Press Report 3rd May 2022  

BANK HOLIDAY BLING

WITHAM 10
Monday 2 May

​This year’s Mayday Witham 10 incorporating the Essex 10 mile Championship was held on a cool cloudy but still morning, ideal for running. The course was held over fast rural undulating roads and Ilford Ac entered 12 runners and returned with 4 medals and three new personal best times.

First home for the club in 22nd position was Sam Rahman in 60 mins 31 secs showing that he is in good form for next weekend’s Essex Marathon Championship at Halstead.
Next in was Steve Philcox in 63 mins 17 secs finishing 39th overall which meant he placed 2nd in the M55 age category in the Essex Championship.
Terry Knightley collected the bronze medal in the M60 grouping with 64 mins 58 secs for 46th in the race. Amazingly this is Terry’s 70th County medal
Richard Woolterton raced the distance for the first time and produced a creditable 68 mins 59 secs in 81st. Dennis Briggs ran a personal best time of 70 mins 11 secs for 91st and there was a 3 minute plus personal best for Joel Denning of 71 mins 26 secs.
Joanne Reeves was Ilford’s first female finisher in a new best time of 71 mins 25 secs finishing 20th female and winning the silver Essex medal in the F45 category.
Bree Nordin took the silver medal in the Championship in the F65 category with a time of 76 mins 07 secs in 140th, while Adam Coals was another making his distance debut in 76 mins 24 secs for146th spot.
Gaye Young missed her personal best by 10 seconds finishing 174th after a good run in 79 mins 54 secs.
Completing the Ilford line up were Julia Galea in 303rd with 102 mins 6 secs and Ray ‘Sparra’ Everingham with 104 mins 32 secs for 306th

ILFORD AC MAKE CAPITAL GAINS

Vitality London 10k
Monday 2nd May

On Bank holiday Monday over 15,000 runners lined up for the iconic Vitality London 10k, including 6 runners from Ilford AC.

The race starts on the Mall, takes in such landmarks as Trafalgar Square, St Pauls, Horse Guards parade and Parliament Square before finishing in front of Buckingham Palace.

Leading the team home was Amin Koikai with an impressive 35:30 which placed him 190th and 2nd in his age category.

Phil Davis was pleased with his time of 45:26 which placed him 2,003rd.
The first of two PB’s for the day went to Alison Sale who finished in a time of 50:18.

Billy Green, running his first race for over a year, was pleased with his time of 51:56 which placed him 4,414th.
The second of the day’s PB’s belonged to Mandy Reid who finished in 56:42 for 6,576th.
Frieda Keane put in another determined effort to place 7,628th in a time of 58:57

Vitality Westminster Mile
Sunday 1st May

Ilford AC had two runners representing the club in this weekend’s Vitality Westminster Mile.
Krystle Bologun put in a fantastic effort to finish 13th and 2nd F35 for a time of 5m 57s.

Julie Gillender completed the duo and was very pleased with her time of 9m 23s which placed her 95th and 13th in her f50 category