Press Report 31st March 2015  

Mar 312015
 

Essex Road Relays 28th March 2015
Harwich

Strong coastal winds gusting across Dovercourt Bay greeted over 170 runners representing 53 teams from the cream of the county’s running clubs as they contested the Essex Relay Championships last Saturday. The event held at Chelmsford for many years was switched to Harwich this year in an enterprising move by the host Club Harwich Runners to present a fast accurately measured 5k course along the seafront with the innovation of chip timing. For the first time in Essex Road Running’s history runners transported a baton around the course which contained the chip technology. With the stiff wind behind they were assisted along the promenade for the first 2k until the turnaround when they had to battle against its full force on their return.

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Ilford AC fielded a depleted mens team but nevertheless competed with distinction in the vet 40 section which was held over 3 legs. Robin McNelis led off giving the team a solid start coming home in 18 mins 9 secs before handing over to Paul Holloway who matched this with an 18 min 4 secs effort. It was then left to Malcolm Muir to bring the team home to a bronze medal with the 2nd fastest run of the day overall clocking 16.19 which was also the top male 40 time.
Ilford ladies were unlucky not to come away with a medal with both teams just missing out by occupying 4th spot. In the Female Open were Krystle Balogun,19.38, Bree Nordin, 22.23, and club captain Jenni Sheehan 21.51 whilst the ladies vet 45 team had Dianne Crisp,24.08, Julia Galea,27.09, and the evergreen Pam Jones,31.23 contesting the spoils, the latter competing against opposition over 30 years her junior.
The fastest run of the day came from Rob Warner of Havering AC in 16.10 whilst Colchester’s Nicola Rogers topped the women’s times with 18.18. the team winners were as follows:-

Ladies Open Colchester Harriers A – 58:16
Ladies FV35 Saffron Striders – 62:10
Ladies FV45 Colchester Harriers – 62:30

Men Open Southend AC A – 67:32
Men MV40 Havering AC A -51:52
Men MV50 Colchester Harriers A – 57:10
Ladies and vets ran three legs while the male open ran four legs.
The event proved to be a great success for Harwich Runners who not only received some very positive feedback for the course and organisation but also came away with a silver in the team Female 35 and Female 45 categories, and a bronze in the male 50. In addition Harwich’s Kate Hodgkiss was top over 35 runner of the day with 19.28.

Braintree 5 miles and Colchester Half Marathon
29th March 2015

There was success for 2 Ilford AC runners at Braintree 5 mile road race on Sunday held on a slightly undulating rural course.The race avoided the worst of the weather and Bree Nordin was once again dominant in the FV55 age group taking the trophy in 36min 32secs which placed her 71st out the total of 308 finishers. Ilford legend Pam Jones won the FV65 category with 51m 45s. Coach Rob Sargent had a run around placing 114th with 39m 44s and Julia Galea finished 183rd in a time of 44m 19s.

The Colchester half marathon was held in very wet conditions but this did not deter the two Ilford athletes from recording personal best times, showing their training for the London marathon is going well. Declan Cullen came home in 1h 41m 43s in 313th in a field of over 2000. Team mate Satha Alaganandasundaram was not far behind in 541st with 1h 48m 54s

 

  Press Report 25th March  

Mar 242015
 

Brentwood Half Marathon
Sunday 22 March 2015

There was another good team performance from Ilford Ac in the Brentwood Half Marathon last Sunday.
Malcolm Muir led the way for the team in second spot, losing out to Ryan Prout of the Thrift Green Club by just 3 seconds, in 71 mins 32secs, which placed him as top M40 runner. There were big improvements in personal bests from Sam Rahman, 22nd in 1h 18m 54s, and Paul Holloway, 27th in 1h 20m 07s. Robin McNelis backed them up well in 33rd with 1h 21m 33s. Peter Spelman was further down the field finishing in 2h 00m 52s

In the Women’s race Bree Nordin produced her usual strong run to finish 303rd in 1.37.13.

7 Eleven 1500 Half Marathon
Manila, Philippines
Saturday 14 March

Ilford Ac’s Manila based Kiwi recently took part in this strangely named race in the Phillipino capital. As it usual in this part of the world the start time was 2am, to avoid the heat and humidity of the day, and Blair put in a strong run despite a recent virus to finished fourth in 1h 11mins 35secs, in a race dominated by the Kenyans

Report by Our Man in Manila

Blair in action in an earlier race in Manila, proudly running in Ilford colours

 

  Press Report 17th March  

Mar 172015
 

British Masters Cross-Country Championship
Ruthin, North Wales
Saturday 14 March

Four runners from Ilford AC travelled to North Wales to compete at the British Masters Cross-Country Championship at Ruthin in North wales. The race was over a 4 lap 8.8km course on mainly parkland but boggy in a few places. First Ilford man home was Andy Catton in 89th sot in 36m 19s which earned him 9th in the M60 category. Steve Parker was next home for the club in 135th with 43m 06s for 31st in his category while Steve Cheal finished 35th in the M50 grouping in 44m 51s and 139th overall. One pace behind him was Rob Sargent with 47m 06s and 31st in the M60 category. The Ilford team finished 7th in the M55-64 group

Essex 20 Miles Road Championship
Langham near Colchester
Sunday 15 March

Over 400 athletes gathered for the 2015 Essex 20 miles Championship outside Langham village Hall on a near perfect morning for running. Malcom Muir of Ilford AC ran a strong race to finish 3rd in 1hr 54mins 18 secs. This performance not only won him the bronze county medal but also the gold one in the Masters category. Next Ilford man home was Sam Rahman in 18th place in a time of 2h 05m 29s which improved his personal best time by over 2 minutes. Paul Holloway gave a creditable run in 26th place with 2h 09m 48s. These three runners combined together to place 3rd team in the Essex Championship.

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Robin McNelis was 30th with 2h 10m 38s while Bree Nordin took another county f55 group victory in 2h 33m 55s in 126th overall. Recent recruit to the club Julia Galea showed how she has progressed since joining the clubs endurance squad finishing in 3h 13m 49s for 4th in the F55 category and 335th overall. Peter Spelman rounded off the Ilford runners with 3h 14m 36s in 338th place.

  Press Report 10th March 2015  

Mar 102015
 

InterCounties Cross Country Championships
Cofton Park Birmingham
Saturday 7th March 2015

Ilford AC had 2 athletes representing Essex in the Inter Counties Cross Country Championships held at Cofton Park Birmingham last Saturday in what was arguably the strongest strength-in-depth event of the UK season.
Malcolm Muir competed over 12k in the senior men’s race where he placed 190th out of 283 finishers in a race won by Andrew Buchart of Scotland East clocking 34.26.
Ahmed Abdulle was still carryinga niggle but acquitted himself well in the Under 17’s race held over 6k coming home in 40th out of 274 in a time of 20.43. Mahamed Mahamed of Hampshire won in 18.35.

Sidcup 10 miles
Sunday 8 March

There was a good turnout for the Sidcup 10 road race held on a 3 lap course on a pleasant spring like Sunday morning.

First home for Ilford AC on a tougher than expected course was Malcolm Muir in 10th place with a quick time of 56m 39s, which placed him 4th in the masters category. Next home was Sam Rahman with 59m 19s, just outside his best time for the distance, in 20th place, with Paul Holloway close behind in 23rd with 59m 26s, which gave him 5th in the masters grouping. Supporting were Terry Knightley in 77th with 67m 18s and Andy Catton with a time of 68m 18 which gave him 3rd in the V60 category and 83rd overall.

Leading the ladies challenge was the in form Jenni Sheehan recording a new personal best of 73m 02s in 22nd in the female race and 135th overall . Melinda Jones also improved her best time to 76m 19s in 171st. Third Ilford lady to finish was Rachel Halpin with the club performance of the da y as she took over 10 minutes off her previous personal best for the distance to record 80m 35s in 203rd.

Steve Parker recorded 78m 53s in 190th and Satha Alagandasundaram put in a good run in 195th to just break the 80 minute barrier with 79m 45s. Club endurance coach Rob Sargent had a run out with 80m 45s in 206th and Dianne Crisp returned to racing after a recent illness in 234th and 83m 48s. Squad newcomer, Julia Galea, also gave a fine performance in 307th and 96m 24s. There were 356 finishers.

The race also included the British Masters Championship and Ilford did well in this competition winning third individual and three team medals.

Malcolm Muir took the.bronze medal in the M40 category and it was the same colour for Andy Catton in the m60 and Julia Galea in the F55 age groups.

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It was silver in the M35 team competition for the club with Muir joined by Paul Holloway and Terry Knightley and there was another silver medal in the M55 competition with the team of Andy Catton, Steve Parker and Rob Sargent. The ladies team of Mel Jones, Dianne Crisp and Julia Galea won the bronze medal in the ladies F45 team category.

Roding Valley Half Marathon
Woodford Green
Sunday 8 March

With a large number of Ilford A C’s endurance squad racing at Sidcup there were just 3 athletes from the club racing in the popular local Roding Valley half marathon.

Bree Nordin was a dominant force in the F55 category taking the title in 1h 38m 36s which placed her 7th female ovrall. Declan Cullen looked good recording 1h 43m 28s in 176th spot and the trio was completed by Suki Jandu who finished in 2h 06m 48s

Lydd Half Marathon
Sunday 8 March

Doris Gaga travelled down to the Kent coast for the Lydd Half Marathon. On a flat course she was rewarded with a new personal best time of 2hrs 00mins 51secs.

‘ER Indoors

Meanwhile Ilford AC’s super veteran John Batchelor has been having a fairly active indoor
season over the last few weeks. Last weekend he was involved in the British Masters Indoor Championships at Lee
Valley, at which himself and another “blast from the past” Ilford member, Karl Hick,
competed.

In the 1500m on Saturday Batchelor was defeated within his age group by Vets
AC clubmate and rock bass guitarist Peter Giles, who won the M70 title in 5:20.7
to his own 5:36.9, but on Sunday, in Giles’s absence, was able to retain his M70 3000m title
in 11:52.82. In the M55 3000m, former Ilford star runner Karl Hick, well
supported by a mass of family members, returned to competitive athletics with a
highly creditable fourth in his age group with a time of 11:07.65, a time he
hopes to better significantly when running in the European Masters Championships
in Poland at the end of the month.

In recent competitions Batchelor was second to Peter Giles in the Veterans AC and South of England Indoor Championships on 15th
February over 800m (2:48.02) and 3000m (12:11.43) and on 22nd February won the
M70 800m (2:51.74), 1500m (5:50.16) and 3000m (12:12.45) in the SCVAC
championships. On 1st March, representing SCVAC, the Ilford man won the M70 800m in the EAMA
Inter-Area Challenge (2:45.17) and was second to Peter Giles in the M70 3000m
(12:11.62)).

  Press Report 3rd March  

Mar 032015
 

Bath Half Marathon
Sunday 1st March

Illford AC’s brother and sister act, Malcolm and Carol Muir, travelled to the West Country last weekend to compete in Sunday’s Bath Half Marathon. Running a well judged even pace of 5.30 per mile Muir crossed the line in an excellent 22nd place in a very high class field.He was well pleased with his time of 72.08 which gave him 2nd place in the vet40 category only losing out to the classy Christopher Greenwood of Kent AC who finished some 2 and a half minutes ahead.

The winner was Paul Martelletti of Run Fast clocking 65.27 to record his 4th major half marathon win this year already! Yet the most outstanding run of the day came from the Wales and GB international Martin Rees who recorded an incredible time of 73.20 in the M60 category.
Carol Muir has been carrying a hamstring injury for the past 8 weeks and only changed her mind to run on the way to the race. After donning her race number she wisely decided to run with the fancy dress competitors and enjoyed jogging around in 2.29.54 finishing in position 9570 out of 11,588 finishers!

Last Friday of the Month 5km
Hyde Park, London
Friday 27 February

The monthly 5km promoted by Serpentine Running Club was held on a sunny mild day over a fast course

Sam Rahman of Ilford AC took advantage of the conditions to record a new personal best time of 17m 02s in 10th spot, indicating his training for London is on target. Team mate Ben Jones was also on form in 23rd with 17m 45s.

Meriden 10km
Greenwich Park
Sunday 1 March

Ilford Race Walker Peter Ryan changed code last Sunday to take part in the hard and hilly 2 lap Meriden 10km in Greenwich Park. On this rare outing running Peter tackled the blustery conditions tp come in 47m 03s for 75th pace in a field of 350 plus. His performance won him the M60 category silver medal in the Veterans AC Championship, which has held in conjunction with this race.