Aldred and Jamaal win sub-70 half-marathon medals

Several Heathsiders won medals at the weekend. 39-year-old Tom Aldred led a field of nearly 1,000 to win the hilly Basingstoke Half with plenty to spare, while in Oxford 17-year-old Seyfu Jamaal was second in a field of nearly 12,000 in the Oxford Half – both well inside the 70-minute mark. Another winner was Nell Swinhoe who took first place in the Westminster Schools U15 4k championships. Others included Benjy Bediako and Lucy Corkin who won among the U13s in the Quadkids four-event competition at our track on Sunday. Meanwhile we’ve learnt that Mike Stocks triumph in the Self-Transcendence 24-hour race was the 10th fastest in the world this year, and the second fasted in the UK.

Basingstoke Half Marathon, October 7 2018 

Tom Aldred just keeps on churning them out in his 40th year. On Sunday he won the very hilly Basingstoke Half (956 finishers) in 69:38 – 2:29 ahead of the second place runner and 3:17 ahead of the man in third place. Also there was Melvin Lewis who came 39th in 87:51.

Virgin Sport Oxford Half Marathon, October 7 2018

Two our juniors and one of our new seniors excelled in the Oxford Half on Sunday, with a trio of PBs. One of our new junior stars, Seyfu Jamaal,17, came second in a field of nearly 12,000, in an eye-catching PB time of 69:35, just eight seconds behind the winner. New Heathsider Matt Rallison was 19th in a PB time of 73:58 and another of our juniors, Lemi Mideska, 16, ran a PB time of 76:56, putting him in 41st place. Ella Waldman was our first woman in 85:27 followed by Annabel Litchfield in 88:38. Gavi Simson was our third woman in 1:47:12. She was followed by Imran Ahmed in 2:08:00 and Ellika McAuley in 2:15:59.

Chester Marathon, Sunday October 7

Here is Joe Clemoes’s report: ‘Paul Mercer, Samantha Chapman and I ran the 9th Chester Marathon on a cool and clear morning. We started and finished at the racecourse and then along some straight Roman roads through small picturesque villages made this a really enjoyable setting for a marathon. I was very pleased to snag a personal best time (3:06:34), especially with a couple of testy little hills from around mile 24, leading into the finish.’

Bank of America Chicago Marathon, Sunday October 7

At least seven Heathsiders and one friendly ex-Heathside stalwart, completed the Chicago Marathon on Sunday. First in was our old friend Ant Hall (inventor of the Heathside bobble hat) in 2:58:27. Close behind was newish member Chris Baker in a PB of 2:58:51, followed by another newish member Jock Hayman (3:06:32) and Liam Hazelton (3:10:08 – a PB by 3:40). Our first woman was Monika Newton in 3:16:09. Monika, who was running with Achilles pain and plantar fasciitis, said: ‘I really wanted to come under 3:15 so I’m pretty annoyed with myself but I will get over it eventually.’ Close behind Monika was V45 Sara Black in 3:16:48 – just three weeks after running a PB in the Berlin Marathon. Richard Peachment ran a big PB (4:23 faster than his previous best) of 3:19:04 – not bad for a V50. Henry Hamilton-Gould, who runs several marathons a year, finished in 3:22:25.

Quadkids Competition, Finsbury Park, Sunday October 7

Here is Simon Baker’s report: ‘The club held a Quadkids competition on Sunday 7th October at the Finsbury Park track.  A sunny morning saw an amazing total of 97 young competitors taking part in the 4 individual events (75m, Long Jump, Vortex Throw and 600m). The boys U13 competition was won by Benjy Bediako with 228 points with Isaac Ba and Thomas Wasserman close behind.  The girls U13 event was won by Lucy Corkin with 178 points, 2nd was Suraya Frost and Ella Burridge 3rd.  In the Under 7 competition Alex won the boys event and Ella M the girls. 

‘Well done to the young athletes who completed so enthusiastically and hopefully recorded lots of PB's.  Noteworthy performances for the boys include in the 600m Benjy Bediako’s 1:58 with Tomas Morton 2nd fastest with 2.00. Kiara was the fastest girl with 2.11.  In the 75 m Montana recorded a blistering 10.5 sec with Suraya Frost the fastest girl at 11.7 her 3.50m in the long jump.  Many thanks to Russell and Rachel for organising the event so well and to coaches Hillary, Mary and Zac for co-ordinating the individual events as well as all the parents who assisted measuring, spiking, raking and retrieving.’

Westminster Schools u15 4k championships, Regents Park, Thursday, October

Nell Swinhoe paced herself perfectly and showed a good burst of speed to win the Westminster School U15 4k in impressive style on Thursday.

Self-Transcendence 24-hour, Tooting Bec, September 22

An update on Mike Stocks’s phenomenal win in this ridiculously gruelling event (run in the rain this year, just to make it tastier – see 25/9 race report): Despite the terrible conditions, his distance (249.103 km) was the 10th best in the world this year and the second best in the UK, and this is despite running with a strained calf muscle from the 10-hour mark. He also exceeded the GB qualifying standard, which means he has an excellent chance of being picked to represent Britain in the world champs in 2019. What makes it even more amazing is that Mike will be 50 by then.

Parkruns

We had five winners in Parkruns on Saturday, with 67 of our members taking part in 19 Parkruns. Rebecca Bunting was not only the first woman in Ally Pally (19:47), she was also the first of 23 club members in this race, which was marshalled by Heathside. Olivia Desborough was first in Highbury Fields (19:38), Charles Hardy was first in Grovelands (16:47), Emma Watson won in Finsbury Park (20:05) and Hannah Arnold, newly arrived in Sweden, won in Uppsala (21:17). Full Heathside results here.

Results

Basingstoke Half Marathon, Sunday October 7 2018 (956 finishers)

1st Tom Aldred – 69:38

39th Melvin Lewis - 87:51

Virgin Sport Oxford Half , Sunday October 7 (nearly 12,000 finishers)

2nd Seyfu Jamaal (U20) – 69:45 (PB)

19th Matt Rallison – 73:58 (PB)

41st Lemi Mideska (U20)  – 76:56 (PB)

229th Ella Road (Waldman) - 85:27 (13th woman)

384th Annabel Litchfield

2430th Gavi Simson

5602th Imran Ahmed 

6720th Ellica McAuley

Bank of America Chicago Marathon, Sunday October 7

2:58:27 – Anthony Hall

2:58:51 – Chris Baker (PB)

3:06:32 – Jock Hayman (PB)

3:10:08 – Liam Hazelton (PB)

3:16:09 – Monika Newton

3:16:48 – Sara Black

3:19:04 – Richard Peachment (PB)

3:22:25 – Henry Hamilton-Gould

Chester Marathon, Sunday October 7

309th Joseph Clemoes 3:06:34

350th Paul Mercer 3:09:33

2098th Samantha Chapman 4:28:44

Quadkids Competition, Finsbury Park, Sunday October 

Boys U13

1st Benjy Bediako 228 pts (75m: 12.2 sec, LJ: 3.80m, 600m: 1:58, VT: 22.45m)

2nd Isaac Ba 222 pts (12.2 sec, 3.80m, 2:15, 28.44m)

3rd Thomas Wasserman 217 pts (11.4  sec, 3.70m, 2:25, 27.14m)

Girls U13

1st Lucy Corkin178 pts (11.9 sec, 3.15m, 2.17, 16.60m)

2nd Suraya Frost 170 pts (11.7 sec, 3.50m, 2:28, 10.65m)

3rd Ella Burridge 165 pts (12.7 sec, 3.05m, 2:19, 16.46m)

Boys U7

1st Alex 131 pts (14.8 sec, 2.17m, 2:39, 5.80m)

2nd Remy 113 pts (14.7 sec, 1.67m, 2.46, 12.06m)

3rd Kenzo 93 pts (14.3 sec, 1.80m, dns, 8.78m)

Girls U7

1st Ella M 86 pts (16.8 sec, 1.90m, 3:24, 6.48m)

2nd Matilda 77 pts (15.9 sec, 1.75m, 3:08, 4.62m)

3rd Holly 66 pts (17.9 sec, 1.53m, 3:34, 5.58m)

Westminster Schools u15 4k championships, Regents Park, Thursday, October 4

1st Nell Swinhoe