Gold at Lea Valley

It was a quieter weekend for racing, than last week, but still eventful, with Benjy Bediako and Suraya Frost winning gold at Lee Valley Minithon, and some great results at the South of England xc Relays and at the much loved Abingdon Marathon. And not to forget Heathside hosted Finsbury Parkrun – supplying smiles, marshalls and pacers.

Lee Valley Minithon, Indoor Stadium Lee Valley, 20.10.18
Simon Baker sent in this report: "Five young Heathsiders, Benjy Bediako,Suraya Frost, Max Wasserman, Shakai Palmer and Elkie Baker [taking part in the long jump in the photo], took part in the Lee Valley Minithon at the Indoor Stadium on Saturday 20th October.  Almost 350 junior athletes from across South east England competed in under 8, under 10 and under 12 age categories each choosing three from a possible seven track and field events.  It was good to see the Heathside colours competing against vests from the UK’s premier Athletics clubs including Birchfield Harriers, Newham, Harrow and Thames Valley.

All five achieved a host of PB’s, supported on the day by Mary from the Heathside coaching team. Benjy and Suraya both won gold medals presented by Olympic Athlete Perri Shakes-Drayton.  Suraya only started training with the Club in the summer and her performances reflect the work she has done with the clubs’ coaches.  Benjy produced another strong performance finishing with an excellent 600m race where the lead changed several times before he kicked hard with 50m to go to win his heat and set a new PB.

Lee Valley run 3 Minithons a year, the next being in December, and they are a great introduction for younger athletes (school year 3 to 7) to a properly officiated track and field meeting with results recorded on Power of 10."

South of England AA Cross Country Relay Championships, Wormwood Scrubs, 20.10.18
Sue Rust has sent this report of the day:

"Last weekend a gang of Heathsiders keen to get properly stuck into the cross-country season raced in the Southern cross-country relays. We came, we saw … unfortunately we didn’t conquer, but we worked hard, gained valuable race experience, and had a good time, all on a glorious day on Wormwood Scrubs.

We fielded teams in three categories: U15 girls, senior women and senior men.

The youngsters started us off, with Mia, Mathilda and Nell completing the 3x2000m legs in 23:45 to come in 10th out of 33 teams. Mia’s time was the 20th fastest. Well done ladies, you’re off to a good start!

In the senior women’s race our A-team finished the 3x3000m sixth out of 37 complete scoring teams. Being assigned the first leg seemed to work well for Kelly, who completing the single lap course in the 10th fastest time overall. She was ably backed up by Olivia, who was bumped up to the A-team after Ella had to withdraw on account of a dodgy ankle, but even Rebecca couldn’t run us into a podium place from what was sixth place heading into the last leg. Things tend to get quite spaced out in these relays.

Our B team of Rosa, Sue and Tanya came in a solid 14th while Ula and Louisa were unfortunately without a third teammate to make a complete team. Ula deserves a special mention, as she was our third fastest runner after a storming run. Because she had had next to no training – initially intentional, then because of illness – since returning from her middle distance exploits in World Masters in mid-September, her form was bit of an unknown and so the decision had been made to take the pressure off and put her in the C-team. Oh well, now we know her form!

Hats off, I think, to our senior men, who fielded an 8th-place A-team and two more complete teams, coming in 20th and 26th, respectively, plus a two-some. In the A-team Andrew Brooker led out, handing over to Thomas Clark in eighth place with the 23rd fastest time of the day.  It was then over to Ewan before a strong anchor leg run from Charles, who reeled in three runners on his way round the 4000m(ish) course.

A special mention for Captain Jake, who led out the C-team in what was his first race since a hernia operation forced some time off. He’s back!”

Abingdon Marathon, Oxford, 21.10.18
Phil Hogg and Philip Barron ran the Abingdon Marathon, and both came home with PBs - a 21 second PB for Phil his fourth time of running it and he’s run it in 3.04 every time! A record in itself.

Parkruns

Heathside pulled in a huge crowd when they hosted the Finsbury Parkrun on saturday, and there were 403 runners. Thanks to Nilesh for organising, and to all the volunteers, pacers, marshalls, helpers generally and support on the sidelines. Emma Watson came in first lady at Finsbury Park,  and achieving first places elsewhere were Rich Macaulay, Josie Hinton, Annabel Litchfield and Seyfu Jamaal. Over all, there were 67 Heathsiders running in parkruns on Saturday, in a total of 24 different venues. Full results can be found here.

FULL RESULTS

Lee Valley Minithon Lee Valley stadium, 20.10.18

U12 Boys (Year 6 and 7)

Benjy Bediako   - 170 pts - Gold Medal
200m    29.96 PB
600m   1:50 PB
LJ.         3.79m

U10 Boys (Year 4 and 5)

Max Wassermann - 121 pts

200m 38.09 PBB

Shot Put 3.88m PB

Turbo Javelin 13.00m PB

Shakai Palmer - 102 pts

200m 39.96 PB

LJ 2.63m

Turbo Javellin 6.25m PB

U10 Girls (Year 4 and 5)

Suraya Frost - 155 pts- Gold Medal
60m.     9.56 PB
200m.   33.67 PB
LJ.         3.29 PB

Elkie Baker - 138 Pts
200m.    34.74 PB
600m.    2:15 PB
LJ.          2.90

South of England AA Cross Country Relay Championships, Wormwood Scrubs, 20.10.18

Senior Men 3 x 3000m
1st Highgate Harriers - 57.47

8th London Heathside A - 1:00.16
Andrew Brooker 14.47
Thomas Clark 14.57
Ewan Gault 15.34
Charles Hardy 14.58

20th London Heathside B - 1:06.09
Jonathan Lichfield 17.00
Peter Gould 16.16
Daniel Johns 16.39
Andy Barnes 16.14

26th London Heathside C - 1:08.04
Jake Spencer 17.13
Francesco Melloni 16.27
Daniel Haile 17.08
Mark Jefford 15.57

Chris Vincent 17.49
Gavin Evans 18.19

Senior Women 3 x 3000m
1st Wycombe Phoenix Harriers - 34.48

6th London Heathside A - 36.29
Kelly Thorneycroft 11.57
Olivia Desborough 12.28
Rebecca Piggott 12.04

14th London Heathside B - 38.55
Rosa Serafini 12.36
Sue Rust 13.00
Tatyana Potiyenko 13.19

Ula Cartwright-Finch 12.21
Louisa Pointon 13.30

U15 Girls 3 x 2000m
1st Blackheath & Bromley Harriers - 21.38

10th London Heathside - 23.45
Mia Manttan 7.42
Mathilda Heath 7.57
Nell Swinhoe 8.06

Abingdon Marathon, Abingdon, 21.10.18
Philip Hogg  3:04:09 (pb by 21 seconds)
Stephen Barron 3.05.39 PB

Compiled by Caroline, with thanks to Simon Baker (report and photo), Sue Rust, Philip Hogg and John Driscoll for a photo.  Apologies for any errors or omissions.