Shaker 5k XC

I was feeling a lot better heading back to Canterbury for the final Shaker Village 5k XC race.  Despite a very cranky ankle I had a decent week of training and a good mid-week workout on the treadmill.  I got to the race a bit early and it was 40 degrees and sunny, just a perfect morning to race.  I gave teammate Steve Brightman a quick description of the course (as I assumed he’d be leading the way) and then headed out to run the loop as a warm-up.  The course was marked very well with the exception of the tricky 90 degree turn that can be easy to miss as the main trail continues straight and cuts off a big portion of the race (see the May 2021 Canterbury race where a few went right through and into the lead).  I let Tom & Tom know and they fixed it prior to the start.  The biggest field this year (30 for 2 loops and maybe 10 more doing 1 loop) lined up for the series finale.  Kara Haas and I would be the series champs as long as we stayed on our feet.  I was hoping to run faster than last week (20:36) and if possible sneak under my time from this spring (20:26).

Steve shot out at the start and one of the NHTI youngsters and Peter Gillis followed a bit behind.  I found myself alone in fourth place and concentrated on staying on my feet.  The first ½ mile is cart path and grass with a downhill after which we’d hit a tricky ¼ mile of single-track with a lot of leaves down.  It was very hard to see where you were stepping and after my injury at Loon Mountain I’ve been very cautious about potholes.  I made it through and was about 4 seconds ahead of my time from last week at the mile.  I felt like I climbed pretty well but really didn’t make up any ground, that was the last time I saw Steve as the NHTI kid went by him.  He’d end up passing him again on the single-track and motoring on for a win in a solid 18:53.  I hit the end of the first lap in 10:02 which was encouraging.  I figured I had a sub 20:20 in the bag if I could hold on.  When I got back onto the single-track I was surprised to see how much I’d made up on Gillis who was 24 seconds ahead of me at the end of the first lap.  With a half-mile to go I closed to a step behind him and he waived me on to pass, but I just couldn’t find that extra something to get around him (he picked it up as I closed on him).  I made another move on the final hill and did get by but I knew I’d need more than a few strides as we hit the last 100 meters and he rumbled by to re-take third place.  No complaints as I ran my second loop in 9:58 and total for the 5k was 20:13 which is my fastest time this year and only trails my 19:52 from last fall.

I did a quick mile warm-down with Steve and Kara (who won in 21:54, her best time this year) and then headed over to Concord for a nice extended warm-down to close out the day.