Inter-counties, half marathons, duathlons and much more!

Just when we thought it was safe to put away our woolly hats and gloves, winter returned at the weekend with bitter winds and freezing conditions, but it didn't stop six hardy Heathsiders heading up to the Midlands for one of the last cross country events of the season - to compete for Middlesex (and South Wales) in the Inter Counties and World XC Trials in Birmingham. Many others were also unphased by the weather, and were kept busy with assorted Park Runs, half marathons, duathlons, a Vets cross country race and the BMAF Masters UK Indoor Champs.  And two sun seekers vacated the country altogether!

Half marathons were the most popular race this weekend - Dave Hellard cruised home in first place in the offroad New Forest Half in 1.27.08 despite the windy and undulating course. Steve Armstong was first Heathsider home in the Milton Keynes Half in 1:24:57, closely followed by Isobel Rea who did a great time of 1.25.17, with James Lynch running in his first half in the extremely impressive time of 1.27.35. In the Cambridge Half, Anthony Hall had a blistering run, coming in 19th at 1.16.45, followed by Eleanor Jones coming in in a very respectable 1.52.58.

A good mix of other races were run over the weekend - Steve and Barbara for some strange reason decided they’d had enough of arctic conditions and abandoned home turf for Lanzarote and some warm weather training - competing in a 5k and 10k race respectively, in hot and hilly conditions. Clare Miller raced in the Dambuster Duathlon in Rutland,a qualification event for the 2013 Duathlon World Championships, and did extremely well, coming 142nd, 4th lady and first in her age category in a time of 2.15.05. And Rob O’Grady amazingly came fifth in the Grizedale Off-Road Duathlon in 2.21.21 despite injury! Carl Heap and Nik Skipper did well in one of the few other remaining cross country events of winter - the Middlesex Masters cross country, and Michael Bense and Adrian Essex took part in the BMAF Masters UK Indoor Champs on both days over the weekend with great success (their results given below). Michael and Adrian also competed in the South of England Masters Indoors on the 24th of February, which hasn't been listed in previous race results, so I am mentioning it now - Adrian won a silver medal in the Pentathlon for M60 in the SoE and Michael Bense competed in the 60m and 200m in the M40 age group there again achieving pbs in both.

Sue sent the following  very modest report on the Inter Counties in Birmingham: 

Six Heathsiders travelled to Birmingham for the Intercounties on Saturday and their shot at Sky Sports 3 fame and a spot on the GB World Cross-Country Championship team. We would have been eight but Tom Aldred couldn't make it due to a race plan rejig and Captain Swinhoe is very unfortunately carrying an injury now. Sadly the cameras didn't capture much besides the leading runners (boring) and none of us received the World Cross selection call, but we did get another spin in the mud and a sense of pride for country representation (Middlesex for all except Leigh, who ran for South Wales). The course, in Crofton Park, is a good one, with some nice inclines and the odd steep, but short, hill, and the going was generally good underfoot. At least for the first few races - it did get more messy later on. The lack of cowbell ringing and shouts from the Heathside rabble were notable, but we made do. Lucy (U15) looks to have had the best run, finishing inside the top 50, with the rest of us scattered among our respective fields. For many it was the last race of the cross-country season, although Miron still has English Schools to go, as do a few others perhaps. All in all I had A Good Day, as I hope the others did, too.

Full results of all races below (as always apologies for errors, and anyone left out):

World Cross-Country Championship, Birmingham, 09/03/13Senior women 8k72nd  Sue Rust 0.30.07 (Middlesex)
148th 0:31:58 1326 Leigh James (South Wales)
Under 20 men 8k135th Miron Woldemichael (U20)  0:28:54 (Middlesex)
Under 20 women 6k48th Lucy Carter (U15)  0:18:37 (Middlesex)
143rd Rachel Secki (U17)  0:23:03 (Middlesex)
165th Lily Beckford (U17) 0:23:41 (Middlesex)

Club La Santa Lanzarote 9/03/1310k Barbara Tomaszczyk 51:18
5k Steve Woolf 27:40

Cambridge Half Marathon 10/03/1319th Anthony Hall 1.16.45
145th Eleanor Jones 1.52.58

Milton Keynes Half Marathon 10/03/1390th Steve Armstrong  M 40 1:24:57
97th Isobel Rea F 35 1.25.17
138th James Lynch M 1:27:35
      
New Forest Half marathon 10/03/131st Dave Hellard M 1.27.08

Middlesex Masters cross country at Mad Bess in Ruislip 10/03/1321st Carl Heap 34.06 V55
56th Nik Skipper 37.35 V55

Dambuster duathlon (10k run, 42k bike, 5k run, Rutland in Leicestershire) 10/03/13142nd Clare Miller 2.15.05 (1st 25- 29 female, 4th female)

Grizedale Off Road Duathlon (6.5k trail run, 24k mountain bike, 6.5k trail run 10/10/135th Rob O'Grady  M  02:21:21

British Masters South of England Indoor Champs 24/02/13Adrian Essex
2nd - Pentathlon M60  - ( PB of 2883 points)

Michael Bense
5th - 60m - 8.13 ( PB) (an unofficial Heathside record for M40)
4th - 200m - 26.89 ( PB)

BMAF Masters UK Indoor Champs Adrian Essex
5th in 60metre sprint –8.58
4th in 60m Hurdles in a new PB of 11.88 sec (PB)
2nd pole vault with a height of 1.80 metres, ( PB)

Michael Bense
6th - 60m – 7.99 (PB) (further lowering the Heathside record), and achieving his first British Masters merit standard.
2nd - 200m, 26.66 (PB)

Parkruns

Ally Pally parkrun, 09/03/2013
2 Rob SHULMAN 00:18:57

Finsbury Park parkrun, 09/03/20133 Stuart MEIKLEJOHN 00:18:09
7 Brian HEFFERNAN 00:18:43
38 Caroline BOYLE 00:21:55
78 Aisling O'BRIEN 00:25:27
92 Robert WATTS 00:26:48
98 Laura BOOTHMAN 00:27:33
99 Lyn EVANS 00:27:37

Gladstone parkrun, 09/03/201310 Nick DE SAUSMAREZ 00:21:48

Grovelands parkrun, 09/03/20137 Katherine VINNICOMBE 00:21:24 (first lady)

Hampstead Heath parkrun, 09/03/2013
5 John DRISCOLL 00:18:42
54 Andrew Simon CONWAY 00:25:40
60 Bob GOULD 00:26:40

Hilly Fields parkrun, 09/03/2013
9 George MARGESSON 00:21:30