The Veterans Ac organised a 5km masters b road race in and on the roads around Wimbledon Park which included a steep incline after a mile. The race had an interesting entrant, Andy Muray – not the famous tennis player but a runner from Dulwich.

Tony Young and Rob Sargent from Ilford Ac entered the event and Tony produced a good performance finishing 49th in 21 mins 39 secs beating his previous personal best by 39 seconds. Rob placed 78th and was the 4th in the M65 age category to finish in 26 mins 17 secs.

Blackheath and Bromley Open
Bromley
Sunday 11 April

Three Ilford athletes represented the club at the Blackheath and Bromley open meeting on Sunday. First up was veteran, dad, Paul Grange in the 800m. He took a commanding lead from the start and continued pulling away from the rest of the field to win by 3 seconds to 2nd place, and 5 seconds to 3rd place and local rival, Jack Exley. Paul finished  in a time of 1:58.31.

Second up was Jak Wright in the 1500m against a competitive field. Jak started perfectly with a 64 second first lap, before tucking in the chasing group and running the next lap in a slower 68 seconds. With 500m to go Jak broke away from the chasing pack and stated to claw back the 50 meter lead from Southend’s Sam Wheatley in the pole position. Pouring it on around the final bend, Jak was seriously eating into his lead. Jak then unleashed a monstrous kick down the home straight to close down the gap, throwing himself over the line to finish second by only 0.03 seconds in a time of 4:07.39. Jak is glad to open his season with a PB and is hoping to break the elusive 4 minute barrier this year. 

Up last was the youngest of the trio, Joseph Grange, in the 3000m, who was out to challenge his club president and coach’s 40 year old u15 club record of 9:31. After a quick start, Joseph tucked in to a small group to grind out consistent lap after lap exactly on pace. With 1km to go Joseph was on track to take the long standing club record. Passing the bell Joseph strung the group out, which included Holly Dixon who recently ran a sub 16 5km in the world record breaking podium 5k race. The 13 year old then shifted into top gear to run a swift 36 second last 200m; narrowly missing out on the club record with a time of 9:32. Joseph is now optimistic to shatter the 9:30 barrier this season.

CHINGFORD LEAGUE 5km
Redbridge Cycle Circuit
Monday 5 April

This winter’s  Chingford League resumed at the Redbridge Cycle Centre on Hog Hill after the partial lifting of the Covid restrictions. The third match of the series was split into 4 races with wave starts for the 5km challenging race. The final results were determined by the compilation of the times from the 4 racers. Ilford Ac had a good turn out 28 runners who ran well and returned good results to give the club a successful afternoon.

Paul grange led the results with a new personnel best of 16 mins 02 secs with support from Tom Gardner in 6th with 16 mins 19 secs and jumior man Jak Wright in 10 with a new best time for the distance of 16 mins 39 secs. Next home was Alex Richards in 11th in 16 mins 41 secs The team was completed by two more junior Men (under 20 age category) Bradley Deacon with 16 mins 52, another with a personal best time, in 15th and Thys Edwards 18th with 16 mins 58 secs.

The team finished first in the division 2 match and are in pole position to gain promotion to the top league in their first season in the competition. The team were in such good form that their score would have won the first division match which was held in the same race.

Ryan Holeyman was another with anew best time has he finished first in the under 17 category in 17 mins 29 secs.

Club middle distance coach Wayne Hick, who was a track athlete in his competitive days, ran his first ever road race recording 22 minutes 10 secs and Steve Crane made his club debut recording 21 min 42 secs. There was also a personal best for Dan Holeyman of 18 mins 35 secs

Jordan Hinds led home the Ilford Ladies  in 31st place in their race with 22 mins 52 secs with The ever green Bree Nordin 37th , and 3rd female in the F60 age group, with 23 mins 04 secs. Next home in 43rd spot was Alison Sale who improves with every race recording a new best time of 23 mins 44 secs. Gaye Young recorded 23 mins 53 secs for 17th and Julia Galea was timed at 28 min 11secs in 101st. There was a fine run from Carol Muir who completed the scoring team in 108th with 28 mins 58 secs.

The ladies completed the club’s winning double topping their match result. They are also top of division 2 and are favourites to gain promotion for next season

Other Ilford athletes in action – Men:  Steve Philcox ( 61 18.56) Diarmuid MacDonnell (87  19.48) Adam Coals ( 107 20.57) Terry Knightley (124 21.34) Dennis Briggs ( 136 22.00) Ed Skinner ( 192 26.02) Rob Sargent ( 195 26.14) Steve Cheal (198 26.21) Trevor Robinson ( 221 29.46) Bradley Brown (224 30.20)

Ladies: Frieda Keane (112 29.19)  Pramila Monro ( 123 30.17)

There is one match left in this shortened season; the relays at Central Park Dagenham next Saturday (10th)

St Clare Hospice 10k
Harlow
Sunday 11th April

A Trio of Ilford AC athletes traveled to Hastingwood in Harlow on a cold and windy Sunday Morning to contest The Annual St Clare Hospice 10K Road Race.

Over a one lap countryside hilly road course against a field of 349 other runners with a socially distanced ‘Rolling Start’ the first finisher for Ilford AC was Danny Holeyman in 13th Place in a speedy new Personal Best of 38 Minutes Exactly and 3rd in the Male Veteran Over 40 Category.

Club Stalwart, Terry Knightley, followed him home in 24th Position in 40 Minutes and 14 Seconds to Win The First Male Veteran Over 60 Trophy.

Julia Galea ran a great race to finish in 206th Place in 57 Minutes and 45 Seconds for 23rd in The Female Veteran Over 55 Category.

All Finishers received a commemorative medal.