ILFORD AC athlete Bree Nordin put in a tremendous performance to claim the over-45 prize in the Finchley 20-mile road race hosted by Hillingdon AC on Sunday. Held on a four lap loop on the busy roads of Ruislip, Nordin (pictured right) clocked an impress

ILFORD AC athlete Bree Nordin put in a tremendous performance to claim the over-45 prize in the Finchley 20-mile road race hosted by Hillingdon AC on Sunday.

Held on a four lap loop on the busy roads of Ruislip, Nordin (pictured right) clocked an impressive two hours 26 minutes and 58 seconds to finish in 11th position overall in the ladies race.

She was well-supported by Vanessa Burns who obliterated her own personal best to record 2:50.22.

Sally Gillam, another training for next month's London Marathon, closed the Ilford Ladies scoring team to eighth place, with a solid 2:58.32 having raced the day before.

The previous day Ilford AC fielded a great turnout of five teams at the Essex Road Relays at Chelmsford.

The men's A squad battled well against some stiff opposition to come home ninth with the B and C squads 18th and 32nd respectively.

Leg times for the three men's teams were as follows:-Peter Clinch 20.53, Malcolm Muir 20.10, Iain Campbell 19.45, Iain Macdonald 21.10, Chris Togwell 22.48, Gary Floate 23.30, Neil Crisp 21.58, Matt Maple 22.58, Les Hislop 28.23, Duncan Turner 25.46, John Mackenzie 25.43, Pete Whiting 31.51.

Ilford ladies faired slightly better with the A squad of Nordin 24.26, Dianne Crisp 25.45 and Lindsey Barker 24.19 coming home an excellent fifth.

The B squad of Sally Gillam 29.37, Victoria Morgan 27.43 and Pam Jones 31.41 placed 17th overall.

Basildon took the major honours in both the men's and ladies races and also had the fastest individual times with Ross Clarke hitting 18.04 and Stacey Ward 20.11.

Sweltering conditions greeted competitors in the 28th running of the Bath half-marathon, where Ian Burdin recorded 1:32.00 in one of the most popular road races in the country.

The fast and flat course, great atmosphere and wonderful location, attracted a mass field of over 11,000 runners, which caused the start to be delayed by some 30 minutes.

Coincidentally the Brentwood half-marathon is another charity event also in its 28th year and saw Ilford's Carol Muir in action.

Muir braved some warm conditions but was disappointed with her clocking 2:12.34, which placed her 1,370 in a mass field of 1,783.