Fourth Metropolitan League at Trent Park 14th of January

Nick Torry and Shaun Dixon, made the senior men's race an intriguing spectacle over the tough,Trent Park course reports Alastair Aitken
Torry, who had ankle problems and couple of months off in the late Summer, ran the first Met League race at Claybury in fourth place and Dixon, the previous weekend was a good second in the Middlesex.
    Dixon and 'Clear' Surrey Championship winner, Torry, were together till just over half way when Torry tried to drop Dixon. He got a 30 metre lead but still Dixon, was able to challenge him going up the hill again. Dixon lost ground coming down the hill on the last lap. Kevin Skinner ran in third position for most of the way but Ben Pochee, the first veteran who got married on New Year's Eve, came through well for fourth and was even able to run down the hill afterwards and encourage his team mates.
    It would be a great surprise if Woodford Green were overhauled in the last meeting on February the 11th at Horsenden Hill, as they have a sizable lead over second placers' Serpentine 4651 to 4284.
    Sylvie Lloyd was runner up in the last two Met Leagues and  went out to try and win at Trent Park.and she took the lead early and was only overtaken on the long hill as they came up to the finish by Lizzie Hall, who was making a comeback. Hall came second the previous Saturday in the Herts Championships and someone, who has run extremely well in the Met Leagues was her brother Nielson Hall, who won the Herts Men's race. After the race Sylvie learnt that Lizzie Hall had won the' National' in 2006 and so, it was no mean feat to be overtaken by her and Sylvie felt she had run well anyway. Lizzie Hall said " I had an operation for a hernia in December but before that I could not train properly".
    Highgate women were only the fourth team on the day and their two 'Stars' Becky Penty and Esther Evans were unavailable, although they had third spot with Katie Meredith. Now they have a slender lead of 971 to Serpentine's so 938 so there is all to play for at Horsenden Hill.
    However, the combined scores for the Howard Williams Trophy now reads Highgate, Serpentine and Woodford Green & Essex Ladies all on 40 points but, with the Howard Williams Junior Trophy it is a different matter as Herts Phoenix have a 9 points lead.
    In the Under 17 Men's race it was good to see Phillip Crout gradually move away from the opposition and win well. Usually he has had to be content in finishing behind Michael Calligari and James Stockings.
    Several had won successive Met Leagues. Rosie Poole the most prolific. The John Stow trained athlete, has won all her four Under 13 Met leagues. The Under 13 race went to Jamie Phipott for the second time. He lead all the way at Trent Park and remaked " That last hill was very hard. It' cruel"
    Hannah Novakovic won again " I went into the lead going into the woods half way up and then down the hill the otherside.'
'The last time I ran round I hated it!'  She obviously has come to terms with running a true cross-country course at Trent Park, Cockfosters.