Hellard wins Dirty Weekend 20-mile assault course
Slim but still-inspiring pickings this weekend, by our usual hyper-competitive standards – partly because many of our finest were running (or drinking) their legs off at the splendidly-named Sandy Balls. Still, at least 31 of our runners took part in races last week (and next week the post-marathon season really kicks off with the Crouch End 10k).
Dave’s Dirty Weekend
This is not a Sandy Balls story: The weekend’s top billing goes to Mad Dave (Hellard) who won the 20 mile, Rat Race Dirty Weekend assault course in Burghley, out of 5,000 entrants. This splendid performance came just two weeks after running the London Marathon with a camera on his head (in first place, ahead of Ethiopians, Kenyans and all, at the 400 meter mark and then finishing it in a comfortable 3:03), which followed the Brighton Marathon where he was the 3:15 pacemaker (and dutifully finished in 3:15). His six challenges end with the Sierra Leone marathon. For those of you who missed Dave’s London Marathon opening sprint, take a look…. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2R7keX2tQ8A
Dave is now well over halfway towards his target of raising £12,000 for Street Children in Sierra Leone. All of the money raised goes to Street Child (and he’s paying all of his own expenses) The charity spends over 90% of the money raised in Sierra Leone. If you’d like to donate, here’s the link http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/DavidHellard
The Dirty Weekend boasts of being the world’s largest assault course. Here’s Dave’s report: “I started in wave 2 (fifteen minutes behind the 250 in the first wave) and for the first mile was running with a fellow runner who had the same half marathon time as me, so was a bit worried about the competition. Thankfully after the first set of obstacles though he'd dropped back considerably and it was apparent he was just a runner :) Confident that I'd win my wave I then set about trying to tear into the 1st wave.
“It was pretty brutal - 110 meter monkey bars and 200 obstacles, but there was a lot of running to overtake people and being so light meant that I was even overtaking the muscle heads on the obstacles. We had a 20 minute water section and afterwards people were cramping and dramatically slowing down, so by halfway I was up to twentieth overall and, post-monkey bars. had made it up to 11th. The second half was mostly running and while not feeling great, marathon fitness certainly helped, gradually picking off each runner.
“I ended up winning my wave in 2.51, 15 minutes ahead of the next runner and also finished fifth in the first wave beating the overall winner's time by 50 seconds. On the provisional results my time is the fifth fastest of the day, so mission accomplished. Between you and me [well, you, me and the rest of the club, Dave] though the four faster times are from waves where the queues were so big that they must have cut the obstacles - I'm taking a moral victory for the Heathside massive!”
Late Flash: David has officially been declared the winner!
Simon’s Half Ironman in Mallorca
Simon Hazel opened the triathlon season in fine style in the late morning and early afternoon heat of the Mediterranean island of Mallorca. He completed the Ironman 70.3 Mallorca (actually a half Ironman - its special feature being a mountainous bike ride) in a respectable 5 hours 35 minutes, which, he says, will be a “good marker going forward for Ironman Zurich” (on July 28). He writes: “Due to being an old knacker, my race didn't start until 9.25am which meant I started the half-marathon just after 1 pm and it was baking hot, hence the disappointing time and the lobster red sunburn to my shoulders. Also I'm fundraising for Richard House throughout the summer and if anyone would care to sponsor me they can at http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/SimonHazel
Caroline, Elinor, and Jo fly over 10k
Caroline White ran her best 10k time since 1998 at the Finsbury Park Charity 10k on Sunday (organised by MCC Promotions in support of the charity BipolarUK). The official results aren’t up yet but Caroline was the fourth woman, and, no doubt, the first V55, in 43.58 and Jo Irwin wasn’t far behind in 44:28.
Another 10k racer (her first, according to the iffy Power of One) was Elinor East, who cantered home in the Clapham Invitation 10k in a nifty 42.22.
Miranda wins Ally Pally Parkrun
The best of the Parkrun results came from Ally Pally and Finsbury Park. Rob Shulman, maintained his ferocious race schedule just three weeks after the London Marathon, coming second (out of 59) in Ally Pally in 18.48. Miranda Yau was the first woman and 14th overall in 22:21. And at Finsbury Park, Roger Braybrooks came 4th (out of 161) in 17:29.
Miron runs in Herts AAA 3000m champs
The rapidly improving Miron Woldemichael came sixth in the Hertfordshire AAA 3000m championships in 9:42.7, making him the second U-20 runner. It was an unusual race, pitting juniors against seniors and veterans – 13 entrants in all.
Emmanual, Izaiah, Henry and David excel in Herts Pentathlon champs
Four of our athletes did themsellves and their club proud in the Hertfordshire & Dacorum & Tring AC Open Pentathlon championships. Emmanuel Nwaobodo won the men's open event, Izaiah Turner came second in the Junior Men's event and Henry Damon and David Keto picked up first and second in the U-15 event (six events).
Liam wins Henley 5-miler
One we missed last time (through the modesty of our man): We have now discovered that Liam Proudlock won the Henley Amateur Dramatic Society’s 5-mile race on the Bank Holiday Monday. His time was 28:42.
Results
Rat Race, Dirty Weekend assault course, Burghley, Sunday May 12
David Hellard – 2:51 (winner of the second wave, and 5th overall)
Ironman 70.3 Mallorca, Sunday May 12
5 hours 35 minutes - 1.9k swim - 32:17, 90.1k bike - 3:11:19, 21.1k run - 1:40:44 (1 240th overall, 147th in 45-49 Age Group)
Finsbury Park Charity 10k, Sunday May 12
Caroline White – 43.58 (4th woman, first V55)
Jo Irwin – 44.28
Clapham Invitation 10k, Sunday May 12
Elinor East, 42.22
Hertfordshire AAA 3000m Championships, Saturday May 11
Miron Woldemichael – 6th (and second U-20)
Hertfordshire & Dacorum & Tring AC Open Pentathlon championships, Saturday May 11.
Men's Open: Emmanual Nwabodo - 1st (2208 points - long jump: 5.66; javelin: 30.51; 200m: 24.1; discuss: 27.39; 1500m: 5.48.7)
Junior men's open: Izaiah Turner - 2nd (1212 points - long jump: 3.76; javelin: 24.6; 200m: 30.4; discuss: 21.6; 1500m: 5.51.3)
U15 boys open: Henry Damon - 1st (1860 points - 80m hurdles: 14.6; high jump: 1.63; long jump: 5.35; shot-put: 8.86; 800m: 2:57.3)
David Keto - 2nd (1193 points - 80m hurdle: 17.5; high jump: 1.48; long jump: 3.41; shot-put: 5.6; 800m: 2:35.4)
Henley Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society 5 mile, Monday May 6
Liam Proudlock – 28:42 (first)
Parkruns, Saturday May 11