This week we lovingly prepare the course for this Saturday’s Extravaganza at Chigwell Row aka the Essex Veterans Cross Country Championships…..Having been advised that the Common is nowhere near boggy enough for traditionalists of the Sport I have arranged for several shipments of Stour and Thames Estuary mud to be liberally applied to the same, watered and ploughed in by a herd of stampeding Suffolk Red Poll Cows richly fed on decaying meadow grass and triple senokot….this should get the area a litlle bit more akin to Parliament Hill both in terms or appearance and aroma whilst also adding some extra atmosphere to the event.
Martin

Press Report
Ilford AC’s Malcolm Muir was in the middle of a busy weekend of Championship action this weekend. On Saturday he tackled the rolling slopes of Nottingham’s Wollaton Park which played host to the British and Irish Masters Cross Country International. Muir featured strongly in the open 8k race where he narrowly missed out on a podium place finishing 4th in a top class field of veteran athletes and within 45 seconds of the winner.

The following afternoon he had returned to Essex to compete in the Chelmsford 10k which also included the Essex County Championships. Another 4th placing in a time of 33.16 saw the Ilford man scoop the Essex Veteran over 40 Gold as he headed some excellent performances from the Cricklefields based club.
The extremely wet condtions did not deter the likes of Kevin Newell,26th, and Sam Rahman,31st, who ran a seasons best of 35.36 and a personal best of 35.52 respectively. Another one in the county medals was Neil Crisp whose 52nd placing and 37.55 was good enough for bronze. Superveteran Graham Williams was top over 70 man of the day finishing in 59.26 and placing 450th out of 516 finishers.
In the ladies race Jennie Sheehan was the club star of the day obliterating her previous best for the distance by some 3 minutes and leading the squad home in 121st and an excellent time of 42.09. She was followed in by Bree Nordin who once again took county gold in the FV55 running 44.21,176th. Nicola Hopkinson 48.16, 254th, and Carol Muir,391st,55,50 completed the team.
Local club Springfield Striders provided both the male and female winners in the guise of Scott Cousins 33.14 and Elizabeth Davies 36.25.

The annual Elvis Series Presentation Award Ceremony was held at the Mill House Social Club in Dagenham last Friday night. This was the 7th year of the increasingly popular series which is held over 7 races and sees 8 local running clubs competing against each other throughout the summer. Ilford had many prizewinners which included the overall Men’s team shield with individual prizes going to Malcolm Muir 1st Man, Krystle Balogun 1st Lady, Jennie Sheehan 3rd Lady, Steve Philcox 1st MV40, Neil Crisp 1st MV50, Andy Catton 1st MV60, Bree Nordin 1st FV55.

LONDON YOUTH GAMES X COUNTRY CHAMPS PARLIAMENT HILL

Saturday 15th November
Over 1000 young Londoners descended on Parliament Hill last Saturday for the first event of the new Balfour Beatty London Youth Games season. The cross country competitions featured representatives from all 33 London borough teams, including several national and regional champions.

A superb run by Ilford AC’s Ahmed Abdulle in the under 17s race saw him narrowly missing out on victory in a sprint finish but was later given 1st place when officials disqualified the original winner for being a over aged runner. Ahmed’s winning time was 17-10 some 30 seconds in hand of the next runner, and relegating the pre race favourite and Middlesex Champion to 6th. Usamah Patel found the going tough and had to settle for 22nd place in 18-53, with Jack Maher in 93rd place in 21-22. In the u/13 boys race Manraj Gill was placed 81st in 8-49. These 4 athletes competed for Redbridge in the team event
London 2012 Olympic marathon runner Scott Overall, a former London Youth Games competitor, attended to present the medals.

ESSEX X COUNTRY LEAGUE
Saturday 15th November
15 athletes from Ilford AC turned out for the 2nd round of the Essex Cross Country League held at Chelmsford’s Highlands Park on Saturday. Over 200 runners lined up for the men’s race with the in-form Kevin Newell leading the squad home in 41st just ahead of veteran Steve Philcox in 44th. Kevin Wotton and Ben Jones were locked together in 71st and 72nd respectively followed by Neil Crisp,80th, and Sam Rahman, 85th, completing the scorers.
The 10 man squad was completed by Andy Catton, 102nd,Steve Parker, 174th, Bradley Brown, 175th, and Steve Cheal, 188th. The race was won by the veteran class act Adrian Mussett of Colchester Harriers. The Ilford men placed 9th out of 22 competing teams.
The women went one better placing 8th with Krystle Balogun heading the team in 24th. She was pushed hard all the way by a great run from Jenni Sheehan who was only 13 seconds behind at the finish. Top veteran Bree Nordin was next home placing 46th and Nicola Hopkinson closed in 73rd. Doris Gaga placed 123rd in her first outing over the country. There were 126 women finishers with Havering’s Lauren Deadman taking top spot.

Ilford had 3 young athletes in the junior races, brother & sister Matthew & Isabella Hick and Bradley Deacon.
Matthew had an excellent race in the u/11’s finishing in 3rd place. Isabella competed in the u/13 girls race and put in a solid run for 44th place with Bradley in the u/13 boys race recording his best performance to date with 24th place.

Billericay 10k – Sunday 2nd November 2014

Double Gold For Ilford Athletic Club at The Billericay Striders 10K Road Race !

The Only Two Ilford Athletic Club members in a Field of Well Over 750 Entrants came away with respective Winners Trophies in their age categories at The Billericay Striders 10K Rad Race on Sunday.

Held in Windy but cool conditions, Stephen Philcox outsprinted local Legend, John Barker of Thrift Green Trotters, to Win The Male Over 40’s Veteran Trophy in 10th Place in a time of 36 Minutes and 47 seconds. He was Followed by Multiple Essex County Medallist, Terry Knightley, in 26th Position in 39 minutes and 57 seconds as he won the Male Over 50’s Veteran Trophy for the 3rd Time in 4 years.

The Race was won by Paul Whittaker of Southend On Sea Athletic Club in a new course record of 31 minutes and 17 seconds.

Templeton 10 Miles Dundee – 2nd November 2014
North of the Border siblings Malcolm and Carol Muir took part in the Templeton 10miles, an event organised by Dundee Road Runners.
On a very demanding hilly anti-clockwise loop Malcolm showed great form battling strong winds to come home 2nd in a great time of 56.54 only 7 seconds behind the winner. Carol finished in 1 hour 43 min 25 seconds.