The League remains alive - October 10, 2005

Our local boys battled valiantly at Brockwell Park yesterday although we were two or three bodies shy of a really solid team.  I do hope our members will rally in even greater numbers to support the fixtures in deepest Surrey countryside, on November 19 and January 16, to maintain our interest in the league.  An extra-special thank you to Stephen and Phil at the Sharp end, yesterday, for sprinkling our challenge with their unique brand of stardust.  Knut Hegvold, meanwhile, continues to defy the aging process.  In 2001 he turned 40 and promptly ran a cracking race, and now four years on he has run five seconds quicker – an inspiration to us all. 

The activity of ‘Bels-spotting’ at the race was something of a psychedelic, haunting experience.  Here they were.  There they weren’t.  Big Belgrave names of yesteryear in action, but in Dennis the Menace uniforms.  Sniff.  But such is the cut-and-thrust world of top level sport…  Speaking of Herne Hill – what an unpredictable bunch they are.  Last year I ‘bigged-them-up’ to set the Surrey League alight but they barely fizzed.  This year I ignored them in my preview only for them to put out something of a dream team.  Half-a-dozen runners of immaculate pedigree, and 34 in total.  Whew – thank goodness they weren’t all in top fettle.  As it is the league remains alive.

I had a somewhat humbling moment on the way to the race.  Feeling happy to be embarking on my eighth Belgrave cross-country season and 27th Surrey league race, I asked my fellow passenger if he knew how many Surrey League races he had done.  “Yep. 108.”  Yowzer!  One-hundred-and-eight.  27 years worth… 540-miles of tasty galloping in this riveting little league.  Well I guess I can say I’m a quarter of the way to Robin Dixon’s record (of Croydon, and latterly Thames).  You’re all invited for chocolate cake and champagne at Coulsdon, February 6, 2027, to celebrate me passing Robin’s tally.  Robin will probably run that day, though, just to spite me.

... it's seat belts on for the National Six-stage ...

So, it’s seat-belts on for the National Six-stage relay at Sutton Park on October 22nd.  This is shaping up to be one of the most gripping, dazzling, gut-wrenching lung-busters that our famous club has ever seen.  My ‘skip corn’ column last December spoke of five Belgrave thrillers in recent years, but this could top the lot.  We make no secret that we fear a handful of clubs, as we strive to select a team that can serve, volley and hit fizzing backhand winners down the line… so to speak.  Bjorn Borg would indeed be a prudent selection.  Why?  Because he knows how to win something five times in a row: Wimbledon 1976-1980.  The most latter victory was his toughest though, as a snarling John McEnroe almost nailed him.  Who’s going to snarl at us?  We have an inkling.  But whatever happens it’s going to be an absolute cracker.  My advice?  Be there! - We need all the support we can get.  It’s going to a roller-coaster of emotion; but most important of all, I think it’s going to be fun.