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Welcome back to Skipper’s Corner and Mission 5-6.  Mission 4-5 (which became Mission JJ) was a huge success, a contender for the finest winter in our history.  A crude glance through the record books indicates that our squads of 1935 and 1948 got a shade more ‘bang for their buck’, but the facts of Mission JJ speak for themselves: Six titles and four runners-up.  My question is when are the Road and Cross-country Bels are going to plateau.  Or … have they already?  Well, this correspondent says no!  Our depth still looks quite frightening and I feel that the possibility of us repeating our success from last year, or at least coming close, is realistic.  So to put it in black-and-white, let’s go trophy hunting!  3 titles will signify a solid season, 4: good, 5: excellent, 6: sublime, 7: dreamland. 

The season kicks off with the ever-exciting ‘people’s race’, the Surrey 6-stage, this Saturday.  Can we win for the third year in a row?  It’s looking like more of a no at present, but so were England to win the Ashes.  I shall be at the Oval watching that contest on Saturday, but happily the lunch break neatly coincides with my stage at Wimbledon.

Who can outpoint the Cockerpillar?

Roll up, roll up for the Magical Mystery Challenge [MMC]!  Step right this way!  Wanna win the most fabulous prize of your running career?  Wanna prove that the impossible is possible?  Wanna be able to retire many years from now with no regrets?  Well you can!  All you have to do is crack the puzzle that is the MMC.

And what, you may ask, is the challenge that I set you?  Simple.  Here it is:

Accumulate more points in the Belgrave Harriers Cross-country plate competition (comprising of the four Surrey Leagues, Southern and National), in the 2005-06 season, than William Victor Lewis Cockerell;  DoB: 19/11/73;  Height 5”11¾;  Eyes: green;  Hair: seldom.

“Impossible!” I hear you say.  “The man’s a monster!  The Cockerpillar can’t be licked!  Never!!”

Well … I see where you’re coming from, but just ask Rob McHarg, Rob Harding or Phil Carstairs if it’s possible.  They all did it in 1998-99.  And then (and this takes a leap of faith, but trust me), Paul Freary did it in 99-00.  And then he did it again in 00-01, so did Carstairs – and Lee Hurst crashed the party…

So come on guys - give me your best shot!  Go out there and do battle for the wonderful prize awarded to anyone who conquers the MMC.

Good luck and Game On.

(HUGE date for diary: Surrey League one, Brockwell Park, October 8, 3pm.)