Larch Hill X-C -- Sun. October 12

Billed as an "English-style" run, I opted for this over SRRC as I'd missed the Saturday race, and I still didn't feel like doing a distance run. Met up with Ivan there on a sunny, 70 deg. + midday, and we did several mild legs around the area, to add up to two miles of warm-up. Then the race began at 12:30 or so: a circuit in two loops (2 miles and 1 mile) around the Larch Hill/Bramble Farm property. Several faces familiar from NoHo X-C and other local runners, but no Swifties; not a huge crowd, maybe 60+? Started up a hill on a shale trail, then off into field edge trail -- wet for some, but I managed to find a dry route, and stayed that way. 7-8 haybale jumps and one haydrum scramble, with one tall stile for good measure. The ending was a bit hazy, but my estimated time was:

Time: 20:45
Distance: 3.1 miles
Speed: 8.96 mph

Comments: just a gorgeous route!! running on grass nearly all the way, a real parkland course, with the jumps adding a quirky extra. Ivan got wet feet and then blisters, but I was lucky. Was willing to be cautious, but a comfortable pace turned out to be 6:40 and 6:34, then a bit slower in mile 3. The finish was poorly laid out, and I ran past it, then stopped, then ran back, but the guy ahead was 15 seconds ahead of me -- I'd checked twice as we covered mile 3. He came in with 20:20, but he also pulled ahead a bit in the last quarter mile, so my 20:45 is probably close enough.

The food afterwards was *excellent* -- local potatoes, baked in a fire while we warmed up and ran. Plus noodles, cupcakes, etc, all probably organic. Yum. Must add this to next year's list~!