After the first two Start Fitness Metropolitan League races, the Highgate Harriers' Senior Men continue to lead in the League table. The first three are Highgate with 1,554 points; 2, Thames Valley Harriers and 3, Victoria Park & Tower Hamlets.
On Saturday 13 November the race for the Senior Men was in mild conditions, over a very hilly Stanborough Park course at Welwyn Garden City. After a very fast start the 441 runners set off. Seyed Ghafari, and Jacob Allen of Highgate were joined by the last Met League winner, Tom Frith of Woodford Green. Those three disputed the lead till, well into the second of three laps, when, a strong looking Jacob Allen put the boot in and went for it, never being headed again. However, Ghafari lost his second place in the last mile when he got a bad stitch and was first of all overhauled by Tom Frith and then by Alex Lepetre of Highgate. The oldest Highgate runner was Alex Davidson, who will be 60 in May next year. He was 171 of the 441 finishers, which is some going! The Highgate Harriers Division One team all finished in the first 44 places; which was impressive to say the least. 1 Jacob Allen, 23:58; 3 Alex Lepetre, 24:18; 4 Seyed Taha Ghafari, 24:23; 6 Robel Bahelbi, 24:45; 8 Chris Rainsford 24:54; 9 Pete Chambers, 24:59; 16 Charlie Haywood 25:30; 23 Sean Renfer, 25:45; 25 Chris White, 25:58; 32 Alex Bampton, 26:14; 35 Roger Poolman. 26:20; and 44 Lewis Greaves, 26:44. The next two Highgate Harriers after that were 48 James Barber 26:57 and then 51 Henry Murdoch 27:01.
In the Under 17's race Jack Bailey ran well. Son of Highgate Harriers President Chris Bailey, he came third of 94 in 14:44. The winner for the second time this year was Ethan Primett of Herts Phoenix in14:02.
Five Highgate woman ran in the Senior Women's race which had 210 finishers. Kate Russell was 17th in 31:50 and Karina Thornton was 18th in 31:51. The next Highgate finishers were Emily Young in 45th in 33:14, Louise Faherty 50th in 33:39 and Natasha Cendrowicz in 109th in 37:37. London Heathside are top of the Women's League table. Highgate are 8th of the 12 clubs.