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Leveling the playing field: Girls cross country to see championship course increase
BY Kevin Hageland, khageland@starlocalnews.com
Athletes always look to step up their game in championship season.
Class 4 and 5A girls cross country runners across the state will have to literally interpret that cliché this fall as the number of steps it takes to win a championship will drastically increase.
This season, championship season girls cross country races (district, regionals, state) will increase from 2 miles to a 5K (3.1 miles).
The new distance is what the boys run in a standard cross country event.
"I always felt like were selling our athletes short by saying that girls couldn't do this distance," said Greg Christensen, Lovejoy boys and girls head coach. "So I'm in favor of this for sure; it's a good move and good for the sport."
But the reason Christensen likes the move is not the same as many others.
"Texas is one of the few states where girls don't already run a 5K, so one of the big arguments for this change was that people think it will make our girls more competitive for college scholarships," he said. "I think that's wrong. Any college coach can look at a runner, whether it's a mile or even a half-mile, and extrapolate times and opinions based off that. And if you look at the college level, Texas is already pretty well represented."
That's good news for lower classifications as not all of the state's schools will see an increase in course length this fall.
The distance change was originally proposed and accepted via the UIL State Executive Committee, but still had to pass a referendum ballot of member school superintendents.
Class 4 and 5A approved the change to a 5K while Class 1, 2, 3A voted to keep the distance at 2 miles.
"I really don't think the classification should matter," said Christensen, whose Lovejoy squad is moving up from 3 to 4A this season. "If we were staying at 3A I'd be more frustrated by that part of the vote and I know a lot of 3A coaches that are upset. You have to share so many athletes at the lower classifications that I think they are worried a girl who plays volleyball isn't adequately trained to do a 5K. But if you know your girls that shouldn't matter because it's about managing workouts and miles correctly."
Since girls will only be required to run 5Ks during district, regionals and state, team management likely means a mix between the old and new distances.
"You could run a 5K every weekend, but in the Texas heat that's probably not a good idea and will put a lot of stress on your runners," Christensen said. "We'll maybe do one 5K until late October, so we can build up and be ready to peak for championship season."
A championship season that promises to be different than any other in girls cross country history.
"This means that now the race will really start after 2 miles," Christensen said. "It's going to be fun."
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