Juvenile Cross Country Distances

Domer

So at congress last this year they voted to increase the Cross Country distances for Juveniles. While I agree with the thought process, it is a giant steps for kids to go from running reasonably short distances last year, to running very long distances this year. I believe that as Cross Country the courses should be longer, and the courses tougher, however doing it in a one giant step may damage juvenile cross country running.

New Distances
U.11 1500
U.12 2000
U.13 2500
U.14 3000
U.15 3500
U.16 4000
U.17 4500

Anybody have any thoughts on this?

meathcountysec

[personal opinion] I think it’s a good thing. We should see a different group of athletes coming to the fore.

Clubs have had since last April to factor the longer distances into their training.

The new distances mean that cross-country will be a distance-event, where endurance will triumph over speed.

There are enough shorter races (600m, 800m, 1,500m, 3,000m) on the track for those athletes that favour such distances. [/personal opinion]

ecoli

I am in favor of the increase in distance as i feel this has the long term interest of the athletes. We need to be focusing on developing the aerobic base from a young age in order to allow the bodies of these young athletes to cope with the rigours of tough anaerobic work and interval training which comes in their late teens and adulthood.
To me this is a good step in the long term development of middle/ long distance running which has been waning in recent times

a_non_a_mouse

strangely enough I feel as well as the increased distances being a long term benefit to XC athletes, I also feel it should help sprinters and field eventer's.

With relevatively short distances, there was many a sprinter/field eventer dragged along to help make up a team.
With the increased distances, I feel this is less likely to happen and end result some people who don't want to run XC don't have to, so they can concentrate on more relevant training for them and also MAY help them to stay in the sport for longer.

just my opinion based on what I've seen at XC's...

ecoli

a_non_a_mouse wrote: »

strangely enough I feel as well as the increased distances being a long term benefit to XC athletes, I also feel it should help sprinters and field eventer's.

With relevatively short distances, there was many a sprinter/field eventer dragged along to help make up a team.
With the increased distances, I feel this is less likely to happen and end result some people who don't want to run XC don't have to, so they can concentrate on more relevant training for them and also MAY help them to stay in the sport for longer.

just my opinion based on what I've seen at XC's...

That could be a double edged sword from my own experience i was a hurdler at a very young age but it was only by being dragged into XC that i found that this was my actual strength. By giving these people a chance to try new things you can identify there strength and weaknesses.
I know one of the current 4*400m Senior team actually did XC with us and feels that this stood to him regarding strength

notsofast

I think it's a good thing in general. Saw some relatively unfit kids really suffering at the weekend. However clubs and athletes will need to adjust attitudes and training. The occasional runner who does GAA or soccer training once a week will no longer be able to contribute to the same extent that they did in the past. Those that train specifically for cross country will come to the fore but it will probably take this season for this to dawn on everyone.

runjb

A very interesting debate. I think overall it is a positive decision. Real distance, cross country runners will come to the fore and it will help in their long term development.

However I think this year will be tough on clubs who will attempt to adjust to these new distances, but from next year it will be fine! I hope it doesn't turn off too many athletes. Having watched all the races at yesterday's County Champs, there seemed to be more chn lagging behind suffering but then again it begs the argument about training etc. It might turn some kids away from the sport but I really hope it doesn't! Attendance at yesterday's champs was up on previous years so long may it continue!

dna_leri

I believe it will reduce the number of children taking part in XC which is bad for the sport but I think it will encourage those who have good endurance to stay with XC.
I think it should have been done in two stages to bridge the gap becasue clubs will not have been training for the longer distances snce April as most were doing shorter track races in the summer. The sharp increase will put many off. e.g last years' u-11s ran 800m, this years as u-12s they will run 2000m, 1500m would have been a better choice and then move it to 2000m the following year.

thirtyfoot

ecoli wrote: »

That could be a double edged sword from my own experience i was a hurdler at a very young age but it was only by being dragged into XC that i found that this was my actual strength. By giving these people a chance to try new things you can identify there strength and weaknesses.
I know one of the current 4*400m Senior team actually did XC with us and feels that this stood to him regarding strength

I think we should be ensuring young power athletes don't do XC. It's not good and no benefit to them apart from it been in some ways cathartic. Aside from it possibly 'making them tougher' it's a waste of time for a power athlete and there are many ways to make them tougher. Event specific strenght endurance sessions in their teens will benefit them more in later years.

Domer

Some very interesting feedback. Makes good reading and a lot of sense.

I am involved in a small country club, and we are going to find it hard to get a team to enter into the regional championships. We would have maybe 3 good runners, and would get a 4th to make up a team. With the longer distance we would be lucky to get the 4th person to run, let alone finish.... but c'est la vie!

We continue to run at the old distance in local and county events which is good for the other kids who wont go to the regionals and still like to run a bit of cross country.

Domer