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.

Mahon, 60, has been to more than 52 meets a year over 38 seasons and has no plans on slowing down. *MB: We've found our sport's greatest fan. Mike Mahon just attended his 2,000 cross country meet.

As things stand, a man with a 28:30 pb and a woman with a 34:01 pb would be going to the 2023 Worlds thanks to their cross country rankings. And is US Army member Emmanuel Bor being punished for running World XC?

None of the top six finishers in the women's race had made a Worlds team before. 3rd through 7th in the men's race were separated by 0.8 of a second.

Kelati, Bor, the Youngs, NXN champ Irene Riggs, and FL champ Karrie Baloga will all be racing USA XC in Richmond this weekend. MB: 2023 USA XC is Saturday and it's LOADED (in the jr races). Official discussion thread

How does a pro team cross country race with thousands of running insiders in town ready to watch sound?

NAU is loaded once again. But so is Stanford, and OSU should be dangerous on its home course. Who will win it all in '22? *MB: Jonathan Gault unveils his top 10 men's NCAA xc teams. Agree or disagree?