Marathon season and no indoor javelin
We had three Heathsiders in action in Brighton, where the field is led out by a fume-spewing Mod-themed motor cavalcade of mopeds and Mini Coopers. Additional points to the organisers for including hundredths of seconds in finishers' times but not bothering to list their running clubs.
Of our trio, Pete Ward and Lenny Martin were aiming to finish inside 3:30, which they both comfortably did, despite it being the hottest day of the year to date. Chris Ballingall was running his first marathon and made it round in 3:42. Congratulations to all three!
Other marathoneers in their own words:
It was a hot and sunny day in Paris, beautiful weather for the spectators but 24 degrees was probably a tad bit too hot for us runners. Either way it helped make for a brilliant event. I managed to put in an even paced run to finish with a PB of 2:55:22 so was very happy with the result. One spectator ran alongside me at the 22-mile mark shouting 'c'mon Heathside do it for Jimbo!!' - was a good lift at this point in the race!
Luke WynneIt's the time of the year when Heathsiders travel their way to various spring marathons, and I went for Rotterdam this Sunday. Unfortunately, it didn't quite feel like a spring marathon, more like a summer one - it was boiling hot (second hottest one in history apparently), and stubborn/stupid as I am, I stuck to my original schedule instead of lowering the pace as I should have. Also, I tried my best to keep hydrated and stop myself from overheating, but I failed miserably. As a result, I can't quite say that I enjoyed my first marathon, and in particular in the last 5 miles I was in my own little hell. Still, somehow I did make my way to the finish line in 3.58.12 before continuing linea recta into the first aid tent for overheating. Not the most pleasant way of doing my first marathon, better luck next time.
Bas VlamingI ran in the Hannover Marathon yesterday. It’s a nice marathon, going out into the countryside for the early stages and has great support along the route. It has great PB potential. Sadly, my time (3:44:12) was a bit slower than I hoped, but, given the heat, was relieved to have finished.
Emilia Vynnycky
Elsewhere
Ella Waldman had no trouble in winning the Victoria Park 10k as she came in at 37:25 over two minutes ahead of the competition and Simon Brown was 5th in the men's race in 35:58. Satu got a pre-London PB (42:44)
Ruairi was a mere fraction outside 5 minutes for the mile at the Watford Open, where Rich Macaulay and Jen Wing were also in action in the 3000
Naomi and Ella Conlon were in action in Lee Valley, running 65 secs for the 400 and 2:30 for the 800, respectively
Check out this summer's track and field fixtures
Multisport corner
Sara Black reports from the Ironman 70.3 in Florida, where her nerve (and patience) were tested in the swim as she suffered the indignity of being swum over by one competitor, then hoofed in the stomach by another. This may have contributed to difficulty stomaching her sports drink during the bike leg. However, a fastest-ever last leg of 1:47 for the half marathon sasw her home in 5:38, which "for a hot, windy and hilly course (bike and run), is not too shabby" claims a justifiably pleased Sara.
Meanwhile, Adrian Essex won the M65 edition of the Helsinki indoor tetradecathlon, leaving me to puzzle out his results. 'WT' kept me baffled for a while, but it turns out to be the 'weight throw'. Nuts though these tetradecathletes may be, they draw the line at indoor javelin apparently.
Brighton Marathon
540 Peter Ward 03:24:30.48
623 Leonard Martin 03:26:40.77
1285 Chris Ballingall 03:42:52.37
Hannover Marathon
681 Emilia Vynnycky 03:44:12
Paris Marathon
638 Luke Wynne 2:55:23
Rotterdam Marathon
TBC Bas Vlaming 3:58:12
Victoria Park 10k
5 Simon Brown 35:58
9 Ella Waldman 37:25
39 Satu Hietanen 42:43
43 Ian Anderson 43:13
Lee Valley Open 8 Apr 17
400 SW 3
2 65.20 Naomi Conlon
800 SW 3
3 2:30.89 Ella Conlon
RunThrough Battersea Park 10k
19 Tony Shearer 39:35
Watford Open Graded Meeting 5 Apr 17
Mile SX 5
3 5:01.13 Ruairi McGonagle
3000 SX 1
26 11:41.18 Jennifer Wing
3000 SX 2
19 9:14.85 Richard Macaulay
Ironman 70.3 Florida
SwimBikeRunFinishSara Black00:43:2502:58:3501:47:0805:38:11
11th Helsinki Indoor Tetradecathlon
| M65 1 | Adrian Essex |
| TETRAD | 8382 |
| 60 m | 8:54 |
| LJ | 418 |
| 800 m | 02:52.3 |
| SP | 8.12 |
| 400 m | 65.02 |
| HJ | 133 |
| 3000 m | 13:54.9 |
| WT | 8.61 |
| 60mH | 11.79 |
| PV | 170 |
| 1500m | 06:20.4 |
| 200 m | 29.0 |
| TJ | 8.32 |
| 5000m | 25:29.1 |
| 1000m | 04:11.6 |
| HEPT | 4285 |