How Long Does a Meet Take?
That depends on the meet. Most meets will have varsity and junior varsity races for boys and girls for a total of four races, but sometimes only a single boys race and single girls race are run. Other meets will use a stagger start, where the girls start a certain length of time after the boys. Many meets will also have junior high races. Overall, most meets last at least three hours.
What Is the Order of Races?
That is going to vary widely from meet to meet. Schedules for each meet will be added to the Google Calendar as those details become available.
How Long is a Race?
Most of our races will be five kilometers, which is approximately 3.1 miles. Our first race at Jackson is a bit shorter, with a distance of 2 miles. Winning runners in a fast boys race will finish within 15 minutes, while the last runners in a slower race can take closer to 40 minutes.
How Many Athletes Run in Each Race?
Meets with a distinct varsity race allow each team to enter up to seven runners in those races. Junior varsity races have no limit on entrants per team, meaning everyone runs. The total number of runners in a given race depends on the number of teams that compete. Some of our races might only have 30 runners. We could also see races with over 200 runners.
How Does Scoring Work?
We'll try to explain this succinctly. Cross country includes both individual and team scoring. Individual scoring is simple. If an athlete finishes in front of someone, they beat them. Each meet will designate the number of individual medals given for races. Runners who finish in one of those places receive a medal.
Team scoring is a bit messier. For a school to qualify with a team score, at least five runners from that school must finish a race. If a team has fewer than five runners, they cannot score, and the places of those athletes do not affect the team scores. Each of the top seven runners on a qualifying team receive points based on their place. The first finisher in a race from any qualifying team receives one point. The next finisher from a qualifying team (whether the same team or a different one) receives two points. The next receives three points and so on. Again, fnishers not on a qualifying team are not assigned points.
Team scoring is a bit messier. For a school to qualify with a team score, at least five runners from that school must finish a race. If a team has fewer than five runners, they cannot score, and the places of those athletes do not affect the team scores. Each of the top seven runners on a qualifying team receive points based on their place. The first finisher in a race from any qualifying team receives one point. The next finisher from a qualifying team (whether the same team or a different one) receives two points. The next receives three points and so on. Again, fnishers not on a qualifying team are not assigned points.
To use the 2014 state championship—a bittersweet moment from team history—as an example, the results above show that the top three finishers received zero points. This is because none of them were on qualifying teams with five runners that finished. Notice that our own Levi Krauss, who finished fourth, earned one point because he was the first finisher from a qualifying team. Fifth place Michael Walling received two points as the second finisher from a qualifying team. Sixth place Isaac Calver was not on a qualifying team, so he received no points. Instead, three points went to Easton Sabala in seventh place.
To determine a team score, the points from a school’s top five runners are added together. The team with the lowest total is the champion, followed by the team with the next lowest total. In the event of a tie, the team with the fastest sixth runner wins the tiebreaker.
To determine a team score, the points from a school’s top five runners are added together. The team with the lowest total is the champion, followed by the team with the next lowest total. In the event of a tie, the team with the fastest sixth runner wins the tiebreaker.
As the team results above show, both our team and Hermitage ended up with a total of 90 points across their first five runners. However, notice that Hermitage’s sixth runner finished not only ahead of our sixth runner, but actually ahead of our fifth runner as well. Sixth and seventh runners are still assigned points. Because Hermitage’s sixth runner finished ahead of our fifth runner, he received 39 points, while our fifth runner received 40. This effectively created the tie, which Hermitage won because our sixth runner finished even further back with 44 points.
The same scoring applies to junior varsity meets as well, with the only difference being that the eighth and subsequent finishers from any given school do not receive points that affect team totals.
The same scoring applies to junior varsity meets as well, with the only difference being that the eighth and subsequent finishers from any given school do not receive points that affect team totals.
Where Are Races Held?
Most meets are held either on the campus of a host school or at a park/athletic complex in their town. Some of these facilities lack large parking lots. That means in many cases parking can be a nightmare. Be prepared to walk a considerable distance from your parking spot to the team tent and/or the course. Veteran parents recommend arriving early and/or carpooling with other families.
Bathroom facilities are also often inadequate to handle the influx of runners and spectators. Many meets will add porta potties, but still expect to wait in line.
Bathroom facilities are also often inadequate to handle the influx of runners and spectators. Many meets will add porta potties, but still expect to wait in line.
How Much Does It Cost To Attend Meets?
At this point none of our regular season races charge admission. There is an admission fee for the district and state meets. Last year those were $6 and $10 respectively. Tickets to the state meet must be purchased online.
Where Do Spectators Watch a Race?
Really anywhere on the course. Unlike other sports, there aren’t really bleachers or a designated spectator section. Some courses do have restricted areas (especially near the start and finish) where spectators and/or coaches aren’t allowed. But otherwise spectators can pretty much go anywhere. Most spectators like to see the start of the race and definitely the finish. For many meets these locations are close to each other, so we recommend spectators go there or some other location where runners will pass multiple times during the race. Really dedicated fans go to the remote parts of the course where runners need some encouragement to break up the isolation.
When they are not walking the course, warming up, racing, or cheering on teammates in other races, runners will congregate around our team tent, which will be located in an area designated by the meet. Most parents tend to gravitate there before/after the races as well.
We will try to provide a course map for each meet that identifies all of these areas. These will be attached to the Google Calendar entry for the meets and will also be included in our newsletter the week before the meet.
When they are not walking the course, warming up, racing, or cheering on teammates in other races, runners will congregate around our team tent, which will be located in an area designated by the meet. Most parents tend to gravitate there before/after the races as well.
We will try to provide a course map for each meet that identifies all of these areas. These will be attached to the Google Calendar entry for the meets and will also be included in our newsletter the week before the meet.
What Should a Runner Bring to a Meet?
This is by no means exhaustive, but it covers most of the bases:
- Uniform: athletes should already have their uniform on when they board the bus. Most meet locations lack adequate facilities to change. This includes base layers such as compression shorts or—if we get cold races—tights and undershirts.
- Extra Shoes: Runners should not wear their running/racing shoes on the bus. This not only prematurely wears the shoes out, but they will also often end up soaked in dew/mud before their race ever starts. They should wear a separate pair of shoes that they can comfortably walk in, as we will preview the course upon arriving. For runners racing in spikes, they should bring adequate pins, preferably already inserted. They should also bring their trainers to warm up in.
- Extra Socks: Dew, sweat, dew, more dew. Most of our races are in the morning in thicker grass. For these races, at least three pairs of socks are recommended: one for the bus and walking the course, one for warming up and racing, and one for after the race. Even with drier afternoon races, at least two pairs are still recommended.
- Additional Clothes: Many mornings will be chilly. Even though a runner could be fine racing in just their uniform, the bus ride, walking the course, hanging out in the tent, and maybe even warming up might require additional layers to stay warm. At minimum, most runners wear t-shirts and gym shorts/pants over their uniforms. During colder meets, this often expands to jackets, sweatshirts, or coats.
- Gym Bag: This is the easiest way to carry everything.
- Trash Bag: Great for storing yucky clothing without getting mud, sweat, grass clippings, and tears all over their gym bags.
- Water Bottle: Even though we will have a team supply of water, having one’s own bottle is still a wise move just in case.
- Personal Medication: Any medication a runner might need during the course of the meet, including inhalers.
- Spending Money: Many meets offer t-shirts that some runners like to purchase. We will also often stop for food on the way home from meets.
- Towels
- Blanket/Pillow: Many runners like to sleep on the bus and/or lounge in the team tent upon arrival
- Rain Jacket: More or less optional depending on weather.
What Should a Parent/Spectator Bring to a Meet?
Veteran parents have a lot of great suggestions here:
- Towels, wash clothes, wet wipes for muddy and sweaty runners (and occasionally oneself)
- Extra clothes (especially socks) and shoes. Morning races tend to involve quite a bit of dew.
- Rain jackets/umbrellas
- Tub/bucket to create a barrier between gross clothes and the interior of one's car
- Chairs (especially for anyone not able/willing to stand for 1-2 hours)
- Cooling towels (especially for the hot meets)
What Should Spectators Do During a Race?
Essentially the same things as any other sporting event. Cheer for athletes. Give them positive encouragement. Try not to go overboard as a sideline coach/official.
What Should Spectators NOT Do During a Race?
Besides the obvious unsportsmanlike conduct, the biggest things spectators should avoid are physically blocking the course or pacing. It is okay to move across the course to travel to a new viewing location, but be mindful of runners on the course when doing so. Impeding a runner on another team is not only unfair to them but can result in a disqualification for our team.
Pacing is essentially running/jogging in front or alongside of a runner (either on the course or next to it) for more than five strides. This is often done in an attempt to encourage athletes and get them to go faster and/or keep up, but it isn’t allowed under any circumstances. This applies not only to parents but to siblings, friends, teammates, and coaches.
Pacing is essentially running/jogging in front or alongside of a runner (either on the course or next to it) for more than five strides. This is often done in an attempt to encourage athletes and get them to go faster and/or keep up, but it isn’t allowed under any circumstances. This applies not only to parents but to siblings, friends, teammates, and coaches.
Can Spectators Give Athletes Water and/or Splash Them During a Race?
A 5k is typically a short enough race that as long as athletes are well hydrated before the race, they shouldn’t need fluids during the race. If anything, water would serve much better on the face or wrists as a means to cool the body down.
That being said, spectators are allowed to provide liquids (not anything else) to a runner so long as 1) they are not in a restricted area and 2) doing so doesn’t impede the progress of another runner.
What that means practically is if a spectator holds out a water bottle to an athlete during the race and another runner has to move to the other side of the course to avoid the spectator's arm, that spectator has become an impediment and the athlete risks disqualification. The same is true if a spectator douses an athlete with water and part of it hits another runner in the face. The same is true if an athlete takes a water bottle and then drops it behind them in the middle of the course.
So feel free to give fluids, but please do so responsibly. One veteran parent recommended doing this on a straightaway on the course so that spectators can be better aware of other runners and the athlete can more easily throw the bottle off the side of the course. They also suggested having some sort of hand signal (like a drinking motion) the athlete can give if they do actually want a drink/splash.
That being said, spectators are allowed to provide liquids (not anything else) to a runner so long as 1) they are not in a restricted area and 2) doing so doesn’t impede the progress of another runner.
What that means practically is if a spectator holds out a water bottle to an athlete during the race and another runner has to move to the other side of the course to avoid the spectator's arm, that spectator has become an impediment and the athlete risks disqualification. The same is true if a spectator douses an athlete with water and part of it hits another runner in the face. The same is true if an athlete takes a water bottle and then drops it behind them in the middle of the course.
So feel free to give fluids, but please do so responsibly. One veteran parent recommended doing this on a straightaway on the course so that spectators can be better aware of other runners and the athlete can more easily throw the bottle off the side of the course. They also suggested having some sort of hand signal (like a drinking motion) the athlete can give if they do actually want a drink/splash.
What Should A Parent/Spectator Do After An Athlete Finishes Their Race?
The finish line of most races will include a chute. This essentially ensures a controlled finish where the exact order of racers can be reliably determined without crowding, spectator interference, or other chaos. Athletes will be funneled through the chute to the exit. The first instinct as a parent is often to crowd the chute and engage their child as soon as they reach the end. However, remember that the host school will have trained parents, athletic trainers, and medical personnel at the finish line to attend to all runners. This is much more efficient than one hundred parents of one hundred runners all swarming the chute.
Veteran parents suggested letting athletes get a bit away from the finish before finding them. This gives them some space to breathe and move and avoids creating a traffic jam at the finish. Be mindful that runners will likely be exhausted and in some cases sore and/or nauseous.
Veteran parents suggested letting athletes get a bit away from the finish before finding them. This gives them some space to breathe and move and avoids creating a traffic jam at the finish. Be mindful that runners will likely be exhausted and in some cases sore and/or nauseous.
What Else Should a Parent Know That Isn't Already Covered?
Most meets sell shirts that can serve as a sort of memento for your child. You aren’t required to buy them. Some athletes want them from every single meet. Some don’t care for them at all. Others only do so for the big meets like districts. That’s a conversation for parent and athlete.
Most meets are timed by professional companies with websites where team and individual results are posted. Others have some designated location at the meet where they will tape up printed results of the race. Ultimately pretty much all race results end up consolidated on a website called MileSplit, but that might not be till later in the evening or the following day. I will try to post live results pages on the Google Calendar event for the meet if I know them in advance. I will also try to post them in our parent GroupMe and our social media accounts.
Some meets have designated award ceremonies after the races, but more and more the trend is becoming to hand out individual medals as runners finish and then deal with team trophies later.
Lastly, remember every cross country parent was once new. There’s a learning curve. Don’t be afraid to go to our veteran parents (or even coaches) with additional questions.
Most meets are timed by professional companies with websites where team and individual results are posted. Others have some designated location at the meet where they will tape up printed results of the race. Ultimately pretty much all race results end up consolidated on a website called MileSplit, but that might not be till later in the evening or the following day. I will try to post live results pages on the Google Calendar event for the meet if I know them in advance. I will also try to post them in our parent GroupMe and our social media accounts.
Some meets have designated award ceremonies after the races, but more and more the trend is becoming to hand out individual medals as runners finish and then deal with team trophies later.
Lastly, remember every cross country parent was once new. There’s a learning curve. Don’t be afraid to go to our veteran parents (or even coaches) with additional questions.