THOMAS BUTLER, who had been trying to win the senior race for the last half a dozen years, made no mistake at Horsenden Hill, over the comparatively dry course, after the rain in the week Alastair Aitken reports. Butler’s highest position was 2d in November 2024 but in his last two Met leagues, at Trent Park & Welwyn he was 5th in both but it was this year, he did his personal best 5/10k track times with 14:13.25/29:30.47. Atr the finish of the race at Horsenden Hill he went away from Gus Withers, who was sixth in his first ever Met League at Clalybury in October and, in the 3rd place in both of those events came Roger Poolman, with the satisfaction of leading Highgate Harriers to go further ahead in the league with all their 12 scorers finishing in the first 62 places.
Some notable runs were from John Eves (M40) 9th. First M65 Chris Finill, the leading ‘Ever Present’ London Marathon man 225, and in 396 was Stuart Mann (M80) of the 401 finishers.
Two who won in the first Met league of the season won again; they were Under 13’s Joshua Maiden and Under 11 Jesse Geller.
Rebecca Piggott (W35) won the women’s race and it was her first win in the event, after coming 2nd in the previous Met league. She ran her fastest marathon of 2:44.51 back in 2015 Her club London Heathside could test the leading club Victoria Park & Tower Hamlets by the end of the season.. 48tt was Sarah Swinhoe (W55) and the oldest was Caroline White.