Cross-Country Meandering by Mickey Piscitelli

It was the day of the National Club Cross Country Championships and I headed off to Rochester with one of everything “Syracuse Charger”.  I had my shimmel, my singlet, my tights, and my shorts.  My trail shoes were a given as I do not own a pair of spikes.  The temperature was about 35 degrees when I pulled into the parking lot 90 minutes later and made my way over to the registration and packet-pick-up area.  My teammate Noreen had already picked up our team numbers, timing chips, long-sleeved technical fabric souvenir T-shirts and informed me that we were now down to a team of 4 as Kelly was injured and would not be able to race.  As a Masters Women’s team we could list a team of 5, but would score 3.  Lennie and Ruth had arrived and were warming up.

I saw license plates from New Jersey and Vermont.  I saw deeply tanned athletes from Texas and Los Angeles bundled up against the cold. The park was a buzz with runners of all shapes sizes and ages. The ladies room was filled with women changing into their team uniforms. “Shorts or tights” asked one, “definitely gloves,” added another.  We took turns pinning the required back bibs on each other.  These back bib numbers must be worn during national championship races so that each competitor is clearly marked into a 5-year age group.  We proudly wore our age groups in 3-inch high bold-faced digits!

The Community 4K race preceded the USATF Club National Championship races.

My event, the Master’s Women’s 6K race was the first of the 4 National Club Championship races.  I met my teammates in our designated “box” at the starting line.  It was quite chilly once we’d stripped down to our shorts.  We jumped up and down trying to stay warm.  On command we stepped up to the line, watched for the smoke from the gun, and off we went.  It was a loop of 1000 meters follows by two and a half 2km loops.  About 15 seconds after the sound of the gun, the sun came out!

It was a great course for spectators.  We heard lots of cheering voices as we maneuvered our way around the gently rolling terrain.  They ran to and fro chasing us as we chased each other.  Though there was a slight dusting of snow on the grass back in Syracuse, Genesee Valley Park in Rochester was snow free.  Except for one small soggy patch, which soaked my shoes, the ground was fine.  Music blared as we made our way around the course, and I found myself almost singing along as I tried to pass the women ahead of me.  Yikes – she’s in her sixties – I should be able to pass her – right?  After all, I had just turned 49 last month.  One thing that always warms my heart about these women only events is that if we accidentally bump each other during the race we always say “Sorry.”  You can be competitive and still be polite.

My favorite part of the course was the section along Red Creek. It was rather flat there with just one nasty branch sticking out on the left that caused me to do a little sideways limbo move.  I picked off a few more people and was feeling pretty good.  Soon we were in the final stretch with the clock ticking away.  I was trying to better my previous 6 km time for the course and I did – by 20 seconds. 

I gathered with my teammates at the finish line.  Carol, our team coordinator (fellow athlete when not injured) was there to congratulate us and take our picture.  We congratulated each other and then headed to our cars to find warm dry clothes.

After changing I made my way over to the post-race refreshment area where there was quite a buffet of choices.   Hmm… that hot apple cider would surely hit the spot, but it wouldn’t mix well with the many soups lined up like soldiers in their crock-pots.  I grabbed a bagel and a cup of hot soup and watched as the Masters Men’s 10K race began.  I cheered for familiar faces as my soup warmed by face and throat.  What a perfect day I thought as I watched the runners snake around the course.  We watched a sensational finish in which an Olympian out kicked an excellent local runner.

I looked for the posted results of my own race and stayed on to watch the Women’s and Men’s Open races sipping some hot apple cider and chatting with fellow runners.  It was a terrific day for cross-country.  Our team ended up finishing 9th out of 12 teams.

The park was a terrific venue; the organizing committee did a great job.

Don’t let the title “National Championship” scare your away.  Next year, if it’s geographically possible, get your team to enter.

You’ll have a memorable day.