Piggott’s Masterclass and Half Marathon conquering continues
The half marathon season is in full flow. Many of us are training for a full marathon - the likes of London, Boston, Manchester, Paris and Brighton to name a few, and March offers up nicer weather and a chance to put all that winter training to the test in a “tune up race”. For others who are skipping the full marathon this Spring, the Half will be their A race before they switch attentions to the summer track season. It was a busy weekend indeed with the youngsters at the Middlesex Indoor Champs at Lee Valley and the English Schools Cross Country Championships in Leeds, as well as a strong turnout in Battersea on the Saturday at the Mad March 10K.
Fresh off the back of a strong Heathside presence at London and Woking the previous week, it was the turn for other members to have a go at Reading, Brentwood and Fleet as well as a couple more adventurous types heading out to New York and Cyprus to test their might.
Mark George reports from Reading: "A small group of Heathsiders took part in the Reading Half last Sunday. The race is generally well organized and very well supported, though the logistics in such a mass race were a bit laborious and i had to dash to make it to the right starting pen on time
On a chilly and breezy day, the course did a loop around the town, including around the University campus, and through Town Centre (where the support was deafening in places) before back onto the dual carriageway and a finish inside the football stadium. I managed to hold off the 1.35 pacer for most of the race and ran with Lixx Diaz from mile 10 -12 before he put in a strong finish as he prepares for an Autumn marathon.
Reading Half Marathon, 17/3/19
131 James Gibson 1.18.11
224 Edward Adams 1.21.47
248 Tom Stayte 1.22.53
274 Ben Racle 1.23.52
779 Lixx Diaz 1.33.42
852 Mark George 1.34.32
1963 Steve Whibley 1.45.36
In Brentwood, Rebecca crushed the competition bar one to take a second lady on the podium while Simon and Chris placed very high up in 6th and 8th overall. Completing the quintet, Rob Shulman, coming back from injury, and Jim Gardiner, both turned in very respectable performances to finish in 1.26 with Rob placing as 5th V50.
Brentwood Half Marathon, 17/3/19
6 Simon Dunderdale 01:16:03
8 Chris Holmes 01:17:01
31 Rebecca Piggott 01:23:20 (2nd Place)
66 Rob Shulman 01:26:24 (5th V50)
82 Jim Gardiner 01:26:12
At Fleet, Anthony Leonard scalped the magic 85 by one second, while in New York, Phil Wright turned in a stomping 80.44 for a season’s best. Meanwhile, Steve Armstrong showed us all the magic is still there in those tree trunk legs of his with a fine run on a tricky Richmond course, and Henry added Cyprus to his long list of international races that he has completed, with a second Half Marathon in the space of a week.
Cyprus HM
64 Henry Hamilton-Gould 1:37:38
Fleet HM
259 Anthony Leonard 1:24:59
United Airlines New York HM
304 Phil Wright 1:20:44
Perseverence Richmond HM
26 Steve Armstrong 1:25:45
Sri Chinmoy Battersea Park 10k – Saturday 16th March 2019
A smattering of Heathsiders took part in blustery conditions for the Battersea Park 10k. This modest sized race had a usual high quality field. First home for the club was Martin Potter who was rewarded with a V50 gold medal and 27th overall. Martin was closely followed by Ash who was 2nd V50 and Gavin a little later in 4th V50. Gavin was disappointed with his time, but considering he was on for an 80 mile week, just getting to the start line was an achievement. Next home was Adam Jauncey finishing comfortably within 40 minutes.
The women’s race was equally keenly fought. Rachel Rosenthal ran strongly to finish 8th women. Jackie stormed home a minute later to snatch a silver in the V50 competition. Hannah Yip completed the team with a sprint finish but Jackie’s well-paced run managed to keep her at bay.
27 Martin Potter 00:36:22 1st M Vet 50
36 Ash Abrha 00:37:16 2nd M Vet 50
44 Gavin Evans 00:38:26 4th M Vet 50
47 Adam Jauncey 00:39:19 42nd M U/50
75 Rachel Rosenthal 00:44:36 8th W U/50
84 Jackie Wastell 00:46:01 2nd W Vet 50
85 Hannah Yip 00:46:09 11th W U/50
New Balance English National Schools Cross County Championships
Leeds
16th March 2019
The National Schools XC Championships returned to Leeds this year. This is a representative race with 11 Junior Heathsiders originally picked in the Middlesex, Essex and London Team Squads. In quite brutal conditions with strong winds and rain striating the open muddy parkland course Jem O’Flaherty produced one of the best performances by a Heathsider to finish 3rd in the Senior Boys race. He will now go on to represent England in the International School Cross Country Championshipsa. All the Senior boys performed strongly with Seyfu 20th the first London runner home and Liam Garrett 38th.
In the Junior Boys Bedo Draskoczy finished 60th and the 3rd London runner which finished 4th overall. Running for Middlesex Spike Blake finished 114th and in the Intermediate Boys Lemi had to pull up struggling in the conditions. Three Heathsiders ran for Middlesex in the Intermediate Girls age group with Mimi first home followed by Rose and Mia.
That almost concludes what has been an exceptionally successful cross country season for the juniors who can now focus on the track and road races.
Senior Boys (309 runners) 6700m
1st S Charlton (Northumberland) 21:38
3rd Jem O’Flaherty 21:57
20th Seyfu Jamaal 22:36 (1st London)
38th Liam Garrett 23:05
Intermediate Girls (341 runners) 3710m
1st B Cook (Sussex) 13:13
121st Mimi Blake 15:09
148th Rose Garrett 15:18
266th Mia Manttan 16:12
Junior Boys (343 runners) 4100m
1st L Sullivan (Suffolk) 13:23
60th Bedo Draskoczy 14:39
114th Spike Blake 14:58
Middlesex Indoor Championships 2019
Lee Valley
16th-17th March 2019
A number of Heathsiders took part in the Tri-Counties Indoor Championships with Middlesex, Kent and Hertfordshire all combining for the championships for U15, U17, U20 and Senior age groups. Heathsiders won a total of 5 medals and Eleanor Bell and Mia Manttan secured Middlesex County titles. These are well organised and officiated championships with a full range of events. For those members of the club focused on track and field these are well worth entering next year.
Senior Women 60m Final
1st Eleanor Ball 8.24🥇
3rd Claudia Bioh 8.42🥉PB
Senior Women 200m Final
4th Alisha Abodunde 28.36
Senior Men 200m Final
4th Scarlett Parker (M40) 28.11 PB
Senior Men 800m Final
3rd Ben Bloom 2:12.54🥉PB
4th Daniel Johns (M40) 2:13.16
6th Tom Bedwell (M40) 2:28.51
U17M 800m Final
2nd Ruairi McGonagle 2:09.82🥈(New Club Record)
U17W 1500m Final
1st Mia Manttan 5:11.18🥇
Senior Women Pole Vault
3rd Gokce Baydar (V35) 2.65m🥉
Victoria Park 10K
Andrew Hudson won a prize for 1st M60 in Viccy Park at the 10k - a pair of socks! (you can never have too many socks right?). Emma Lakin finished 3rd placed woman and 20th overall in a strong performance.
20 Emma Lakin 41:13:00
40 Andrew Hudson 45:36:00
Parkrun
There was also a bit of Parkrun action on the Saturday, a big turnout at Finsbury in honour of celebrating Young Tom's transition to Oldness. Some unattached runner had to come along and spoil the party taking the win!
http://www.parkrun.com/results/consolidatedclub/?clubNum=2017&eventdate=2019-3-16