But before we switch over to indoor track, we had a few final thoughts to share about the 2024 NCAA XC championships, including explaining why track is not the same as cross country, revealing the top-20 finisher who called his shot on the LetsRun messageboard, letting you know about two runners who did something on Saturday that hasn’t been done since Matthew Centrowitz, before we give you a way-too-early look ahead to 2025 NCAAs. 

Last year, Graham Blanks accomplished something no other 21-year-old American man had done in 20 years - win an NCAA xc title before their 22nd birthday. Can he repeat and join the likes of Steve Prefontaine and Gerry Lindgren as repeat American champs?

The Big 12 showdown between the top two teams in the country lived up to the hype while Wisconsin's Bob Liking became the fourth man to win four Big 10 XC titles.

Can the NAU women overcome last year's disappointment and send coach Mike Smith out as a champion in his final year? Plus a loaded BYU team looks to put a bad day in '23 behind them, and does NC State have any chance at a four-peat?

Oregon finished in the top 10 a year ago under Shalane Flanagan and Jerry Schumacher and will look to improve in '24. Plus meet the new NCAA superstar who earned bronze in the U20 race at World XC and is the sister of a former WR holder. And how about some love for Lipscomb, who finished 11th last year with no transfers and no foreigners? *MB: How about some love for Lipscomb and coach Nick Polk? They were 11th at NCAAs with no transfers and no foreigners.

It's time to get back into cross country mode. With young American stars Graham Blanks and Parker Wolfe returning to the NCAA, the 2024 XC season should be a great one.

Seb Coe said WA is exploring a joint proposal to have cross country and cyclocross share a course at the 2030 Winter Olympics in France. Plus Coe shares his thoughts on Grand Slam Track.

We have a simple way to make World XC very important again - not just for those battling for the medals. Make it the primary way to qualify for the Olympics and Worlds in the 10,000.

The top athletes and your intrepid correspondent experimented with methods for hurdling the hay bales in Belgrade. Plus hear how Anthony Rotich ran 27:08 while running less than 70 miles per week.

Boots are on the ground in Serbia where Jonathan Gault reports the 80-degree temps on Saturday will be the real challenge not the very flat Belgrade course although it's been spiced up with hay bales, artificial hills and a mud pit.

The Kenyan Team is AMAZINGLY good. We just aren't sure which Kenyan is the favorite for gold. Is it the defending champ Beatrice Chebet who ran 14:05 last year or is it Kenyan champ Agnes Ngetich who just ran a 28:46 10k world record in January?

Last year, the world's greatest footrace live up to its billing. What will happen in 2024? Joshua Cheptegei and Jacob Kiplimo have split the last two World XC titles. Will one of them break the tie in Serbia or could 12:40 man Berihu Aregawi or World Half champ Sabastian Sawe shake things up?

Teare became the first man in 56 years to win US titles in the 1500 and XC while Kelati won by 37 seconds just six days after setting the half marathon AR.

Cole Hocker, Cooper Teare, & Drew Hunter are among the notable names challenging defending champ Emmanuel Bor and his ace steepler brother Hillary. *MB: 2024 USATF Cross Country Champs - Hocker, Teare, Kelati and more!!

After changing its name twice in recent years, the meet, now in its 45th year, has emerged from a period of uncertainty and signed a new sponsorship deal with HOKA.

The OK State men & NAU women impressed. There was drama out West, where the Gonzaga & Portland men surprised as Oregon & Washington failed to qualify.

Skipping Nuttycombe could come back to haunt the Oregon men -- right now, they're projected to miss NCAAs. We project every team qualifier ahead of Friday's regionals.

Tuohy, who won the individual last year, opted to return to Raleigh and is one of four women on the NC State roster who finished in the top 20 last year.

Our pre/midseason top 10 is here. NAU is loaded, but OK State could be even better than '22, when they lost NCAAs to NAU on a tiebreaker.