Valentines Park

Ilford Athletic Club Race Organisers once again arranged for some glorious weather as nearly 150 runners toed the line in Sundays 5k charity road race in the idyllic setting of Valentines Park. The host club boasted yet another massive turnout of 33 athletes, coincidentally the exact same number as last year with some excellent individual performances as the Cricklefields club packed 12 in the first 30.

On a pancake flat course it was the Ilford AC young stars that shone in the late summer sunshine as 20 year old Iain Macdonald dipped under 18 minutes with 17.47 for 9th place closely followed by under 15 clubmate and training partner Alex Richards running an excellent 18 minutes dead for 12th place Both are picured below. Terry Knightley and Matt Maple were engaged in a dogfight just behind with Knightley coming through in 18.22 to Maple's 18.26. Frank McGowan at last made his debut for the club after training with Ilford athletes a number of years and celebrated the occassion with a fine run of 18.31. Gary Floate was 6th man home for the squad clocking 18.40. Chris Togwell produced a very good run in the over 50's with his 20.05 just bettering fellow age grouper Andy Catton's 20.19. He was however unclucky to lose out to a remakably good performance by Woodford Green's Alan Rugg whose 17.54 was far too good on the day.

At the sharp end of the race Ryan Prout and Crispian Bloomfield were locked together for most of the first lap before Prout's strength pulled him clear after at halfway to bring him home in 16.29 with Bloomfield 16 seconds adrift. He was however unable to make any impact on Bloomfield's course record of 15.47 set last year.

Similarly in the ladies race it was the Ilford middle distance youngsters who took the eye with sisters Jenni (23.09) and Natalie Crisp (23.56), and Laura Swords (23.38) all recording personal bests in close attendance with veteran Nicola Hopkinson (23.25). Pam Jones ran 25.22 to take the women's over 55 prize running the first lap in the comapany of grandaughter Bronwen who eased away from her during the 2nd lap to finish with 25.07.

Hayley Pegg of Thrift Green Trotters headed the women's race with 18.55 from Orion Harrier Clare Thurgood 19.54.

The race, which was started by local dignatories with the whistle blown by MP for Ilford South, Mike Gapes (pictured above), was held in conjunction with a sponsored walk organised by Ilford's Cardinal Heenan Centre which together with the athletic club helped raise money for several charities.

Other Ilford times were:- Kevin Newell 18.50, Keith Ennis 19.20, Ben Jones 19.23, Rohan Alexander 19.34, Chris Togwell 20.05, Andy Catton 20.19, Neil Crisp 20.53, Duncan Turner 22.05, Chris Evans 24.06, Bill Green 25.00, Satha Alaganandasundaram 25.47, Claire Harrison 26.33, Carol Muir 26.43, Robin Davis, 26.55, Sue Lee 27.44, Gerry Pells 28.22, Ray Rawlinson (leading blind runner round) 29.12, Dave Sharpe (Racewalking) 30.29, Michael Hinton (Racewalking) 30.57, Meredith Floate 32.06, Amarjeet Matharu 32.07, Catherine Green 34.40

Some glorious weather greeted over 100 runners in the inaugural running of the Valentines Park Charity 5k on Sunday morning. The race had an international field representing many generations of athletes and was started by the mayor of Redbridge Cllr Lorraine Sladden.

Billericay's Crispian Bloomfield set a blistering pace from the start as he motored around the traffic free paths of the park at times even threatening to catch the lead bike over the two lap course. Behind Havering Mayesbrook's star woman international runner Faye Fullerton was having her own batlle with some of the faster men, notably Ilfords own Malcolm Muir and Chelmsford's Ken Hoye. It was Muir's strength that finally prevailed for the runner up spot as Fullerton, who later admitted she might have gone off a little too fast, started to tire and allowed Hoye to pip her for 3rd spot. Fullerton's time of 16.38 ranks amongst the top 20 times in the country this yea over the 5k distance. Her clubmate Harriet Scott was 2nd lady home also in a very respectable time of 17.42 with 14 year Jay Andrews from Orion Harriers taking 3rd with an excellent 19.10 clocking.

On a brilliantly successful day for the host club which boasted 33 Ilford competing athletes, race organiser Martin Clarke was delighted with the way things went saying afterwards:- "I've had some very positive comments from all concerned and we will definitely try and promote this event again next year - Its a very picturesque course, as well as being pretty flat and ideal for fast times."

The veterans posted some very quick times as well, notably John Barker's (Thrift Green Trotters) 16.40 which prevented Ilford AC from having a clean sweep of the veteran prizes. In the over 50s Andy Catton hit some good form with 18.47 with John Batchelor in the V60 category just behind in 19.04. Bree Nordin as a vet 45 runner was too good for runners 10 years her junior making her 20.21 the best FV35 time of the day and leaving Nicola Hopkinson the Over 45 spoils with 21.44. Pam Jones at 72 continues to amaze recording 24.12 to win the Female Vet 55 category.

Other Ilford runners cashing on the excellent conditions to hit fast times were Darren Bottril (8th in 17.12), Robin Mcnelis (9th in 17.24) Iain Macdonald (10th inn 17.27). Neil Crisp was unlucky not to go sub 18 with 18.05 and Peter Clinch returning to competition after a long lay-off mustered 18.18.

Dave Sharpe and Mike Hinton both racewalked the course in 29.20 and 29.42 respectively.

The race was run in conjunction with a charity walk which set off an hour later organised by the Cardinal Heenan Centre's Joe Brown. His brother Olly Browne , a "centurion" walker who has wlked 100 miles in 100 hours non-stop , joined about 50 other walkers with the whole even raising money for 10 charities.

Other Ilford times were Liam Leddy (19.02), Rohan Alexander (19.24), Keith Ennis (19.33), Gary Floate (19.52),Abdi Berleen (19.58), Henry Ricketts (20.50), Stephen Cheal (21.18), John Mackenzie (21.33), Dianne Crisp (22.15), Ray Rawlison (22.38), Chris Evans (23.03), Pete Whiting (23.17), Gerry Trill (23.27), Vinesh Komar (23.38), David Rowley (23.48), Sukhbinder Jandu (24.26), Mital Kotecha (25.25), Paul Cheal (27.08), Carol Muir (27.15), Gerry Pells (27.44).