Speaking of next year worlds, I had to double check to confirm the date. The World XC Champs, usually in March and never later than Feb. (late Feb.?) are January freaking 11? Why? That seems really bizarre, seems like it would be way too early for almost any country but us (?)
Just checked ... mid-late March every year but two, and those times were 18 Feb. and 28 Feb.
And World Athletics is considering moving the championships even earlier.
Note two crucial things about the 1997 results that "Keep it simple" posted... (1) It was World XC Trials. Very different from the "orphan" 2025 meet. (2) The stars scored for teams (ex-Goucher).
For a team score, someone has to enter a team - or for NB, 2 teams - rather than USATF aggegating individuals. This was likely done at the corporate level. And those corporates almost certainly used money (incentive bonus or reduction clause) to get their pros to show up.
USATF created absolutely no excitement and should be dissolved ASAP.
Time to start over with new leadership
I don't know what you're talking about. I'm so pumped up to watch the worlds qualifying race, to see who makes the US team. I'm counting the days...when is it again? And where?
Location, location, location. No one wants to go to Lubbock. It’s the armpit of the western hemisphere.
You are wrong. Lubbock is a lovely city with historic university teams (Lubbock Christian's 90's XC dominance & Texas Tech titles.)
The fact that the US will host the World Championships in less than a year and USATF put zero effort into the penultimate US championship speaks for itself.
You think Tallahassee has anything on Lubbock?
Im not one to crack too hard on another's town, but I do think they should find awesome spot that most would love to go to and have it there. Heck, its not like they are hosting several thousand kids like Youth XC! Its practically a Park Run. I am always told by USATF "guys" that these location issues are a result of "nobody bidding". But do we really need a bid process for a meet with a few dozen people? Or just a permit at a park? Or what about a well-regarded NCAA course...do they have to have this in january? Rules out Wisconsin and few other locales.
Pick a well know course
Or pick a warm state that can double as a vacation/ beach.
Preferably both.
It's middle of January and still no word on USATF Youth indoor nationals. I feel like USATF is like one guy in a cubicle in Indiana.
Simple answer. Go back to the format in 1994 (Portland), 1995 (Boston), 1996 (Palo Alto) and 1997 (Portland) when there was one combined race in December that served as the Club XC Champs / USATF National Championships / US World Team Trials. It was a great event, all the best pros and college runners (2 weeks after college championships), pro teams scored along with the club teams, etc.
No idea why they tried to fix something that wasn't broken.
^^^ This is the answer.
This 100% needs to happen, particularly for 2025. Worlds is Janaury 10th so the selection race shouldneeds to be in earyl December - I'd do it on the 6th or 13th. That's normally when Clubs is held.
So moving forward.
1) Always hold Clubs and USAs as the same race. I dont' want to hear how the field's would be too large. Hold it on a course that can handle 500 entrants. Maybe have an SEC rule - if you get lapped, you get pulled out.
2) If you aren't going to do #1, maybe not hold USA xc at all in non-Worlds years.
Actually, I have heard that CLUB xc championships will be held in Tallahassee the day after Worlds - so Jan. 11, 2026. There won't be a club xc race in 2025. USATF will have a world "qualifying" event sometime in December, 2025. That December race will not be the club championship. Unfortunately, given that USATF bids the USA championships for two year blocks, the December race is probably going to be in Lubbock again.
Someone at USATF believes that all the club racers will flock to Tallahassee in January and be a big crowd spectating at World's. January is an awkward time to be in peak shape for xc for us regular folks, plus Tallahassee is normally difficult and expensive to get to and likely to be more so with World's participants there.
Kind of sucks - don't want to go to Lubbock in December (or ever, actually) and not inclined to go to Tallahassee yet again either.
Tumbleweed is right about the history. USAs have never been very big, though they were crazy competitive and only in the last 20 years or so did they offer masters races.
Ok. I guess this is the next best thing. Get the club runners in Tallahassee to support Worlds. Might even be a better idea except I'd run Clubs the day before worlds. I know they'll claim it will mess up the course - it won't.
This post was edited 1 minute after it was posted.
Speaking of next year worlds, I had to double check to confirm the date. The World XC Champs, usually in March and never later than Feb. (late Feb.?) are January freaking 11? Why? That seems really bizarre, seems like it would be way too early for almost any country but us (?)
False. They are trying to move it up to right after Euros so the Europeans have no excuse not to come. I personally think they should just hold Euros at Worlds. You can score the Europeans within the meet.
They also are trying to do it so someone like Jakob could do xc and then still do a track season aftere it. So you work on base in Octtober, November, December and then hammer January/February/March with xc/indoors.
As someone who has watched the EuroCross for many years, I do wish we had something like that over here. Sometimes I dream that if we made it a state-based championship, and had each State's association send a team to score, that might work.
Then I realize there is no will for that here in the USA. Nor money. Neither. I think it would be cool, but I don't think enough people agree with me to make it work.
There would just need to be enough buy-in across the board, and you won't get that on a purely national basis.
It's middle of January and still no word on USATF Youth indoor nationals. I feel like USATF is like one guy in a cubicle in Indiana.
It figures that USATF doesn't have it listed it under their upcoming events, but the National Youth Indoor Championship is scheduled for 3/21-23 at the .
I've seen better finish lines at middle school xc meets.
Carrie Ellwood is a USATF Champ! Ellwood won the USATF Cross Country Championships in 34:21.59. Cailie Logue was second in 34:44.70 and Katie Camarena was third in 35:12.85! #JourneyToGoldpic.twitter.com/ajoSICSRp0
Well, it also didn't help that there were terrible travel delays and cancellations that impacted athletes who were planning to race. I know my school tried to send 3 athletes but after 3 cancelled flights they were unable to get to the host location and had to come back from 1/2 way across the country... Bummer, I know those guys were excited to race. I'm sure they weren't the only ones.
I would think there should be one cross country weekend that has youth, juniors, open, club, and masters x-country champs. Have it late fall. Who cares if the timing doesn't work for the pros - it doesn't seem like they are are attending these races anyway. Award the bidding location multiple years, so that they have incentive to put on a great meet year after year. Maybe near Cleveland which is driving distance for half the population.
To be fair that guy would have probably won or got 2nd in open. He was out there chillin. His time would be way faster than that as the 10k was a lil short 30-40 secs. The course was actually really cool and our city did a great job hosting as this was a last minute situation so people should probably understand that
Actually, I have heard that CLUB xc championships will be held in Tallahassee the day after Worlds - so Jan. 11, 2026. There won't be a club xc race in 2025. USATF will have a world "qualifying" event sometime in December, 2025. That December race will not be the club championship. Unfortunately, given that USATF bids the USA championships for two year blocks, the December race is probably going to be in Lubbock again.
Someone at USATF believes that all the club racers will flock to Tallahassee in January and be a big crowd spectating at World's. January is an awkward time to be in peak shape for xc for us regular folks, plus Tallahassee is normally difficult and expensive to get to and likely to be more so with World's participants there.
Kind of sucks - don't want to go to Lubbock in December (or ever, actually) and not inclined to go to Tallahassee yet again either.
Tumbleweed is right about the history. USAs have never been very big, though they were crazy competitive and only in the last 20 years or so did they offer masters races.
Ok. I guess this is the next best thing. Get the club runners in Tallahassee to support Worlds. Might even be a better idea except I'd run Clubs the day before worlds. I know they'll claim it will mess up the course - it won't.
Next best thing? You think the 1500 runners from clubs are going to hold onto fitness for an extra month, through the holidays and THEN try to race on a Sunday in January after spectating - and try to get back home? Not happening.
Since the sport went officially pro I've always felt that USATF (or whoever was in charge at the time) should find a way to make it financially inviting for a pro runner to be there, especially when a World Cross position is on the line. And then make it financially inviting for them the focus on Worlds.
The masters men's winner took the 8k distance in 25:31...
Almost could have been competitive for top 10 in the open. (10/27 = 31:26.)
PATHETIC.
There were 20 mph winds. I don't think you'd be running 25 for 8K last Saturday. And note that this runner happens to be a former USATF club cross champion (overall), and world mountain running champion (overall).
