Notes
Home from the first XC race of the season.
The course is 5k, first mile is a loop with ashpault, gentle hills and soccer field like footing. Second mile is a substantial hill wit loose footing in the woods, a brief flat and down, then another substatial climb. So the second mile is dominated by two rough hills. Last mile is mostly down except for a small climb up with 400 to go then finishes with a gradual up with 100 to go.
This is USATF race so the field tends to be deep and fast.
In XC I'm really focused on just competing with people, in this race I'm fortunate, there are a number of people for me to compete with.
Ed Bradford - about my age, Melrose runner I know well, and our times tend to be very similar, he was faster than me in a mile in June. He comes to my track workouts every week.
Jen Rappaport - 50 years old, and fast I've known her for years. We tend to be very close in every race we're in together. She beat me at the 5k on a track at the end on June and at the Loon mountain race.
Jesse Morrow - Somerville Road Runner, we were within seconds of each other at every XC race last year. If I beat him, I'll feel like I had a good day.
The first mile is a feeling out, Ed, Jen and I bunched together. Jesse has taken off, he's a good distance ahead, I'm a little worried, but I try to remind myself that when I beat him it is always in the 2nd half of the race.
The first hill, we all take well, I try not to push too hard, I know there is a second one comming. I pull ahead of Ed and Jen on the flat, Jesse is still no where to be seen. The second hill comes, and I start to struggle, Ed and Jen pull ahead. At the top of the hill I'm trying hard to recover, I can barely stay upright, this is the toughest section for me. All my competitors are ahead, and I'm in deap oxygen dept. I eventually catch my breath, and remind myself that the downhill is my strength, I can catch people going down.
I start making up ground on the descent, catch Ed, and look ahead to Jen. There is a long loop at the finish where you can see everybody. With about 600 to go I catch Jen and accidentally clip her heal, I'm so tired I ran up on her. I apologize, no harm done. As I go by, Ed is right on my shoulder I look up and Jesse is there and he's struggling. Ed and I running shoulder to shoulder, pass Jesse on both sides. I can barely believe it, I've hardly seen him the whole race, only to catch him with 200 to go.
There is one sharp right turn left and 100m uphill to the finish. Ed takes it first, I'm right behind. I figure I get one chance to make a move and I don't want to go and not sustain it. I go hard, and pass as fast as I can, I don't want him to have any hope. I pump the arms for all they're worth. Ed doesn't respond, I can hardly believe it.
So success, I beat all the people I had targeted. It was good fun to have friends like that you can cooperate with and compete with. We had a beer or 3, and recounted our glory. Good day in NE XC