Countdown to the BUSAs

Gotta disagree on Angus as well. He has already proven that he can run well at this race with a medal last year. He should be in the mix.

"pretty well" won't be good enough

Webb is no longer at Brum Uni, he graduated last year. However, add DJ rivketts to the list and I'm sure that they will be third place team.

1. Lufbra

2. St Marys

3. Brum

St Marys have a good six, or maybe 8-10 but its who they put on the line on the day and who's fit. It'll be between a few teams and it depends on who'd doing short course or long. Jeckson, Kellie, prickett et one other would do well as a team, but what are they doing individually?

prediction: 1 Thompson

2 Vernon

3.......... god knows, it could be anyone.

No one knows what the teams are, and probably won't till the gun goes. but you can't count out people like Warburton for l'boro, Draper, Ashton, Toward, Murphy or Bedford (St Marys), Webb, Nicholls, Jacobs (Bham) to be the ones that'll determine the team race. the front man's all well and good, but the Back ups got to be there. its could be an American Pack run that could get the team race.

And although the form books a good indicator, the overiding factor is that its a case of Horses for Courses!

There is one man to watch.....goes by the name of Chris Thompson.

Anyone who thinks they can run like that hard bastard gets my respect.

Loughborough for the Team Gold,

go boys!

Just had a look at the weather for Dundee this weekend.

Clear on Thursday.

Friday will be colder and wetter

Saturday will be colder but Dry (min 1c max 8c).

Doesnt look too bad overall.

My Prediction for top 5....

C.Thompson

S.Vernon (4K OR 10K??? any one??)

F.Thompson

A. Maclean

M. Lole

I don't want to keep you away from your 'English As A Foriegn Language' lessons for too long, so here goes.

" U aint nuttin but a hater man! " What's that supposed to mean? Who do i hate? Apart from having a severe dislike for Goater, i would say that i am actually a supporter of Maclean and have nothing bad to say about Sharland.

Maclean has not shown the kind of form that would win him a medal at these champs yet, hence i will not back him for the bronze as you have. He has had some good Hampshire Lge wins, but his 68th place at Liverpool may be the kind of race against tougher opposition that you should be using for your form guide (this was a long time ago now though, so this particular result is irrelevant to the debate). You have to think, little lge, wins by a minute, tough race, exactly 3mins behind Thompson! I cannot recall any real big races from him since then really. He was 14th in the 4k at Great North was good, but over possibly his best distance.....not an indicator to his form over 11 or 12km.

Sharland has come back from injury/illness quite well, but isn't yet in the kind of form that he was showing last year. He has been beaten by quite a few of the lads who will be contesting the BUSA XC, so why would i agree that he is going to be beating them now? Against senior opposition.....and many of these guys are senior men remember, he has not shown his true potential at all this season so why would i back him for bronze?

You just put a whole list of guys up and said that any of them could get bronze......clap, clap.......all i have done is tell you why i don't think that two of them will do it. At least come back with a decent reason why they will do.......remembering that last seasons race is now ancient history and the Southern Junior Champs is nothing compared to how a few of the lads who ran in the Senior Area races were performing on the same day.

Show me where Angus has shown you the form, and i will back him.......until then, don't call me a HATER! Because im not! And if you are who i think you are, then i will come and tell you in person!

Dave

Vernon has had achilles trouble and may not run at all.

Thompson will take the title (Chris, not Fraser) if he runs. I can see him sitting in for a while and then unleasing over the last few k.

I think Angus can get a medal - he was 2nd last year and ran well in brussels over Christmas which a few people seem to have forgotten (over a tough 10k)

Sharland might do alright if he doesnt drop out like he usually does - i've heard he's targeting the World Student Cross.

Without Vernon, Loughborough should retain the team.

just who is tommy g? and why shouldn't we underestimate him?

the only tommy g i know is tom gayle from stoke and he is crap at xc, so i would be more likely to overestimate him.

A.

just who is tommy g? and why shouldn't we underestimate him?

the only tommy g i know is tom gayle from stoke and he is crap at xc, so i would be more likely to overestimate him.

A.

Webb has left the univerity for a life of crime, Nicholls is coming back from injury and won't be running the A race.

Oxford to have 3 in 6, Frazer thompson, Nick Talbot and Jerome Brooks, if they ahve gota decent 4th man, and its 4 to count they could win it.

Is sam aldridge still at oxford?

Is Jerome Brooks still a student??? I was running against him in the London Colleges League 15 years ago! Ah, student life. Those were the days.

Just checked and Sam Aldrgidge and Ben Moreau are entered they were 20 and 22 last year with 2 in the top five and another in the top twelve, oxford could well do it-depending on who loughborough fourth man is. Chris Thompson and Haynes will be right up there and I guess Warburton may be their third man so it will be a close run team race.

Even if Vernon runs St mary's will do well to figure.

Bazza wrote:

Is Jerome Brooks still a student??? I was running against him in the London Colleges League 15 years ago! Ah, student life. Those were the days.

I was racing him in university matches ten years ago, and my mate was at Oxford with him 3 or 4 years ago. Is this really what we pay taxes for?

Loughborough have Rob Whittle too.

The complete animal!!

He was third in the Birmingham League before Xmas and is still training strong.

"Tom Sharland, hmmm, dont think he will do much in this race, but is well capable of proving me wrong. I just think that as a first year, he will be up against a lot of experience and those guys will really know what a tough race it is. He hasn't been great against senior opposition this season, although looks as though his form is holding up ok."

Dont be silly hes showing good form, walked the southern and does have the pedegree!! U forget he finished 12th at inter-counties last year and is in same sort of shape again now!!

Do u know ne thing?!!!!!!

Oh I obviously touched a raw nerve wid BILLZEEBUB, but here it goes

First off son, English is my second language, I talk street so get over yourself!

Secondly, let me define a Hater, a hater is simply a person thats has nothing else better to do than to criticise others, and based on your comments regarding McClean and Sharland I believe you fits you perfectly!

The original post was for anyones thoughts on the race, and posted who I thought were contenders for this weekend.

Instead of accepting these were my thoughts, whether you agreed wid them or not, you saw this as an opportunity to Hate on them

I have not got a clue how Mr McClean is running at the mo, but to regard him as just a track runner and un able to perform at a 'full distance race' is quite simply unnecessary! If fully fit I'm sure he will be a contender at the weekend

As for Mr Sharland to say to anyone, yet alone someone who has competed againsts the worlds best over x country, doesn't know what a tough race is, is one of the most arrogant things I've heard, your judging the guy and yet probably have never spoke to him!

My point is BILLZEEBUB people who hate are usually jealous, too often do I turn up at races and hear people saying 'how did he fluke that race' and 'theres no way he can run that quick'. At the end of the day McClean and Sharland have both competed at the world cross, and I'm sure will do again in the near future so for you to pass judgment on their cross country running despite there achievements means yopr a grade A hater

At the end of the day haters are what keeps most of us in the sport, Paula Radcliffes the best example, for years she was subjected to comments from haters regarding her finishing speed and ability, now look at her!