Canterbury XC (again)

I closed out the month (and the year) with a return to Canterbury for the Shaker XC race (10/23/21).  This was the finale of the three race series.  I’d done the second race (as a workout) and they were using the same course so my goal was to run a minute faster than my 20:44. With the NHTI cross-country team returning I hoped to be somewhere around their third man.  I got there plenty early and was the first one at number pick-up.  It was sunny and chilly, just about ideal for XC.  I warmed up on the course and there were a lot of leaves down since the prior race. The single-track section would be done cautiously, there were a lot of hidden rocks, roots, and stumps.  I switched into race gear and had to reverse my singlet as I somehow pinned my number on the back and didn’t realize it until it felt funny when I put it on.  I had just enough time for another mile to stay loose.  I noticed that most of the NHTI kids were NOT present and a couple of the fast guys were in fact still in sweats as we gathered on the line.  One of the NHTI kids (David Testerman) took it out and I tried to keep him close.  He put a few seconds on me on the first downhill and was maybe 10 seconds up when my watch beeped for ½ mile.  I didn’t panic on the single-track and by the time we reached the big, rutted climb (with cows watching us) I was only a couple of seconds back.  I went by as we finished the first lap (9:48) which was right in the ballpark for the time I was hoping to run.  Soon after I could not hear footsteps behind me, and it seemed I might be able to steal a win.  My calf started to really bother me on the rutted climb, and I was worried as it started to spasm.  I had to slow a little to manage the calf and lost a little time but still manage a 10:04 for the second loop for the win in 19:52. Testerman came in locked in a battle, that he ended up losing in the final sprint for the line.  We chatted a bit after and he was kicking himself for “running up/down Zealand” a 4,000’ peak the day before…ah to be young!  I took another lap of the course with Kara Haas (1^st women, 5^th overall) and then hit the awards ceremony (where just about everyone got something).  A nice end to my season.  Big thanks to Tom Raffio for inviting me to run for his Delta Dental squad!

Overall Results                                                                       Age Graded Results
1 19:52 Dave Dunham                M57      Delta Dental                  1 16:33 Dave Dunham               M57
2 20:38 Matt Deschuytner          M34                                          2 20:07 Kara Haas                     F50
3 20:40 David Testerman           M17      NHTI                            3 20:12 Freeland Hubbard          M67
4 22:01 Ben Cone                      M18      NHTI                            4 20:15 Kevin Perron                 M51
5 22:31 Kara Haas                     F50       Delta Dental                  5 20:18 Matt Deschuytner          M34