US XC Champs - Bend, Oregon

I went to to the meet although I wasn't able to run due to a nagging hamstring injury. For what it's worth I thought that it was very well organized and well conducted. They'd change the course from that nightmare course from 2013 Club Nats and it was well received by those who ran. It was regarded as tough but fair.

I think that in addition timing the real drawback is that Bend is a pain in the ass to get to. I think that they would have had a much better turn out in Portland or Seattle.

I'd also like to say that the folks from Picky Bars hosted a great after party last night. A lot of free beer and free pizza. They had a great turnout for that.

Half of the battle is showing up. Congratulations to everyone who ran.

Yes, everyone knows LA is next week.

But still.... some good competitors,

Suver and Van A are top notch US XCers. Google if you don't believe.

Landry WON the US circuit a year ago and was 10th in Bend.

American distance running is such, nothing is easy any more. And Bend was a bitch (thanks Max)

Best story about the meet is probably in the local paper, the Bend Bulletin:

http://www.bendbulletin.com/sports/3976931-151/runner-takes-the-long-way-to-national-title

nikeman wrote:

I went to to the meet although I wasn't able to run due to a nagging hamstring injury. For what it's worth I thought that it was very well organized and well conducted. They'd change the course from that nightmare course from 2013 Club Nats and it was well received by those who ran. It was regarded as tough but fair.

I think that in addition timing the real drawback is that Bend is a pain in the ass to get to. I think that they would have had a much better turn out in Portland or Seattle.

I'd also like to say that the folks from Picky Bars hosted a great after party last night. A lot of free beer and free pizza. They had a great turnout for that.

Half of the battle is showing up. Congratulations to everyone who ran.

I ran the meet (the masters 8K race) DESPITE having a hamstring injury -- and wish I'd been like you and just showed up to watch! I live in Bend, so I didn't have travel anywhere to get there.

I agree, that was a great after party at Silver Moon Brewing. It was a younger crowd though with hardly any masters guys there, so I didn't stay long. They must have all gone to bed already by 9 pm ;-)

I think a lot of people are missing the way this year will preview next year's.

It is not an easy course, and the results show that it is a pure XC runner's course.

Landry finished 10th. Simbassa who ran 63:28 in Houston two weeks ago finished 12th. Meanwhile, mountain runners King and Wacker finished top 6. And of course the race was won by Lutz, who has way better marks on grass than the track or road (only a 13:50 5,000m and 65:30 HM).

Next year will be disappointing for a lot of established runners, with a good finishes from guys who had their last glory days in Terra Haute.

Pathetic and irresponsible on the part of USATF to have this meet a week before the Marathon trials. Incredibly weak field and terrible location. This should not have been considered a national championship. National championships are meant to determine who the best is at an event. No one is going to say these two champions are the best cross country runners in the country. The race should have been held in December with the college athletes and top pros racing.

The guy who won in 2013 on the harder course Joe Gray didn't show up? He missed out on a chance to dominate with such a weak field. I found the course easier than in 2013 but i still think Gray should have come being that he has beaten Max and Wacker who are also trail runner type guys in XC/trail races

2013 course was better. People oughta stop whining, ITS FRICKIN XC

First of all, the lack of any care on the part of USATF to get results up was disgraceful. There wasn't even a spot for them on the event page. This will not help the meet in the long term.

Beyond that, you have to put this meet in a major running hub so the numbers are beefed up by locals. You also need to put it a quick drive from a secondary running hub.

Los Angeles, Dallas, Atlanta, Boston, New York are the types of places that could sustain this meet.

If this is truly going to be a trials meet and they insist on having a December nationals as well, they should not have this meet in non World Championship years. The meet in Bend was not worth having.

I personally would prefer only having the February meet every year.

Joe Gray didn't run because he's running in the marathon trials next weekend.

Wasn't the 2013 Course only 9.6K for men? That's what the map says: http://www.usatf.org/usatf/files/13/13ea61d2-56cf-4b5c-b924-7c91deba9855.pdf

I agree with you about those who complain about the 2013 course. It was probably the best xc course I've ever run on, a real xc course with lots of technical terrain. Too bad Max had to change this year's course in order to achieve Rupp certification standards.

I'm also in the camp that this meet was an embarrassment; 15 girls racing in the Jr. girls race to represent the US in Venezuela?!? It would be better to not hold the event at all then have Tim Hutchins commentating at such a pathetic turnout at our National Championships. I had to laugh when he said that it was likely a lot further than 2km loops because the times were so slow.

Oh well, I'm really looking forward to next year's championships and will chalk this edition up to a dress rehearsal.

Such USATF garbage wrote:

Pathetic and irresponsible on the part of USATF to have this meet a week before the Marathon trials. Incredibly weak field and terrible location. This should not have been considered a national championship. National championships are meant to determine who the best is at an event. No one is going to say these two champions are the best cross country runners in the country. The race should have been held in December with the college athletes and top pros racing.

Dude, the meet was held on the same weekend it always is. Even if you moved it forward or back by two weeks the trials would still affect participation. This was a selection event for pan am cross in march, so it needs to be held this time of year.

Incredibly weak field? No. Everybody in the top ten for men has made a name for themself. Its not like they have no business competing for this title. None of them are olympians yet, but still some top americans. You wouldn't be saying this if just one superstar like chris Derrick showed up and destroyed.

I was there, Bend was great. They really cared about putting on a quality event, there was a lot of community support.

People like to bitch a lot. Praise the runners that showed up and competed. They had no control on the makeup of the field other than themselves.

If you think it's a terrible course and location then work within your own community to make a course and put in bids for these races. Max king is probably the sole reason the race came to bend. Do what he did.

I will be back next year and I expect that participation will be back up to its usual standard with world cross and no olympics.