No Clear Favorite for NXN Girls Title?

Here is a map of said course. I believe there is net elevation gain. Also the logic of the finish line doesn't go back to the starting is baffling, How many cross country courses have the exact start and finish line. Not many.

mapmyrun.com

Fresno - Woodward Park XC Course in Clovis, California

state high school 5K championship course - a 3.1 mi running route in Clovis, California

Open link

Above posts about elevation change within first/last mile being 30' or more, as well as the last mile being short, are nonsense.

A WP elevation tracker was just posted. First mile is, indeed, approx 15 ft downhill while last mile is approx 12 ft uphill.

There is a timing device at the 1 mile mark. There is also a timer at the 2.1 mile mark -- slightly uphill and behind the 1 mile mark as you head back down the hill.

The finish line is, indeed, adjacent to but slightly in front of the start line. Whatever that short distance between them, the mile mark and 2.1 mile marks are separated from each other by that same distance.

So, the Woodward Park 5000 course is, indeed, 5000 meters = 3.10x miles.

And has been since the course was laid out in 1975.

Sorry about the thread diversion from NXN race.

Current Portland weather: raining now (early Fri morn) thru noon hour, then break in weather for the afternoon, then rain restarting early Sat morning lasting thru the day.

In other words, Swamp Glendoveer returns.

Then -- thx to Brooks Golden Tickets --- we get to see the top runners + Chiara Dailey & other state champs not running NXN, do it all over again a week later in sunny San Diego.

Remember: NXN winner earns spot on the U-20 team for Worlds.

You’re comparing Hedengren to Ritzenhein?? 🤣😅😂

I have no idea how you interpreted it that way. Cleary the poster was saying there was no obvious girl as favorite, as Hedengren was last year. And also, don't underestimate the SW girls given the history.

We’re referring to individual top runners here. Not regional. Every region has great teams. Look at the rankings. Not sure what you’re talking about or why.

ok genius, from what region is Ritzenhein? The one with 2 champs and a 2/3 in the last 3 years? But of course you are right. She has no chance. Just like in 2023.

Just meant the race was out of her usual routine, as she went on her own to Great American and her team did not run.

Her family lived in North Carolina before moving to Utah, so my guess is she visited friends and family in NC, while also running Great American.

Anyway, at Woodbridge she brought her A game, and at Great American her C game. Now with Utah State Meet and NXR, she is back on track.

Of course it's possible that Lowen, Dudek, Wilson etc are just 15-30 seconds faster. I just happen to think that will not be the case.

I agree that Dudek and Bartlett are at the very top, with the slightest edge to Dudek because she has more experience with XC, specifically handling variable courses and weather conditions etc. But I don't think Lowen is in the same category, because I have questions about her durability and consistency. Above her I would put Alder and Wilson, probably even Ritzenhein because of her history, and I would put maybe Jaelyn Williams on the same level as Lowen. If any of these 7 won, I'd say it wouldn't be a HUGE surprise.

I'm just curious. If Lowen finishes the race faster, and beats these other runners, would you still rank other runners above her?

I was saying that Hedengren was a generational talent. This year is more wide open. Rankings are heavily influenced by the moment. They have Alder #10. There are a number of runners she beat above her on the list. They have downgraded her based on an off race at Great American (2 weeks after she won Woodbridge on the other side of the country, that’s a lot of travel), which effectively downgraded all of the SW runners. Last year’s #2 and #3 ranked runners finished 11th and 28th respectively. Last year SW girls teams were ranked 1, 5, 13 and 14. They finished 1, 4, 8 and 2. Not sure what they were ranked heading into 2023, but it definitely wasn’t 1, 2, 3, 4.

Went back and checked. SW girls teams were ranked 1, 2, 12, 13 in 2023. Ritz was ranked 9th.

In 2022, girl’s teams were ranked 6, 8, 12 and finished 2, 4, 7. When you are running most of your races at altitude, you get overlooked.

Ok OAC genius.
Based on the rankings, in the top 10 there’s only one SW girl- Alder at #10 . Ritzenhein is ranked 12th. Explain why there is any chance either of them will win NXN. Sorry. Doesnt stack up

I know for some reason you are an anti Ritz troll.

The answer to your question is already provided above. In 2023 Ritz as a soph was ranked 9th and won the race. (Even though she was not the fastest runner in the race)

Highly unlikely, but no reason she could not do it again in similar conditions if leaders all crash and burn again.

Alder really has the best pedigree in the field from spring '25 track. Others have run faster so far this year in xc, so correctly she's not included among the favorites. She has looked great in her last 2 races, however, and it shouldn't shock anyone, if she runs 15-30 seconds faster than some rankings estimate.

We'll see. Both boys and girls races unusually open for the taking.

Ok so I post on the rankings and all of sudden I’m a ritz troll? Seems your the one here on the thread pushing the agenda about the whole region for whatever reason. Expect reactions from others.

Alder won Woodbridge against a number of those ranked ahead of her. Her last few races indicate she has regained that form.

I just don't buy that she has "no chance" especially with the likey conditions. Or should only individusls in the top 10 run the race? I still laugh at the post which guaranteed Whitni Orton would not win ncaa xc nationals...right before she did.