PRT Men Take Dirt Dog Title!

Before the new year gets rolling and last year's Dirt Dog series fades into a distant memory of wind and dust and criterium-style suffering, it's time for a quick recap. Heading into the championship race on Nov. 10, PRT had pressed hard for a win to put the men in better position to compete for the overall title at the Champs, but we came up just short at the Cuyamaca College 6k, losing by one point to San Diego Track Club.

The conditions at Mission Bay for the 8k championship race were slow, with a strong headwind on the long, exposed stretch heading north that each runner had to face four times. With his trademark aggressive racing style, Daniel Farmer went out with the leaders, and ended up first among PRT’s men, finishing in fifth place (26:50). He was followed close behind by Alex Phipps (26:55), who turned in a strong performance. Derek Bradley (27:16) and Dan Seidel (27:28) were third and fourth scorers, with Andrew Corman (27:40) and Luis de la Vega (27:48) not far behind. Although it initially appeared that PRT would finish second overall, a recalibration of the team scoring resulted in a PRT team victory. The double score (40) for the Champs win was enough to push us over the top for the overall Dirt Dog team title.

On an individual level, PRT had a strong season as well. Four of our runners—Daniel Farmer, Alex Phipps, Dan Seidel, and Derek Bradley—finished in the top ten for the series and took home a bit of prize money.

Meanwhile, the season for some of our masters runners was not yet over. A group of four headed down to Lexington, Kentucky, in December to compete in the national club cross-country championships. Tim Gore (35:31; 28th place) and Brian Culley (35:31; 29th place) were joined by Robert Verhees (36:11; 52nd place) and Gerard Reski (40:30; 165th place).

The 2013 season for the PRT men kicks off in earnest at the Mizuno-sponsored Coronado 10k on Feb. 17. Hope to see you there!

BACK-TO-BACK CHAMPS

The ladies of Prado Racing Team wrapped up the fall season with a win at the 2012 Dirt Dog Series Championship. The women repeated as USATF-SD Dirt Dog XC team champions on November 10 at Mission Bay Park, topping Adidas Movin Shoes, 19–24. Even though the conditions were not ideal, with winds and humidity, the women still managed to win the 8K race. The women’s scoring five placed within one minute of one another: Jenna Munguia placed 6th with a time of 31:05, Marie Schaper 7th with a time of 31:11, Hilary Corno 8th in 31:18, Caela Timinsky 11th in 31:57, and Kristin Schleicher 12th in 32:00.

Samathan Espindola rounded off the rest of the PRT ladies with a time of 32:28, followed by Gina Merchant with a time of 33:29, Kelcie Wieman at 34:54, and Jordana Henderson in a respectable time of 35:32.

The victory at Club Championships was the culmination of a season with many strong team performances, including wins at the Wild Duck 5K in Guajome Park on August 25, at the Balboa Park 4-Miler, and at the Cougar Challenge on October 25 (the latter in a field ranging from college freshmen to dominant amateur athletes).

The highlights of the season were not just from team performances, however. Kristin Schleicher ran the Cal Internaional Marathon, capping off an incredible year with a PR of 3:02:12. Schleicher had also run a half marathon at the Primo’s Run for Education in Danville, CA, with a PR of 1:24:26. A few weeks before that, Marie Schaper finished 6th at the Rock ’n’ Roll San Jose Half Marathon in 1:21:01, a personal best this season. The most impressive win this season, though, came from Hilary Corno, who “ jumped into” the Long Beach Marathon to try to qualify for the Boston Marathon. She not only qualified, she won with a time of 2:55:32!!

The women of Prado Racing Team looked strong from start to finish, with only a few women injured this season. Every runner has stepped up and run in a way that shows her continuing passion for the sport. The women seek direction, advice, and inspiration from one another. From the first runner to their last, every woman counts and can carry the team. The women kick off the spring season with the Carlsbad Half Marathon on January 27, 2013!!