EASTERN COUNTIES INCORPORATING THE ESSEX INDOOR ATHLETICS CHAMPS 2014

For the first time this season Jack Maher [No. 420] & training partner
Usamah Patel [No. 522] came face to face in the finals of the u/17 1500m.
Jack took up the pace early on as the pair took charge of the race, with
about 250m to go Usamah made his move to take the title from Jack who was
the reining champion both athletes broke the championship best performance
time. Usamah time 4-21 Pb indoors Jack 4-25 Pb indoors

Report by Ian Gains.

Photos by Tom Gardner

CHICHESTER PRIORY 10km

CHICHESTER

SUNDAY 9th FEB

Three Ilford men travelled down to Chichester last Sunday for the super fast
Chichester 10km, which includes the Sussex Championship. On a windy course
the times were a little down on previous years with the winner’s time being
30.23 by Phillip Wylie and the 1st lady being GB runner Charlotte Purdue in
33.37.

1st Ilford man home was Malcolm Muir, in 18th position in an excellent time
of 32.38- not bad for someone pushing 40! Next Ilford man was Spencer
Hempstead in 42nd position in a time of 34.12. Spencer was 2nd V40 only 19
seconds behind the V40 winner. Final Ilford man was Matt Woodman, in 45th
position in a time of 34.32.

There were 1500 runners and Ilford team finished 5th in the team
competition.

Report by Malcolm Mur

 

Watford Half Marathon

Sunday 2 February

It was a bright sunny Sunday morning in Watford, something that has been a
rarity recently. Due to the Deluge of rain we’ve had recently this made the
course a little tougher due to the fact sections of the course were flooded.
1750 runners lined up at two separate starts of male and female of the
annual Watford half Marathon. Ilford Ac had 4 representatives in the large
field,. 1st home for Ilford was Blair Mcwhirter in an excellent time of
72.02 which was good enough for 6th place, then came kevin Newell in 65th in
81.25, Bradley Brown in 186th in a good time of 88.40, then came Ilfords
only female representative, Racjhel Allen, in 1305th in an excellent time of
2.01.46

Report courtesy of The Cowboy in the Vicarage

Serpentine, Last Friday in the Month 5k

Friday 31 January

Spencer Hempstead finished a very fine 5th out of 219 runners, and 1st M40,
in 16:29. Spencer’s age-related score was 84.7% John Batchelor placed 96th,
in 21:03, a sluggish but satisfactory run, scoring 87.2% (best male score),
largely due to the fact that I passed another birthday (73rd) a week
earlier. Conditions were cold and breezy, but luckily the rain held off for
the race.

Report courtesy of John Batchelor

Ashford and District 10k

Sunday 2 February

Held over an undulating scenic course in the Kent countryside, new recruit
to the Ilford fold, Matt Woodman, shot off the blocks at breakneck speed and
came home in 33.47 for 3rd place . Ben Jones went off a little too hard in
the first 2 miles and paid the price, never really regaining a steady
rhythm. He stumbled over the line of the revised out and back course in
37.33 for 30th place.

Report by Ben Jones

Ryde 10m

Sunday 2 February

Mike Horsey made the journey to the Isle of Wight for the Ryde 10 and
completed the undulating, aka hilly course in 69:00 for 98th position.

Report by Michael Horsey

LONDON GAMES INDOORS LEE VALLEY U/15 U/17 GRADED MEETING

Lee valley 2 February

Jack Maher, 16, in the top seeded race over 800 controlled this race from
the start running out a comfortable winner in a new indoor Pb of 2-01. His
training partner Usamah Patel 15 had to take on one of the top u/17 1500
athletes but still put up a good performance for 2nd place in a new indoor
Pb of 4-22

Report by Ian Gains

London Indoor Games

Lee valley 25 January

The London Indoor Games were held on the 200m bowl at the Lee Valley
Athletic Centre and Krystle Balogun of Ilford AC continued to show good
winter form. Running in heat 3 of the Senior Women’s 800m Krystle was
running in the leading group throughout and put in a storming last 100m to
take 2nd place in 2mins 24.94secs, just 0.02 seconds off the winner

Report by Warrior Dog

SOUTH OF ENGLAND INDOOR ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIP LEE VALLEY

Saturday 18 & Sunday 19 January

Ilfords young athletes Jack Maher 16 and Usamah Patel 15 competing in this
championship for the first time and over 800 & 1500 which they have never
done before indoors had a excellent weekend. Jack in the 800 came 2nd in his
heat beaten by the eventual winner of the 800 but good enough to make the
final in which he just missed out on a podium position coming 4th in 2-03 pb
for indoors.Usamah 1500 went one better in his final in a race where he got
pushed around being the smallest athlete in the field this did not stop him
from battling through to take 3rd place & a bronze medal in 4-23 pb indoors
& outdoors

Report and picture of courtesy of Ian Gains

Brass Monkey Half Marathon – York

Sunday 19 January

On a cold wet Sunday morning 1700 runners descended upon York for the annual
brass monkey half marathon, 2 ilford athletes travelled north for the
weekend, kevin Newell & Dan Cogan, kevin in the middle of his marathon
training was in first in 80.24 which gave him 60th place & Dan in his first
half with a very good time of 90.36 for 267th place, both celebrated
afterwards with a few well earned drinks and a cake or two!!

Report and picture of Kevin courtesy of The cowboy in Betty’s tea rooms!

Frimley Canal Race
Sunday 19 January

Three members of Ilford AC made the journey South to compete in the Frimley
Canal Race held over 8.2 mile of mixed Terrain of XC and fairly wet n muddy
toe path. A beautiful day and a very scenic race on undulating ground.
Spencer Hempsted was overall winner of the race, followed by Matt Woodman,
3rd and ably supported by Ben Jones in 8th [52:06]

Report by Ben Jones

Benfleet 15

Sunday 19 January

Peter Spelman was part of an Ilford Team at the Benfleet 15. However, he had
a bad cold and lagged way behind the other Ilford runners finishing in 3.30.

Report by Peter Spelman

Endurance Training

For further details of the endurance training (middle distance to marathon)
at Ilford AC please contact warriorsoftime@hotmail.co.uk