The Essex Way
Sunday 3rd September
Sunday saw the staging of the Essex Way Relay which covers the 82 miles of the Essex Way, a historical pathway through Essex, starting from Epping Station to Harwich Old Lighthouse in 10 stages. Ilford AC have been involved in the organisation and time keeping for a good few years now.
The route is mainly cross country without marshals with each runner expected to have done a recce of his route from printed instructions.
The route takes runners across ploughed fields, through large crops, across many a stile and kissing gate and can be a logistical nightmare for those involved making sure that all runners are ferried to their start lines in time as most start and end points are in small villages with limited parking.
There are also the logistics of getting runners back from their finish point to their cars where they started.
This year there were 69 teams competing, and for the first time in 3 years Ilford AC were able to put out a full team, and almost managed a full B team as well.
Ilford finished a very credible 25th and 66th, and would have finished far higher if the B team had managed to put out a full team.
Highlights of the day were Steve Philcox who was roped in with just 3 days’ notice and finished 3rd, and Malcolm Muir who hasn’t ran for a while, because of injury, finishing 7th.
A few runners made it to the end after finishing their own run to cheer home Pam Jones who closed the team, accompanied by Nicola Hopkinson running her second leg of the day.
This was followed by the traditional Fish and Chip supper where runners swapped tales of getting lost, nettle stings, boggy fields, bloodied limbs and weary legs. All runners agreed though that they couldn’t wait for next years race!
Ilford Runners Stage positions were as follows:-
Stage 1. A – Peter Spelman 52nd B – N/A
Stage 2. A – Steve Philcox 3rd B – N/A
Stage 3. A – Satha Alaga 53rd. B – Pathrose Louise 58th.
Stage 4. A – Dennis Briggs 19th B – Tony Hyde 20th
Stage 5. A – Nicola Hopkinson 26th B – N/A
Stage 6. A – Anthony Young 32nd. B – Stephen Cheal 39th
Stage 7. A – Malcom Muir 7th. B – N/A
Stage 8. A – Billy Green 57th B – Frieda Keane 56th
Stage 9 A – Nichola Fairbairn 60th
Stage 10 A – Pam Jones 61st. Nicola Hopkinson 60th
Harlow 10
Sunday 3 September
The 2017 Harlow 10 was held on the usual fast, gently undulating 10 mile course over quiet country lanes and traffic free cycle tracks. from the Mark Hall Sports Centre in Harlow . There were 4 entrants from Ilford AC in the field of 254.
First home for the club was Bree Nordin in 48th place and 8th female in 73 mins 30secs,. This performance won her the trophy for the first in the F55 grouping
Next home was Declan Cullen in a new personal best time of 73 mins 47 secs in 50th and 2nd in the M60 age category, while Steve Parker was 5th in this group and 56th overall with 74 mins 51 secs.
Julia Galea completed the squad in 175th with 93 mins 59 secs
Canterbury Road Championships
Saturday 19 August
Ilford Ac’s Kiwi Standout, Blair McWhirter has returned to his home town of Christchurch, New Zealand but is still showing good form. Recently he finished 2nd in the Canterbury 10km Road Championships in a new personal best time of 32 mins 32 secs.
Takely 10k
Sunday 3 September
Super-Veteran Terry Knightley was the sole Ilford AC representative on Sunday at the 6th Annual Takeley 10K Off Road Race near Bishops Stortford.
Running almost entirely on the tracks and muddy trails around Takeley and Hatfield Forest with 400 other runners, Knightley finished in 9th Position overall and won the trophy for First Male Veteran Over 50 in a time of 40 Minutes and 20 seconds.
All finishers received a Souvenir Race T-Shirt and a Banana !
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