Press Report 12th September 2023
PLESHEY HALF MARATHON (Incorporating the Essex Championship)
Sunday September 10
The Essex Half Marathon Championship was held in conjunction with the Pleshey half marathon for the 10th consecutive year.
The race from the village green in the picturesque village is held over rural roads on a rolling course and was held in blazing temperatures, in the early 30’s, which made the times well down on normal.
Ilford AC had 15 runners among the 282 finishers and Sam Rahman led the way for the club in 22nd spot with I:23:04 to finish 4th in the Essex M40 category. Four places back was Malcolm Muir with 1:25:20 which earned him the Bronze Essex medal in the M45 age grouping.
Then followed a batch of club members competing against each other, grouping together in in 80s with Richard Woolterton 83rd (1:38:48) Dennis Briggs 87th (1:39:45) Dan Holeyman 89th (1:40:21) and Terry Knightley 90th (1:40:30).
Carlie Qirem was the first Ilford lady to finish in 110th place overall and 18th in the Essex female Championship in 1:45:12, with her husband Tariq not far behind in 123rd in 1:48:30 and one place in front of Steve Chissel in 1:49:25
Joanne Reeves 23rd lady and 134th overall was the second Ilford lady home in 1:50:56.
Stephen Lacey was next home in 140th for 1:52:06 followed by Alison Sale who was 3rd lady home for the club and 203th in the overall race in 2:10:48.
Alison was followed by home by Mandy Reid 241st 2:25:18 and Launa Broadley 257th 2:37:11
There was a Silver Essex medal for Julia Galea in the Essex F65 category as she came home 276th overall and 70th lady in the Essex Championship in 2:58:01.
Great North Run
Sunday September 10
Three Ilford AC runners made the journey north to Newcastle for the iconic Great North run, joining in excess of 60,000 others running the 13.1 miles from Newcastle down to the coast at South Tyneside.
The race set off in record breaking high temperatures which made the run even more challenging than our team would have prepared for.
Leading the club home was our very own Geordie Tony Young who came home in 1:56:01.
Next home was Nick West who finished in 2:01:00.
On the very day that Sir Mo Farah ran his very last GNR, Ilford AC runner Wendy Everingham ran her first. Wendy had won a ballot place and has worked very hard over the summer to be able to complete the distance. On a day of contrasts Wendy crossed the line in 3:14:23 in a torrential downpour and flash floods which led to chaos for athletes trying to get back to their transport home.
Well done to all Ilford runners completing a Half Marathon in challenging conditions on Sunday
