Met League race 3: Seniors
The Christmas Met got under way at Wormwood Scrubs. Its new date, being two weeks earlier than previous seasons, meant that the pressure of Christmas shopping would not keep people away and so it proved as, despite the high winds threatening to blow any loose garments or objects into the nearby jail, there were 443 finishers in the senior men's race. There were fewer than usual in the women's, however - just 175 this time.
Men
First in on the day for the team was Tom Phillips (pictured right locked in battle with Serpentine's Andy Greenleaf) in an excellent 6th place. Tom has usually gone well at Wormwood Scrubs, but this performance will rank right up there with his best in a Woodford vest. The fact that his partner Suzanne Turvey had come 8th in the women's race had probably inspired Tom even more, and it could raise the question that if Suzanne can get some luck with her shifts at work, would it be the first time that the Brenda and Ken Bray Trophies have been in the same household?
In next was Tom Beedell in 25th. Since last seeing Tom in Met League one, he has been jet setting off on his honeymoon, and although Tom (pictured left) would never complain, he has been flat out at work. So this made his performance the more impressive as he timed his effort ideally to edge ahead of our next man, James Stockings. who was 31st.
James is coming down from Durham University to race, and is feeling that he is not reproducing training form on the CC races yet, but the joy of the winter season is the way it builds up to post-Christmas races so that mistakes and learning can be sorted pre-Christmas to get best performances in the new year. In fourth for the team was Daniel Steel in 38th. This manager discovered that Tom had been part of probably our most successful junior team ever in the 1999/2000 season, the U15 squad of Chris Reynolds, Daniel Crump, Daniel Steel, Tom Snow, Abdi Mohammed and Bertie Powell. In his current form he is pushing himself into any Woodford team, and this performance was only 3 weeks after his marathon in Istanbul!
In just behind with a storming finish was Omar Mansour in 39th. This will probably be Omar's last CC of this season as his focus turns to 800m indoors. Such is his talent that on the train up that although this manager was agreeing with Omar that getting his 400m time down was the way to go, this manager was fighting the urge to tell him that actually 8k's in the mud were the only way to improve on your 800m time. In sixth for the team was Ryan McKinlay in 44th. It was with some relief that this manager saw Ryan coming just as the start was approaching, and with a quick number change done, it meant he got to the start line so that no head start was given this time! In just behind was Angus Holford in 46th. Angus, fresh from winning the Eastern Counties CC, had also seen a major project at work coming to a head, and so I hope he can go into the Christmas break and reflect on what an excellent 3 months it has been for his running and this will fuel him to come into the major races. In just behind was Simon Beedell in 47th. Simon's improvement this year has been great to see, and his continual lowering of all his pb's, added to his natural toughness, makes him a very formidable runner. But his brother Tom may be rethinking his decision to help convince Simon (pictured below in front of Omar Mansour) away from hockey and into running. This manager just hopes that this Christmas they both enjoy it and that any casual mention of one doing a 5 mile run in the morning does not cause the other to jump up from the table and go on a 10 mile run during the afternoon! 
In ninth for the team was Bertie Powell in 53rd. The Wormwood Scrubs course doesn't fully play into the strengths of Bertie as, due to injury, he is unable to work too much on his speed. But this was still a fantastic run from him and the fact he has been in our top 12 every fixture this season, although we have had some quality teams and he is not 100%, shows how much talent he has. In next was Tony Russell in 65th. This was a great run from Tony, made even more so as he has had an eye infection which has made working life difficult. This means that energy that could be used for training has had to be used to get through the normal working day and just takes a bit out of the runner. But Tony has been consistent in his training and this race showed that, as Tony looked very strong throughout. If over Christmas the infection can clear up, this manager predicts Tony will beat all his previous bests in the championship races. In eleventh for the team was Tim Prendergast in 99th. It was a great to have Tim back in a Woodford vest for the first occasion in this manager's time. He chose an excellent Met to come back into as we had lost a couple of runners so that it was all hands on deck for this race! Tim had done the Ealing Half and recorded a pb of 76.58, but the mud always takes a little getting used to. His breaking the top 100 was very welcome and when we get into the longer championship races, it will probably suit the New Zealand international better as he aims for the marathon in 2017. Closing the team was Gareth Cavell in 125th. Gareth in previous seasons had often been called on to close our 12, but may have been more surprised to do it this season. But, as always, he ran a solid race and was 5th V40, only 12s behind 4th V40 which he got last Met.
This meant we were 3rd on the day closing 12 in 125. Highgate finished 12 in 42 which was a marvellous performance, probably the best Met performance done over this manager's time and in his memory, and even with a full strength team we would have given up some ground. Serpentine also came out of the background and put in a performance that was back to their best, so that post-Christmas we shall have a battle to stay in the top two.
Women
For the last few seasons the third league fixture has been on the final Saturday before Christmas and, as such, has been more challenging than usual to attract runners. But an earlier December date, a late fixture shuffle turning up Scrubs and an unseemingly mild Saturday appeared to have worked the kind of spell on Woodford’s latent young female squad that even office parties, new jobs and mammoth shifts could not lift. And so it was, that on the start line of one of the largest areas of common land in Central London, we had the most youthful Woodford women’s squad quite possibly since the the Wormwood scrubs Act of 1879 enshrined that greenery into law (prison not pictured).
Not the biggest field of the season, but at 175 the biggest yet seen at Scrubs; and what a delight it was to have nine in green & white - including two U20s and five other non-veterans - toeing the line for this flat, firm, fast and longest of Met League routes. The wind and the mild weather made for good, dry going with most opting cautiously for spikes, if not to fend off stray convicts, then as insurance against that deceptively treacherous back loop.
A Team
This course suited the fast and the brave. Suzanne Turvey (8), displaying both qualities, was first home. 
Her first breakthrough into the top ten, she (pictured right) was “ecstatic” with her achievement, which was all the more impressive coming as it did after an exhausting week of opening individually wrapped advent calendar gifts from beau Tom Phillips; she also began a new job five days previously and worked a 13 hour cardiology shift 48 hours before the race. Great to see her finding her groove for the season and knowing that we can be fairly confident of more. Northampton U20 Fran Ashworth (40), matching her Claybury placing, was next home in her second second-claim outing for the Woodettes with another creditable performance. Third was another U20, Alicia McArdell (pictured left below) (64), exactly one minute behind Fran. Thirty seconds behind was Rachel Lund (72). Usually to be found nearer to the top twenty, Rachel’s cry of “I need to get fit” as she crossed the finish line said it all as the hard working rower and recent Himalayas trekker sought directions to the nearest track sessions. 
A minute behind Rachel was Zoe Watson (86), making a welcome return to cross country racing after joining Terry McCarthy’s Saturday morning sessions. Closing the A team was Kate Stockings (96) 45” behind Zoe and running strongly in her best outing for some time; “tired” after a work Christmas party she, like Suzanne, seems to have thrived on the pressure and (in her own words) "ran properly” to nip into the top 100 (and stay ahead of Jenny Thomas).
Women's B Team
First home was Ann Gombert (101), the second claimer clearly coming back to fitness after illnes and injury, visibly benefiting from track and triathlon training. Second was V45 Jenny Thomas (110) 30” behind, feeling somewhat off her best after a lingering bug spelt a sub-optimal start to the season (though - such was the youthful talent ahead - only 4” off her time last season). Finishing for the Bs was stalwart Karen Horswood (128), the W50 improving on her time by 20” last season, and staying strong.
Not quite enough to raise us from 6th place, all is not lost as there remains little in it between 4th and 6th. And while on the one hand its a disappointment to see us fall to eighth in the Vets League, its a welcome outturn indeed to see what could be the first showings of a more youthful squad.
Bring on Perivale!
Men's B team
Opening the B team was the start of a very welcome return of Jim Roche in 129th. Coming off the Essex Vets where he had been edged by Gareth too, Jim will be looking to get in some consistent training and try and get back ahead of Gareth which could be a good contest for the rest of the season. In next was Pete Caton in 137th. Pete has been training consistently and well and it is good to see him going so well as he edges ever nearer the top 100. Recently turned V40, post Christmas Pete could well see double digits next to his name for the first time in his Met career. In next it was a good sight to see Joe Everitt in 154th. Joe (pictured below behind Pete Caton) has had an injury since the end of the summer season, so that he has only done one session since August. With this in mind he was just pleased to test out his achilles and finish the race in one piece.
In just behind was Louis Clark in 158th. Louis dreads this manager's emails more than most, as with this manager's emails and Louis saying he will race, something usually falls on him, or him into something or him out of somewhere, so much so he has not been able to race this season although he started it in good health! In just a step behind was Nick Andrews in 159th. Extra points should go to Nick who had come straight from work in Enfield that morning and had a gig to go and do that evening, but still braved the London traffic to come and race, and get valuable points for the team.
In sixth was Dave Cox is 198th. Fresh from being the first V60 Englishman in a recent international and becoming Essex V60 champion last week, Dave has had a busy month but was still first V60 and 30 sec ahead of the next V60 in this race. In next was James Perry in 252nd. This beat his Stevenage run by one position, and once again, given the strength and depth of the field it was another very good run. Mention here must go to Owen Armstrong who came 272nd. The U17 had felt that an 8k would be a good idea, and although at the end he may have questioned his decision, it was good to see the middle-distance man not scared of the distance or the competition and giving it a go. In eighth for the team was Alun Evans in 288th. It was good to see Alun who was in good form and improved on his Stevenage performance by 20 places so showing he is indeed in good form. In next it was good to see a return of Grant Corton in 363rd. The Orion first claim member likes to build fitness by racing and enjoys the Met, both of which is great news for us. Closing the team was Tom Spanyol in 373rd, who must be getting used now to be being in the B team which is fair reward for his consistency and effort he puts in.
This closed our B team in 373 and gave us 8th on the day but we are still third in the table but now 500 points off 2nd place London Heathside B. But it was good to see the return of quite a few runners who had been knocking on our A team door last season and had made our B team the best in the South. In the new year we hope to try and close the gap on those teams above.
Opening the C team was Trevor Powell in 379. Trevor would have been delighted to smash through the 400 in such style and to claim the vest of fellow team mate Paul Stockings who came 387. Paul, showing amazing powers of persistence to get round although not 100%, would have just been relieved at the end to resist the 'lure of the 400'. This gave our C team 20th on the day and leaves us 20th in the table.
The day was marked by high winds and may have seen our title bid blown onto the rocks. But once again the team spirit and effort given by all was tremendous, and with a month off now until the next team race, the squad has a deserved break and can recharge for the championship races after Christmas. The next race is the Essex Champs on 9th January.