Mount Hood Nutcracker Challenge 2023 Race Results
Time for the famous “Nutcracker” cross country race held in
December on the Mount Hood Golf Course in Melrose. You can picture it. A tower off in the
distance, way above sea level with harriers in shorts braving any and all elevation
changes over 3.5 miles. This one had balmy weather in the 50’s. A peek of the
results show it loaded with Cambridge Running Club and Cambridge Sports Union
on page 1. However, Nate Jenkins and Scott Mindel placed 3rd and 4th
respectively for the Central Mass Striders. They teamed up with Matthew Baron
who won overall for the team win. A good all start team if I must say.
I was sucking wind up and down the course. The first mile
was the easiest, mostly flat which is not saying much. Mile two was brutal. Paces
went all over the map. It was charge a hill, recover and open the stride all the way to the finish line. In the end, 8 minute pace for this one overall.
74th place, 28:02! I wore SRR colors but CMS had a few other gents
in front of me: John Pajer and Adam Rundell for what might have been Team Pajer
with a few daughters running and one a few ticks behind me.
Funny story while cooling down with the Lynn Woods guys. The
CSU group was cooling down behind us. I heard the CMS names of Mindel and
Jenkins – a mention of the team having NE Champions or at least picking them up
during their careers. I will hide the rest of the context but I chirped them on
the way by as to be careful about taking trash about CMS. All good fun.
Patrick Bugbee put out a fist bump. The guys continued the cool down for the incredible view from the tower at Mount Hood. I bailed on the notable feast
that awaited at the club house. Kristen managed to get me a mini-Nutcracker to
add to the display at home where at least 10 already reside in various sizes.
2023 Mount Hood Nutcracker Challenge Video. Footage taken about 400m into the race course.
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