Rivalries Heat Up XTERRA Atlantic Series
Steve Ovett and Sebastian Coe. Mary Decker and Zola Budd. Lasse Viren and Steve Prefontaine.
For decades, distance running has had its share of rivalries. But none have been as fun to watch as the one currently waging between the XTERRA Atlantic Series’ rivals Iain Banks and Evan Daney.
In the XTERRA Brandywine Creek 12K Trail Run on March 12th, Evan Daney came in a second in front of Iain Banks. On April 9th, in the XTERRA Seneca Creek 10K, Iain Banks finished a second ahead of Evan Daney.
“In the last race, it was so close coming across the line that no-one could even guess who won and it all came down to the timing chips across the mat,” said Banks.
On May 7th, at the XTERRA Lums Pond 12K Trail Run, the two will come together for a third time in Bear, Delaware.
“Iain is shaping up to be a tough guy to beat,” said Daney. “Typically, I am the one controlling the race. Iain has proven to be a formidable opponent who has left me in an all out sprint for the finish twice. During the race, his strengths are my weaknesses and vice versa, so it creates a real chess match as we approach the finish line. I learned a lot about Iain’s racing style at Seneca Creek and don’t intend to place second again.”
“Coming into Seneca Creek, we now both knew each other, so once the gun went off, neither of us was willing to let the other one open any kind of a gap,” admitted Banks. “We literally ran stride for stride at the front of the race for the entire course, and both knew it was going to come to the final mile to see if either one of us would crack.”
XTERRA Lums Pond will clearly be the race to watch. Situated along the banks of the historic Chesapeake and Delaware Canal, the run winds through ancient Native American hunting camps, old hardwood forests, pristine streams, and fresh ponds.
But it’s not only the men who are throwing down. On her Facebook page on April 18th, Julie Lawand wrote, “Currently sitting in second place for points in this series…Lets see if I can win that spot in the National Championship out in Utah … Who’s with me???”
“What can I say?” asked race director Jefferson Nicholson. “These races are held in the very places our founding fathers fought for freedom. We’re racing in the land of overachievers.”
Learn more and register for XTERRA Lums Pond.
The post Rivalries Heat Up XTERRA Atlantic Series appeared first on XTERRA.
Source | Back to News