6 and 4 stage relays

Now that is just an insult to those running quick at the Northern. I'm sorry but the Tickners would not have run quicker than Phil, Anthony, Nick or Adam. Mo would have ran quicker but not sub 15. You are speaking out of your arse.

Completely agree with stormin, Mo would have maybe ran 15:10-15 but Phil and others ran superbly sp it is disrespectful to assume they would have been beaten by the Tickners or others from the South.

stab in the dark wrote:

NOT THAT GOOD REALLY, are you Nick Altman?

I've heard of Nick Altmann, but who the f*** is Nick Altman?

To be honest i am suprised at how long this debate has dragged on for. As far as the north is concerned i am sure the likes of Ford and Sutton were merely using the six stage as a tempo run given that their respective teams wont make the top 30 at nationals. Come october if both those guys decide to run in the national six stage and if mccormick decide to run you will probably see half of the top 10 fastest legs being made up of guys from the north. But at the end the day who cares about road do you really think that Mays, Tickner etc are going to beat Riley, Ford McCormick and the rest of the northern boys at the euro trials because i highly doubt it.

Anyone wanting a bit of context on the northern results should take note of the following result at the Sale 10mile.

http://www.race-results.co.uk/results/2006/sale10.htm

48flat is an very good performance. I know Adam and have watched him develop into a class runner whilst in america. Anthony Ford is at a similar standard. These guys are, in my opinion, every bit as good as the Tickners, probably more so and that demonstrates the strength of the individual (if not team) performances at the Northern 6 stage.

Come on, is that Sale 10 a certified course? A lot of those running 50-51 minutes have not shown that kind of form of late.

Phil McGlory is producing lots of great results, he is a young guy and seems to enjoy specialising on the roads, good for him. Think he could have a very good winter, also think Jermaine Mays will make big breakthroughs this winter, he is looking good and has good range, but what about Angus McLean, how many guys can run 1.48 for 800 and 48.15 for 10 miles, must be some good 5k, 10ks in there.

Tickners are good solid runners and I would bet they won't be far away come Liverpool in November, seem better on the country than the road.

Is Ford running GNR?

If the Northern used the same venue every year there would be no arguments (why don't they?). Everyone would then know the true quality of the quickest legs by comparing to previous years. There is no doubting the quality of Jermaine & Angus' runs cos not many have cracked 17.45 round that circuit in recent years - it probably helped that they were racing each other all the way round though! In recent years only Mo, Thompson, Cullen & Miles have done it plus a top dutch guy.

I know how well or badly I ran on Saturday cos I know what time I really should be going round that circuit in. Although my time didn't look too bad compared to some others on the day, I knew I should really have been some 20 secs quicker.

For those dismissing Tickner, I seem to remember he came 3rd in the euro trials last year and ran almost identical times at the southern 6 stage this year and last.

sale 10 is certified accurate, the guys running 50-51 are in that sort of form not sure what makes you think the likes of raven (who ran a 29:40 track 10k the following week) and fisher (who finishes top 25 at the national every year without fail and was very fit in preparation for an autumn marathon) should not be running 50mins!!

look at adam's results for the last 5 years

http://www.athleticsdata.co.uk/rankings/performances.aspx?athleteid=1578&year=2006

you will see what a class act he is!

Angus is a doctor and i think his career is very demanding. i know in the good old days people worked long hours and still ran extremely fast but i think Angus probably considers his career his number 1 priority. I hope he still manages to find the time to put the training in to fullfill his potential, i genuinely belive he is capable of far far more than what we have been seeing of him in recent years. I think he has the ability to be at Mccormicks level.

Simon or anyone,

Without being indicreet about personal circs etc, what sort of working set up is Adam Sutton in in UK? There seem to be various eg's of guys who make great progress in US college, aided in part by being part time students/part time athletes with high quality medical support on tap etc, and then stalling on return to the UK if stuff like FT work, commuting, no sport specific medical insurance etc gives them a less enduro-friendly set up.

48 flat (presumably solo as well?) is prob within about 60 - 90 secs of what any European can knock out for 10miles, and he has age v much on his side.

what UKA ought to be doing is trying to help guys like this find 'running-friendly' jobs. Used to happen a lot in rugby in the old amateur days whereby the clubs would get a local friendly bank manager to give someone a job for two or three days a week or just a few hours a day (sometimes with full-time pay!)

sale runner wrote:

sale 10 is certified accurate, the guys running 50-51 are in that sort of form not sure what makes you think the likes of raven (who ran a 29:40 track 10k the following week) and fisher (who finishes top 25 at the national every year without fail and was very fit in preparation for an autumn marathon) should not be running 50mins!!

look at adam's results for the last 5 years

http://www.athleticsdata.co.uk/rankings/performances.aspx?athleteid=1578&year=2006

you will see what a class act he is!

My thoughts exactly. Well said. I love the way that once someone runs a quick time people start questioning the course.

In terms of his work situation I'm not sure. I believe he is giving running as much time as possible - he is an intelligent bloke, definitely capable of making a decent career in something but as far as I know this isn't happening yet.

Just out of interest was Mottram really at the southerns or was that poster having a joke? If he was did anyone speak to him?

Thanks. Ronald Hill - debatable the role for UKA in seeking 'suitable' working set ups for athletes especially those who aren't on any UKA support prog. BOA and EIS can do this for World Class athletes across sports. One might argue that if an athlete has a degree and is in a position to gain FT employment, negotiate over salary, terms etc, they are similarly equipped to seek a sport/work balance with an employer - as of course many current and past internationals have done.

My first job post uni was 3 days a week. I had run for England the previous winter so decided it was worth a shot. It worked to a point with a decent track season the following year but a long term injury led me to go full time since I was short of cash. I intended to go back part-time but you get used to having a bit more money so I never did. Didn't want it enough I suppose....

There are chances out there for that sort of thing. My experience was (and still is) that people at work are very interested and supportive of such a strange hobby and if you have a bit about you there should be a good chance of coming to a good arrangement.

Football Factory wrote:

Just out of interest was Mottram really at the southerns or was that poster having a joke? If he was did anyone speak to him?

He, Bideau and crew were at the Southern 4 Stage which is on Sunday along with the junior events, the day after the 6 stage. Plenty of kids have signed racing numbers and photos on their phone to prove it, though the massed ranks of adolesent boys did seem keener to speak to Benita.

Actually Simon, and accepting that as niche markets go it's not the biggest, I reckon you could make a few quid (where 'a few' is anything more than 2) spreading your witty repartee on the endurance running after dinner speaker circuit, for those priced out of the £165 Coevett option.

Do I sense some sarcasm here? Maybe event resentment? Or jealousy?! :O

davidch wrote:

Actually Simon, and accepting that as niche markets go it's not the biggest, I reckon you could make a few quid (where 'a few' is anything more than 2) spreading your witty repartee on the endurance running after dinner speaker circuit, for those priced out of the £165 Coevett option.