ATW Met League race 5: Seniors
Our men's team finished 3rd in the final ATW Metropolitan XC League race at Wormwood Scrubs on Saturday, and our women finished 5th - both in Division 1. This meant that the season finished with the men 3rd and women 5th overall. Tom Phillips led the men home, and Emily Moss the women.
Men
On a day where canoes were as suitable a transport on some roads as cars, the fifth and final met league occurred at the flat and saturated Wormwood Scrubs. The officials and organisers had done very well to keep the racing on, only having to shorten the course in one area, and so it was with a slightly below 5 mile race the Woodford team lined up.
First in, for the first time, was Tom Phillips in 11th. Tom is a track man, but his performances have been such this winter that this manager feels he may be forced to stop using this phrase soon! He has put a break over Christmas well and truly behind him, and by placing high in a good field, shows that this summer should yield some good times. In second for the team was Martyn Cryer in 21st, he said after that it has seemed the type of courses and conditions haven't suited his style, but he is pleased with his training and this manager will be very interested to see what his first marathon will deliver. In next was Angus Holford in 36th, Angus had said he will try to get into form to get into our A 12 stage team, if this is near the start, when the relay comes he will be challenging for one of our fastest legs, let alone get into the team! Just behind in 38th was Kevin Murphy, who must be making it so people are checking to make sure his landmark birthday coming up really is for 40, as he is showing the form a 25 year old would be proud of.
In next was James Stockings in 41st, he has been relocated for 10 weeks in Derby and is having to get use to a new training group. So this performance, even though it was off not ideal preparation, shows he has a vital ingredient, mental grit, to grind out a fair run when all is not 100%. In just behind was Tomaz Plibersek in 42nd, who ran as usual a very steady race coming through the field with the Woodford athletes swapping positions. Just behind, with another excellent performance, was Donatas Tumaitis in 46th. Donatas competing for us in the league this season has been a massive bonus for us, I hope he has enjoyed the races and will be back next year! Harold Wyber then came in 58th, Harold is getting over an injury and the flat Scrubs course is not his ideal surface, but he showed he was as hardy as the Soreen Loaf he came in eating, as he surmounted all these problems to achieve a good result.
In ninth was Bertie Powell in 64th. It was a rare outing outside the top 50 for Bertie, but it must be noted that Bertie is nursing a bad injury, and managed to lose both, yes both, spikes in the race, so in another way 64th was a very good effort! He was cheered before the start when given a framed picture of one of his early Met races and his last Met race to make it 50 consecutive races in our top 12, which was kindly paid for by our Evergreens. Then came Robbie Cox in 75th, he seems well over the injuries that plagued him in the early part of the season and it is good to see a fully fit Robbie going so well heading into the summer season. In just behind was Jim Roche in 78th, whose partner Kat Gundersen joked that her first time seeing him race since his return to form might cause bad luck, but Jim made sure it was just humour as he kept up his good form and put in another good run. Our twelfth man and a maverick of the mud was CJ Shepherd, who showed a great return to form and that they grow them canny in Barnsley as he asked fellow Woodford man Gareth Cavell at the end of the second lap, if there was another one to come, on being told there wasn't, he accelerated to finish ahead of Gareth and Tony Russell to grab the last team place!
This was our quickest to finish 12 of the season, in 81, but we couldn't make up any ground on those above, but credit must go to Highgate and Serpentine as although we have had a year of change, these two clubs performances have performed to a very good standard, and Highgate have again been a fantastic team.
Our B team opened up with Tony Russell in 84th, over his injuries too. It has taken Tony a bit longer to get back into it then he would have hoped, but every time he is running improvement is seen, and this result was close to his best last season and he would have made the scoring 12 if not for the fast finishing CJ. In 86th was Gareth Cavell, who may be thinking next time to send CJ into the flooded fields, but Gareth is a great club man and was talking about looking forward to increasing his speed this summer, if he can we may well see Gareth turning the tables on the Barnsley man next year! In 103rd was Daniel Mann, Daniel has had a very good season, so much so that even though he opened the season at 153rd at Claybury he would have been disappointed not to break the top 100 at this final Met! Fourth in, and in his Met season opener, was Matt Molloy in 117th. Matt is an international level Ironman, as shown by how his season opener was the Southern 9 mile mud XC at Parliament Hill and did not phase him at all, and hopefully injury is now behind him so he can concentrate on some big targets ahead.
Then came two Woodford runners Alan Rugg and Julian Russell in 166 and 167 respectively. Alan is getting into form as his training is more consistent, and Julian would have been pleased to end his season with such a run, as Alan got away from him at Perivale but this time Julian worked his way back to him all through the race and means he can look towards his half marathon with real enthusiasm, as his training is clearly working. In next was Steve Lambert in a career high 182nd, which was a nice mark as Steve has worked hard on triathlon training and despite injury this season, has shown that hard work combined with a focused training schedule, will always get rewards. In just behind was Peter Caton in 191st, who had a difficult run as he finished behind Alan who he beat at Ally Pally, but the flat course of the Scrubs is not everyone's ideal course.
Our ninth man was Tony Pamphilon. Tony had to take January out to prepare for his renowned music quiz, I mean due to work and injury. So Tony, being a wise operator, knew that this race may not be one for his collection, but you don't become one of the best V50's in the country by chucking it in, and Tony gritted his teeth and got round for 206th. In next was Paul Stockings in 278th, upset by this manager putting him as a maybe on the team sheet, he showed that recent injuries were in the past as he glided around the Scrubs. Then came Tom Spanyol, always in preparation for another marathon, he set a good tempo in this race and had a good battle with a group of runners around him to come in 318th. To close the team was Stuart Phillips in 342nd, who this manager noted looked in good form at the end of the first lap, and was pleased to see that this was the case as Stuart went past quite a few athletes in the second lap. One of which was Met stalwart Trevor Powell, who suffered an injury which unfortunately meant he could not complete the race.
It was pleasing to close two full teams as with 15 minutes to go we only had 20 runners but a late flurry of action meant we had 5 more and could finish the season with two full teams. Many thanks to all runners who have turned out this season, and next year should be interesting as we now have a team in each division of the ATW Metropolitan XC League.
Women
After the wettest January since the reign of George III, ‘Scrubs' 2014 was never going to be dry. Mid week guidance which hinted at Goretex and galoshes and a polite suggestion that gust-catching gazebos might best be left in clubhouse lock-ups was a sure sign of an inclement forecast. But the race was to be ran. That the day itself beheld some blue sky was enough to stir the spirits for this final fixture - the first time back at Scrubs for some years; first time ever for some. Not known for its outstanding natural beauty this (usually) fast, flat route in the shadow of the famous Victorian prison, is preferred by some.
After a poor showing at Horsenden Hill a month ago, it was very promising to see seven Woodettes squelch the line in this 150-strong field for this last pass at glory. Regular top twenty scorer, and current Brenda Bray leader, Emily Moss (16) led the girls home. Noting how difficult it had been to get going when most of the course is underwater, Emily characterised her run - her lowest placing this season - as a ‘weird’ one - feeling bodily comfortable but frustrated by the muddy soup. Next was V35 Kat Gundersen (18) 12” behind Emily in a welcome return to the field after weeks of study. Dead-legged from half-marathon training, Gundo’s self assessment was a frank “as well as could be expected.” Third scorer making her season’s debut on the country was Sidnie Sales (32), 1’08” behind Kat, and racing herself back to fitness. On Sidnie’s heels 4” behind was Rachel Lund (35) with another creditable run; and 2’45” behind her, relative cross country newbie - and prison-proximate debutante - Max Voutilainen (nee Davies) (69) unable to conclude from her “not too bad” run whether she preferred the flat or the hills, but definitely feeling sop-induced fatigue. 1’27” behind Max and closing for the A team, with her best country run of the season so far, V45 Alex Wardle (87) got enough traction to ‘dig deep’ and catch a few precious places. The current Brenda Bray runner up was deservedly pleased by the result. Closing for the Woodettes and the Bs, V50 Karen Horswood (105) made it seven.
Race Day Captain Evie Serventi summed up the day: “In conditions fit only for fish, I’m proud to see us pull it back today, and pay tribute to the excellent spirit of the girls who swam, er, ran. Fifth on the day and fifth over all - fourth in the Vets competition - could have been so much worse.”
Stalwart Alex Wardle added: “Its been said before and I’ll say it again. We have the team and the talent to win this League. Its been a mild winter, but a tough one for our team. I am determined to lift at least one of those trophies in the near future.”
Women’s Division One (Team): 1. Highgate (368); =2. London Heathside (321) =2. Serpentine RC (321) 4. Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers (291) 5. WGEL (251)
League position: 1. Highgate (1782); Serpentine RC (1643); 3. Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers (1481); 4. London Heathside (1479); 5. WGEL (1203)
Women’s Division Two (Team): 1. Highgate Harriers ‘B’ (162); 2. Mornington Chasers (135); 3. Barnet & District (128); …..10. WGEL (10)
League Position: 1. Highgate Harriers ‘B’ (803); London Heathside ‘B’ (716); Barnet & District (666) …..9. WGEL (257) (= with Met Police but relegated on fixture placings)
Veteran Women's Division One (Team) : 1. London Heathside (145); 2. Serpentine (124); 3. London Heathside ‘B’ (92) …. 6. WGEL (65)
League Position: 1. London Heathside (621); 2. Serpentine RC (573); Ealing, Southall, Middx (510); WGEL (376)
The girls are especially grateful to Evie Serventi for all round support whose clipboard chutzpah just about made up for the missing gazebo and Roy’s cakes.
The Met League Season’s Best Improver prize goes to Bernie Pritchett (29.4%). Runners up Jenny Thomas (12.5%); Kate stockings (10.7%); Alex Wardle (8.4%)
Brenda Bray Competition scores after 8 events are as follows: 1. Emily Moss (117); 2. Alex Wardle (104); Kat Gundersen (91); 4. Jenny Thomas (79); 5. Maxine Voutilainen (nee) Davies (63)