Met League final race 2010.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010 at 09:17AM Alastair Aitken writes:- WOODFORD GREEN & ESSEX LADIES held on to their winning lead in the Metropolitan League, which was the final domestic event of the season, 'North of the River' at Perivale, on the 13th of February.
Terry Driscoll, Highgate's President and coach remarked about the close Women's result 2691-Woodford to 2633 to Highgate, with Serpentine third with 2352. "Our chances of winning the women's competition were dashed when the fourth Met League was cancelled at Stevenage in January. We could not claw back the lead."
Gloria Bell, looked really fluent winning the Under 17 Women' race. Steve Mann her Ealing coach said " We had a fast speed session, running with the lads on Thursday so it was a nice run out today before she has a go on the boards" Nick Torry found the pace too fast at the start of the Men's race but worked his way into the lead by half way, as he overtook his clubmate Huw Lobb and Shaftesbury's Steve Murphy. An interesting runner who moved into second place within sight of the finish was Algerian, Lofti Chebli. He was 52nd in the World Junior Cross Country Championships in Mombasa in 2007 and, was several times a junior Champion in Algeria. His best times were 1:50/3:45- 800/1500 but now living in Stratford, near to where he works, means he has not been able to find a training group to run with that he most urgently wants to do, in order to improve. He had things more on a plate in Algeria with help in all directions but finds it very difficult in the UK, as runners from the big clubs like his one Woodford Green, live so far away from their club's and don't appear to train together in a group. Torry is expecting to run in the Surrey Championships, a week after winning his second Met League of the season at Perivale, as well as doing the Wokingham half Marathon the following day. His club Serpentine also were effected by not being able to overhaul Woodford when the Stevenage match was called off. The first three in the League at the end of the day were 1 Woodford Green with Essex Ladies 8394, 2 Serpentine RC 8265, and Highgate Harriers 6727. That was the first time in nearly 20 years that Highgate were in the frame in the well contested event. The numbers were a bit down at Horsenden Hill, Perivale but still 260 completed. The first three were 1 Nick Torry (29:25), 2 Lofti Chebli (29.35), 3 Huw Lobb (29:38), It was interesting to see 'Guest' Ben Hunter from Southend, an Under 20 runner who was second in the Southern Junior last year, coming home sixth in 30:01. I remember running the first Met Leagues in the 1960's, when Howard was a force in the league and finishing in the 50's 60's and 70's for Highgate but the fields were only 130 to 150 then but now often in excess of 300!. Howard agrees "The number has increased and it is certainly going well. Of course I will still take an interest and help out from time to time but not in an official post". He was introduced to the crowd in Ealing's Hall at Perivale by the President of Middlesex Athletics, that 'Evergreen runner of the past' Mike Barratt, who was the leading Veteran in the first 18 Met Leagues and then Howard Williams was given a long standing ovation for his work for the league.
Torry of Serpentine having a blinding season! (Xman)
Reader Comments (1)
It’s a shame that I wasn't able to join in the race, congratulations to the winners.