Met League race 5: Alexandra Palace: Seniors
Women
Iced east wind. Tent-denying camber. Unforgiving hill. It could only be Ally Pally on Valentine’s Eve. Romantic it was not as 137 women - the smallest Start Fitness Met League field for some time - shuffled and squelched 100m to the unmarked start line on this familiar course, this year being run ’the wrong way round’.
5 Woodford women made it to the start line, not quite enough to close the team, and all (except perhaps the poorly of East London) feeling the frustration of 'top tenner’ Dr Suzanne Turvey kept away by a nightshift. So it was left to Rachel Lund (28th, above) to lead the Woodies home with a much more typical performance as she continues to find her fitness. Next was Zoe Watson (61) delivering another strong run in her third Met of the season and even heard to say that she was finally learning to love cross country (nearly). 
Just 11” behind Zoe, track partner Kate Stockings (67) navigated the new route excellently to run a very strong race - admittedly to burn off enough calories for the slap-up birthday dinner party awaiting her hostess-ness. Fourth and 2’ later was V45 Jenny Thomas (94) making a very heavy legged return to racing after a break for illness and, if nothing else, gauging the hard work to achieve some fitness. Fifth home, after leading Jenny for a lap, and closing for the green and whites was V50 Karen Horswood (105) - current Brenda Bray runner-up and Bray Masters leader - in a great run.
After a mixed tournament which delivered two brilliant top ten wins from the ever stronger Suzanne Turvey, who placed [8th] in the League individual rankings, and, encouragingly, a younger squad this time; we closed the fixture in 7th place with only 70 points and the season in 7th - our poorest showing in some years. The Vets closed in 9th.
Men
On Saturday 13th February, the final Start Fitness Met League race of the season took place at Alexandra Palace. With a bitingly cold wind and it always threatening rain, the mood could have been dampened in the team, but instead the team atmosphere was buoyant as the rain stayed away and everyone prepared themselves for trying to overhaul the slender lead which the Serpentine team had on us for second place.
First in for the team was Tom Phillips in 12th place. Tom has been our first finisher at every race this season, a fantastic achievement considering some of the teams that we have had. To emphasise this point, Tom was 6th in the individual Met League standings which he fully deserved as he has been excellent leading our efforts this season. In second for the team was mountain runner Stephan Wenk in 17th. Not many people will come to Alexandra Palace and look at the hill with delight, but for our Swiss man, it was a sight he very much liked and this showed as he paced his race perfectly, coming through each lap to be our second man in. This may be the last Met for Stephan as he returns to Switzerland in the summer, so it was a great way for him to finish, which is fitting as he has been an excellent clubman on and off the course. In next was Daniel Bruynooghe in 29th. Daniel lives not far from Alexandra Palace, which was fortunate as he had woken up not feeling that good, so had had a lunch time sleep, but on waking up and coming to the race had been sick a number of times on the way! He admitted at the start that he hoped it was just a stomach bug and that he would be ok, but he wasn't sure how he'd do. So the fact that he started steady and then moved through to be our third man in was a tremendous effort. This manager just hopes the run kick started the healing process and that Daniel didn't have to get back into bed as soon as he got back! In fourth for the team was Angus Holford in 31st. As Angus focuses on the Essex 20 mile race, 8k at the moment must seem like a warm up, but as he has done all this season he ran a very good race and once the 20 miler is done, Angus could go very well at any race he focuses on.
In fifth was Daniel Steel in 35th. Daniel was fresh from the Watford Half Marathon the previous weekend, where he had run 72.51 and taken second place behind, coincidentally, the winner of this Met, and summer WGEL higher claim athlete, Paul Martelletti. Daniel is looking stronger and stronger as he gets back into his training, and when we hit the spring road relays, as Daniel's preferred surface is the road, it will be very interesting to see how he goes. In next was Simon Beedell in 41st. Simon is one of 7 club men that have done every Met this season, and since joining last season Simon has only missed one Met League race! To have such consistency married with talent is what every team manager wants, and Simon seems to get better each race! In a step behind was Harold Wyber in 42nd. Harold would have been pleased, on waking up, to think about the Alexandra Palace hill as the experienced fell runner usually thrives on such terrain. Harold's form at the moment is getting back to what it usually is and his tactic of starting fast and holding on is always very gutsy, and he did this to good effect, giving signs that in a few weeks he could well be back to near where he was last season. In eighth was Kevin Murphy in 44th. This manager usually follows advice given to him by Newham's manager Bob Smith of turning off all forms of communication the night before a race and go into hiding, as usually any news is an athlete ruling themselves out. But this manager had broken his rules but was unexpectedly delighted to get the reverse, Kev emailed to say that he would be coming down. To have out the Essex CC Vets Silver medallist is always a massive bonus and so it proved again here, as he showed his class where, off little training due to a recent massive work schedule, he still pulled off a terrific run. 
In just behind was Bertie Powell in 45th. Bertie has only been outside our top 12 once in 11 years, a staggering effort, but here he was worried that as he has only done 3 runs in the past three weeks he would miss out again. Fortunately Bertie has many miles in the bank and is a fantastic talent, without injury Bertie would definitely be challenging the top positions in this league. In next was Tony Russell in 59th. Tony has been an ever-present this season in the Met and has been in our A team every race, which underlines what a consistent performer he has been. If he can get some good speed into his legs in the summer, with his natural strength and stamina, Tony could be at the top of most Woodford teams next season. In next was Ryan McKinlay in 64th. Ryan has been a great addition to the team this year, doing four out of the 5 Met races and being in our top 12 every time. He has produced some excellent times on the roads in the past so if training goes well he will be a great man to have in the relays. Closing the team was Donatas Tumaitis in 67th. Donatas (above) had come to the race with full green and white war paint on which was a great sight and a good way to get the team up for the challenge ahead! He set a very good rhythm and for him to beat his last league position by 12 places shows how well he is progressing after only being back for just under two months!
This closed our 12 in 67 but we had to beat Serpentine by a good margin to regain second place from them. Unfortunately Serpentine came with excellent strength again and closed 12 in 59 so that they stayed in second, behind champions Highgate. But to get out such a strong team in Met 5 emphasised the commitment of the squad this season. The talent, resilience and spirit displayed by our team this season has been excellent and although finishing third in the books does not look startling, the season has been top drawer by the effort we have put in, and congratulations should go to Serpentine and Highgate. Highgate, with the victory this year, have now won four Met titles in a row, equalling our record under managing legend Tel McCarthy. With us and Serpentine having thrown everything at them in the past four seasons, the fact that Highgate have remained on top is testament to their team's talent and how their winter section is run, they are a shining beacon for how every club should look to run itself. 
Starting our B team was Louis Clark in 88th. It is always important where the top B team man comes, as if disaster falls they can easily be promoted to the A team. But it was a run of such quality by Louis (above) that if he had been promoted into the A team he would have blended in seamlessly. It was great to see him go so well and as he has put himself down for the National CC he should now go into this race with good expectations. In next was Pete Caton in 117th. Pete was hoping to break the top 100 and so was sorry to be 18 places off that. But the track man can take solace that 300m vertical climbs are not found on the track (usually), and when racing turns to firmer ground he should find his winter work has taken him to a whole new level. In just behind was Gareth Cavell in 122nd. It was great to see the return to form of the London cabbie, who will be looking to finish the season well, as next year his son Harry will be U20 and so will be in the senior Met races, and Gareth will not want to give up his title of numero uno in his household yet! In next was Tony Pamphilon in 144th. This was a top return to form by Tony, made even more remarkable by the fact that he went out the night before with managing legend Terry 'tel' McCarthy, which usually leaves people feeling that getting out of bed the next day is a major challenge, let alone running an 8k! In fifth was Alun Evans in 240th. This was Alun's highest Met position for 3 years, and with the Wanstead ParkRuns being regularly done, when the warmer weather turns up there is no doubt the Alun will see a return to sub 20 min for the 5k and could be looking at a low 18 min.
In sixth it was good to see Paul Stockings roll back the years with his graceful stride reappearing, which had been marred in recent times due to injury, as he claimed quite a few Woodford scalps and put the 'lure of the 400' as a distant memory, as he came in 281st. In just behind was Alistair Holford in 293rd. Annoyed that injury had stopped him from doing the Southerns, he was determined to do this Met so that it would give him a platform to run the National, a race Alistair has not missed since 2008! In eighth it was good to see the return of Steve Taylor in 309th. Steve did the first Met at Claybury, so it could be assumed he likes a tough hill to tackle. Steve showed here, as he did at Claybury, great commitment, and this manager hopes that, when he got home, he looked with satisfaction at conquering that hill three times! In just behind was Grant Corton in 317th. Second claim members can massively help a team, and Grant coming over from Orion to come and do the Mets helps us to close teams, and he had Steve just ahead to aim for and a charging Trevor Powell just behind, which meant that he could never relax too much in the race! Trevor closed the team in 328th and looked to be back in good form and may have been disappointed not to capture another Woodford vest, but with 5 out of 5 Mets done this season he has been a excellent performer for us - we can see where Bertie gets his commitment from!
This closed our B team in 328 and gave us 8th on the day and 5th in Division 2, just ahead of Newham and Essex Beagles. This was a fantastic effort as for most of the season we have been missing the lads who made our B team arguably the best B team in the South of England last season. Mention must go to Enfield and Haringey, a powerhouse track club that has just been relegated to division 3, which shows how tough the Met League can be. Well done to Serpentine B and London Heathside B for winning and gaining promotion respectively into the top flight. The awards after the race were well attended and a thank you to Highgate and Ben Pochee for organising an evening in a bar after the race for the whole Met League community. The next race will be the National CC on the 27th February at Donington Park, Leicestershire.