Press Report 4th February 2008

 

1000 hardy athletes took to the country roads of Great Bentley near Colchester to contest the Essex half marathon held on a bitterly cold and windy Sunday morning. Ilfords top female veteran runner Bree Nordin dipped under the 90 minute watershed for the first time with a superb personal best of 1hr 29 mins 50 secs which now takes her to the top of this years national half marathon rankings for her age category. Nordin stormed stormed through the first 6 miles in 40 minutes to post her intentions to Essex rivals Julie Palmer of Benfleet and Sue Spong of Havering who even by this time were trailing in her wake. Fighting against fatigue not helped by the conditions Nordin was carried through the last couple of miles by fellow runners to win the overall women's over 50s trophy and the Essex over 45s gold. Meanwhile a terrific scrap was going on behind involving Sally Gillam and Dianne Crisp with the order changing several times before Crisp finally made her move at mile 12 to come home in 1hr 44. 12 to Gillam's 1.44.41. The overall women's race race was won by a very strong looking Helen Decker from Ipswich Jaffa, with Colchester and Tendrings Sarah Straddling looking easy in 2nd and Haverings resurgent Debbie Appleton in 3rd.  

 

The Ilford men were also well represented with Malcolm Muir coming home 4th overall in 74.42. Robin McNelis ran a tactically shrewd race, starting conservatively and flying through at the end as next club man home in 1hr 21.00 closely followed by an excellent run from Neil Crisp 1.23.53 and Terry Knightley closing the squad in 1.24.46. In-form Darren Bottrill was strangely out of sorts and suffered in the early stages eventually battling through to 1.25.01 but nevertheless a PB by 30 secs. Steve Parker no stranger to the distance after recent back-to-back outings at the Florida "goofy" half and full marathons was back on his legs with 1.35.34. Further down the field postman and prolific London marathoner Steve Allen is getting fitter with every race and clocked 1.36.46, with yet another solid performance from Tony Partridge just behind in 1.37.07. Debutante Trevor Moore is well on course with his marathon preparations and completed an excellent turnout for the Cricklefields club coming home in 1.41.24. The men's team finished just outside the medals with Colchester, Billericay and Springfield taking the major honours.

 

Further north Robert Nixon phoned in that that weather conditions were even more horrendous in the Alsager 5 mile race near Stoke on Trent. Nevertheless he braved the strong and bitter winds clocking 26.45 for 53rd overall in a very large field of over 1000 finishers. This race attracts some of the best runners in the country with 124 athletes breaking the 30 minute barrier this year and Belgrave's Phil Wickes taking the spoils.

The previous Saturday Andy Catton was Ilford's sole representative in the South of England cross country championships held at Ruislip's Mad Bess Woods. Catton was able to shelter from the winds on a fast 10k course set predominantly on forest tracks, finishing a very good 22nd place in the over 50s race with a time of 37.58. Nigel Gates from Brighton and Hove won the race in an excellent 33.39.