Chingford League; Young Athlete success at Loughton (updated)

We had scant YA representation at Loughton for the winter season's opening cross country fixture this afternoon, however what we did have was very positive.   

Joe Geller (U13B) followed up his midweek win a couple of weeks ago in the dark at Hog Hill with his second victory in league - this time in daylight and over a course that offered little mud despite the rain in the previous 24 hours.  Whilst being chased home across the 200m run-in from the bridge by a determined Orion runner (James Wood), he managed to maintain a comfortable 10m  lead (and without being tempted to turn round - that's progress!) to win by 5 seconds in 8'24s.

In the combined U15/17W race, we could lay claim to at least an influence in the first two places in addition to Edie Preece's comfortable 3rd place. Loughton's Anna Clark, who will run for us in the Met League as a 2nd claimer and trains with Richard Thurston's group at Ashton, took first place (11'49s) and former member Aiofa Guyatt (now with E&H) took 2nd (12'15s).  Edie looked at ease when finishing in 3rd (12'43s) and admitted to realising she could have gone faster but as a season's opener it was a sound performance and when courses get muddier, they will be more to her liking.  With the resuls split out between the age groups, Edie took second behind Aiofe in the U15G race.

Of concern however, is the low turn out in the two YA fixtures so far; at Hog Hill an excuse could be made with it being mid-week, in the dark and perhaps less accessible than Eastway; 44 runners participated - it sounds a lot and looks a lot but as the genders and age groups are mixed, the two races are broken down into results for 6 separate events.  At Loughton only 45 runners took part with the U15B race the most populated event with 12 runners; the U15G race only had 4 runners and the U13G race only 5.  Orion offered 29 runners, almost 2/3rds of the total turnout.  We might treat this league as a low priority league which is nonetheless, good for experience and race training but if clubs/we don't support it, the junior races will cease to have much value and will then risk being lost to the calendar.  Use it or lose it!!!

The next Chingford League fixture is at Hog Hill on Tuesday  5th November followed by Alexandra Palace on Saturday 28th December.