The Open Men's PRT squad had a strong season this past fall in the Dirt Dog XC series, narrowly losing out to San Diego Track Club, 31-40, at the 8k championships in November. Heading into that championship race, the guys had themselves in a strong position by winning three races: The Wild Duck 5k, the Aztec Invitational 5k, and the Ursula Rains Balboa Boogie 5k.
In the individual scoring for the Dirt Dog Series, PRT had four men in the top ten overall: Daniel Farmer (2nd), Alex Phipps (5th), Fernando Blanco (9th), and Eduaro Mariscal (10th). Farmer was hot on the heels of eventual series champion Jonathan Pierce, and took home a victory at the Cuyamaca College 6K, as well as second-place honors at the Aztec Inviational 5k and the Balboa Boogie 5k. Eduardo Mariscal won the Bonita Stampede 8K, with Alex Phipps taking second.
The PRT Masters Men finished the Dirt Dog Series tied, 88-88, with the Jamul Toads, but since the Toads won the Champs race, they took the series title as well. Individually, PRT's Masters represented four of the top ten overall, with Brian Culley taking second, Robert Verhees in third, Chris Hupfeld in fifth, and Matt Sheremeta in seventh. Culley won the Masters Balboa Boogie 5K race, while Verhees claimed the Balboa 4-miler title and the Bonita Stampede 8K.
After the Dirt Dog Series concluded in November, a contingent of PRT men, both Open and Masters, decided to head for the hills, extending the season by a month and entering the XC Club Nationals in Bend, Oregon. For the Open men, Derek Bradley, Alex Phipps, Mario Fraioli, Daniel Seidel, and Alec Fillmore (driving all the way from Cali!) competed against forty-nine other clubs on what can only be described as a relentless and somewhat sadistically designed course that featured a steep start, poor footing, and spirit-sapping hills. In other words, cross country at its finest. The PRT Open's Team finished 46th out of 50 teams, but everyone ran tough and hopefully set a precedent for what will be an annual trip to Cross Country Nats.
While the Masters did not field a full team, Brian Culley and Robert Verhees both ran individually in the Masters race. Culley took 42nd in an impressive sub-6-minute-pace 37:04 on a diabolical course, while Verhees finished in 53rd, about thirty seconds behind Culley.
With a strong 2013 season behind them and an exciting spring 2014 schedule coming up, the PRT Men's Team is shaping up to have a fantastic year.
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