Heathside Heroes on brink of SAL promotion; Club Handicap

Another relatively quiet week as we all sweltered away in tropical London, but first up we go back a bit further to Saturday the 14th and glow in the reflected glory of Heathside’s latest home fixture in the Southern Athletics League. Over to captain Noelle for more details of what is turning into another promotion push:

Southern Athletics League Division 2E, Finsbury Park, Saturday 14th July

“The sunny skies of Finsbury Park welcomed teams including our local London rival Victoria Park, Cambridge & Coleridge and, the now clear league leaders, Eastbourne.

Under the seamless organisation of the team of volunteer Heathside officials and helpers organised by Jonathan Litchfield, we began the day a bit unsteadily and found ourselves back in third place in the initial stages of the competition. However, by midway, we had rallied to dominate the afternoon, finishing only 10 points behind Eastbourne.

The team that made this match possible comprised: Steve Woolf, Chris Dissanayake, Takis Christodoulou, Dave Walton, Satu Hietanen, Emilia Vynnicky, Sue Rust, Ivor Wiggett, Ruth Miller, Kabir Kemp, Flo Hanson, Cerys, David Fallon, Tom Bedwell, Kris Milovsorov, James Gibson, Rosa Serafini, Jonathan Litchfield, Claudia Backhaus, Giulia Ariete, Jessica Vinluan, Richard Macaulay, Jacob Howe, Rebecca Wing, Josie Hinton, William Griffiths, Russell Weston, Alex Sweet, Mark Jefford, Lily Woolcock, Naomi Conlon, Joel Hawes, Adrian Essex, Alun Nash, Gavin Evans, Chris Hartley, Adriano Barbera, Nilesh Goswani, Jaime Rodriguez, Ivar Stefansson, Mimi Blake, Anna McAllister, Ella Conlon, Luke Gray and Jenna Evans. As you can see, the effort put out by Heathside to ensure this was a success was incredible. We’ve probably missed people off the list – apologies if so – and thank you to everyone who chipped in.

Particular noteworthy performances include Bethany Scott who followed up a clear win in 1500m with another club record in steeplechase by 25 seconds (which she also won). It was also great to see Commonwealth games steeplechaser Adam Kirk-Smith back in a Heathside vest – he had to run as a non-scorer as his registration transfer is still being processed but his efforts got him a clear win and an all-time SAL record!! Despite the heat, Josie Hinton and Kelly Thorneycroft brought home wins in A and B 5000m. Cillian Rodgers - a 15-year-old who made his SAL debut in the 400m (his 2nd 400m ever) ran a spectacular 53.4s!! Nathan Cyrus who, in addition to winning B string TJ and doing the 4x100 relay, won pole vault with a fantastic 3.4m – despite having stepped out of the competition midway to compete in the 100m hurdles! Emmanuel Nwaobodo, in addition to his main event (LJ), won A string TJ, A string shot, and competed in hammer and 4x100 relay.

Going into the final match, we are in 5th position but only a single point separates us from 2nd... and it is the top 2 who get promoted! Harrow, Eastbourne, and Ipswich – the top 3 teams in the league – will all be facing each other in the final August match. Judging from recent performances, it is more than likely that Eastbourne will leave the other teams battling for second place... SO if Heathside win our last match (where we will be facing 3rd from bottom Thurrock, 6th placed Tonbridge and bottom of the league Herts Phoenix) and Medway don't win their match.... Heathside will finish joint second... In that case, promotion will go to whoever has the most match points, meaning that every performance is critical, and we need a full, quality team to finish the seasons!!

So, put Saturday 18th August in your diary and bring your best running throwing jumping and party hats for a provisional promotion celebration at the next SAL…. And hey, even if it doesn’t happen, we can still celebrate a fantastic season!

COYH!!!

Full results from the afternoon can be found on Power of 10.

Now, on to the running from the past week...

Club Handicap, Highgate, Thursday 19th July

The main event of the week has to be the Club’s annual Handicap race, with 67 Heathsiders racing round a loop of Highgate woods on a staggered start designed to see everyone finishing at roughly the same time. Matt Cockerill and Gabi Johnson were in charge of setting the handicaps and by all accounts the evening was, as usual, a huge success and as captured by Lenny Martin's great pic at the top of the page, a load of fun (you can check out the rest of his pics from the evening over on Facebook). The returning Adam Kirk-Smith ran the fastest on the night, with Seyfu Jamaa picking up the prize for the fastest debut run and Jonathan Shipley picked up the gong for fastest male Vet. For the ladies, Louisa Pointon was fastest, while Tanya Potienko was fastest debutant and Emily Reichert was the fastest lady Vet. And Ken Townson was first male and Claire Sliwerski was first female.

Huge thanks to Matt, Gabi and everyone else who volunteered their time to make the evening such a success again. 

Regents Park Summer Series 10k, Sunday 22nd July

Josie Hinton was 1st lady in 13th place but finished an agonising 1 second outside her PB with a time of 38:58, a good minute and a half ahead of her nearest rival. John O’Neill was the only other Heathsider I could spot, as he finished in 51:56.

Golden Stag Mile, Finsbury Park, Friday 20th July

Barnet AC borrowed our track again after last year’s successful holding of their track mile race and it sounds like it was another enjoyable evening, with plenty of Heathsiders taking advantage of an extra ‘home’ fixture. Standouts from the whopping 13 races were Liam Garrett’s PB in the A race as he came 6th in a time of 4:37.64, Jo McKeown and Andrew McGeary both going under 5 minutes as they appeared to have a dead heat in 4:59.00, Rose Garrett clocking a great time of 5:14.20 and a fantastic run from U11 Benji Bediako as he came 2nd in his heat against other U13 and U15 runners in 5:32.44. And finally, Pete Crockford continued his good from from last week and emailed in to say his PB time of 5:32.58 was apparently the 20th quickest V60 time in the UK!

Parkruns

There were 45 Heathsiders out and about last Saturday morning, with first finishes for Lily Woolcock, Andy Barnes, Louisa Pointon, Rebecca Bunting, Amy Cook and Leigh James. 

Check out this week’s full parkrun results here.

Results

Regents Park Summer Series 10k, Sunday 22nd July

13th Josie Hinton 38:58152nd John O’Neill 51:56

Golden Stag Mile, Friday 20th July (combined times, race number in brackets)

Liam Garrett 4:37.64 (13)Jo McKeown 4:59.00 (12)Andrew McGeary 4:59.00 (12)Tom Bedwell 5:08.00 (10)Chris Hartley 5:11.31 (11)Michael Cockings 5:11.57 (10)Rose Garrett 5:14.20 (11)Tony Killilea 5:14.34 (10)Paul Mercer 5:16.79 (11)Tim Marshall 5:30.25 (10)Pete Crockford 5:32.58 (9)Benjy Bediako 5:32.44 (4)Annabel Litchfield 5:42.11 (8)Satu Hietanen 5:54.61 (7)Alun Nash 6:07.14 (7)

Club Handicap, Highgate, Thursday 19th July

                             Handicap           Start time           Finish time             Moving time

Adam Kirk-Smith

00:14:50

00:14:40

00:30:04

00:15:24

Seyfu Jamaa

00:15:40

00:13:50

00:29:31

00:15:41

Andy Barnes

00:17:15

00:12:15

00:29:18

00:17:03

Matthew Field

00:18:20

00:11:10

00:28:48

00:17:38

Lemi Mideksa

00:17:43

00:11:47

00:29:38

00:17:51

Chris Baker

00:18:15

00:11:15

00:29:23

00:18:08

Jonathan Shipley

00:18:15

00:11:15

00:29:25

00:18:10

Pete Bakewell

00:19:30

00:10:00

00:28:16

00:18:16

Antanas Weston

00:17:50

00:11:40

00:30:01

00:18:21

Richard Murphy

00:18:20

00:11:10

00:29:32

00:18:22

Laurie Swan

00:18:30

00:11:00

00:29:39

00:18:39

Lee Connor

00:18:46

00:10:44

00:29:30

00:18:46

Mark Jefford

00:18:45

00:10:45

00:29:52

00:19:07

Doug Rendle

00:19:15

00:10:15

00:29:24

00:19:09

Joseph Clemoes

00:19:25

00:10:05

00:29:15

00:19:10

Jacob Phillips

00:19:00

00:10:30

00:29:41

00:19:11

Jack Davis Black

00:19:50

00:09:40

00:28:47

00:19:07

Peter Ward

00:19:47

00:09:43

00:29:00

00:19:17

Bedo Draskoczy

00:20:00

00:09:30

00:28:47

00:19:17

Gavin Evans

00:18:28

00:11:02

00:30:25

00:19:23

Jonathan Litchfield

00:18:30

00:11:00

00:30:26

00:19:26

Trevor Wilson

00:20:15

00:09:15

00:28:48

00:19:33

Tony Shearer

00:20:20

00:09:10

00:28:51

00:19:41

Joe Pennington

00:17:40

00:11:50

00:31:41

00:19:51

Liam Hazelton

00:19:45

00:09:45

00:29:42

00:19:57

Jonathan Parker

00:20:15

00:09:15

00:29:26

00:20:11

Laurence Russell

00:20:55

00:08:35

00:28:59

00:20:24

Louisa Pointon

00:20:00

00:09:30

00:29:59

00:20:29

Philip McDermott

00:19:47

00:09:43

00:30:27

00:20:44

Matthew Beard

00:21:15

00:08:15

00:29:01

00:20:46

Tanya Potiyenko

00:21:00

00:08:30

00:29:20

00:20:50

Rob Bean

00:19:30

00:10:00

00:30:51

00:20:51

Paul Tonkinson

00:20:10

00:09:20

00:30:20

00:21:00

Rob Shulman

00:22:15

00:07:15

00:28:22

00:21:07

Emily Reichert

00:21:30

00:08:00

00:29:22

00:21:22

Gail Mackie

00:22:00

00:07:30

00:28:59

00:21:29

Arthur Reed

00:23:00

00:06:30

00:28:18

00:21:48

Emilia Vynnycky

00:21:30

00:08:00

00:29:56

00:21:56

Joe Barker

00:19:15

00:10:15

00:32:22

00:22:07

Carl Heap

00:23:43

00:05:47

00:27:54

00:22:07

Nick Dodd

00:23:00

00:06:30

00:28:41

00:22:11

Karina Kaufman

00:21:30

00:08:00

00:30:17

00:22:17

Jessica Vinluan

00:21:30

00:08:00

00:30:19

00:22:19

Nilesh Goswami

00:23:20

00:06:10

00:28:45

00:22:35

Daniel Wrapson

00:22:35

00:06:55

00:29:32

00:22:37

Tammela Platt

00:23:00

00:06:30

00:29:07

00:22:37

Patrick McHugh

00:22:34

00:06:56

00:29:34

00:22:38

Hannah Stanforth

00:21:30

00:08:00

00:30:57

00:22:57

James Nicholls

00:21:48

00:07:42

00:30:39

00:22:57

Alun Nash

00:20:00

00:09:30

00:32:30

00:23:00

Ajarni Hinds

00:23:00

00:06:30

00:29:36

00:23:06

Catherine McGarvey

00:23:50

00:05:40

00:29:01

00:23:21

Sue Edle

00:25:30

00:04:00

00:28:46

00:24:46

Heather Marshall

00:26:00

00:03:30

00:28:24

00:24:54

Martin Black

00:25:00

00:04:30

00:29:27

00:24:57

Ann Woulfe

00:26:00

00:03:30

00:28:29

00:24:59

Dave Clegg

00:27:00

00:02:30

00:27:32

00:25:02

Rachel Scott Halls

00:25:00

00:04:30

00:29:47

00:25:17

Ken Townson

00:29:30

00:00:00

00:25:30

00:25:30

Edyta Slot

00:26:00

00:03:30

00:29:17

00:25:47

Kim Butler

00:25:00

00:04:30

00:30:24

00:25:54

Adrian Essex

00:25:30

00:04:00

00:29:58

00:25:58

Andrew Hudson

00:21:45

00:07:45

00:34:01

00:26:16

Dan Williams

00:29:00

00:00:30

00:27:49

00:27:19

Claire Sliwerski

00:29:30

00:00:00

00:28:14

00:28:14

Danny Maher

00:27:00

00:02:30

00:29:04

00:28:34

Sarah Ingman

00:29:00

00:00:30

00:29:04

00:28:34