Bronze medallists Sam Lambert, Will Mayes and Zak Lambert
This week’s newsletter kicks off with the superlative efforts of two truly talented, committed and hard working Junior athletes. Seb Hillard and Will Hovell both covered themselves with glory at last weekend’s English Schools Combined Events Championships at Stoke on Trent. Seb in the Octathlon and Will in the Pentathlon. To be as good as they are at so many events takes a heck of a lot of hard work. Well done both. We’re all proud of you.
On Saturday at Sutton Park it was the Autumn Road Relays where we were able to field 3 teams of 3 juniors all of who ran the challenging 3.88k course well. Our U17M finishing in the bronze medal position.
Up until Wednesday this newsletter was going to be dominated totally by junior athletes until I received Paul Faithfull’s report on his first Ironman and what an excellent report it is. When reading his report I am in total awe of his achievement. I also wander if he isn’t a little bit crazy. Well done Paul.
Six of our juniors were selected for the Warwickshire team in the U13/U15 Boys and Girls Inter County Track and Field Match, helping the county to retain the Inter County Trophy.
Finally, there’s a note from Chairman Paul Hawkins on the ballot for London Marathon places.
Good luck if you are competing in the Stratford 10k or half marathon on Sunday. If you are, please please please send in your reports.
Seb with some of his fan club/fellow team members.
English Schools’ AA 36th Combined Events Championships
Norwood Stadium Stoke on Trent
21st and 22nd September
Report – Paul Bearman, Seb Hillard and Will Hovell:
As a club whose training philosophy for juniors is based around multi events, SUAAC have a long and proud history of success in Combined Events. Our athletes are relied upon by Warwickshire to compete in representative teams and two of our very talented junior multi event athletes Seb Hillard and Will Hovell were in action last weekend representing Warwickshire Schools in the ESAA Combined Events National Finals in Stoke.
Combined Events is a very a challenging competition in normal circumstance especially at national level, but this championships will live long in the memory by being made even harder by the very mixed and at times atrocious weather conditions. The support and advice by Warwickshire Schools Team Manager Dave Cowley, a top veteran multi event athlete in his own right, was invaluable in coping with the ever changing conditions.
We started off the year by planning and hoping Seb, Will and Lucy Lane would be good enough to qualify for the ESAA CE but training and preparation was scuppered by Seb fracturing his ankle and Lucy having a long term similar problem. Nevertheless Will went through the summer working hard to improve the technical events on top of his excellent form throughout the summer over the 800m.
Lucy’s injury prevented her from hurdling and to a large extent jumping and so she was unable to compete in the various events required for CE. However, on his return from injury we gradually rehabbed Seb back to fitness and with some hard work he was able to hurdle and jump which are key components required for CE and he was a late call up to represent Warwickshire but with virtually no time to train in some of the events let alone hone them up to national standard.
I was away on my annual break but I was kept well informed by proud mums Nikki and Georgie who braved the elements almost as much as Seb and Will whose synopsis below of their experiences over the weekend. tells their story……..
Seb Hillard – Octathlon
I was thrilled to have been selected for the Inter boys Octathlon team, something I didn’t think would be on my radar after my ankle fracture in March.
Day 1
We were greeted on the track by beautiful warm sunshine but swirling winds. I made a good start to the competition with 5.66m in the long jump. Although this was just shy of my PB, it steadied my nerves.
After a really good practice I failed on the 1st attempt in the Discus then did a safe second throw of 16.95m, which ended up being my only valid attempt. This was a slightly disappointing result although I knew I would be able to make up points elsewhere in the competition. One to hone my skills for next year.
Fresh after disappointment in the discus, I had a very good javelin with a throw of 37.72m. This beat my personal best by 20cm and contributed great points to my overall score.
After a long day, the last thing I really wanted was a gruelling 400m lap of the track, but was absolutely thrilled to better my old best by over 3 seconds and finish 2nd in my heat with a time of 55.75. Unlike Will we were lucky to have got to the car just before the monsoon like rain, thunder & lightning hit the track.
Day 2
Due to the heavy rain and thunderstorms overnight, the conditions seemed incredibly different to the previous day. Despite the harsh rain only easing slightly just before my race, I had a solid 100m hurdles with a time of 14.6 seconds.
The rain and wind returned in force just as we were starting the high jump. In spite of conditions I cleared 1.65m after adjusting my run up several times to cope with the wind forcing me onto the bar.
When we got to the shot put, despite the rain falling again, we were all still smiling. I managed to beat my pb by 2.50m and continued my good points scoring with a throw of 9.10m
After 7 gruelling events the 1500m was the final event of the competition and the one most people were dreading. With tired legs, I dragged myself around the track and finish with a time of 5.01 mins, slightly down on normal but happy to finish in what had been the most challenging weather conditions of my athletics career so far.
I finished with a points score of 3929 around 500 point more than my previous best result last year. Overall I was very happy with my performance across the weekend and am looking forward to competing in the Decathlon. I just have to perfect the pole vault before next year!
Will Hovell – Pentathlon
On Saturday I took part in the English Schools Pentathlon Championships in Stoke. The sun was shining and the atmosphere was good. I gained 2 pb’s in my first 2 events, the hurdles with a time of 12.7 secs and shot put, where I threw 10.15m. This was 80cm over my previous pb.
I then had long jump where I didn’t have an amazing jump, but it gave me a good number of points and high jump which I equaled my pb of 1.50 metres. During the high jump, the weather took a turn for the worse, with a massive storm, thunder, lightning and torrential rain replacing the sunshine.
The final event, the 800m, was eventually cancelled for safety reasons. I was disappointed about this as the 800m is my strongest event and I was hoping to gain good points with this. Obviously safety does come first so I totally understand the officials’ decision.
Overall I had a very successful day and I thoroughly enjoyed having the opportunity to be part of it. I can’t wait to move up to the Octathlon next summer and I’m already practising for the Pole Vault with the Leamington coaches ready for the indoor competitions so it looks like Seb will be joining me!.
Gwil Price – WSAA County Organiser:
GwiI sent a message to all the Warwickshire athletes after a very eventful weekend…..”I adore this event and as you know WSAA have always had good reason to hold our heads high in terms of qualification and success for so many years! I can’t remember the last time I missed sharing this event with you … from Bedford, Abingdon, Boston to Exeter to wherever, it has always been the greatest pleasure to watch and encourage the athletes together with the fantastic parents who are never failing in their support of your son/daughters and all competing athletes! My thanks to all their coaches who support their athletes year on year to achieve the standard to get to the level required to compete at the championships”.
He added “through their early years, we watch our combined event (CE) athletes progress from their favoured individual event to ‘having a go’ at other events before they begin to relish the challenge of finding a throw, horizontal/vertical jump or a different track distance to add to their starting ‘strong’ event”.
As the only male junior and intermediate Warwickshire boys who qualified for the championships Gwil singled out Will and Seb….. “congratulations Will and Seb. I know you will have worked overtime this weekend especially as it was of course competition in the most dire conditions imaginable! Both of your excellent performance levels and PBs in sunshine, thunder, rain with wet and slippery facility/equipment you both should feel justifiably proud of representing the Region/WSAA and Stratford at a National ESAA Final”.
I couldn’t be more proud of Seb and Will and the fact that they were able to perform incredibly well and producing PB after PB in awful conditions is testament to not just their talent but also to their dogged determination.
Seb’s performances
Will’s performances
Joel Ledgard gets our U15 boys team off to a flying start at Sutton Park
Autumn Road Relays
Sutton Park
Saturday 21st September
Report – David Jones
Last Saturday saw 9 of our finest juniors competing at Sutton Park in the Autumn Road relays.
We had junior teams of 3 competing in the U15B, U17W and U17M races. Sadly no senior teams this year.
The promised rain held off. Just. Leaving the car park at the end, after an approximate 45 minute wait for the medal presentation, the heaven’s opened.
First off were our U15B team of Joel Ledgard, Sam Plumb and Arran Cooper, all of who were part of last season’s U15 XC champions in the Warwickshire Young Athletes Cross Country League. Their performance on Saturday bodes well for the coming XC season.
Joel got the team off to a flying start, running his leg of 3.88k on the challenging course in 14 minutes exactly to put the team in 15th place out of 39. Joel handed over to Sam, competing despite a difficult few weeks due to injury. Sam’s run was his typical gutsy and determined effort, leaving nothing out on the course. His time was 14.56 before handing over to Arran who ran a time of 14.34, overtaking 3 runners in the process to leave us finishing in a strong 18th place overall with a total time of 43:30, just 3 seconds behind the home club Royal Sutton Coldfield AC.
It was then the turn of our U17 ladies team of Annie Silvers, Martha Peters and Brooke Rossney. Annie’s run of 15.51 was the 14th fastest of the U17W opening legs. She handed over to Martha Peters who completed the 3.88k in 17.36 to place us in 18th place. The final leg was run by Brooke Rossney who was able to pull back 3 places with her run of 18:13, enabling us to finish in 15th place with an overall time of 51.40.
The final junior race of the day was the U17M where we fielded the in-form trio of Will Mayes, alongside brothers Zak and Sam Lambert and my word didn’t they do well. Zak, as the photo below shows, used his arms to good effect at the crowded start, enabling him to get off to a flying start. He finished the first leg in a magnificent 4th place with a time of 12:20, the 9th fastest leg of the race out of 107 runners. Zak handed over to Will Mayes who’s run of 12.56 meant he handed over to Sam in 6th place but a mere 11 seconds off 3rd place. It was then down to the younger Lambert to run the final leg. Sam’s time of 12:15 was the 6th fastest of the 107 runners competing and lifted the team to a magnificent 3rd place with an overall time 37:31, which according to my maths is an average speed of 5:11 per mile in old money. That’s quick. That’s very quick. They were also a mere 5 seconds off 2nd place.
It was then a prolonged wait for the medal presentation but it was worth it, just dodging the deluge.
Sam Lambert leading our U17M home in the bronze medal position.
U17M Zak Lambert and Will Mayes
I’ve done it!
Paul Faithfull crosses the line
Ironman Wales 2024
Report – Paul Faithfull
This is the end (?) of journey that started in Jan 2019, when I decided I wanted to do an Ironman and asked a friend to coach me. He responded, “first we need to make you look good in a tree suit” (he is Spanish and speaks English with a certain twang!). He then told me it would take 5 years to get me ready, which I initially balked at, but here we are 5 years later….. and 4 weeks on from the World Champs in Australia and I find myself on the beach in a very grey Wales with Met Office weather warnings for biblical rain, quite the change in conditions for my first full Ironman distance race.
First lesson, don’t leave it late to get to the start. I am aiming for the 1h 5min swim time group but can’t get past 1h 20m, finding myself stood next to Deyna who I know from Shipston pool (out of over 2000 people all looking the same in wetsuits and swim hats). It looks choppy and it is, 2 laps and 3.8km in a washing machine. Never seen so many competitors hanging off paddle boards or reverting to breaststroke. I focused on controlling my emotions, swimming through the crowds in front of me and came out of the water feeling good after an 1hour and 15mins.
Wales is renowned for being one of the toughest Ironman races and that is on a good day in the sea. The run to Transition is a mini challenge in itself with special ‘pink bags’ for footwear as you head up the zigzag path up the cliff face to the top of Tenby, a 1.4 km run. Amazing crowds were everywhere (to say the town was rammed would be an understatement) all very vocal and supportive. A decent transition made up some places and I headed out on the bike glad the rain hadn’t started.
The ride winds its way around the Pembrokshire countryside with plenty of climbs and some technical descents. On the first lap it remained dry, but already I witnessed someone crash into a wall ahead of me on a bend. The second time around it would be wet as the drizzle started and I was hanging on to the brakes hoping not to lock up as many people slid off into the scenery. It’s a long way (180km) and I took it steady focusing on it feeling easy for the first half, which paid dividends on the second lap as I passed a lot of people who had gone out too hard, very pleased that across the ride I kept consistent pace and power. Finished in 6hours and 5 mins, which was pretty much bang on target.
Onto the run, it was raining now and basically didn’t stop. The run is 4 laps, its hilly and not that inspiring but for the crowds. Signs everywhere and lots of kids looking for High 5s. However, I wasn’t feeling great, struggling to breath properly and whilst my support crew (my good lady and Adam Linforth, to whom I owe great thanks for their support) were encouraging me on, I began to wonder if I would make it. I had hit my nutrition targets on the bike (18 gels), but now the stomach couldn’t take much more and I strategically decided to walk the steepest parts of the climbs, which seemed to work well as most people passing me were soon caught and dispatched when the gradient eased. I run to power so could see where I was pushing the envelope (of course my legs told me as well!). It wasn’t until deep into the 3rd lap that a couple of “brave farts” (not my words, but those of a fellow competitor next to me!!) and the breathing eased. The final lap, and whilst the weather was worsening, the light fading and it was now cold in just a bit of lycra, endorphins came to my rescue and as I started to run though the town, passing people, dancing to the Spice Girls and generally feeling punch drunk, I knew I was going to finish. Crossed the line in 3h 52mins for the Marathon (my first) and 11h 30mins total, 4th in Age Group (by 30 seconds!) and just outside the top 100 overall out of over 2000. I was even 40s ahead of the legend that is Shane Williams (apparently he used to play rugby). Very happy, very cold, pleased I hadn’t actually soiled myself (at that point you really don’t know!) and I didn’t even make it back to the car before I had decided to take the resulting qualification place for Nice 2025 IM World Championship. Thankful now it’s the end of the season, time to rest and maybe some gentle XC races 😊
Isabella Marriott and Billy Sheppard both of who recorded PBs on the day.
The final totals on the day, showing Warwickshire in 1st place.
The U13/U15 Boys and Girls Inter County Track and Field Match
Report – Paul Bearman
For most athletes, the first step on the “Competition Ladder” is Club competition – maybe internal Club events or competing for the Club in Leagues.
The second step on the ladder is County competition which is where the Warwickshire County events fit in – our Championships.
The third rung on the Competition Ladder is Inter County competition which is when an athlete competes for Warwickshire against other Counties.
The U13/U15 Boys and Girls Inter County Track and Field Match is an annual event held every September. The seven Counties that take part are Derbyshire, Humberside, Leicestershire&Rutland, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, South Yorkshire, Warwickshire.
Entry is by selection only and the Team Manager John Nash selects the Warwickshire team using Power of 10 and the County Championships results and liaises with Club coaches to put the team together. 6 Stratford athletes U13s Billy Sheppard, Lucia Ogilvie-Putt, Isabella Marriott, and Lila Gallinagh and U15s Will Hovell and Arthur Williamson were selected. Olisa Odiamma Mckenzie was also also selected but didn’t compete.
John Nash said afterwards “All 6 of your athletes were a pleasure to deal with and contributed well to the Team performance and retaining the Inter County trophy. Thanks again for your help”.
Earlier in the year I asked for our senior club members who had been rejected in the ballot for a place in the 2026 TCS London Marathon to tell me so we could raffle our club places. I am now told that the marathon people won’t allocate places until November so we won’t have our draw until we know how many places we have.
I do understand that they have cut back club on places again so we will have fewer than before but I’ve no confirmation yet.
I’ll be doing our draw for club places in November or as soon as I have confirmation of our club places.
Just to put it into perspective, we had 45 rejections from the marathon who will be going for our possibly two places. So best advice is to do a Good For Age time or get a charity place, charities always seem to have plenty of places on offer if you are able to raise enough money.
Thanks
Paul Hawkins
English Schools’ AA 36th Combined Events Championships
The difference a day makes
Saturday – glorious sunshine.
Sunday – pouring rain and floodlights on.
Zak Lambert at the start of the U17M race, making good use of his arms and elbows to enable him to get off to a flying start
Some of our esteemed coaches have questioned the legality of his efforts. Make your own minds up!
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