Cross Country in Olympics: Teams and Individuals? Drop track 10000?

in the PDX wrote:

I think they should add the Half Marathon in addition to Cross Country and then do what Fencing does for the Olympics and rotates one of the disciplines out of each Olympics. Having an option of dealing with the Half Marathon instead of the full Marathon might also open up more cities or locations for bidding to the Olympics

Perhaps have 2016 as:

Marathon

10k

5k

2020

Half Marathon

Cross Country

5k

2024

Marathon

Cross Country

5k

2028

Half Marathon

10k

5k

I would be ok with alternating the 10k and xc, but the marathon? no way - that is a foundation event - a very symbol of the games.

I am all for it; this is something I've talked about for decades. For a variety of reasons, it will not fit with in the current t&f table of events and as some have stated, it would seriously dilute the 5K/10K and marathon.

It should definitely be in the Winter Olympics for a host of reasons.

1.) It is primarily a winter sport, all of the major XC meets take place in the winter and the origins, which date back prior to the modern Olympics was as a winter sport. The average temps for the major XC meets is in the low 30s, which is not much different than the average temps for most winter Olympic sites. Downhill sking temps tend to be lower becasue the event is usually held at the highest elevation of a site, the XC race would be run in the valley. I've wathced high school girls run in the low teens, certaintly world class athletes can handle the cold. Anyone who has a problem with the cold probably should not be running XC.

2.) Since there are no distance relays, this would add a team aspect to distance running and allow countries to demonstrate depth.

3.) Ethnic and national diversity; currently there are only half a dozen countries who routinely win medals at the Winter Olympics. Entire continents...Oceanaina, Africa and South Amercica have almost no particpation in the Winter Olympics and rarely do you see anyone of dark skin.

4.) The Olympcis in general needs to generate more revenue. From a TV broadcast perpective, adding it to the summer will only include the same people who alreay watch the Summer Olympics, but having in the winter add many more viewers.

...there you have it

I also like the idea of having it before the track and field events, because it is a separate event entirely, and would allow some some doubling.

still would have my doubts alsal would let Rupp run it, he might twist an ankle.

the team aspect would make it even more interesting, especially if there was no individual title, and all that mattered was the team aspect. it would become an event focused on country pride, no pun intended russia.

Put it during the first week of the olympics when swimming & gymnastics are going on

no need to drop the 10k

problem solved

luv2run wrote:

In the US track is a second tier sport for all but 1 week out of every 4 years. Even then I suspect gymnastics draws better TV numbers.

That's because gymnastics events are televised.

I disagree with doing away with the 10k on the track.

Replacing it with cross country would (1) get rid of the 10k on the track, including it's history, (2) would leave out all the great runners from countries with no teams, and would (3) kill the individual aspect of the sport.

I am absolutely 100 percent against replacing the individual track 10k with a team event, and have zero interest in which country (or school) would "win" such a bogus competition.

Also 10k is too short for cross country, and the 12k distance is fine. I think cross country should not be added to world track competitions because it's a very similar, yet different and conflicting event.

The WCCC's have been fine as they have been, and I think they should be left as they are, not messed with, changed, done away with, or used as replacement for one of the few important track events in the world. I enjoy the WCCC races and feel they deserve their own venue and respect.

Add 2 more spots to each country's marathon team and make it a team competition as well as individual.

Add 4X800 and/or DMR (preferably both).

mr interested thinker wrote:

How about this: we turn the steeple in to an XC race! Put the barriers and the water jumps out there with some hills and mud and maybe some fire jazz it up a bit. Let people push each other around a little. Viola, running is relevant again.

In terms of entertaining winter sports, why don't we make skijoring an Olympic sport? For those who don't know, it involves being towed behind horse at full gallop on downhill skis through a course with gates and jumps and collecting rings like sonic the hedgehog. Fastest time wins, time penalties for missed rings. It is probably one of the most exciting sports invented.

I agree about trading the steeple for XC -- I believe that is the origin of the steeple anyway.

I appreciate your passion on the issue, but as I earlier stated: ALL winter olympic events are snow or ice based. X-C absolutely is not. It doesn't fit. Basketball is played in the winter too, indoors. Should it be in the winter olympics? Any sport can be performed on snow, but it is not PART of the event itself as it is with all other olympic winter sports.Am I the only one that gets this?If you want to add a running event to the winter olympics, it will have to be a snowshoe race. Seriously, there's your shot. I could actually see that as reasonably being added. It might combine some nordic athletes vs some b level africans who can pick it up for fun, and would be at an advantage running wise, but disadvantage practice/technique wise. Maybe Adam Goucher could drop this ellitpigo racing and change over to snowshoes and win that medal.

If the XC were held in the Winter Olympics in cold conditions and on snow it could discourage African runners from competing or at least make it difficult for them, so voila - more medals for pure white authentic Europeans and Americans and greater popularity of the sport.

fire the IOC wrote:

Put it during the first week of the olympics when swimming & gymnastics are going on

no need to drop the 10k

problem solved

I agree- start the Olympics with it.

Hopefully, with the European Cross series in the winter, this could lead to Cross specialists.

I remember a guy, Erik De Beck from Belgium, was world cross champ and they called him a cross specialist- he wasn't that great on the track.

Cross Country should take a lesson from their winter sport cousins. Nordic skiing is way more entertaining than long distance running. Here's how I see the Olympics Cross Country running going down.

Day 1 Interval start 10km - no chance of a tactical race there.

Day 3 Team sprints - 2 guys per team racing 3X 1600m each over crazy hills. - I would love to see this. Heats in the morning to add to tired legs.

Day 5 - Grand Finale - Half marathon mass start with individual and team medals.

Track is stuck with so much tradition that they can't even imagine that running could be even more entertaining.