Press Report Ilford 13th December 2016  

Dec 132016
 

Southend 5 Miles Rudolph Run

On a beautifully sunny and mild Sunday morning, two ILFORD AC athletes joined a huge field of 445 runners, with many dressed as Santas, Elves and snowmen, for the Festive themed 6th Annual Southend Five Miles Rudolph Run.

Held over a mainly out and back course on the promenade at Southend Seafront, the improving Bradley Brown led the duo home in 23rd place in 32 minutes and 48 seconds.

Following him in 28th Position and still carrying a long standing debilitating hamstring injury, was inaugural winner of the race in 2011, Terry Knightley, in 33 minutes and 53 seconds for 2nd place in the Male Veteran Over 55 Age category.

The race was won by a speedy James Caldon of Benfleet Running Club in 26 minutes and 57 Seconds.

Dame Kelly Holmes 10k
Olympic Park
Peter Spelman ran the Dame Kelly Holmes 10k at the Olympic Park today in 52.17 with which he was well pleased. Over 500 runners completed the course.

 

  Press Report 28th November 2016  

Nov 292016
 

Essex Veterans & Junior Cross Country Championships
Saturday 20 November
Writtle College

The Essex Cross-Country Championships for Veteran and junior athletes was held at Writtle College last Saturday. The veteran races were held over an interesting and challenging 8k course. A stream crossing and a steeply banked lake which the runners had to circumnavigate twice caused some severe bottlenecks and anguish for unsuspecting runners, many of whom were reduced to a walk during this section.

Star of the show for the Ilford AC squad was Steve Philcox who put in a great performance to finish 2nd in the M50+ age category race to take the silver medal in 31mins 54 secs for the 8km event. Next home in 25th spot was Neil Crisp in 35mins 07 secs. There was a rare appearance on the country for Tony Hyde in 30th place in 35mins 36 secs and Tony Nixon completed the team’s scorers in 49th and 5th in the M60 grouping with 37 mins 35 secs. Ernie Forsyth returned from injury in 91st and 43 mins 16secs, with Terry Knightley close behind with 43 mins 42 secs for 99th. Gary Floate finished 104th in 45 mins 06 secs and Rob Sargent placed 11th (47m 19s) and Martin Clarke 114th (47m 48s).

Ilford AC were highly placed 5th in the team event and to their great credit even managed to close a ‘B’ team in 19th place out of 20 scoring teams.

Nicola Hopkinson continued her good form on the country placing 45th in the womens F35+ 8km race with a time of 42mins 21 secs and finished 18th in the F45 grouping. Dianne Crisp continued to show improvement finishing 65th in 45 mins 09 secs and Julia Galea came home 94th with 49mins 08 secs. Nichola Fairbairn (53mins 51secs) completed the club’s team scorers in 97th. Also in action were Doris gaga with 101st (56mins 41 secs) and Julie Gillender in 109th (60mins 32 secs).

The Ilford team were the 17th club in the event.

In the junior Races the Ilford U15 Boys quartet ran exceptionally well to finish with the bronze medal in the team competition. They were led home by Mungo Prior who had a storming run to just miss out o an individual podium spot finishing 4th in 13mins 43 secs. Not far behind Aaron Samuel produced a quality performance to come home 8th clocking 14.02. They were well supported by Jack Halil who chipped in with 15mins 20secs for 28th place and Leo Ronson whose 16.26 for 45th place closed the team for the bronze.

Florence Marathon
Sunday 27 November

The Florence marathon is held on a fast flat course around the historical city pasting all the landmarks including Cathedral Square and Ponte Vecchio. Paul Holloway of Ilford AC travelled out to Italy for the event and put in a superb performance to take over 4 minutes off his personal best time finishing 94th in 2 hours 47 minutes 36 secs in a field of over 8000 finishers

 

  Press Report 22nd November 2016  

Nov 222016
 

LONDON CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPS PARLIAMENT HILL FIELDS
Saturday 19 November

Ilford’s 17 year old Ahmed Abdulle, being too old to run in the London youth games,stepped up a level to compete in the Senior London cross country championships held over the classic Parliament Hill course of approximately 10k. Ahmed went with lead group from the start putting in a excellent performance to finish 7th in the Seniors but taking the 1st place in the under 20 in32-11. Presenting Ahmed with his medal was South of England official and life member of Ilford AC Phyllis Winger

Essex Cross Country League
Horseheath, Cambridgeshire
Saturday 19 November

The latest match in this winter’s Essex Cross-Country League was held on a chilly Saturday afternoon at the Horseheath Point to Point Horse Race course just over the border in Cambridgeshire.
The Ilford AC ladies team, still under strength due to injuries, raced of 6km and returned encouraging results. Nicola Hopkinson led the way in 41st position in 31 mins 38 secs, backed up by Dianne Crisp with 48th and 33 mins 15 secs. Julia Galea battled well for 75th in 38 mins 21 secs. Doris Gaga and Pam Jones finished 82nd and 83rd in 41m 37s and 42m 04s respectively.
In the match the team finished 9th and after 3 rounds are placed 10th in the 12 team divison one of the league

The Ilford men always had a hard fight on their hands as they turned up with only 5 runners, one short of a complete team for their 8km event. Seb Parris, in his first appearance in the Essex league, was the first home in 79th place in 34m 54s, with evergreen Tony Nixon, the first M60 to finish in the race, 88th with 35m 47s. Neil Crisp returned from injury to come home in 95th in 36m 27s, while Dennis Briggs in 133rd and 40m 02s and Ed Skinner with 140th in 41m 24s completed their line up.
In the match Ilford were placed 10th and are 9th in the league and like the ladies team are in the relegation battle.

 

  Press Report 15th November 2016  

Nov 152016
 

British and Irish Masters Cross-Country International
Tollcross Park, Glasgow
Saturday 12 November

Ilford Ac’s Pam Jones was called up as a reserve for the strong England team for the International match, featuring England, Scotland. Northern Ireland, Eire and Scotland, held on a testing grassland course at Tollcross Park in Scotland. Pam ran in the open and reserves 6km race and ran a steady pace throughout the 3 lap race finishing strongly in 35 mins 53 secs for 25th spot. England were victorious in the match

  Press Report 8th November 2016  

Nov 082016
 

Dublin Marathon
30th October 2016

Ilford AC siblings Carol and Malcolm Muir both competed in the Dublin Marathon the previous weekend. Malcolm was really there mainly to support a great “sister act” by Carol who smashed her marathon PB by a massive 45 minutes. Carol was delighted with her time of 5hours 11 minutes and 53 seconds especially as only two months ago a knee infection had seriously curtailed her training. Malcolm for his part targeted the Father Collins parkrun the day before which he won easily in a speedy time of 16.47. As a result he suffered in the latter part of the following day’s marathon after going through halfway in around 1 hour 21 minutes. Nevertheless he still crossed the line in 3hours 3 minutes and 22 seconds.



Billericay 10k
Sunday 6th November 2016
On a cold and crisp Sunday morning, Ilford AC Super-Veteran Terry Knightley, was the sole club representative in the Annual Billericay Striders 10K Road Race.

Held over an undulating one lap course through the country lanes of Billericay, Terry finished in 46th position from a huge field of 750 entries in 40 minutes and 45 seconds and claimed 2nd position in the Male Veterans Over 50 category as he continued his recovery from a serious Back injury.

Terry won the race outright in 1998, however this year The race was won by Ryan Prout from Chelmsford AC.

World Masters Championships
Perth Australia – Sunday 6th November
The second week of the world masters championships in Perth saw the temperature rising to a high of 37C on Saturday. Fortunately it dropped for the road races the next day but was still in the high 20s for the finish of the half marathon despite a 7am start. Rob Sargent of Ilford AC put in a battling performance clocking 1hr 57mins 29seconds on the scenic course along the banks of the Swan river to take 20th in the M60 category and 5th Brit where the top 3 from GB combined to take the team gold medals.