6 and 4 stage relays

I know Andi Jones, Dave Norman, Matt Smith and Phil McGlory are running the GNR aswell as Jason.

Altrincham team for the national depends on if I can get my plantar fasciatus sorted and get a couple of weeks training in. Probably quite unlikely. Also depends on whether Jimmy Boardman can get fit. Otherwise it may be almost the same as the team from this weekend but with Ian Fisher hopefully brought in.

Andy Norman

Mike Coleman, David Wardle, Gareth Raven, Steven Hepples also running GNR

We gave it our best shot but Beagles were too strong for us at the death. That was our strongest team and on the days when the relatively small clubs like ours and Altrincham get everyone on the start line you have to make the most of it.

I'm sure Belgrave and NEB will be even stronger come the National and hopefully there will be some strong northern and midland teams as well.

Southern 4 Stage was great stuff. Fastest winning time for at least 5 years, and the first three teams would all have won last year and for a couple of years before that. Two world cross-country champions clearly wasn't enough for my team, we could only manage the bronze.

As the kids were racing earlier in the day a lot of them were still around to see Benita fly round. There was a real scrum of kids round her and Mottram for pictures and autographs, all of which they delivered with the greatest charm.

Only low point was Mottram's hair, it was a war crime.

1 Aldershot, Farnham & District - A Team 52:28

Andrea Woodvine 13:22 8 7

Emily Adams 13:23 3 3

Susie Bush 13:09 1 1

Steph Twell 12:34 1 1

2 Winchester & District A.C. - A Team 52:42

Kath Bailey 13:27 9 8

Emma Patel 13:37 4 4

Karen Hazlitt 12:57 2 2

Lucy Elliott 12:41 2 2

3 Thames Hare & Hounds - A Team 53:10

Naomi Warner 13:03 2 2

Rachel Disley 15:08 7 7

Benita Johnson 11:58 3 3

Sonia O'Sullivan 13:01 3 3

Come on, you have to admit it's really sexxxxy...!

It's certainly going to be an exciting national this year, Newham look strong, but will they manage to get all of the likes of Farah, East, Hepples, Mitchinson, Geele and Warmby out and running well?

I've written Belgrave off before, but they always seem to come through. I'm sure that they'll definitely manage to get all of Miles, Sharp, Freary, Ward, Blackledge and Anderson out and while that might not quite match Newham on paper their team always seems up for this event, they all seem to perform well in relays and between them they must have more national relay medals than everyone else put together.

Saying that on the day the likes of Bristol, Sale, Morpeth, Birchfield and Altringham could all have a chance, but my money's on Belgrave

i appreciate the tip, but learn to spell Altrincham

I Think Newham have a great chance at the national.

Team from

Mo Farah 13.09 5km

Mark Warmby 13.50 5km

Moumin Geele 13.50ish 5km

Dave Mitchinson 14.10 5km

Tom Bilham 14.20ish 5km

Kaire Stone International Duathlete

Mike East - goes without saying

Sam Farah - 9.02 Chase

Andy Robinson - 9.01 chase this year

Steve Hepples - 14.04 this year

Plus others - hard to pick team.

Also Wells, Belgrave, Morpeth and Altrincham for medals.

Michael East??? Are you 'avin a laff? You've got more chance of Iwan Thomas running?

Why? He ran the Southern for them. Or are you just one of those who starts typing and spouting shit before even seeing the regional results.

Northerns wasnt quite as good as past few years but still some impressive performances. mens was very exciting iwth it going right to the end. women was quite boring - although impressive in the way that Chester le Street dominated from the gun.

still stick with my predictions for nationals morpeth and chester le street to bring the trophies back up north. both teams have people to be brought in. morpeth will be bringing in mccormick and chester le street have a few new signings (claire simpson and freya murray)who will be available.

Newham to win National by approx 1 min from Belgrave with Morpeth close in third.

Salford, Wells, Sale maybe Birchfield all close after that.

Andy Millman wrote:

Michael East??? Are you 'avin a laff? You've got more chance of Iwan Thomas running?

just in case anyone cares that wasnt posted by the "andymillman" from other athletics message boards! personally i thought it ws great to see East runing at aldershot and hope he also appears at sutton park.

Morpeths team is poor, of the 6 who ran on Saturday I wouldn't see any of them running a sub 30 10k at the moment. A full strength Leeds team would have beaten them easily. Even with McCormick in the team I wouldn't expect them to win. No disrespect to the Northern boys who ran well but the likes of McGlory and McCleod who were fastest individuals would not be in the top 20 times at the Southern.

Chester le Street should win the womens, but I would have thought Bristol, Winchester and a few others should challenge.

Who exactly was impressive???

Now that I disagree with. If you think the likes of McGlory would not get in the 20 fastest times at the Southern you are deluded. Mo Farah was 40 seconds quicker than anyone else. The depth behind him was good but the likes of Mcglory, Ward, Goodliffe, Ford, and Sutton would definitely be fighting for 2nd quickest. It was Ward infact who ran the 2nd fastest time at the National 12 behind Farah. I predict atleast 3 of the guys who ran the Northern will crack the top 10 times at the National 6.

no doubt newham have a very strong team all out will be tough to beat but on 5k (road) rankings not many of them in there :-

http://www.athleticsdata.com/rankings/rankinglist.aspx?event=5K&year=2006&agegroup=ALL&sex=M

belgrave have 4 in the first 12 and without phil wicks, paul freary, dave anderson.

should be a good race

Mo Farah was 27 seconds quicker than the 2nd fastest not 40, the fact that he is running 13.10 and 7.38 suggests that the likes of McLean and Mays are in great shape also. Don't forget, the likes of Bowden and Mays ran 8.20 odd steeples this summer, and 3.40 1500's, added to that Mark Miles who is in very good shape was only about 10th fastest. Mike Skinner, more than a only just in the top 20 times, Steve Sharp likewise.

The Tickners just squeezed in the top 10 times and they are sub 14.00 boys.

Farah didnt run flat out, he sat on Tickner for the first 4 minutes, then went quite hard.

I am pretty sure that East wil run the Nationals as well, so if Hepples and Mitch appear Newham will be hard to beat.

I agree that McLeod and others from the Northern would have made the top 20 in the Southern. The southern was better, but not that much.