Kirk-Smith wins bronze in England champs
Adam Kirk-Smith has developed a habit of smashing records, but last weekend he took it to a new level. First he came away with a brilliant bronze medal at the England Athletics Championships by coming 3rd out of 18 in the steeplechase in a PB and club record time of 9:09.49; then, two days later, he picked up another PB by winning the Self Transcendence 2mile at Battersea Park in a club record time of 9.21.
A number of other Heathsiders put in stonking PB performances. Big Rich Macaulay broke the 2-minute mark (1.59.34) in the 800 meters at the London Inter-Club Challenge (followed, half a second later, by Charles Hardy who also ran a PB) and then came 10th out of 101 in the Self Transcendence 2-mile in a PB of 10.13. Noelle O’Regan got a PB in the 200 meters at the London Inter-Club Challenge in a time of 27.21. In the same meeting, 15-year-old Jem O’Flaherty picked up a PB of 4:20.69 in the 1500 as did 12-year-old Rose Garrett in a PB time of 5:35.12 and Joe McKeown in 4:52.38. And in the Brooks Serpentine Last Friday 5k Satu Hietanen (V45) got a PB of 20:58.
The previous week 14-year-old Liam Garrett ran an outstanding PB of 4:17.36 in the 1500 in the Herne Hill Harriers Open and a PB of 58.26 in the 400, while 12-year-old Ruairi McGonagle ran a PB of 4:58.91 in the 1500 and a PB of 29.2 in the 200. Liam’s father, Edward Garrett, ran an impressive PB at the age of 44 in the 400m – 54.85.
Meanwhile two of our outstanding veteran athletes took part in the decathlon (10 events) British Masters Athletics Federation championships under dire conditions in Birmingham. Ivan Ross was the first V40 and Adrian Essex the first V65. Remarkably, both picked up PBs.
England Athletics Championships, July 30, Bedford
Aside from Adam’s brilliant performance in the steeplechase, two other Heathsiders were selected to take part. Stephanie Kleynhans got 10th place out of 19 in the long jump, narrowly missing out on the final, with a leap of 5.64m. And Jordan Glaze ran in the 100m heats, in a time of 11:08.
British Masters Athletics Federation Decathlon / Heptathlon, Throws Pentathlon Championships, July 30 – 31, Birmingham.
Ivan Ross (4778 points) and Adrian Essex (5750 points) did exceptionally well to pick up their age group gold medals in extremely trying conditions: Here is Adrian’s report:
“I don't like to complain but honestly, the conditions for the decathlon were shocking. First off the wind, blowing through the gaps in the stands (almost empty, what happened to the ticket sales) was against us for more than half the lap, and blowing the discus straight back at us, travelling more like a boomerang. The shot putt was off a circle eroded by wind and ice, just so slow and then the grass surface was at least 10cm too high. The high jump beds were arranged face-to-face, and two competitions taking place at once. Such a distraction. Ivan and I were lucky to be able to complete the event at all let alone get personal bests and gold medals.”
London Inter-Club Challenge, July 30, Allianz Park.
Fifteen of our athletes took part in this event and several excelled. In addition to the PB performances from Richard Macaulay, Noelle O’Regan, Charles Hardy, Jem O’Flaherty and Joe McKeown, several others stood out. Edward Garrett (44) ran a season’s best of 2:02.31 in the 800 meters, while 14-year-old Liam Garrett, ran 4:21.08 in the 1500.
Herne Hill Harriers Open, Herne Hill, July 23
The previous weekend 13 Heathsiders took part in the Hill Harriers Open, picking up several PBs along the way. Perhaps the standout performance came from 14-year-old Liam Garrett who ran a PB of 4:17.36 in the 1500 and a PB of 58.26 in the 400, while his 44-year-old dad, Edward Garrett, ran a PB of 54.85 in the 400m. Our U13 star Ruairi McGonagle ran a PB in the 200m (29.2) and then did the same thing in the 1500 (4.58.91). Rosa Serafini ran a PB of 5:12.70 in the 1500 and Richard Macaulay ran a PB of 6:30.28 in the 2000m steeplechase.
Self-Transcendence 2-mile, August 1, Battersea Park
The two mile event is not a perennial on the road running calendar so all of our six runners picked up PBs. Adam Kirk-Smith and Richard Macaulay were followed by Joe McKeown who came 29th out of 101 in a time of 11.01, and he was followed by a pair of V45s, Philip Duggan (11.09) and Phil Hogg (11.52). Our first and only woman was Lily Woolcock in 13:51.
Self-Transcendence 10k, July 30, Battersea Park
Four of our five runners picked up PBs in this one. First home, in 15th place (out of 108 finishers) was 800 m specialist Stuart Meiklejohn who picked up a PB of 37.14, showing that it’s downhill all the way in married life. He was followed by Ed Adams (a PB of 38.35), Phil Hogg (PG of 39.03), Patrick Waldron (40.34) and Rebecca Sweet (PB of 47.29).
Brooks Serpentine Last Friday 5k, July 29, Hyde Park
First home was new V50 Rob Shulman in 38th place (out of 236) in a time of 18.32. But the standout performance came from Satu Hietanen whose V45 debut saw her picking up a PB and club age group record in a time of 20:58. Also there, with her baby-to-be was our former cross-country captain Cathy Jeremiah, who jogged home in 24:51.
Park Runs
A grand total of 44 of our runners took part in 19 Parkruns on Saturday and several won their races: Tom Aldred was first in Finsbury Park (15.54), Daniel Johns in Grovelands (18.25), Dave Hellard in Highbury Fields (17.28), Mario Cadete (18.36) and Joanna Brown (20.29) in Ally Pally and Rebecca bunting in Mount Edgcumbe. Full Heathside Parkrun results are here: http://www.parkrun.com/results/consolidatedclub/?clubNum=2017&eventdate=2016-07-30
Results
England Athletics Championships, July 30, Bedford
3000m steeplechase
3rd Adam Kirk-Smith – 9:09.49 (PB and club record)
Long jump
10th Stephanie Kleynhans – 5.64m
100m
7th (in his heat) Jordan Glaze – 11.08
British Masters Athletics Federation Decathlon / Heptathlon, Throws Pentathlon Championships, July 30 – 31, Birmingham.
V40
1st Ivan Ross (4778 points)
V65
1st Adrian Essex (5750 points)
London Inter-Club Challenge, July 30, Allianz Park
100 meters men
Michael Bense (V45) – 12.8
100 meters women
Alishia Abodunde – 13.3
Lauren Hendry – 13.89
Helen Kehoe (V50) – 15.09
200m women
Noelle O’Regan – 27.21 (PB)
400m men
Gregory Ducat – 56.54
Alex Macaulay – 59.59
400m women
Noelle O’Regan – 63.50
800m men
5th Richard Macaulay – 1.59.34 (PB)
6th Charles Hardy – 1:59.84 (PB)
8th Edward Garrett (V40) – 2:02.31 (SB)
1500m
Jem Flaherty (15) – 4:20.69 (PB)
Liam Garrett (14) – 4:21.08
Joe McKeown – 4:52.38 (PB)
Rose Garrett (U13) – 5:35,12 (PB)
3000m
Jim Connell – 11.20.40
Long Jump
Lauren Hendry – 3.49m
Javelin (600)
Lauren Hendry – 10.99m
Self-Transcendence 2-mile, August 1, Battersea Park (101 finishers)
1st Adam Kirk-Smith – 9.21 (PB & club record)
10th Richard Macaulay – 10.13 (PB)
29th Joe McKeown – 11.01 (PB)
33rd Philip Duggan (V45) – 11.09 (PB)
42nd Phil Hogg (V45) – 11.52 (PB)
64th Lily Woolcock – 12.51 (PB)
Self-Transcendence 10k, July 30, Battersea Park (108 finishers)
15th Stuart Meiklejohn – 37.14 (PB)
23rd Edward Adams – 38.35 (PB)
27th Philip Hogg – 39.03 (PB)
26th Patrick Waldron – 40.34
81st Rebecca Sweet – 47.29 (PB)
Brooks Serpentine Last Friday 5k, July 29, Hyde Park (236 finishers)
28th Rob Shulman (V50) – 18.32
42nd Mark Jefford (V50) – 18.49
74th Leo Pemberton – 20.34
82nd Satu Hietanen (V45) – 20.58 (PB & club V45 record)
84th Nick Dodd (V55) – 21.02
121st Alun Nash (V55) – 22.15
180th Cathy Jeremiah (plus one) – 24.51
Herne Hill Harriers Open, Herne Hill, July 23
100m
Alishia Abodunde – 13.48
200m
Alishia Abodunde – 27.49
Noelle O’Regan – 27.77
200m
Ruairi McGonagle (U13) – 29.2 (PB)
Max Deasy (U11) – 32.26
400m
Edward Garrett – 54.85 (PB)
Gregory Ducat – 56.52
Liam Garrett (14) – 58.26 (PB)
Naomi Conlon (U17) – 70.48
Ella Conlon (U15) – 72.20
1500m
Liam Garrett (14) – 4:17.36 (PB)
Ruairi McGonagle (U13) – 4.58.91 (PB)
Rosa Serafini – 5:12.70 (PB)
Meg Taylor (U17) – 5:37.87.
3000
Jake Spencer – 10.40.30
200m steeplechase
Richard Macaulay – 6:30.8 (PB)
JP Morgan Corporate Challenge, 3.5 mile, July 22, Battersea Park
Sion Lewis – 19.58