sunken meadows course?

Three main hills. Snake Hill is first and is quite long and a pretty gradual climb followed by a very steep downhill. Next is the legendary Cardiac Hill. Steep steep steep...legendary for a reason. There is also freshman hill which is no big deal. Sunken Meadow or "Sunken Ghetto" for those who have had there cars broken into there is really an awesome and very nice XC course. Definitely lock your vehicle there as there has been a problem in the park with car break-ins. If you see anything suspicious do not hesitate to call 911! Don't let this discourage you from the park but just be aware that there are unfortunately scumbags everywhere. ENJOY! Best of luck to your team!

Course Record for 5 miles is about 23:50...set by Sydney Maree at the '79 IC4A race...that year was the fastest 5 mile race run on the course...most times in the recent 10 years are about 26:30 since they usually run early in the year...also, the teams that run there are not as stacked as a full-fledge IC4A meet late in the year...on a dry day, wear road flats...no need for XC spikes...footing is even good during a light rain...now, if it is pouring like the '97 NCAA DII East Regionals - wear spikes...that 10K was horribly slow - the course was arguably the toughest 10K XC course, even more so than Slippery Rock, PA in the rain and snow and mud...

Thanks..anyone else with insight..?

Cardiac hill, although steep, is difficult primarily because of its location. If I recall correctly it is at about the 4 mile mark of the 5 mile course. Two suggestions for your runners;(1) keep something in the tank for Cardiac and (2) hold back the first 1/3 to 1/2 of Cardiac - its too long and steep to hammer the whole thing, and even if they can, they will not have much left afterwards. Enjoy!

The top of cardiac is the 4 mile mark on the 5 mile course. The course plays out like this: Start on soccer field, run past finish and around Moat to the Mouse Hole. Make a sharp left and head up Shelley Rd to Snake Hill. go down Snake and then go around the HS Picnic Area. Make a sharp left and then go out to the Back Picnic Area which takes you along the Park Entrance Rd. Follow that until it leads you to the beginning of Shelley Rd again, up Snake and then right into Cardiac. From there it is all down hill, literally. You make a sharp right @ the top of Cardiac, go down the hill, make a left & a right in the Back Woods (very sandy there) which takes you to a path that crosses the HS Picnic Area. When you reach the Mouse Hole you have 800m to go. Coming out of the Moat, you have 400m to the Finish Line. Be careful of the storm drain on the left, close to the bushes (is that still there??), as it can kill you. Don't try to sprint the whole last straight, as someone will eat you alive. Save it until you're at least halfway there.

Syndee Marie ran that race after stopping 300 meters in to stop and tie his shoes. he ran 23:50 going from dead last to first in the crowded IC4A. A freshman John Gregorek finished somewhere in the top 6, I believe 6th, in the low 24:20s (and this was one year after setting the still standing 5k record of 15:32.3 for the HS 5k course). The terrain is soft with a good amount of concrete by the outer road and leading up to snake hill. A sub 25 has not been run on that course in ages. In fact, runners who go on to run 8:05 for the 3k there started out their season recently in 16:05 for the 5k on this course (September) so that can give you an idea of the speed of the course. "saving gas in the tank" for a 150 meter hill four miles in is assinine. that is like running the first 2 miles of a 5k "well within your ability" in order to run the last mile harder (when the race starts to really hurt). The key to sunken meadow is NOT pushing the hills, rather running the downhills and many flat and gradual uphill sections hard. The biggest challenge is the soft woodchips.

Thanks..we have been hitting the hills lately

It was a crowded start and I can remember taking off down the field and almost running into Marie as he\'s kneeling down to tie his shoes! Twenty seconds later he goes rippin\' to the front of the pack right past me like it was nothing. Amazing. For him to run 23:50 like that from a dead stop is phenomenal. I ran 24:57 that day but I do question whether that was a certified 5 mile course considering how tough the course was. Definitely tougher than VCP.

"The biggest challenge is the soft woodchips"

American XC courses. You have to laugh...