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 Chicago Marathon, recording 1 hr 30 mins 54 secs in 33rd.
Amy Louise Bird was the sole Ilford female in action finishing in a fine fifth spot in the ladies race with 1 hr 36 mins 44 secs. The race was of particular interest to Amy, as Kimbolton Castle was where she attended School
PHIPPS 5K – ELVIS RACE 7
Barking Park
Monday 29th August
There was an excellent turn out of 33 members of Ilford AC in action in the annual Bank Holiday 5km in Barking Park, which was also the 7th race in the 2022 ELvIS series
The men’s team were led home by Fabrizio Stefanoi in 16th place in a good time of 17 mins 37 secs, while Steve Philcox in 21st took 1st place in the M50 category honours with 18 mins 05 secs. Aaron Browne was next home with 18 mins 10 specs for 23rd spot and there was a new personal best time for Richard Woolterton of 19 mins exactly. One place and one second behind was Diarmuid Mac Donnell with Ryder Islam recording 19 mins 24 secs for 39th. Craig Livermore finished 40th with 19 mins 27 secs and Joel Denning came in at 19 mins 30 secs for 43rd.
The men’s team finished 3rd on the day and remain 3rd in the league.
Terry Knightley won the M60 age group with 19 mins 57 secs for place 52.
Further down the field Sean Costello and Seamus O’Connell made their club debuts recording 23:14 and 28:59 respectively
Ilford’s Neringa Masilioniene won the ladies race, her third victory in the series this season, in 18 mins 31 secs in a close finish and Jordan Hinds placed 4th lady and 35th overall with 19 mins 10 secs, a new best time for the distance.
Sameena Ahmed came home 6th lady and 49th overall in 19 mins 43 secs to win the F40 grouping, Anna Crawley was 15th (87th overall) in 21 mins 49 secs and Bree Nordin was 18th (96th overall) and first in the F60 category. Hannah Sheikh returned from illness to finish 25th (117th overall) in 23 mins 16 secs and closed the teams scorers.
The Ilford ladies won the match and have set up a grandstand finish at the final match at Valentines Park in September with East London and Eton Manor where any of the teams could be crowned champions.
Mandy Reid set a new personal best of 25 mins 03 secs.
Also ran: John Crawley (48th 19.41) Steve Chissell (67th 20.44) Dennis Briggs (71st 21.00) Gary Floate (83rd 21.41)Tony Young (92nd 22.15) Bradley Brown (99th 22.32) Gaye Young (119th 23.22) Alison Sale (123rd 23.31) Sharon Honey (171st 26.04) Rob Sargent (191st 27.23) Dianne Crisp (197th 27.48) Jim Huddart (202nd 28.07) Julia Galea (213th 28.34) Carol Muir (228th 29.33) Launa Broadley (229 29.35)
After the main Event there was a Junior 2k race which was won by Ryder Islam in 7.32 after also competing in the main race
Ilford had 16 other runners in the race, many running their first race for the club finishing in the following times Ichalif Ali 8.35 / Jeremiah Brown 8.37 / Anika Sharma 8.43 / Joshua Denning 8.50 / Damien Kwarteng 9.05 / Noah Crawley 9.39 / Luke Thake 9.59 / Jayden McDermott 10.02 / Jude Crawley 10.47 / Hashim Khan 10.54 / Ibrahim Khan 10.59 / Mathiaus Semper 11.11 / Daniel Gutava 11.14 / Ruby Moffat Virk 11.45 / Andre Mullings 13.00 and Mustapha Samb 13.13
SPITFIRE 10K
RAF Museum Hendon
Saturday 27th August
The Spitfire 10K is held to commemorate the Battle of Britain and all the men and women who defended Britain’s skies during the summer of 1940, with all the runners wearing the name of a Battle of Britain pilot with their race number.
The race takes runners around the historic London aerodrome in Colindale, out onto local streets before finishing through the museum past the Spitfire, through Hangar 1 and under the beautiful Short Sunderland Flying boat, before crossing the finish line.
This year Billy Green was the sole Ilford Entrant finishing in a time of 53 mins 56 secs for 88th place
LAST FRIDAY OF THE MONTH 5K
Hyde Park
Friday 26th August
Carol Muir ran the Last Friday of the Month 5 km in Hyde Park finishing 134th in 31.08, over a minute faster than her time in the previous month
RACE WALK DIVISION
Southend City Mile
Garon Park Track
29 Aug 22 – ‘B’ Race
The annual Southend Mile Walk now renamed Southend City Mile, reflecting the Borough’s new status, was held over 4 laps of a well appointed Garon Park track on Bank Holiday Monday morning.
It returnS to fixtures lists after a 2 years’ Covid absence.
In a combined race former Commonwealth Games representative Dan King (Colchester Harriers) was a clear gun-to-tape victor clocking 7 minutes a 1 second, but in his wake Ilford’s inform Emma Dyos had the race of her life to place 2nd, not only bettering several men’s performances but also setting a new Women’s mile track record of 8:48, previously held by Loughton AC’s Melanie Peddle. A tight race for 3rd spot saw Belgrave Harrier Colin Harle and Ilford’s John Arthur battling throughout as they’d done a day earlier at Hendon’s London’s StoneX Stadium over 5,000 meters, where the Ilford man got the better of it. This time Harle, who crossed ahead of Arthur, as he filled 3rd place in 9:15 with Illford’s man breathing down his neck to clock 9:17. Rachel Lawless was 6th in a personal best time of 9:32 slightly ahead of Simon Morgan whose 9:36 was a season’s best. Lesley Morris was the pick of Ilford’s other 5 entrants when filling 9th spot in 10:18.
John Arthur’s morning of athletics wasn’t over, as he entered a Masters 800 meters run and collected a bronze medal!
Photo of some Ilford AC members after racing : L-to-R : Lesley Morris, John Arthur, Emma Dyos, Rachel Lawless, Dave Ainsworth & Sheda Arthur.
Ilford AC give ’em the old 1-2
Ilford walkers achieved a 1-2 finish in Sunday afternoon’s London Inter-Club Challenge meeting at the StoneX Stadium, home of Saracens Rugby Club, where the Club’s John Arthur and Belgrave Harrier Colin Harle, the reigning British Police champion, strode to the front from the “off” being trailed by Steve Uttley some 15 metres in arrears. Steve Uttley gradually closed the gap and hit the front shortly before halfway in the 5,000 metres race. He extended his lead to 30 metres by the finish line which he crossed in 30 minutes and 32 seconds. Most interest was shown in a tight battle for remaining frame positions, as John Arthur edged ahead of Colin Harle to claim 2nd and 3rd positions respectively, clocking 30:58 and 31:04. In a concurrently held 3,000 metres walk, Shaheda Arthur clocked 30:08, so gaining valuable team points for Ilford AC.
Picture : Action approaching halfway as eventual winner Steve Uttley (162) trails race leaders John Arthur (159) and Colin Harle (157).
