15.12.12 Ally Pally Met League Results click on link below:
9.12.12
Pause for a moment and quietly contemplate the life of Mike Barrett (ESM) - a truly wonderful person, talented athlete (and tennis player) and stalwart of Ealing South & Middlesex for so many years. Rest In Peace
Ally Pally next weekend ......... A PREVIEW FROM AFAR ......
The Met League on Saturday 15th December 2012 sees a return to Alexandra Palace - in the words of the organisers the course is
'a mainly flat open course but with 1 long hill up to the Palace. It normally gets muddy especially on the hill so spikes are recommended'
Kid you not ..... in truth during december this can be a really boggy course, especially around the old horse racing course and the very tough hill up to the Palace needs to be negotiated 3/4 times by the men. I remember many a Haringey Schools Champs organised by the redoutable Joe Cox and Del Ives being thwarted by the caretaker of the Nightingale Road Primary School refusing the many mudlark school children re-entry to the school hall following the races, so mucky was this course!
Rhythmic running rather than pace is the key to success at this venue - a true cross country course with a bit of everything - not quite in the unrelenting Parliament Hill mould, but nevertheless, it's a very fair and demanding course for both 'stallion' and 'carthorse' alike.
Much depends on who is out doing a bit of pre-Christmas shopping at this stage in the league proceedings but the earnest team manager, in true festive style, will have coaxed out stars and journeymen alike with the promise of free post match ale and pies in the much heralded Muswell Hill and Crouch End yuppy hostelries. How many Humbugs will realise that this course is the closest to their humble Club origins at the Shaftesbury pub just down the road in Hornsey?
Question is ........ will one of the returning students, fresh from their end of term celebrations, challenge the established favourite Nielson Hall or will he have it all his own way? Shaftesburys' two young league leaders, Shelley and Fleming have suffered recent difficulties (Shelley not appearing in last week's Varisty match due to injury and Fleming underperforming in Liverpool due to a chest infection) but Blobby Keane will no doubt wish to press them into action in the Humbug cause. No doubt Hall will have been pleased with 9th at the Euro Trials in Liverpool (just 12 secs off the GB team which only today clinched European Cross team Silver medals being only 3pts behind the victorious Spanish outfit). Shaun Dixon (Highgate) also had a fine run in Liverpool finishing 28th, just in front of Matt Gunby (WGExL) with Shaftesbury duo Jake Shelley 41st and Glen Watts 47th in what was probably their best performances of the winter thus far.
Woodford's U23 Alex Cornwall also ran very well in Liverpool (63rd) and then again in the tough Birmingham League recently while U20 Mike Callegari (SBH) was an impressive Fraternity Cup winner last week at Trent Park which is a similar course to Ally Pally. London Champs winner Chris Smith (TVH) looks to be coming back to form while you cannot rule out GB Mountain international Orlando Edwards (SBH) who always gets better as the going gets tacky. I won der if Paul Martinelli will conquer the mud or will he miss his favoured road surface too much? Ah, but a lot of water has flown under (over) most bridges since Stevenage and who knows what guest or unknown 2nd claimer will surface from the mire and influence the race ...............
As far as the team title goes it looks like a two horse race between the resurgent Highgate Harriers and Woodford with the next three positions something of a lottery between the vastly improved Thames Valley, the unpredictable, but hugely talented Shaftesbury and current third placers Serpentine with only 74pts separating all three.
10.10.12 Who's going to be running in the Mens' Race next weekend?
Recruitment seems to be the key to the early rounds of the Met League. Last year controversy surrounding Haran Abdi's defection from the Beagles to the Woodies (not sure his coach even knew he had transferred!?) was the key discussion on the day but it was a couple of 'home grown' U20 talents in Mo Aadan (TVH) and Niall Fleming (SBH) who ruled the day with their differing but wholly effective tactics. No doubt we will see a number of new faces this season whether 'new Londoners' or the next crop of talented U20s mixing it with the established frontrunners. What is guaranteed is a very competitive 'sharp end' with even the possibility of different individual winners at each meeting.
With money at stake there is now a great incentive for the University athletes to make the effort to support their home clubs - but does the modern undergraduate feel the effort is worth it - it seems not to have worked for several clubs who have 'flashed' their cheque books for an 'all expenses paid' return to the home fold in the past! Whatever, the sponsorship is a long awaited and 'modern' incentive if nowhere like involving the sums of money routinely handed out by 'step 5' Soccer teams..... each to their own!
Each Club appears to have its own priorities when it comes to slecting their teams for what is arguably the best cross country league in the country. The strength in depth in the mens' field is remarkable and the quality both at the sharp end and through the field is impressive. Closing your 12 scorers inside 120 is a great effort, always rewarded with a 'top 4' final team positi0n but equally likely to claim winning honours as a couple of injuries, no shows and 'other races' can cause a crisis of epic proportions!
Woodford Green men will rightly toe the line as favourites and 'home course' advantage for the first meeting and diligent team managing by the redoubtable Terry McCarthy who has no doubt been scouring all parts of London and the home counties in an effort to maintain a real presence at Claybury in a week's time - he runs a great open session at Ashton Playing Fields and should be very happy with an opening selection which contains Abdi, Agustus, Beedell, Blaikie, Care, Cavell, Cornwall, Gunby, Heets, Holford Jnr., Hope, Lewis, Mansour, Mariani, Molloy, Murphy, Philips, Plibersek, Powell, Shone, Wenk, Wyber and Yaxley ... the list is never ending!. The well organised and enthusiastic training base provided by Highgate Harriers at Parly Hill must not be underestimated and I am reliably led to believe Leautient Pochee and Captain Dodwell are quietly building a very strong group though they have nothing in the way of youngsters to fill the breach if injuries strike. However, a regular team of Dan, Deane, Dixon, Dodwell, Gold, Green, McKinley, Noad, Panayiotou,mParker, Pochee and Whiting, not to mention those new recruits with be a formable group. Last year the Serpies were not as consistent as in the previous couple of impressive seasons and messers DC and Urban must look towards always have a real sharp end to ther teams to give real potency as with the undoubted depth of club runners evident in every match they are never thin in the 50 - 150 bracket. They were well served by Torrys', Brancos', Phillips', Taylors, Gaunt, Greenleaf, Lobb, Martin, Noble and Orr in the first 100 last year.
Hillingdon have been quietly making progress up the first division with their clutch of youngsters Laing, Thompson, Thompson, beginning to give hope of performances to rank with yester year. Their group of thirty somethings are also a really reliable group and their battle with Heathside, TVH and (why not?) Shaftesbury will be interesting. London Heathside, courtesy of their running in the community groups and networking have the numbers again and could quite possibly gain the 'most improved' team title this winter. The 'Valley' have a nice mixture of youth and experience but fade away somewhat from about 7th scorer. The sharp needs regular runs from the likes of Smith, Dawit, Aadan, Renfer and Russell to avoid the regelation 'worries'
And what of those 'Humbugs' ? ....... their fantastic youth endurance development programme makes them the envy of the London clubs and, in theory, perfectly capable of running away with the Met League but do they have the collective spirit to get out full teams, leave way a regular competitive squad. Wouldn't it be great to see a lineup of Watts and Watts, Kyereme, Edwards, Goodman, Fleming, Callegari, Shelley, Grant and Grant, Charles, Trapmore, Williams, Lewis, Bedford, Whiteman, Jackson, Sullivan, a couple of Murphies, Gamester, Ryle-Hodges, Sherry, Bailey, Crout, Horton, Addison and Essouin. - they are reputed to all be 'in training' ..... dreaming again .........?
ESM will find the going tough in the top league, they need more consistency from their emerging youngsters to avoid the relegation zone but the talented youngsters Waterman, Allen, Cameron, Hepworth, Louden, Nicholas and ZaJawcski should see them through.
In the lower league(s) with Woodies and Serpentine fielding 'B' teams in the first division a strong early start will be very important for the smaller clubs. Newham & Essex Beagles are perfectly capable of winnng the whole league but the truly international flavour of their team often leaves poor Bob Smith alternately in the sublime position of having at least 10 internationals at his disposal or more often scratching around by the end of match week praying he can actually field a tea of 12 scporers. Enfield & Haringey with Collins, Nagy, Milne and Christoforou could find promotion from the second division within their grasp come the New Year. Barnet will have the numbers if no high flyers (only one top 100 finisher last year) and will probably concentrate on the Chingford League; Frontrunners may have the consistent Shaun Whelan in the top 50 but struggle to break into the top 100 while St Albans, Garden City Runners, Met Police and Herts Pheonix (with apologies to Nielson Hall) suffer from not having enough runners who contest all 5 matches.
With money at stake there is now a great incentive for the University athletes to make the effort to support their home clubs - but does the modern undergraduate feel the effort is worth it - it seems not to have worked for several clubs who have 'flashed' their cheque books for an 'all expenses paid' return to the home fold in the past! Whatever, the sponsorship is a long awaited and 'modern' incentive if nowhere like involving the sums of money routinely handed out by 'step 5' Soccer teams..... each to their own!
Each Club appears to have its own priorities when it comes to slecting their teams for what is arguably the best cross country league in the country. The strength in depth in the mens' field is remarkable and the quality both at the sharp end and through the field is impressive. Closing your 12 scorers inside 120 is a great effort, always rewarded with a 'top 4' final team positi0n but equally likely to claim winning honours as a couple of injuries, no shows and 'other races' can cause a crisis of epic proportions!
Woodford Green men will rightly toe the line as favourites and 'home course' advantage for the first meeting and diligent team managing by the redoubtable Terry McCarthy who has no doubt been scouring all parts of London and the home counties in an effort to maintain a real presence at Claybury in a week's time - he runs a great open session at Ashton Playing Fields and should be very happy with an opening selection which contains Abdi, Agustus, Beedell, Blaikie, Care, Cavell, Cornwall, Gunby, Heets, Holford Jnr., Hope, Lewis, Mansour, Mariani, Molloy, Murphy, Philips, Plibersek, Powell, Shone, Wenk, Wyber and Yaxley ... the list is never ending!. The well organised and enthusiastic training base provided by Highgate Harriers at Parly Hill must not be underestimated and I am reliably led to believe Leautient Pochee and Captain Dodwell are quietly building a very strong group though they have nothing in the way of youngsters to fill the breach if injuries strike. However, a regular team of Dan, Deane, Dixon, Dodwell, Gold, Green, McKinley, Noad, Panayiotou,mParker, Pochee and Whiting, not to mention those new recruits with be a formable group. Last year the Serpies were not as consistent as in the previous couple of impressive seasons and messers DC and Urban must look towards always have a real sharp end to ther teams to give real potency as with the undoubted depth of club runners evident in every match they are never thin in the 50 - 150 bracket. They were well served by Torrys', Brancos', Phillips', Taylors, Gaunt, Greenleaf, Lobb, Martin, Noble and Orr in the first 100 last year.
Hillingdon have been quietly making progress up the first division with their clutch of youngsters Laing, Thompson, Thompson, beginning to give hope of performances to rank with yester year. Their group of thirty somethings are also a really reliable group and their battle with Heathside, TVH and (why not?) Shaftesbury will be interesting. London Heathside, courtesy of their running in the community groups and networking have the numbers again and could quite possibly gain the 'most improved' team title this winter. The 'Valley' have a nice mixture of youth and experience but fade away somewhat from about 7th scorer. The sharp needs regular runs from the likes of Smith, Dawit, Aadan, Renfer and Russell to avoid the regelation 'worries'
And what of those 'Humbugs' ? ....... their fantastic youth endurance development programme makes them the envy of the London clubs and, in theory, perfectly capable of running away with the Met League but do they have the collective spirit to get out full teams, leave way a regular competitive squad. Wouldn't it be great to see a lineup of Watts and Watts, Kyereme, Edwards, Goodman, Fleming, Callegari, Shelley, Grant and Grant, Charles, Trapmore, Williams, Lewis, Bedford, Whiteman, Jackson, Sullivan, a couple of Murphies, Gamester, Ryle-Hodges, Sherry, Bailey, Crout, Horton, Addison and Essouin. - they are reputed to all be 'in training' ..... dreaming again .........?
ESM will find the going tough in the top league, they need more consistency from their emerging youngsters to avoid the relegation zone but the talented youngsters Waterman, Allen, Cameron, Hepworth, Louden, Nicholas and ZaJawcski should see them through.
In the lower league(s) with Woodies and Serpentine fielding 'B' teams in the first division a strong early start will be very important for the smaller clubs. Newham & Essex Beagles are perfectly capable of winnng the whole league but the truly international flavour of their team often leaves poor Bob Smith alternately in the sublime position of having at least 10 internationals at his disposal or more often scratching around by the end of match week praying he can actually field a tea of 12 scporers. Enfield & Haringey with Collins, Nagy, Milne and Christoforou could find promotion from the second division within their grasp come the New Year. Barnet will have the numbers if no high flyers (only one top 100 finisher last year) and will probably concentrate on the Chingford League; Frontrunners may have the consistent Shaun Whelan in the top 50 but struggle to break into the top 100 while St Albans, Garden City Runners, Met Police and Herts Pheonix (with apologies to Nielson Hall) suffer from not having enough runners who contest all 5 matches.