Cross Country Course Design Standards/Guidelines

Build it and they will come

Cross Country Course Design Standards/Guidelines 4/27/2012 10:19AM

Reply | Return to Index | Report Post

Where can I find information on building a course that meets collegiate guidelines?

Also, how many acres would be ideal acreage for a collegiate size course capable of 10k loops?

RE: Cross Country Course Design Standards/Guidelines 4/27/2012 11:22AM - in reply to Build it and they will come

Reply | Return to Index | Report Post

The NCAA rulebook will have any absolute requirements. Beyond that, I don't know if the NCAA has a facilities manual for xc or not. Wouldn't hurt to contact i.e. the Indiana State and Wisconsin staffs and see if they have suggestions based on their experiences.

course certification expert

RE: Cross Country Course Design Standards/Guidelines 4/27/2012 12:37PM - in reply to marksman

Reply | Return to Index | Report Post

The industry standard for cross country course's is Galen Rupp. Call him up and have him help you. Before anyone gets on my case about trolling, I'm serious- Rupp made sure that that race over in Great Britain that was all muddy/snowy fit his standards. He's very tough with his official Rupp Certificate of Runnability, but he's also fair minded.

And that thing also

RE: Cross Country Course Design Standards/Guidelines 4/27/2012 12:47PM - in reply to Build it and they will come

Reply | Return to Index | Report Post

Some ideas to get you started-

http://www.letsrun.com/forum/flat_read.php?thread=3262978

http://www.scausatf.org/pdf/organizexc.pdf

http://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1935&context=etd&sei-redir=1&referer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2Furl%3Fsa%3Dt%26rct%3Dj%26q%3Dcross%2520country%2520course%2520design%26source%3Dweb%26cd%3D6%26ved%3D0CGcQFjAF%26url%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fdigitalcommons.usu.edu%252Fcgi%252Fviewcontent.cgi%253Farticle%253D1935%2526context%253Detd%26ei%3DzNmaT_jiDon02QW47ujfDg%26usg%3DAFQjCNEs3ugDe0C4JekrAW_BPebRtTCRxw#search=%22cross%20country%20course%20design%22

Building be harder than you

RE: Cross Country Course Design Standards/Guidelines 4/30/2012 4:42PM - in reply to Build it and they will come

Reply | Return to Index | Report Post

There is more to it than many people think. It pays to have a geographer with GIS-type experience. Subtle issues such as drainage and how the land drains (disturbed land does not drain like fields that have only seen a plow, not a bulldozer). Sun angles and how stuff dries and how it gets through hot, dry periods. Is the course confusing? Are there enough hills and not too many/too steep on downhills, especially in wet conditions. Can the turns be managed without a temptation for runners to cut them and without having some run way outside? Can you run 600-1000m before having to make major turns and is the course wide enough everywhere. Note this means wide enough that when there is bad footing that it accommodates runners avoiding problems?

Of course, there is the issue of viewing the race. Multiple loops allow more repeated viewing but then has people running back and forth and wanting to cross the course before all the runners go. What works for 500 fans does not necessarily work for 2500, and what works for 2500 might not work for 7000.

Can teams get to the race? Is there parking, other facilities, ... How flexible is the site - could you add a 10K for Regionals to a 5/6/8k set of layouts.