NXN 2024 at-large bids

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Final Surge | Running Altitude Adjustment Calculator

Convert your distance race times run at altitude to the sea level equivalent time.

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final surge shows 18 second difference if a non altitude trained runner were to run a 5000m on the track at 2600 feet. The course even has hills so it's probably more. Now compared that to the few seconds given to those that train at altitude. I imagine this is what the committee meant when they responded to Rocky Mountain in 2022 with, "It doesn't matter."

They train there all the time. They literally nicknamed it “The Fortress.”

I see no one liked my idea to have 4 regions with an extra bid based on last years results. 19 no to 1 yes. We need to allow for more competitive regions. Yet I see numerous comments about questioning the committees picks. In my mind there should be a clear winner and not a subjective process. Rankings are helpful but subjective and often not correct. Traveling to find competition is honorable and meaningful but meaningless later in the season. It seems like there are different values placed to competitive meets and rankings in different situations. Is there a way to clarify the process so it is not so subjective? The largest criteria has to be the qualifying meet which also has dozens of variables.

What we need is to go back to only having teams at NXN. Getting rid of individual qualifiers frees up 45 spots--so Nike can invite 6-7 more teams without needing a bigger starting line. Also, one of NY's autoslots should become an at-large spot, at least on the boys side. They aren't good enough for two.

Then you would just be complaining about the 8th and 9th next team that didn't get in. It's like the college football playoff.

You understand that part of why NXN was able to surpass Foot Locker as the premier national meet is because of the individual qualifiers? It took a few years for them to add them and then it took another decade for it to become the more popular meet and to undo all that progress would be ridiculous.

There are so many individuals in states/regions that require you to choose which national meet you are going to attend. While that is not as much the case this year due to Thanksgiving being a lot later than normal, this is normally the case for California, NY, Northeast and Southeast runners. Some runners that serve as good examples that came out of these regions were Katelyn Tuohy, Drew Hunter and Nico Young. Nike wants these runners at their meet. If you were a runner like Nico, who had a team guaranteed to qualify, you clearly choose Nike. But let's say you are Drew Hunter, whose team was not good enough to sniff the meet when he was at LV, then you are obviously choosing Foot Locker instead of attending NXR, not qualifying as a team, and then not making a national meet when you are very clearly the top runner in the country that year. Katelyn Tuohy is an interesting example where her team was not a clear qualifier but they ran NXR and made it in anyways. If the option to run the meet as an individual was not there, it might be likely that Tuohy does not NXR the year North Rockland was really good. Also, you have to consider that not all individuals in the other regions want to pursue both Foot Locker and Nike. Some do but many don't. Pursuing that would mean, in some cases, running 6 weeks in a row where you run your State qualifier, State championship meet, NXR, Foot Locker Regional, NXN, and Foot Locker. That is a long stretch of high level racing where you are trying to maintain a peak. Bottom line is it would be irresponsible of Nike to eliminate individual qualifiers if they intend on NXN being the premier national meet.

I watched an interview with a committee member and at one point he mentioned the conference call. it sounds like there was a lot of discussion on which 4th girls team should go. lots of back and fourth. doesn't sound like it was an easy choice for them

Look at the way they presented the CIF merge results. The team in fourth actually ran the course faster than the third team.

^ for the girls.

Where did you find that interview?

But the individual qualifiers add nothing to the meet. They won't be losing anything if they don't go

Please explain.

A few comments on the latest posts:

1) Individual qualifiers: Individual qualifiers should absolutely be allowed into NXN, no question. They not only deserve the experience but add excitement to the top of the race which makes Nike a premier national meet. Eliminating the at-large individuals, while a tough decision, may have been the right one. I can't imagine the backlash of leaving 1 or 2 kids out that they miss. It sort of becomes personal when it is 1 kid left out (who is probably extremely fast anyway). I believe this is Nike sort of agreeing with the previous poster about individuals (the at-large individuals may not add as much to the overall race). Having eliminated at large individuals did open up spots for a 5th, last minute, at large team though, that would be fun.

2) Altitude running: It is known worldwide that altitude running has advantages. If any team was told "it doesn't matter", maybe it was because it must be difficult to quantify the impact due to the courses differences, but that would be it. Tons of NCAA schools send their kids to do preseason in UT, northern AZ or Colorado for a reason, altitude matters. The SW girls and boys should have 3-4 teams locked-in after NXR each year.

3) Average/Total Times: Santiago beat JSerra in their merged CIF state champ by 19 sec (total time). Unfortunately, that doesn't really matter, as placement is what counts within the region. Having said that, I believe it is in the committee's consideration when comparing with other regions, but maybe it isn't. I just realized the Webb of Knox girls would have not only auto-qualified at NXR based on times, but would have run away (pun intended) with the whole Southeast by over 30 seconds (beating both automatic qualifiers, Cardinal Gibbons and Brentwood). While that didn't win them the Southeast (head to head placement loss), that could/should have put them as a locked #3 at- large after the SW girls.

4) Everybody have a wonderful December and Holiday Season. Congratulations to all the qualifiers! Enjoy NXN, should be a experience of a lifetime.

I think a good way to eliminate the disagreement would be for some of the teams that feel slighted to come run a race in Colorado or Utah. A lot of Colorado and Utah teams travel to low altitude to take on teams, why don’t other teams do the same? Come run at Liberty Bell, Pat Amato, Pre-State, etc.? You will be guaranteed to vie against good competition and you can prove that you belong at NXN.

It's a huge disadvantage for non altitude teams to run at altitude and not vice versa.

I have asked the question several times. Whobare the best boys' and girls' teams who weren't selected? What done think they rank nationally? What do they rank regionally?

On the boys side Valor, Rio Rancho, Riverton, Coronado, and Hamilton are the best teams not at NXN. Might not be a popular answer with other regions but it’s the truth.

Each are likely top 20 nationally.

Edit: Crater and Arnold Beckham belong in this tier as well, but had bad qualifying races.

Top 20 doesn't make the case for change. As long as top 10 qualify and top 2 from each region, the goal is achieved.

I was shocked to see two Rocky guys up front at the beginning.