Hank in the Bushes
Picture and attached link courtesy of Jenni Sheehan
https://www.dropbox.com/sc/4vyn2jgsatb1s8v/PX9y98k1dA
Pictures below courtesy of Kim “The Blur”
Nene Valley 10m
Peterborough
Sunday 1 December
Further afield the Brother and Sister duo of Malcolm and Carol Muir took
part in the Nene Valley 10m road race. Malcolm was 7th in 54:48 and Carol
put in a sterling performance to finish in a new PB of 1:34:20.
Report by Carol Muir
Serpentine Monthly 5K
Hyde Park
Friday 29 November
John Batchelor was in action at Last Friday’s Serpentine 5K on Friday. He
finished 94th out of 275 runners and was the first M70 by around 4 minutes.
He commented “I felt like I was running around 21:30 so was delighted to
clock 20:52 in quite breezy conditions, 7 seconds faster than my last race
there in May”. If he’s stay free of injury he may now focus on the indoor
season and go for the World Masters Indoor Championships in Budapest in late
March.
Report by John Batchelor
Saint Francis Hospice Santathon
Dagenham
Sunday 1 December
On Sunday 1st December more than 400 fundraisers took to the streets of
Dagenham to bring some festive cheer to Saint Francis Hospice by dressing as
Father Christmas and taking part in the Santathon. This was a 5km run around
a looped course from Dagenham & Redbridge Football Club. This is the fifth
Santathon run in partnership with Dagenham & Redbridge Football Club.
Participants’ walked, ran and jogged the route and several dogs in costume
took part too!
A few runners from Ilford AC joined in with the festive fun, Steve Philcox
and Sam Rahman battled the whole way around the course but Steve just came
out in front to win the race. Nicola Hopkinson, Jenni Sheehan and Dianne
Crisp enjoyed the run and made the most of the fun crossing the finishing
line in tandem. Julie Gillenden improved her time from last year by 10
minutes which was a brilliant effort.
Report & picture courtesy of Dianne Crisp
Left to Right, Santa’s Steve Philcox, Nicola Hopkinson, Dianne Crisp, Julie
Gillenden, Jenni Sheehan and Sam Rahman
