It would make more sense training-wise. You'd spend the winter months building mileage, then race xc in the spring. Then spend your summer blasting workouts on the track in preparation for fall track.
The way it is now sucks. I haven't stepped on the track, which I need to do, in weeks because it's covered in snow.
An idea whose time might come, if it wasn't for TRADITION. This suggestion never made the light of day back in the late 70's, as coaches relied on football players to fill events. This is less and less the case now, but still no movement. Early endings of college spring semester would also provide a good solution to have xc in the spring, but schools in the south and west enjoy having the advantage of running in warm weather in March, while northern and eastern schools run in the snow...
Think about it. Most countries do have xc in the early spring and then track from mid summer to early fall. Running outdoors in September and October (8 weeks of competition) under mostly ideal weather conditions in the vast majority of the country and then going under cover in December and January gives plenty of competitive opportunities. XC in the spring with the season 2 months long (March and April and a finish with Nationals in Indiana in early May prior to exams) would be a great finish to a full year of collegiate competition.
Penn Relays and Drake Relays along with Texas Relays would be victims of the change, but could be run in early September with better weather and a good way to start off the outdoor track season. They would have to be scheduled on an off football weekend.
Weather is so shitty and unpredictable in the spring (at least up here in the midwest)--80s in April, then 3 days later it snows. An XC course is more resilient to rough conditions, tons of rain that we get in the spring, even snow. It doesn't rain as much in the fall, and in general doesn't snow till late Nov., so that'd be a good time to run fast on the outdoor track (then indoor track could keep its same schedule).
Track isn't just distance events. If track season started in September, by the time you got to the big meets it would be too cold for the sprinters in way too much of the country. Current system isn't perfect but it's tolerable for everybody.
They do this at the international level. 2008 World Cross Country was March 30, last day of the Olympic Games was August 24. World Athletics Final was September 13 and 14.
Good point. Track is a summer sport. But the point about the championships being held in the cold points out the problem with the academic schedule.
Isn't the idea of taking the summer off a little antiquated?
Do you really have to go work on the farm? It is time to have school all year.
Tom