VAC 5km Battersea Park Tuesday 8 June The second VAC promoted 5km of the summer was held last week on a warm but muggy night. Four runners from Ilford AC travelled to the park to race over the fast flat 2 lap course. First home for the club was Tony Young, who is currently showing good form, in 43rd spot in 22 mins 07 secs, with Alison Sale producing results showing that she trained well earlier in the year during lockdown recording 23mins 47 secs in 54th and 5th in the F55 grouping. Ilford endurance coach Rob Sargent laced them up and came home 62nd and 4th in the M65 age category with 25 mins 35 secs. Ernie Forsyth raced …Read More
Press Report 7th June 2021
Conquer 24, Powderham Castle 3 Ilford athletes experienced success in the inaugural Conquer24 endurance race at Powderham Castle near Exeter. Aaron Browne, Craig Livermore and Diarmuid Mac Donnell from Ilford AC were part of a team of 7 local runners taking part in the mixed team relay over 24 hours The race lap was just under 5 miles of mostly undulating trails with spectacular scenery. Camping facilities and catering were on the castle grounds. Going down with no real expectations, the team found themselves among the leaders going into the night. Strong running overnight saw them take the lead which they managed to hold on to till the end, running approximately 163 miles (33 laps) in just over 24 hours. …Read More
Press Report 1st June 2021
Track Academy Open Series Mayesbrook Park, Dagenham 29th May 2021 Ilford AC Sprinters finally competed in some favourable weather at this weekend’s open meeting in Mayesbrook Park Dagenham. Fidunu Abidekun ran a fast 10.8 in the 100m and looks set to close in on the club’s long standing U20M 100m record of 10.6. Newcomer to Ilford, Elijah Mayindu, ran a swift 11.1 to break his PB by 0.4. When the Southern League arrives, the Sprint squad looks to take aim at the club’s SM 4x100m relay record of 42.9. On the Women’s side, Krystle Balogun continued her progress this season with a 200m of 26.24 and looks set to break into the 25 second region before summer’s end. Ellie Wright …Read More
Press Report 25th May 2021
TRACK A number of Ilford Ac athletes ran across 3 venues on Saturday and all of them achieved Personal Bests. At Bromley both Farris Patel and Dylan Harrod ran an 800m. Farris hadn’t ran on the track for over a year and was against some high quality athletes. The leaders actually went through the bell in 52 seconds and Farris ended up 4th in a massive personal best of 1.53.56. Not only does this rank Farris in the top 15 U20 800m runners in the UK, but the time he ran makes him the second fastest U20 800M runner of all time at Ilford and in the top 10 of Ilfords all time 800m athletes Dylan Harrod, who recently joined …Read More
Gary Coombes
Name: Gary Coombes Born: 23rd February 1972 – age 49 Date Joined: April 2018 Personal Bests: Parkrun: 16.35 (2020 Raphael’s Park) 5k: 16.25 (2019 Hyde Park) 5m: 28.22 (2018 Wix) 10k: 34.31 (2019 Southend) 10m: 55.59 (2019 Stebbing) HM: 76.21 (2019 Pleshey) Marathon: 3:43 (only ran one back in 2005 – it hurt so bad I vowed then and there never to run another!) First Club Race: Memorable Little Bromley 10k Essex Champs race in 2018. Managed to nip ahead of clubmate Steve Philcox that day and finished with a then PB of 36.10 Favourite Race: So many to choose from! I love all of the Essex County Champs Road Races as they are always highly competitive …Read More