Euro Trials: Sefton Park, Liverpool

Okay, just wondering, having heard that they were going there together thought it may have happened. Out of interest whilst there how did Thompson look in training?

Hopefully we'll see a better result at the Euro champs.

Hey Pants, hope you and the family are well, will have to chat on messenger soon!

Pretty good, better than the race at Sefton Park. I am sure that he will give a good account of himself in Milan.

out of interest, how was your race on Saturday Bryn? Isn't Cambridge a lovely place?

UK Athletics Senior Coordinator for Endurance Spencer Barden said: "We have established ourselves as the most successful nation at recent European Cross Country Championships but are well aware that we will face strong competition from several quarters in Italy. We are confident, however, that we have selected the best possible team on form to give ourselves the best chance of earning both team and individual medals."

Peter Riley (Leigh Harriers), who was pre-selected after winning the UK Cross Challenge at Birmingham, has withdrawn following a below-par 10km run in the Chiba Ekiden Relay last week and will take a short break from athletics.

From UK Athletics website.

Anyone know what is wrong with Riley and what does taking a short break from athletics constitute? Does this mean skipping Europeans to concentrate on preparing for London '07 or something else?

re: pete riley

Ill at chiba and has had family trauma recently. Give him time, this is a tough time for them. Good luck to him for the future.

Just means 2 weeks off running completely. He just needs a break to freshen up and get over the illness.

He will be back he's has had a good year anyway winning AAA's 5km, 10km in 29:02 a race I was in although a couple of minutes behind and two solid performances over the half 64min and full marathon 2:14.

anyone know where i can view the ohotos form liverpool

Just had a run around Sefton today - the course is muddy.

The new middle lap will make it alot better for spectators too.

New middle lap? Has the course changed?

Yes, the lap has been extended to reduce the number of slower runners lapped - senior men now a 3 lap race ? I think an additional loop has been added in the big field the race starts in.

Men's race will be awesome, predictions?!

Skinner,

Ticker,

Overall,

Andy Vernon,

Nicholls,

Riley,

Badders,

Phil Wicks,

Jason Ward,

Ben Noad,

Moumin Glee,

Tom Humphries,

Adam Bowden,

J Mays,

Should be a solid race, loads in with a shout of making team.

It takes a rare and unique youngster to give up everything and dedicate their best teenage years to hard high mileage training sessions day in day out,pounding through mud, cold and rain when their peers are in bars socialising.

Thats the reason for the uk running/athletics demise and how do we address it?

glad you are back,your allways good for a laugh.

without Farah, who's the smart money going on ? who's really smoking right now ? form guide etc ?

has to be humphries

Humphries to win the trials followed closely by Tickner.

Mo out - see uka

Mo Farah should never have been allowed into the European Champs in the first place. He is NOT a European, he IS an African. It may pain some of you to remember this, but in reality, within 10yrs, i can gaurantee you that we will see no more than European born males inside the top 10 at their own xc championship. This is a major problem for the future, and if we don't take action now, we are going to completely lose our European identity.

I have no problem with Mo or Thomas Abyu etc racing for GB in Global champs, but the Euro Champs should be for European born athletes. I would like to see every kenyan, somali, ethiopian, algerian, morrocan, etc etc barred from this competition, as it is the only way that we can help to ensure a platform for our European athletes to compete against international level athletes.

Im sure that most of you will not agree, but just wait until the whole GB squad for the World XC is African, then lets see if you're happy!

I am a fan of Mo Farah, so this is NOT simply hating on him, its a dig at the system. He is simply playing by the rules, and fair play to him. Those rules need to be revised radically.