2012 USA XC Nats

billy bob rodgers wrote:

They knew when they put in the bid that no World XC was happening, and thus should have known nobody would show. Anyone go the meet? I heard it was poorly attended and those at the event said it was embarrassing.

Why all the hate, Billy Bob? The meet directors did a great job at putting the meet together! It was 18 degrees and below 10 with wind chill. You can only control what you can.

Nobody expected it to be that cold this year, today its 40 degrees in the same place. It was just an odd day.

With that said, I feel like the field at the meet was pretty legit. Next year, the field will only have maybe 5-6 more legit runners, and none of them will be that much better than who was here this year.

Attendance wasn't bad, considering how terrible cold it was, and the fact that it was in the midwest. Sorry the west coast pussies can't handle a little winter weather. You have a national championship like this and anyone can come and compete. A lot of the top guys didn't show, for a number of reasons, is that a reason to just not have a race that you have every year?

The course was difficult, the hills were short, but the loops made you run them a lot. The ground was torn up and muddy by the open mens' race even though the windchill was around single digits.

So, it was the coldest race I've ever run, the course was a legit euro-style one, and for some reason, people gotta hate.

billy bob rodgers wrote:

This is a joke of a national championship. Why they are having this race this year is beyond me. Worst course and field possibly ever! The course is flat and boring.

Typical of a poorly done high school race where you cram a 2k loop into the smallest space around athletic fields. Much better courses are available in the St.Louis area like Jeffersron Barracks and Edwardsville.

The field lacks the real competition to be considered a national championship. I really don't see anyone in the field making it next year when things really count.

Jefferson Barracks has the worst footing out of any course I've run on and not to mention it's not nearly spectator friendly as Forest Park. Oh and by the way the course was hard as a rock for most parts because of the single digit windchill and 17 degree temps. So before you hate please do your research.

Called up a buddy that was at the event. Sounds like quite a bit of poor planning.

She said at the dinner the night before most people didn't get any food and the discussion was more or less a guy from the local running store talking for a while followed by Hall and Davilla recounting Boston 11 experiences. She couldn't figure what that had to do with XC.

Then at the race the next day most people had a hard time figuring out what was going on. Small clock over to the side, award ceremonies happening while other races took place, no video screen or updates, course went around a few athletic fields.

My buddy also said no press was given to this in the local paper or television leading up to or after.