Aldred wins Reigate Half
This week’s highlights include Tom Aldred’s first place in the Reigate Half and several PBs in the Highgate Harriers/City of London Open meeting at Parliament Hill (among them, a fine 400m for Richard Macaulay, a highly promising 1500 from 12-year-old Bedo Draskoczy, a long jump victory for 16-year-old Isaac Tibbett and shot-put and discuss wins for Izaiah Turner). Also, four of our members – Hannah Jordan, Sandra Buckton, Jo Irwin and Seb Harrison – excelled in the World Triathlon Age Group Championships in Rotterdam..
Highgate Harriers/City of London Open Meeting, Parliament Hill, Wednesday November 13
Sixteen of our athletes took part in this event and Jonathan Litchfield reports that the Heathside performance of the day belonged to Rich Macaulay, who ran a PB of 53.49, despite having to battle against a headwind on the home straight.
Sixteen-year-old Heathsider Isaac Tibbett won the long jump with 5.6m and his 12-year-old clubmate Etienne Munday was third in a PB of 4.64m. Also worth noting were Isaiah Turner’s first places in both the 7.26kg shot-put (10.94m) and the 2kg discuss (27.89m).
Twelve-year-old Bedo Draskoczy showed plenty of promise by running a PB of 5:08.96 in the 1500 and there were also PBs for Christopher Jarvis (100m and 400m), David Fallon (100m) and Thomas Godec (400m).
Full Heathside results appear below.
British Master’s 10,000m Championships, Monkton Stadium, Saturday September 16
Paul Kelland came third in his heat and second in the V55 category in an impressive PB time of 37:30.02.
Reigate Half Marathon, Sunday September 17
Tom Aldred won this one by 40 seconds in a time of 71.11. This is more than three minutes shy of his PB but that’s explained by the hilly terrain.
Here’s Tom’s report (from a string of Tweets): “I’ve just seen my Reigate finish time was 1:11:11 – almost worth the pain on its own. I would definitely recommend it – very well organised and plenty for little supporters to do. You must like hills though! And well done to my dad who finished in a shade over two hours – inspirational!’ (Tom’s Dad, Anthony Aldred, was the third V70).
Another Heathsider, Andrew Prystawsky, came 103rd out of the 1,742 finishers, in a time of 1:29.42.
Copenhagen Half Marathon, Copenhagen, Denmark, Sunday September 17
Fellow Heathside race reporter Emelia Vynnycky put in her best half marathon performance in the past 15 years with a time of 1:39.09. Three-and-a-half minutes behind her was former club stalwart Jesper Lycke (who has returned home to Denmark). Jesper was just in time because soon after the organisers scotched the event because of lightning and torrential rains.
Here’s Emelia’s report: “I ran in the Copenhagen half marathon yesterday with 21,000 others including ex-pat Heathsider, Jesper Lycke. The course was flat. The great atmosphere was made unforgettable by a thunderstorm, which transformed the finishing straight into an ankle-deep stream. We were then met by an impromptu ice bath for our feet at the finishing line from the hail swirling in the water, by which time the baggage area had been converted into a swamp, reminding us that the cross-country season is almost here. I was relieved to have finished before the organisers cancelled the race, after three people had been affected by lightning strikes and the thunderstorm had caused the display boards to fail. Jesper finished in 1:42:40. My time (1:39:09) - my best since 2002 and second-best ever – was made all the sweeter because flight cancellations at short notice had almost prevented me from coming.”
Harrow Half Marathon, Harrow School, Sunday September 17
Simon Hazel warmed up for the Berlin Marathon by running the Harrow Half, completing it in a leisurely 1:49.36. Here’s his report: “On Sunday after an epic calendar failure I found myself on the start line of the re-launched Harrow Half Marathon, starting and finishing in the sports grounds of Harrow School. The Harrow on the Hill location should have given a clue to the undulating nature of the course. Even so, several fast times were posted (not by me though as I'm doing the Berlin Marathon next weekend so took it nice and easy).”
Leighton Buzzard 10, Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, Sunday September 17
Pete Crockford ran his first 10-miler in a 10 years – a hilly one at that – and ended up with a time of 1:07:06, which made him the third V50 (impressive seeing that he’s at the wrong end of that age group). “It was tougher than I’d bargained for,” he said. “‘Undulating’ could perhaps have been ‘unrelenting’ – but marshalling and organisation were superb. I was hoping to go a little quicker, but given how the course turned out, I’m reasonably happy.”
* Simplyhealth Great Bristol Half Marathon, Bristol, Sunday September 17
Just heard that our Leigh James ran a promising return-to-form time of 1:25:17 in this event - and it was a gun time, so her chip time might be even quicker.
Multi-event corner
Four Heathsiders – Hannah Jordan, Sandra Buckton, Jo Irwin and Seb Harrison were in action at the World Triathlon Age Group Championships in Rotterdam on Sunday September 17. Organised alongside the Elite World Triathlon Grand Final, this is the opportunity for amateurs to represent their nation and compete in their age group against the best in the world. The event included both Sprint and Standard distance races, but all four were competing in the sprint distance.
Here’s Sandra’s report: “After torrential rain showers in the days running up to the event, most competitors' main concern was the city-centre bike course. Raced as 'draft legal', the extremely technical course full of twist and turns, narrow stretches and even a ramped-over staircase, would challenge even the best cyclists' bike handling skills without the added complication of surface water. Fortunately, the rain disappeared overnight and the sun came out on race day.
“First off of the four was Hannah Jordan in the 30-35 age group. Hannah had a superb swim (the fastest of the quartet) and was in the lead group out of the water. She then managed to get into and stay with a good fast cycle pack. Keeping the effort up with a fast 5km run, Hannah finished 24th in her age group.
“Next were Sandra Buckton and Jo Irwin competing in the 45-49 age group. Both came out of the water in the second half of their age group and cycled most of the bike route solo overtaking some of the faster swimmers and relying on their running strength, to further make up places. They finished 36th and 58th respectively, with Jo putting in an admirable effort despite suffering from asthma on the day.
“Last off was Seb Harrison in the 30-34 age group. After a difficult swim in the Rijnhaven, Seb exited the water about halfway down the field. An initial solo bike effort and then some two man time-trialling got him onto a large peloton, allowing him to climb up the rankings. A 17:54 run (which he credits to lots of Heathside track sessions) went very well and Seb finished 21st.”
Meanwhile….
Sarah Duke won the Sprint Triathlon (first woman) in a time of 1:19.19 at the Hercules Festival of Sport in St Albans on Sunday September 17.
Luka Melon came second in his age group (35-44) and 17th overall (out of 1,580 finishers) in the two-mile Swim Serpentine event on Saturday September 16. Also competing over two miles was Simon Hazel who collected his London Classics medal afterwards (for taking part in the London Marathon, Ride London 100 and the Swim Serpentine two miler). Nathasha Maynard competed in the one-mile event. Simon described the 15C water as “unbelievably even chillier than Parliament Hill Lido”.
Parkruns
Sixty Heathsiders took part in 17 Parkruns on Saturday. Thirteen-year-old Nell Swinhoe was the first female in Finsbury Park in a time of 21:08. The event also saw fellow Heathside 13-year-old Stanley Brown competing in his 100th Parkrun (this one in 21:02). Stuart Meiklejohn was first out of 153 runners in Dunfermline. For the rest of Heathside’s Parkrun results to: http://www.parkrun.com/results/consolidatedclub/?clubNum=2017&eventdate=2017-09-16
Results
Highgate Harriers/City of London Open Meeting, Parliament Hill, Wednesday November 13
100 m SX 1
5th Christopher Jarvis – 13.21 (PB)
7th Michael Bense (V45) – 13.36.
100m SX 2
2nd David Fallon – 13.63 (PB)
3rd Jennifer Wing – 14.19
400m SX 1
5th Richard Macaulay – 53.49 (PB)
400m SX 2
2rd Christopher Jarvis – 58.36 (PB)
4th Thomas Godec – 59.29 (PB)
7th David Fallon – 60.98
400m SX 3
1st Michaell Bense (V45) – 60.28
3rd Naomi Conlon (U20) – 65.13
1500 SC 1
9th Bedo Draskoczy (U13) – 5:08.96 (PB)
1500 SX 2
9th Jessica Vinluan (V35) – 6:00.19
5000 SX 2
5th Jonathan Litchfield (V40) – 18:02.16
8th Jacob Howe (V40) – 18:25.77
14th Jim Connell (V40) – 19:18.33
Long Jump (SX 2)
1st Isaac Tibbett (U17) – 5.6m
3rd Etienne Munday (U13) – 4.64m (PB)
Shot-put (7.26kg)
1st Izaiah Turner – 10.94m
Discus (2kg)
1st Izaiah Turner – 27.89m
British Master’s 10,000m Championships, Monkton Stadium, Saturday September 16
Heat 2.
3rd Paul Kelland – 37:30.02 (2nd V55)
Reigate Half Marathon, Sunday September 17 (1,742 finsihers)
1st Tom Aldred – 1:11:11
103rd Andrew Prystawsky – 1:29.42
Copenhagen Half Marathon, Copenhagen, Denmark, Sunday September 17
3095th Emilia Vynnycky 1:39:09
4141st Jesper Lycke 1:42:40
Harrow Half Marathon, Harrow School, Sunday September 17
215th Simon Hazel – 1:49.36
Simplyhealth Great Bristol Half Marathon, Bristol, Sunday September 17
173rd Leigh James - 1:25:17 (gun time)
Leighton Buzzard 10, Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, Sunday September 17
48th Pete Crockford 1:07:06 (3rd M50)
ITU World Triathlon Age Group Championships, Rotterdam, Sunday September 17
Female 30-34 AG Sprint (53 starters):
Pos First Name Last Name Time Swim T1 Bike T2 Run
24th Hannah Jordan 01:19:58 00:12:35 00:05:11 00:37:20 00:01:59 00:22:55
Female 45-49 AG Sprint (77 starters):
Pos First Name Last Name Time Swim T1 Bike T2 Run
36th Sandra Buckton 01:25:09 00:15:40 00:05:31 00:39:21 00:02:04 00:22:36
58th Jo Irwin 01:31:16 00:17:09 00:06:07 00:41:39 00:02:16 00:24:07
Male 30-34 AG Sprint (85 starters):
Pos First Name Last Name Time Swim T1 Bike T2 Run
21th Sebastian Harrison 01:10:28 00:12:47 00:04:56 00:32:57 00:01:56 00:17:54
Hercules Festival of Sport, St Albans, Sunday September 17.
Sprint Triathlon.
Sarah Duke – 1:19.19 (first woman)
Swim Serpentine, Serpentine Park, Saturday September 16
1 mile – 1755 participants:
870. Natasha Maynard 0:38:27
2 miles – 1580 participants
17. Luka Melon 0:45:43 (2nd in M35-44 age group)
728. Simon Hazel 1:09:54 (London Classics medallist)