Press Report 7th February 2007
 

Nearly 700 runners lined up for the start of the Essex Half Marathon Championships held at Great Bentley near Colchester on Sunday. The dead flat nature of a benign rural course contributed to some very fast times for a top class field including a strong representation  from Ilford AC. Malcolm Muir had to swallow the bitter-sweet pill of running a personal best in 71 minutes 39 seconds and yet still finishing outside the medals in 4^th spot overall.

 

Billericay’s Crispian Bloomfield hammered out an early unassailable lead right from the gun leaving Muir to tussle with rivals Paul Dobson of Springfield and Ryan Prout of Chelmsford for the minor placings. These were two athletes he had got the better of in last weeks South of England Cross Country Championships. However, as is often the case, the road proved to be a different story and despite holding a 50 metre gap for 2^nd place at one stage Muir was eventually hauled in and by 10 miles  was struggling to hang on. None of this was of any concern to Bloomfield who was nearly 3 mins further up the road and definitely a man on a mission in clocking a personal best and course record of 68 minutes 15seconds.

 

The veterans race proved to be a no less exciting affair with a resurgent Terry Knightley from Ilford battling for Essex gold with his old adversary Pete West and new vet Coin Lewin both from Colchester Harriers. Knightley eventually had to settle for the bronze and 15^th place overall but was nonetheless delighted with his performance and time of 75minutes 31 seconds proclaiming it to be his 44^th county medal in his customary modest fashion.

 

Another Ilford athlete making a considerable impact was the gritty Matt Maple who turned in a superb performance to dip under 80 minutes for the first time with 79.49. Scotsman Robin McNelis was also in the frame but seemed strangely disappointed with an excellent clocking of 80.34. It was good to see further Ilford athletes of the calibre of Matt Herbert, 82.17, and Iain Wilson 83.00 lending their considerable support to a very strong team effort.

The men’s squad could also boast some very encouraging performances further down the field from Abdi Berleen, 89.32.Henry Ricketts 103.28, and 2 new members making their club debuts Tony Partridge, 98.31, and Steve Utting, 108.20.

 

Bree Nordin was a class apart in the Womens’ veterans squad as she easily took the over 50s prize finishing in a very good time of 91mins 17 seconds. She also scooped the bronze medal in the over 45s section of the Essex Championships, an agonizing 11seconds behind her nemesis Sue Spong of Havering 90. Sally Gillam was 2^nd lady home for the club completing the course just outside her personal best in 105.11. Dianne Crisp, unsure of how she would handle the distance, ran a sensibly cautious race with seemingly little trouble closing the team in 112.11.

 

The club will be returning to the Colchester area later this month on Sunday 18th to defend last years' Gold and bronze team successes in the Essex 20 mile road championships to be held at Great Bromley.