Thurrock
Harriers played hosts to the 2nd round of the
Essex Cross Country League held at One Tree
Hill, Basildon on Saturday where Ilford AC were
well represented in four of the days races. The
senior men's team gave a good account of
themselves over an 8.6k challenging course
finishing in 7th position. The Senior women
likewise faired well over 7.3k with the squad
achieving 8th place out of 16 competing teams.
The senior
men's race sported a top class field at the
sharp end of the race with Southend's junior
international Adam Hickey cutting down an early
advantage to just get the better of Colchester's
resurgent Adrian Mussett. First home for Ilford
AC in a large field of 172 runners was Malcolm
Muir who recovered from an early fall to fight
his way through to 9th place despite an injury
to his ankle. Under 20 Carlos Pinilla continues
to impress with a 17th place, proving he will be
a great loss to the club when he returns to his
native Columbia next year.
Club Captain
Darren Bottrill put in a career best performance
over the country with a fine 53rd and was ably
supported by Andy Catton, 65th and 3rd MV50
overall, and the dependable Neil Crisp, 71st .
Another to fall foul of the tree roots hazard
which were a feature of the course was 18 year
old Iain Macdonald who battled gamely on
after his mishap finishing in a painful 83rd.
Club President John Mackenzie,131st, just got
the better of super oldie Brian Meadows who
recorded his first finish for some time in
133rd. Yet another private scrap in the veteran
ranks was taking place just behind as middle
distance coach Steve Cheal, 140th, saw off a
spirited challenge from the silky smooth running
of sprinter Henry Ricketts, 141st. Peter whiting
168th and Robin Davis completed the men
finishers in 168th and 172nd respectively.
In the women's
race Bree Nordin had her customary strong run to
take the women's 45 top spot finishing 23rd
overall. Captain Nicola Hopkinson was next home,
36th, followed closely by an excellent run from
Sally Gillam 43rd. Dianne Crisp completed the
scoring squad just one place behind in 44th.
Victoria Morgan continues to learn her trade
over the cross country distances with 50th
place. Next home was Pam Jones in 54th and first
woman over 65.
Earlier the
Under 13 boys race got under way with Thomas
King enjoying his second outing of the
season occupying 22nd place. George Hadler,
recent winner of the clubs monthly Jack Petchey
award, was another donning his cross country
spikes for the second time
improving to creditable 33rd. In the under15
Boys event Alex Richards had a much better run
coming home in 28th with track specialist Jack
Webb not far adrift in 33rd.
On Sunday Abdi
Berleen competed in the Billericay 10k and had
an excellent run cracking the 40 minute barrier
for the first time since 2005. Berleen was very
happy with his time of 39.37 in a very large
field of 576 finishers. In the same race Gerry
Pells took the male 70 plus title with 54.58 for
376th position overall and Pauline Tester came
home in 49.39 for 243rd.
Club member
Peter Spelman was out on marathon duty in the
"The Big Apple" competing in the premier event
of New York Road Runners, the New York City
Marathon which is one of the world's great road
races, drawing more than 90,000 applicants. The
race attracts many world-class professional
athletes, not only for the more than $600,000 in
prize money, but also for the chance to excel in
the media capital of the world before two
million cheering spectators and 315 million
worldwide television viewers. Crossing
the finish line in Central Park is one of the
great thrills of a lifetime as Spelman will
attest with an excellent clocking of 3hours 26
minutes and 41 seconds placing him 3472nd in the
mass field of 38000 runners.
Ilford AC were
unable to contest this years National Cross
Country Relays at Mansfield due
to unavailability and injuries to some of their
top runners. However this did not stop Rob Nixon
from going solo on the white hot first leg as
Ilford's only representative clocking 16.59
to finish 80th out of 156 starters.
