Dix, Banks Win Again in XTERRA Philly Series

Busy XTERRA week for both champions

Dan Dix and Corinne Banks continued their winning ways in the XTERRA Philly Trail Run Series, and they both went a long way to do it.

Dix was the overall winner of the XTERRA Hibernia Park Challenge Trail Run last Wednesday, June 8, at Coatesville, Pa. He completed the 8-kilometer course in 30 minutes, 47 seconds. He has now won eight consecutive XTERRA Trail Run races, including all three in the Philly Series so far this season.

This was one of the most competitive Wednesday night XTERRA Philly Series races since they began in 2008," said Dix, 32.  "There is a lot of running talent in the Southeast Pennsylvania area so you never know who is going to show up to races you do. I could tell I was going to have my hands full at the beginning of the race.

"I would chalk my win up to my experience running technical trails and my local knowledge of the trails. Hibernia Park is pretty much my home course. I grew up a couple of miles from the park and have been running the trails consistently for the last 18 years. I even lived in the park in a cottage for 4 years after I graduated college."

It was Dix's second XTERRA Trail Run victory in less than a week. Four days earlier, he won a race across the state in the XTERRA Pocono Trail Run Series.

Michael Daigeaun placed second with a time of 30:59. The 12-second difference was the closest any runner has come to Dix this year.

Banks placed 15th overall with a time of 38:10 and was the top female for the second consecutive race in the Philly Series. She finished nearly three minutes ahead of runner-up Diane Grim.

"The Hibernia course is one of my favorites," Banks said.  "Although it felt extremely hot and humid the evening of the race, most of the course is run in the shade with rolling hills.  One-and-a-half miles into the race we went through a stream crossing that came up to my chest and kept me fairly cool for the rest of the run."

Like Dix, Banks also had a busy and successful XTERRA week. For starters, she lives in Ocean City, Md., and has to make a nearly three-hour drive just to get to the Philly Series races. After winning the Hibernia Park Challenge in Philadelphia last week, she drove back home to Ocean City, then made her way to Richmond a few days later to compete in the XTERRA East Championship off-road triathlon. She placed fourth in her age-group at the triathlon.

The Hibernia Park Challenge was the third of five races in the 2011 season for the XTERRA Philly Trail Run Series. The next race in the series is the XTERRA Wolf's Hollow Trail Run at Atglen, Pa. It is scheduled for Sunday, June 19, and registration will be accepted on race day. For more information please visit www.mid-atlanticevents.com.

(Race photo courtesy Stephanie Dix)

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