Trials in the fifth annual Greater Boston Intercollegiate Meet will begin this afternoon in the Harvard Stadium, with a powerful Crimson outfit the heavy favorite. A bitter fight for second place is expected with Northeastern, B.C., and M.I.T. bringing three strong outfits.

Metric distances will be run for the first time in the history of the meet, but instead of the conventional 1500 and 3000 meter runs, the new distances of 1600 and 3200 meters will be used.

Seven defending champions return from last year's meet, four of them Harvard men. In the 1600 Alf Hallowell will be hard pressed to beat Johnny Scheu, his team-mate, and Morton Jenkins of M.I.T.; Johnny White, who took the 800 a year ago, will have some trouble in repeating this year, inasmuch as he is suffering from a stone bruise. Milbrandt of Northeastern, who is entered in four field events, is favored to take the shot put over Harvard's Johnny Dean, defending champion of both the shot and discus. Bob Playfair, Harvard's star sophomore distance man is conceded the 3200 meter run, and Charlie Woodard is expected to capture second place for the Crimson. Francis Schumann, who took the pole vault last year, is being with-held from competition by Eddie Farrell.