Met League 2025-26, race 1 at Claybury: Men 4th, Women 6th
Woodford’s men sit 4th and women 6th after the first Met League of the season at Claybury on 11th October. The combined men’s and women’s team also sits 4th in the senior Howard Williams Trophy. The teams were led in by Louise Gilbert, 5th woman, and Tom Frith, 14th man. Both sides also achieved complete B teams, and an encouraging infusion of new blood.
After an overcast start the sun beat down on Claybury during the later races, illuminating the dust thrown up on the especially dry paths through the woods. Both races were delayed by approximately 25 minutes to allow safe medical attention to a casualty in an earlier race, but runners were kept well informed by starter and announcer Dave Hollingworth, who led 30 seconds applause at the start of the men’s race in tribute to the late Graham Pribul, recently posthumously awarded a Lifetime Service Award by England Athletics and organiser of many a home Met League for the club.
After another year of building the team, the ladies were excited for the first fixture. With a turnout of 12 ladies, the pre-race team photo required 2 rows for the first time in many many years! Having achieved their goal of a full A-team in each fixture of the 2024-2025 Met League season, the ladies are hoping for another leap forward this year and have set the goal of a full A and B team in each fixture this year- fingers crossed…
First home was Louise Gilbert with an excellent run to finish in 5th position. Louise was thrilled with her run and we’re looking forward to seeing what the rest of the season holds for her. Next home was Alicia McArdell in 43rd with Emily Caton close behind in 48th. Both ladies had the summer off and so are just returning to full fitness meaning their top 50 finishes were a pleasant surprise!
Equally pleased was Zoe Watson in 85th who, when asked to reflect on the race, simply said she was glad to avoid the initial mad rush down the hill that has become the norm at the Claybury fixture! Team Manager Kate Stockings was next in 88th having overtaken both Lydia and Naomi Doye on the third lap to sneak into the scoring A team. Having become regulars at our Tuesday night track session, Lydia (93rd) and Naomi (96th) made their club debuts and both reportedly enjoyed it! Naomi even went as far as to say that she’s looking forward to the next fixture as she didn’t feel she did herself justice on this debut. Close behind was Dawn Holford who, having been a regular spectator for many years, donned green and white for the first time and finished in 100th position.
Since joining the club earlier this year, Holly Huddleston has thrown herself into training and racing (including a couple of ultras!) but commented that this race was a ‘shock to the system’- a feeling echoed by many as we once again tackled the hills of Claybury. Holly finished in 117th in her first cross-country but team manager Kate is confident that she’ll secure a spot in the A team at the next fixture- particularly given the absence of (big) hills at Horsenden Hill.
Katie Olert (121th) was our 10th lady home and achieved her (very impressive!) target of not missing a Met League fixture despite having been pregnant for each fixture of last season and giving birth to baby Isaac in June. The team are both grateful for, and in awe of, her commitment.
Finally, the B-team was closed by Matilda Frith in 151th and Rachael Lam in 153rd.
Matilda has moved up to the senior distance this year and said she enjoyed it more than she thought she would- a positive sign for the rest of the season!
The men’s team sit 6th in the fledgling table currently led by Victoria Park, 64 points behind Highgate Harriers in 5th, but with 5 clubs within 30 points behind. The B team sit 4th in Division 2.
It was Mr Frith (14th) who won the day’s Battle of the Toms from Beedell (18th) and they were the first two in. Nathan Wright (24th) led in a sequence of Woodford men finishing 2nd, 4th, 6th and 8th in the U20 category, with the others all being debutants in the senior race, in Aidan O’Driscoll (63rd), Alfie Ward (92nd) and William Muffett (125th) who also closed the team. Nathan had thanked Adam Kirk-Smith (25th) for digging him out of the hole he had put himself in after a fast start. Both edged out Andrew Mariani (27th), who is very welcome back after returning to the UK after 8 years and making a real effort to travel from his new base in Hampshire.
Dan Steel (65th) won the next Woodford mini-battle, steaming past first Angus Holford (69th) and later Tom Adolphus (67th) and holding both off in a charge to the finish. Graham Pribul’s successor as Treasurer, Harold Wyber (99th), was the other A team scorer. The club will be very grateful for his services both on and off the course!
Bertie Powell was 159th, marking a rare occasion in his centenary-plus of consecutive Met Leagues in which he didn’t make the scoring 12; and Rhys Edwards was 176th. Tony Pamphilon (276th) was 2nd in his Vet age category. Ben Stockill (315th) edged out debutant Ross Lucas (333rd); and Asif Hussain (364th) edged out Paul Stockings (371st) whose Vet age category is either listed wrong or is very shortly to change. The 10-to-score B-team was rounded out by Feroz Mansoor (379th), Richard Hogg (384th), and Jim Tilbrook (387th), with over 20 finishers behind all three.
The match was won by exactly 100 points by Highgate Harriers from Victoria Park. Woodford sit in 4th in something of a no-man’s land almost 200 points behind London Heathside in 3rd and over 200 ahead of Highgate Harriers’ B team and Thames Valley Harriers. The B team are 10th in Division 2.
The second fixture is on 15th November at Horsenden Hill. Can the teams back up the strong start away from home turf? The best way to find out is to come and run, or support, yourself!