Will Cockerell looks back on the chaos all around that was the 2019-20 cross-country season

When English National Xc turns into more like a scene from the front line in 1917... pic.twitter.com/P50cCdQ9p1
— Henry Pearce (@HenryPearce94) February 23, 2020

When Belgrave Hall’s close neighbour from across the road, Robert Graves, penned his iconic memoir to World War I of the above title, one of the matters at hand was the horrendous mud of the trenches. Indeed, viral footage of the tailender men wading through knee-deep muck at the National had a caption likening it to the Somme. So, ‘Goodbye to all that’ indeed, truly it was a winter for mudlarks, but it you preferred your terrain firm, or the sun on your back, you were out of luck.

October

Both teams were missing many athletes for the first round of the Surrey League, but the damage was fairly minimal, with the Belles ducking under 150 points [always a good marker of a solid day]. Notable returns came from 2nd-claim Sophie Cowper in 6th and Rachel Brown in 9th. The men ran out of steam toward the end of their 10, but welcomed a strong new name for the future in Conall McNally. Phil Wicks looked very strong in 5th, but with great regret it was back to the physio’s couch thereafter, but we hope to see him again on the upcoming roads. And a special mention for a new course in Effingham Common, which was super.

The men then had a rare break at the SEAA XC relay – their first since 2011, and what a run it’s been since then. We’ll be back! The women, too, were more circumspect with “only” 8th – which is a nod to how well they’ve done in it since its inauguration in 2011. In fact, it was that bronze medal in March 2011, a few weeks after their relegation from the Surrey league, that triggered the wonderful resurgence they enjoyed for the rest of the decade. The trio that day were Zoe Vail Smith, Flic Cole and Sammi Amend – all still Belgravians today.

November

The month began with a well-attended and enjoyable affair at the Reigate relays. The Belles took an exciting silver behind Stragglers, and followed up with their B’s in 4th. The men had a mini disaster when their A team tore a hammy. Oops, So that meant B’s 5th, A’s 9th and C’s 12th – as you do!

Both squads turned the heat up for match two of the league. The men had runners of excellent pedigree [such as Nathan Visick, Matt Edgar and Robel Fesoom] not scoring, such was the competition for places. The first time that’s happened we suggest for around 50 years. Up front we savoured a brilliant run by Will Stockley to lead us home, and another by Callum Stewart, another fine signing. We beat Herne Hill by 6 points, who won the league six times in 7 years before Kent came along, and remain no slouches.

The Belles also carved shrapnel off their match one total [down to 114], and placed just 3 points behind Thames who’d go on to comfortably win the league – so the evidence is there that we have what it takes to be right up there again. More excellent running came from Sophie and Rachel, ably backed up by mesdames Reed [A], Barrett and McGinley.

The men placed a dogged 5th at the South of the Thames team race with more fine running from Callum, whilst the Belles dazzled with a set of silvers. Bouquets to Emma Howsham, Mhairi Hall, Iona Cousland and Flic Cole – still medalling for the Belles nearly a decade on.

December

Just the one race, the South of the Thames Championship. The lads were a circumspect 8th, but it gave the chance for lots of the engine room to come to the party, whilst for the Belles, they settled for their silver in the team race in November. But they have an incredible record in this one over the past decade, so they were due this day off – besides, the County champs were looming!

January

…and what a brilliant day that was with a very fine and hard fought bronze with South London and Herne Hill breathing down their necks (and Guildford not so far ahead). Georgie Fenn, Emily Barrett, Liv Papaioannou and Camilla Barden were rock steady all day. Congratulations to them.

A pass for the men in the Surreys, with all eyes on the following week’s league - although Middlesex-based Nick Goolab would solo his way to a county title at Wormwood Scrubs.

Nick Goolab would take the win at Beckenham.

The men wouldn’t regret their pragmatism as Beckenham Park saw them have their best league race of the season, led out by the imperious Nick Goolab, tuning up for his successful assault of the British road 5k record in Monaco. The squad was packed with good runners, with classic engine-roomer Alex Mills stopping our clock on a mere 66 points.

Over in Wimbledon, the Belles were in imperious form to take 2nd and even better news saw Georgie Fenn have ‘probably’ the best race of her career to score a podium place in 3rd. Spotted in the bleachers was Saron Haileselasie, with newborn Naomi. Congrats to her, and can’t wait to have you back in the colours!

The Southerns was a good day and the Bels were rock solid in 11th, just 24 points off the redoubtable Thames, and the likes of Herne Hill, Woodford and Shaftesbury in our wake. We were led home by Callum Stewart in 48th.

The Belles were also eyeing up the Saltires, but from a far loftier perch – that of 5th. Congrats to them yet again, with Georgie nailing her run in 17th.

February

The last round of the Surrey League saw the Belles keep the “momentum train” in high gear and in the end finished 3rd overall, just 9 points behind the league’s early runaway leaders Clapham, as we scored “only” 80 points.

The lads packed strong at a very boggy Croydon, led home again by Will Stockley, and can be satisfied with a campaign that promises much, and we have SLH, THH and HHH all in the crosshairs. Admittedly Kent and HW need to cool it a bit, but don’t worry, they will.

The National was a special day as it marked 100 years of our association with the great race. The course was a swamp and not for the faint-hearted. Belles TM Charlie Dickinson took a risk by sending only five agents into enemy territory, but they were nigh on the best he had, with an ever-present sweeper in Mimi Corden-Lloyd, who comfortably claimed the cross-country Plate. All successful running clubs need several Mimis in their squads, to ensure respectability and build the team around. We’re enormously grateful to her for doing all 8 races. Nearly her equivalent for the men was the Nagongeran Lion Paskar Owor, who is starting to dice with the big 4-0, but still goes incredibly well, and as ever, we’d be lost without him.

Up ahead for the Belles, this threadbare squad had to play “no mistake snooker”, and they did. Fantastic runs came from Georgie yet again for 41st, Liv 84th and Alice and skipper Mhairi just outside the 100. The result was an outstanding 11th – the 4th best return in our history and we can’t help but think that London next year will be even better as so many of the ladies are on an upward swing.

TM Arne Dumez in the bog of Wollaton Park

To conclude the season the men had to go a whopping 13k on a very convoluted course and were missing many. They lost Callum to lurgy the day before and then Euan Campbell during the race. So it was left the unlikely figure of Michael McCarthy [243rd] to take home the Parker Bowl. Odds on him winning it a month out? 40-1 perhaps, but he got there by hard training and even harder racing. Alex Miller turned his 7th scoring spot into the Southerns into 2nd here, gaffer Arne was next and Conall, Ben Hurley and Dave Walsh all got their runs spot on to keep us respectable in 36th.

So there it is: a very fine season indeed for the Belles; whilst the men can be quietly satisfied that the squad has grown, and things will only get better in 2020-21. Arne and Steve had a tough job on their hands to give us forward momentum again, and they did just that.

Youths

The final word goes to Terry’s tigers. His well-attended sessions are run in fine spirit and in Maddy Whitman & Lina Colnas he has two gems on his hands. As for the U13 boys, they did brilliantly to win the second Surrey league – no mean feat against squads three times as large; and they placed a solid 19th at the Southern. The likes of Jaediel, Ollie, Max, Lucas and Seb are very talented runners who love to get stuck in. Hopefully they have long futures in the sport.

Goodbye to all that! 2019/20 cross country season in review