Killilea: number one in UK
Pride of place this week goes to our Tony Killilea who is now the top-ranked V50 steeplechaser in the United Kingdom, following his impressive performance in the World Masters Track and Field Championship in Lyon. Neil Davies also put in a strong showing in the V65 1500 meter event.
There were also several impressive in Saturday’s SAL event (the last of the season - see John’s separate report), a PB forJessica Vinluan and a return to action for Ollie Pound at the Pride 10k in the Victoria Park, the Breca Buttermere swimrun duathlon for Jane Higgins, a fast 5k for John Driscoll in Swansea, a marathon leg in the Immortal Ironman in Oxfordshire for Henry Hamilton and a 92-mile three-day ultra along Scotland’s West Highland Way for six club members (see separate report). Meanwhile, 39 of our members finished Parkruns on Saturday.
World Masters Track and Field Championship, Lyon
Tony Killilea did the club proud in this event by coming seventh in the steeplechase, while 67-year-old Neil Davies, running in the V65 1500, came 8th out of 14 in his head and 23rd out of 40 overall. Here is Tony's report:
‘Lyon is a fine city with wonderful food, wine, museums, churches and even a selection of rivers. Oh, and I found time to do some running as well. I came 7th in the M50 Steeplechase in 11:02.73. I should perhaps be a tad disappointed by the fact that I missed out on a PB by 2.03 seconds, but was very happy with my performance (and according to Power of 10 am now ranked no 1 in the UK at M50 S/C). I was just disappointed to miss the last SAL match of the season. Next year’s world champs are in Perth, Australia if anyone fancies giving them a go.’
Pride 10k, Victoria Park
Jessica Vinluan put in an impressive performance at the Pride 10k at Victoria Park on Saturday, breaking her previous PB by a whopping 84 seconds, in a time of 45:06. Meanwhile, Ollie Pound returned from prolonged injury to reach the line in 53:32. ‘It is starting to feel I might finally be on the mend,’ he said afterwards.
Ysgol Crug Glas 5k, Swansea Bay
John Driscoll followed up his Parkrun on Saturday with another 5k – a fund-raiser for a school for disabled children in Swansea – and put in an impressive time of 17:39. Here is his report:
‘The course was an out and back along the cycle path that runs alongside Swansea Bay.
I managed a 17.39 helped by perfect weather conditions and the organisers warning us that the Tourist train that takes the same route would set off 30 minutes after we'd started and it would be nice if we were clear of the route! Overall I was second out of 119 entrants and the first vet, but was beaten by a springy 28-year-old.’
Immortal Ironman, Oxfordshire.
Henry Hamilton ran the marathon leg as part of a three-man team in this event, and put in the third fastest run of the day in a time of 3:29.06. Here is his report:
‘This was the first marathon I'd run not knowing what time I'd be starting. I was up at 5am to see our swimmer start our race as the sun rose over a reservoir just outside Oxford at 6.30am. It was to be another 9 hours before Paul, our cyclist, handed me the timing chip and I commenced the final leg of our Ironman race running 5 x 5.2 mile laps of the reservoir. The first half flew by but around 15 miles in I felt a twinge in my leg which I tried hard to ignore but the cramp worsened and as I commenced my last lap at 21 miles with my teammates looking on I knew I'd have to run through the pain. I limped through the finish line in 3:29:06 pleased to have finished in one piece and even happier to discover it was the 3rd fastest marathon of the day.In the end my team finished 11th in a field of 83 in a total time of: 11:39:27.’
Breca Buttermere swim-run
Jane Higgins, who is making her mark as a multi-event specialist, completed this event, which consists of 38k of running and 6k of swimming, split over 17 legs over the western fells and lakes of the Lake District. She did it as part of a two-woman team (with her friend, Louise Malone from Clapham Chasers). Here is her report:
‘It was the first running of the event so a small field -15 teams. We came 14th - bit annoyed to lose two places on the top of the last fell due to navigation argh! However overall loved it and can't wait for the next one.’
Parkruns
As always, several of our members excelled in Parkruns on Saturday. Sue Rust was the first woman home in Finsbury Park (20:29), Andy Barnes was the first man home in Hampstead Heath (18:09), John Driscoll was first in Llyn Llech Owain (17:58), Caroline White, a V55 vet, had a splendid run, coming in as the first woman at Ally Pally (23:13), while Jo Irwin was second (23:29) and Christopher Burke was the second man at Ally Pally (19:22), while Leigh James was first in Barnsaple i20:13) Here are the full Heathside results: http://www.parkrun.com/results/consolidatedclub/?clubNum=2017&eventdate=2015-08-15
Results
World Masters Track and Field Championship, Lyon
3000m Steeplechase, V50
7th Tony Killilea – 11:02.73.
1500 V65
23rd Neil Davies (67) (and 8th out of 15 in his heat).
Pride 10k, Victoria Park, August 15
45:06 Jessica Vinluan (PB)
52: 32 Ollie Pound
Ysgol Crug Glas 5k, Swansea Bay, August 16 (119 finishers)
2nd John Driscoll – 17:39.
Immortal Ironman, Oxfordshire, August 16 (83 finishing teams)
11th Henry Hamilton’s team – 11:39.27 (Henry’s marathon leg: 3:29.06)
Breca Buttermere swim-run, August 16 (15 teams)
14th Jane Higgins and Louise Malone (Clapham Chasers).