I live exactly 5miles from Philadelphia's city line and drove out to the first XTERRA trail run "Philly" series, in Pottstown. I am not sure if Warwick Park is in Berks or Chester County, but its "out there" in the countryside. Picked up some kids I coach in track to take them to the race (instead of practice) and the one kid said, if I stayed for practice it would be over by now.... he was totally right and we were still about 20 mins out from the start of the race... and of course, we got lost getting there! Wissahickon, Belmont Plateau, Pennypack... thats "Philly".... we were in the burbs...no, I live in the burbs.... we were in the country. Thats why I love "Philly", a little bit of everything around us. It was worth the trip! I had a dismal performance with my time (Broad Street Run recovery was still taking place in this late 30's bod) but still managed to take 1st in the women's 30-39 div.
Here is the race report I submitted:
5/7/08
Good thing for Pre-registration! Barely making it to the race start because we missed a turn (that's a left turn at "Julia's" Market), we got in with the pack at the last second and took off at "Go!". The trail run started out as a normal cross country run would, but then race director, Don Morrison let the trail runners know what makes XTERRA different from other trail runs: we climbed stairs in the first 800meters into the race. We took to the fire roads of Warwick Park that lead us into a serpent's back trail run (ups and downs). The last hill consisted of a 25% grade uphill battle for a 1/4 mile. Some runners cavorted up the hills, and some of us were waking all the cows in the Philly countryside with our screaming quads and calves! With relief in sight, we could pick up for lost time and take it fast on the level fire roads (anything seems level after that last hill). The fire roads were covered with just enough rocks to keep your eyes from looking up. The grassy meadow with a slight descend to the finish line left us wanting more. Dan Dix of Coatesville, PA came in first overall with a finishing time of 19:06. Dix, alumni of Southern Vermont College Cross Country, is known to the Great Northeast Athletic Conference as “arguably the most prolific men’s cross country runner in GNAC history”. Dan Dix and Chuck Crabb (3rd overall) schooled high school students and brothers, Matt Herring (2nd overall) and Dan Herring (4th overall), on the hills of the trail run. Dix recalls “I let the younger kids set the pace as I suspect they did not know the severity of the hills. I was feeling good enough to take the lead on the hill and before I knew it I no longer heard the hard breathing of my pursuers. Once I finally reached the top I came barreling down the back side of the hill to run to the steepest hill in the race. I put my head down and grinded it out as my quads screamed all the way to the top and then tore ass down the same hill again.”
The women’s race was won by Deena Andrus with a run time of 24:17, 26 seconds ahead of Jerilyn Kucharski placing 2nd overall, and Michele Bush strong legged the hills to place 3rd overall for the females with a time of 25:46.
As
the sun set on this 80 degree spring evening, XTERRA racers and supporters gathered to enjoy the post-race pizza and festivities. We have been to many trail runs in the Philadelphia area, but you know it’s an XTERRA trail run when there are extra-ordinary challenges on the course and many rewards to reap at the podium. We are looking forward to finishing the XTERRA trail run series here in the countryside of Philly, and taking it all the way to Nationals.
Good thing for Pre-registration! Barely making it to the race start because we missed a turn (that's a left turn at "Julia's" Market), we got in with the pack at the last second and took off at "Go!". The trail run started out as a normal cross country run would, but then race director, Don Morrison let the trail runners know what makes XTERRA different from other trail runs: we climbed stairs in the first 800meters into the race. We took to the fire roads of Warwick Park that lead us into a serpent's back trail run (ups and downs). The last hill consisted of a 25% grade uphill battle for a 1/4 mile. Some runners cavorted up the hills, and some of us were waking all the cows in the Philly countryside with our screaming quads and calves! With relief in sight, we could pick up for lost time and take it fast on the level fire roads (anything seems level after that last hill). The fire roads were covered with just enough rocks to keep your eyes from looking up. The grassy meadow with a slight descend to the finish line left us wanting more. Dan Dix of Coatesville, PA came in first overall with a finishing time of 19:06. Dix, alumni of Southern Vermont College Cross Country, is known to the Great Northeast Athletic Conference as “arguably the most prolific men’s cross country runner in GNAC history”. Dan Dix and Chuck Crabb (3rd overall) schooled high school students and brothers, Matt Herring (2nd overall) and Dan Herring (4th overall), on the hills of the trail run. Dix recalls “I let the younger kids set the pace as I suspect they did not know the severity of the hills. I was feeling good enough to take the lead on the hill and before I knew it I no longer heard the hard breathing of my pursuers. Once I finally reached the top I came barreling down the back side of the hill to run to the steepest hill in the race. I put my head down and grinded it out as my quads screamed all the way to the top and then tore ass down the same hill again.”
The women’s race was won by Deena Andrus with a run time of 24:17, 26 seconds ahead of Jerilyn Kucharski placing 2nd overall, and Michele Bush strong legged the hills to place 3rd overall for the females with a time of 25:46.
As
the sun set on this 80 degree spring evening, XTERRA racers and supporters gathered to enjoy the post-race pizza and festivities. We have been to many trail runs in the Philadelphia area, but you know it’s an XTERRA trail run when there are extra-ordinary challenges on the course and many rewards to reap at the podium. We are looking forward to finishing the XTERRA trail run series here in the countryside of Philly, and taking it all the way to Nationals.