Stocks wins bronze for England in 100km debut
After a week’s break for Heathside’s race reporters, we now bring you 2 weeks of results, covering an historic run by Michael Stocks, representing England in his debut at 100km, stunning PBs and 5km times from U20 men Liam Garrett and Jem O’Flaherty, and races ranging from 5K to half marathons, as numerous Heathsiders put the finishing touches to their marathon preparations.
Ultra marathon
Heathside ultra legend, Michael Stocks, spent Easter Saturday by representing England in his debut at 100km in the Anglo Celtic Plate International in Redwick, a race in which the officials apparently outnumbered the runners. The following is his report:
“This was a special race for me, being my first outing in an England vest. I was determined to embrace the opportunity, enjoy every moment, and to do justice to my selection. The day was cold and windy, but mercifully the rain stayed away. The plan was to go out at around 7 hour pace to try to put myself in the mix for the top five. Through 50k in almost exactly 3:30 and despite the usual aches and pains I was feeling relatively strong running in third place. By around 50 miles everyone was having to dig deep, and the last 10 or 12 miles were particularly tough trying to defend my third position from a Scottish runner who was closing with each 2 mile lap that passed. In the end I was delighted to hold on, and to win a British championship podium, both for me and for Heathside. Also great to hear the announcer mentioning our club as I crossed the line. As always my wife, Jane Stephens, was an incredible support and crew, standing out in the freezing cold for over seven hours to give me whatever I needed on each of the 32 laps.”
To put Mike’s run in perspective, his time of 7:16:54 over 100km meant that he ran just over two marathons, back to back, at a pace of 3 hours 4 minutes per marathon…
Young athletes
Hot off the press, Edward Garrett has just sent the following report: “U20 athletes Liam Garrett and Jem O'Flaherty showed the Seniors how it's done, finishing 1-2 in the 5000m on a drizzly day at the first Herne Hill Open Meeting in Tooting Bec on Saturday, 31 March. Both set PBs, 15:10.24 and 15:25.42, respectively.” Congratulations Liam and Jem!
NW London Young Athletics League, Wormwood Scrubs, 25th March 2018
Russel Weston sent the following report from the NW London Young Athletics League, Wormwood Scrubs on the 25th March: “Great runs from Mia and Thomas to win their respective Under 15 races. The Under 17 women won on Saturday thereby taking the team title for the season. A great finish for them especially as it was the last junior race for most of them. Congratulations to Aurelia, Ella, Lily, Meg and Phoebe who all scored for the team during the season.”
Cross country – Orion 15
Eight Heathsiders had an enjoyable morning running 15 miles in Epping Forest on the 24th March. Satu Hietanen sent in the following report:
“A half a dozen Heathsiders headed over to Epping Forest for the "XC marathon" Orion 15. It was a great race for those already missing the Met League mud or just wanting a welcome break from the monotony of marathon training. The race was a mixed terrain of forest paths, mud, hills, mud, more hills, mud, stiles, brambles, and more mud... So you get the picture. Some competitors lost their shoes in the mud or slipped face first into it but luckily all Heathsiders survived without any major incidents. The race was well organised but could have done with couple of more drink stations along the route. Though they made up for it at the end by offering prosecco as part of your recovery drink...”
Joe Barker led Heathsiders home in 1:59:10, whilst Satu modestly forgot to mention that she was the first Heathside woman, finishing in 2:10 and 2nd V45.
Road races
Gavin sent the following report from Battersea for 24th March: “Four Heathsiders started the Sri Chinmoy Mad March 10k at Battersea Park on Sunday March 24, and three finished. The weather was perfect on this flat, fast course and Tom Livermore took full advantage of it, coming sixth out of 180 finishers with a time of 33:01, which is a 1 min 45 seconds PB. I was next in 37:30, which got me the Mango-plus for the first V50 man, although the medal I got was for the first V50 woman (a message in there somewhere). Phil Hogg also pulled off a PB (38:29) despite a ‘warm-up’ of more than six miles. Phil and I both have marathons in two weeks – Rotterdam for him and Manchester for me, so the race served as a good tester. Jake Spencer started but pulled up after a few km with a calf twinge – saving himself for London.”
Four Heathsiders also made it to the Serpentine Last Friday of the month 5km, and in contrast with their colleagues at Battersea, all four of them finished. Alex Sweet reports: “Warm and sunny conditions made a pleasant change. Both Alex (17:55) and Mark (18:28) ran age-graded PBs for the race, according to Serpentine’s excellent website.”
A few Heathsiders marked Good Friday by running various distances in the Good Friday Victoria Park races. Ian Anderson reports: “I, and a fair few others, had a run around Vicky Park on Friday. I managed 1:31:48 in the Half and others picked up some big PBs in the 10k and Half as well. Fantastic support all the way round as well.” Alex Sweet had a good run in the half marathon to lead Heathsiders home in 1:20:44, Celine Murray ran particularly well, finishing in 1:27:13 and 3rd female.
In the 10K at Victoria Park, Liam Hazleton was delighted to have broken the 40 minute barrier in the 10K for the first time, Joseph Clemoes achieved a new PB (37:54), whilst Louisa Pointon was only just short of her 10K PB, finishing in 42:49.
See Eedle had a particularly memorable run on the 23rd March, finishing 14th female in “The freedom of movement Palestine half marathon”. She comments: “The route started and finished in Manger Square, in front of the Church of the Nativity, and claimed to be “a technical course with a few steep hills coupled with some fast sections in scenery like no other marathon... taking the runners through two refugee camps and along the Wall separating Palestinians from their land and each other and preventing the basic human right to freedom of movement”. Noisy, happy street-party atmosphere and hand-carved olive wood medals.”
Elsewhere:
Mark George was the sole representative at the Hyde Park Spring 10K, finishing in 42:06 and 3rd V50, reporting that it was a fairly low key event with mostly non club runners.
Bethany Scott had an impressive run in the Regents Park 10K last Sunday, coming first in 37:58.
Ian Anderson had a great confidence boosting run for his London marathon in the Dorney Lake 20M race on 25th March, achieving negative splits, finishing in 2:32:21. Clare Sliwerski also achieved negative splits in the run, finishing in 3:27:02.
Ed Samuel experienced good conditions and a fast course at the Salford 10k. He reports that it’s “well-marshalled and a great club-organised event by Salford Harriers, with excellent depth in the field. The race was won in 30’17 (John Ashcroft) and 34’39 (Laura Hesketh). If you want to get in some fast races - head up North!” Perhaps that helps to explain the recent migration of several Heathsiders…
Rachel Scott Halls ran around in circles last Saturday in the Lee Valley Velopark half marathon. After recovering from the experience, she commented: “I entered in the hopes that running 13.1 laps of the one mile course would help me achieve a higher state of consciousness, or some kind of zen-like inner peace. Sadly, it did not. It did, however, motivate me to run faster than normal to try and break the monotony and I finished with a PB of 1:54:18, around 5 minutes faster than my previous best”.
Amy gave her mother-in-law an unforgettable birthday present last Friday, taking her for a run in the Maidenhead 10 mile race. Amy greatly enjoyed the day, finishing in 01:13:18, commenting: “I was really glad to have made it to the finish just before the rain started coming down! Still, the weather didn't stop the good vibes... lots of treats at the finish line, with hot food on sale after the race. The volunteers were all so lovely too.” For the record, Amy’s mother-in-law appears to have finished 27 minutes after Amy, presumably after the downpour had started, and was unavailable for comment. Another Heathsider, Mark Jefford, also ran well, finishing in 1:04:46.
Parkruns:
Many Heathsiders ran in parkruns over the last two weeks. Congratulations for first place finishes on the 24th go to Eilidh Wagstaff (Ally Pally, 20:24), Olivier Le Polain (Aldenham, 18:16). Congratulations for first place finishes on the 31st go to : Emma Watson (Preston: 20:28), Tom Livermore (Torbay Velopark, 16:21), Anacostia (Jessica Vinluan, 21:02), William Griffiths (Sheringham, 19:01), Eilidh Wagstaff (Waterstown, 20:25), Tom Aldred (Woking, 17:30), Rebecca Bunting (Worthing, 18:35), Jessica Vinluan and Jonathan Lichfield win the prize for the most exotic parkun, running in Anacostia in Washington DC, with Jessica becoming the fastest female finisher in the history of the Anacostia partrun.
The full results can be found in the following links:
http://www.parkrun.com/results/consolidatedclub/?clubNum=2017&eventdate=2018-03-24
http://www.parkrun.com/results/consolidatedclub/?clubNum=2017&eventdate=2018-03-31
Results
Herne Hill Open meeting, Saturday 31st March 2018
5000m
1 Liam Garrett 15:20 (PB)
2 Jem O’Flaherty 15:25 (PB)
NORTH WEST LONDON YOUNG ATHLETES CC. LGE
Fixture 5, Wormwood Scrubs, 24th March 2018
Girls Under 11 (1200 metres)
12th Kiara Corkin 5.15
16th Lucy Corkin 5.28
Girls Under 13 (2000 metres)
23rd Fabienne Weston 9.08
Girls Under 15 (3000 metres)
1st Mia Manttan 10.42
Under 17 Women (4700 metres)
2nd M. Naylor 17.02
4th L. McKay 17.41
10th A. Hadid 20.17
Boys Under 11 (2000 metres)
33rd Benjy. Bediako 9.32
Boys Under 13 (3000 metres)
5th J. Davis 10.18
17th Lucas. Maher 11.08
19th Arthur. Read 11.11
Boys Under 15 (4000 metres)
1st Thomas. Archer 13.55
26th L. Hanse 16.14
Team results:
U11 girls – 8th
U13 girls – 8th
U15 girls -3rd
U17 women – 1st
U11 boys – 11th
U13 boys – 6th
U15 boys – 6th
The freedom of movement Palestine half marathon, 23rd March 2018
14 Sue Eedle 2:07:18
Serpentine Last Friday of the month 5km, 23rd March 2018
33 Alex Sweet 17:55
45 Mark Jefford 18:28
151 Jennifer Wing 21:42
184 Gabi Johnson 23:28
Orion 15, Epping Forest, 24th March 2018
67 Joe Barker 01:59:10
69 Jonathan Litchfield 01:59:40
82 Chris Vincent 02:02:02
116 Satu Hietanen 02:10:00 2nd V45
122 Liz Drake 02:10:53 3rd V35
161 Luka Melon 02:17:57
200 Alice Hosking 02:28:08
243 Jessica Vinluan 02:33:22
Mad March 10K, Battersea 24th March 2018
6th Tom Livermore – 33:01 (PB)
38th Gavin Evans – 37:30 (1st V50)
54th Phil Hogg – 38:29 (PB)
Hyde Park Spring 10K, 25th March 2018
3 Mark George 42:06 (3rd V50)
Dorney Lake, 20M, 25th March 2018
73 Ian Anderson 2:32:21
417 Clare Sliwerski 3:27:02
Good Friday, Victoria Park 10K, 30th March 2018
18 Joseph Clemoes 37:54
26 Liam Hazelton 39:16
38 Louisa Pointon 42:49 (10th F)
Good Friday, Victoria Park half marathon, 30th March 2018
19 Alex Sweet 01:20:44
46 Celine Murray 01:27:13 V35 (3rd F)
79 Ian Anderson 01:31:48
92 Stuart Roberts 01:33:12
193 Fahd Choudhry 01:42:09
229 Toby Eccleshall 01:43:25
Maidenhead 10, 30th March 2018
148 Mark Jefford 1:04:46
335 Amy Luyendijk 1:13:18
Lee Valley Velopark half-marathon, Saturday 31st March 2018
83 Rachel Scott Halls 1:54:18
Anglo Celtic Plate International in Redwick, 100km, Saturday, 31st March 31
3 Michael Stocks 7:16:54
Mornington Chasers, Regents Park , Summer 10K series, 1st April 2018
1 Bethany Scott 37:58