PIAA Hershey course long AGAIN

Is it the same course as prior years?

Just compare your time from each year.

It's XC, time doesn't matter.

Film Rep wrote:

It's XC, time doesn't matter.

+1000

Rojo, I suggest banning the OP for 24 hours to teach them a valuable lesson about XC.

PIAA 3.2 wrote:

Running Lane Nationals just announced:

“For the championship Gold races we will likely divide the race into the top 20 teams by 5k average (give or take a few) and the next fastest 100 individuals.” It’s already tough enough for PA kids to compete on 5K times vs. runners from pancake flat states, don’t ask them to run an extra 160 meters! The PIAA would never tell football teams to play on a 103 yard field.

Ok, well that's stupid. Ranking XC teams by average time is like ranking football teams by average points scored.

It's a race, not a time trial. Even if Runninglane doesn't understand this.

Not sure I understand? Who says it was 3.2 miles??

If it's still the same as when I ran it 6 years ago, it should end on a long flat straight. Surely they could move the finish line back and/or the start up.

3.2 according to what? If it measured 3.20 on your watch it could be accurate or just a bit long. I doubt you’d be complaining if it was short.

Ultra Elite athletes have one thing in common, they desire to run elite times and make their mark in history with course records or all time top 10’s. Since the course was changed last year to incorporate the additional small loop after the 2.5 mile mark no one has, nor will ever, come close to running a top 10 time again. This is the STATE CHAMPIONSHIP course, it should be accurate. And yes, GPS measurements do apply. Sample the Strava distances from 2019 and most were probably between 3.08 and 3.13. Sample them since with the added loop that was put in last year and they are now ALL between 3.18 to 3.23.

Gary Martin is the greatest runner in PA history, he could run at 85% effort and win the AA stare championship this year. I have to assume he wants to do more than just win again. Unfortunately, if the PIAA doesn’t accurately re measure the course he won’t come close to leaving his mark in the record book. No one will ever challenge Patrick Anderson’s 15:25. Other PA elite’s this year (who have already committed to Wake Forest, Notre Dame, NC State, Furman…) who are hoping to get invites to Running Lane Nationals deserve to run a certified 5K at the State Championship.

Exactly! Just move the line up .1 miles.

PIAA 3.2 wrote:

For the second straight year the PIAA Hershey 5K course was 3.2 miles.

PIAA 3.2 wrote:

To all those who say this isn’t a big deal… it is! Kids deserve to compare benchmarks to past performances.

Um ....

BTC wrote:

And yes, GPS measurements do apply. Sample the Strava distances from 2019 and most were probably between 3.08 and 3.13. Sample them since with the added loop that was put in last year and they are now ALL between 3.18 to 3.23.

Sounds to me like the course was short originally and was lengthened to make it the correct distance.

An accurate 5km XC course will usually measure close to 3.2 on a GPS watch.

Noticer of obvious stupidity wrote:

PIAA 3.2 wrote:

For the second straight year the PIAA Hershey 5K course was 3.2 miles.

PIAA 3.2 wrote:

To all those who say this isn’t a big deal… it is! Kids deserve to compare benchmarks to past performances.

Um ....

there is a history that is much deeper than 2 years.

This is ridiculous. I can't believe there aren't people in the state making moves to to take care of this.

Good news is that NA is not as good as advertised after than 3 miles Red & Blue meet that is messing up all the rankings, etc. They went to Ohio and ran similar times to PIAA so about time they get called out.

I can't believe anyone who is seriously involved with this sport would consider a gps distance measurement accurate enough to determine the true length of a cross country course.

Wait…..aren’t we talking about cross country????? There’s so much wrong with the OP statement, I simply don’t know where to begin.

BTC wrote:

Ultra Elite athletes have one thing in common, they desire to run elite times and make their mark in history with course records or all time top 10’s.

Make their marks in history by setting a high school course record. LOL.

It’s already a slow course. Most run their XC prs at districts in PA anyway. Especially if you get to run in the big boy district 1 at Lehigh. States is about medals and team titles. Times don’t matter.

The problem here is that the Hershey course made a slight modification around 2.7 miles last year that clearly increased the length of the course. No explanation has ever been given and all times over the final 1.1 miles are now 20+ seconds slower than all previous years to 2020.

‘Elite’ guys are already going to crush local competition— so one thing that motivates them at the local/state level are setting records. The reason we keep records is because they are important (to people that have a chance to set them). Gary Martin ran 4:02/8:49 last year on the track but couldn’t break 16:10 at PIAA state XC meet. There is no way he was nearly a minute slower than the course record (15:25) which was set prior to to the course change.

“Make their marks in history by setting HS course records. LOL”. (Says people who had no chance of ever setting one.)

Would you rather win back to back state championships, or win just one state championship but forever hold the state course record? Olympic Gold Medal or be World Record Holder. No right or wrong answer - Everyone has different motivations.

Charlatan wrote:

Good news is that NA is not as good as advertised after than 3 miles Red & Blue meet that is messing up all the rankings, etc. They went to Ohio and ran similar times to PIAA so about time they get called out.

Red White and Blue is 5k, just a flat course.

NA won state championship last year and team is much better this year. They return top 4 runners and add a freshman who ran 4:29/9:27 as an 8th grader. Their coach is genius at holding them back for the first mile of early season races. No PA team has a chance to beat them this year.