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Press Report 3rd October 2022 – London Marathon Special

Press Report 3rd October 2022 - London Marathon Special

LONDON MARATHON Sunday 2 October There was an outstanding run from Sameena Ahmed of Ilford AC at Sunday’s London Marathon as she finished in 3 hrs 09 mins 34 secs for 2775th place in the field of 40000 and 56th in the F40 category. Sameena ran at a steady pace throughout the race reaching halfway in 1 hr 34mins 53 secs. Her time was a personal best by 42 minutes and also a new Ilford club record for her age group and the 5th fastest Ilford lady in its 99 year history. She was one of the 8 Ilford runners in the race. Amy-Louise Bird was making her debut at the distance finishing in 3 hrs 31 mins 39 secs while Sebastian Parris, ...Read more


Press Report 27th September 2022

Press Report 27th September 2022

Essex Cross Country Relays Champs Brentwood Saturday 24th September On a very hilly course in Weald Park the Ilford team excelled themselves. Starting with two vets on legs 1&2 Ilford got off to a flying start with Paul Grange on leg 1 coming in with the leading group in 22:24 over the 6k course. Leg 2 saw Tom Gardner take a slight lead in 22:19. With Havering chasing leg 3 Alex Richards. who’s recovering from his injuries, slipped back to 2nd place in 22:46. With Havering now in the lead, leg 4 saw Ahmed Abdulle storm around the course passing Havering to bring home the victory for Ilford AC  in 20:08 whilst also achieving the fastest lap time of the day with a ...Read more


Frank Heaney – Eulogy

Frank Heaney - Eulogy

Born in Dagenham on 7 September 1935, Frank was the middle child of three boys, Jack, himself, and Colin, born to Patrick and Marie, two good Belfast Catholics – although according to Frank, a direct line existed down from the 10th century Irish King, Brian Boru. He was four when war broke out in September 1939, and spent the war years back and forth between Dagenham and West Belfast, staying with relatives in a two-up, two-down Victorian terrace in Benares Street – the children sleeping two or more to a bed upstairs, the parents in an alcove under the stairs. But, as he was keen to point out, they never thought of themselves as poor. School was a very different place in ...Read more


Press Report 20th September 2022

Press Report 20th September 2022

Ingatestone 5 Sunday 18th September 2022 There were 6 Ilford AC runners in this long established race.  The race takes place on a challenging course starting from the Anglo-European school in Willow Green, taking in Fryerning and a challenging Beggar Hill before heading back to the finish at the back of the school. First home for the team was Steve Philcox in 8th spot with 29 mins 37 secs which placed him first in the M50 category title. Next home, and first for our ladies was Mel Jones in 56th with 37 mins 52 secs, to also claim first place in the F50 category. Alison Sale was next for the ladies in 66th overall with 38 mins 53 secs. Next home was Frieda Keane in ...Read more


Press Report 13th September 2022

Press Report 13th September 2022

Pleshey Half Marathon (incorporating the Essex Champs) Pleshey 11th September 2022 The Essex Championship was once again staged in conjunction with the Pleshey Half Marathon and was preceded with a minutes reflection in memory of the recent passing of The Queen. The race from the picturesque village is over a rolling hilly course and conditions were made more difficult on the day due to unseasonable hot weather It was a successful day for Ilford AC with the club winning five county medals and a new personal bests for the distance. Amin Koikai led the way for the Ilford team with an excellent 21st place in 1hr 16 mins 49 secs, the performance winning him Essex Gold in the M50 age group. Backing him up were Diarmuid MacDonnel ...Read more


Press Report 6th September 2022

Press Report 6th September 2022

Hillingdon 20 Sunday 4th September Sam Rahman gave an excellent performance on Sunday in the Hillingdon 20 mile road race. The race, the oldest of this distance in England, is over 4 challenging undulating laps of suburban Ruislip. Rahman was in the leading group from the start and reached halfway in 63 mins 30 seconds. The course took its toll in the second half and he came home in 2 hrs 10 mins 51 secs for 9th place in a field of over 230. The result indicates that he is in good form and is hopeful of a sub 3 hours in  the forthcoming Amsterdam Marathon The Vitality Big London Half Sunday 4th September Three Ilford runners were amongst the 10,000 runners who took to ...Read more


Press Report 30th August 2022

Press Report 30th August 2022

KIMBOLTON HALF MARATHON ​Sunday 28th August The Kimbolton Half Marathon runs from the picturesque Kimbolton Castle, once the home of Catherine of Aragon and now a school, on a route featuring two notable hills around the local villages and back to the grounds of the school. Ilford AC had three male runners in the field, all training for autumn marathons  and showing that training is going well. Sam Rahman came home in a creditable 10th spot in 1hr 20 mins 26 secs with Seb Parris coming in less than 45 seconds outside his personal best for the distance in 1 hr 23 mins 31 secs for 17th. The third club member over the line was Diarmuid Mac Donnell, who is aiming for the ...Read more


Frank Heaney RIP

Frank Heaney RIP

Former member, President, athlete and auditor Frank Heaney sadly passed away yesterday 15th August Frank was a great Ilford AC stalwart and had a lasting  influence on anybody who ever knew him.He was a great friend and supporter of Ilford AC as well as being a larger than life personality. Our deepest condolences go to his wife Doreen and their family. Frank will be missed by us all. Ernie Forsyth Dear Frank was Ilford AC President 1778/79, following Brian Armstrong and succeeded by Roy Gill. He was a long-serving Club Chairman from 1988-to-1996 and a diligent auditor. Frank was aged 86 at the time of his demise, and I believe resided in Loughton. He enjoyed his Saturday afternoon/evening pints with “The Jokers” and rarely ...Read more


Press Report 23rd August 2022

Press Report 23rd August 2022

Isle of Wight Half 20th August 2022 Ilford AC stalwart Malcolm Muir took a short break in the Isle of Wight and took part in the Half Marathon organized by Ryde Harriers. The course is one of the toughest Half Marathons in the UK and is an undulating, town and rural, single lap course passing through Yaverland, Whitecliff, Bembridge, St. Helens and back towards Sandown via Brading taking in some of the Islands beautiful coastline. Malcolm put in his usual gutsy performance finishing in 15th place in a time of 1 hour 26 minutes and five seconds. Read more


Press Report 16th August 2022

Press Report 16th August 2022

Southern League Woodford Saturday 13th August On Saturday Ilford AC Co hosted the Final Southern League match of the season along with Woodford at their venue at Ashton Playing fields. Ilford members  provided good support staff although the turnout of competing athletes was a little disappointing on a blistering hot Saturday Those members that did compete helped the club to 4th place and there was also an opportunity for some of the new members to race for the first time. Ian Johnson, Mohammed Zergouat, Jeremiah Brown and Sherry Nantongo all made their debuts in the senior league competition. All did the 100m with Ian running 11.91, Jeremiah 12.3, Mohammed 12.58 and Sherry 14.68. Jeremiah and Sherry returned later in the day to also gain points in ...Read more