Metropolitan Cross Country League: Alexandra Palace 15.12.12
9.12.12 Preview:
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 race 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.
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 class, 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 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 team Silver medals being 3 pots 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 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 internatuion Orlando Edwards (SBH) who
always gets better as the going gets tacky.
As far as the team
title goes it looks like a two horse race between the resurgent Highgate
Harriers and Woodford 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.
Venue: Alexandra Palace & Park
Race Headquarters: North Middlesex Cricket Club, 185A Park Road, London N8 8JJ(Muswell Hill end)
Changing facilities: North Middlesex Cricket Club, 185A Park Road, London N8 8JJ(Muswell Hill end)
Course Location: Alexandra Park- accessible by road from junction of Park Road and Muswell Hill (western end) and Palace Way (eastern end)
HQ to Course walk time:10 minutes
Course Description: Mainly flat grassland with short steep uphill and downhill sections
Public Transport: W3 bus runs through Palace grounds. W7 runs past western end. BR to Alexandra Palace on Kings Cross line, or Piccadilly Line to Wood Green, then W3
Parking: Paddock Car Park from western end- park adjoins start area.
Directions from major roads: A406 North Circular - exit at B550 Colney Hatch Lane then onwards to Muswell Hill.
Timetable:
1.15pm 3,000m Under 13 Boys
1.17pm 3,000m Under 13 Girls
Not before 1.35pm 4,000m Under 17 Men/Under 15 Boys
Not before 1.37pm 4,000m Under 17 Women/Under 15 Girls
Not before 1.55pm 6,000m Senior/Veteran/Under 20 Women
Not before 2.35pm 8,000m Senior/Veteran/Under 20 Men
Other information:
No toilets on the course. Please don't try to park at North Middlesex Cricket Club as gates will be shut this time. Imany a Haringey Schools Champs Hall was just 12 secs off the GB Euro team with 9th at Liverpool and just No doubt f with the next three
'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 race 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.
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 class, 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 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 team Silver medals being 3 pots 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 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 internatuion Orlando Edwards (SBH) who
always gets better as the going gets tacky.
As far as the team
title goes it looks like a two horse race between the resurgent Highgate
Harriers and Woodford 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.
Venue: Alexandra Palace & Park
Race Headquarters: North Middlesex Cricket Club, 185A Park Road, London N8 8JJ(Muswell Hill end)
Changing facilities: North Middlesex Cricket Club, 185A Park Road, London N8 8JJ(Muswell Hill end)
Course Location: Alexandra Park- accessible by road from junction of Park Road and Muswell Hill (western end) and Palace Way (eastern end)
HQ to Course walk time:10 minutes
Course Description: Mainly flat grassland with short steep uphill and downhill sections
Public Transport: W3 bus runs through Palace grounds. W7 runs past western end. BR to Alexandra Palace on Kings Cross line, or Piccadilly Line to Wood Green, then W3
Parking: Paddock Car Park from western end- park adjoins start area.
Directions from major roads: A406 North Circular - exit at B550 Colney Hatch Lane then onwards to Muswell Hill.
Timetable:
1.15pm 3,000m Under 13 Boys
1.17pm 3,000m Under 13 Girls
Not before 1.35pm 4,000m Under 17 Men/Under 15 Boys
Not before 1.37pm 4,000m Under 17 Women/Under 15 Girls
Not before 1.55pm 6,000m Senior/Veteran/Under 20 Women
Not before 2.35pm 8,000m Senior/Veteran/Under 20 Men
Other information:
No toilets on the course. Please don't try to park at North Middlesex Cricket Club as gates will be shut this time. Imany a Haringey Schools Champs Hall was just 12 secs off the GB Euro team with 9th at Liverpool and just No doubt f with the next three