Course Preview: September's Biggest Races


Check out the course preview video above and descriptions of each of the major races this September below. 

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The PTXC 11 race will take place on September seventh at the Farm Course on the campus of Kutztown University. This years meet will feature two-time national champions and MileSplit No. 1 ranked Loudoun Valley. The course is known for its rolling hills and pastoral views. There's no one killer hill, but the terrain is challenging as it seldom gives runners a chance to relax. The final 1K mixes a downhill followed by a gradual uphill to the finish.

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MileSplit TX Cross-Country Invitational (TX):

Sept. 14 The MileSplit Texas Cross-Country Invitational will be held on September 14th at South Lakes Park in Denton, Texas. It is a nice green course that was 3 miles in previous years but was converted to a 5K course for the 2019 race. Its terrain is flat grass, with a few turns, but it's long grassy straight-a-ways are known for producing fast times. Fans will have a vantage point from the pavilion as runners hit the mile mark but those runners will find themselves on their own as they head out to complete mile 2 before coming back to the finish.

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The First to the Finish Invitational will be held on September 14th at Detweiller Park in Peoria, Illinois. Detweiller Park is home to some of Illinois biggest meets including the state championships. Often described as a "track on grass" because of its perceived flat layout, in actuality, the course starts at a slight incline. The back loop is known as the "Bermuda Triangle" because it's where runners' performances go missing. The final 400m is an unforgiving incline to the finish. The 3-mile course record is held by the great Craig Virgin who ran 13:50.6 in 1972.

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Bob Firman Invitational (ID): Sept. 20-21

The Bob Firman Invitational will be held on September 20th and 21st at Eagle Island State Park in Eagle Idaho. The course is the home of the NXR Northwest meet which will be run there later this year. Runners will compete around this two-lap course which features a small portion of sand running as well as a large hill which runners ascend twice. This race is often a good fitness gauge for teams in the Northwest Region to see where they are at early in the season.

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The Woodbridge Cross Country Invitational will be held on September twentieth and twenty-first at SilverLakes Equestrian and Sports Park in Norco, California. The course has a 100-meter-wide starting line, 400-meter long straight away and is run mostly on well-manicured soccer fields. It is a flat and fast three-mile course which produces some of the top times in the nation. It has become an early-season proving ground for teams from powerhouse programs from states like California, Texas, Washington and Oregan.

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The Desert Twilight Cross Country Festival will be held on September 27th at Grande Sports Academy in Casa Grande, Arizona. The course is covered by bermudagrass which hugs the ground and allows for track-like speed. The meet has attracted hundreds of athletes around the southwest to familiarize themselves with the course before NXR Southwest, which will be run on the same course later in the season.

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McQuaid (NY): Sept. 28

The McQuaid Invitational will be September 28th at Genesee Valley Park in Rochester, New York. This course is known for rolling hills and fast times. At 3miles, instead of the full 5K, athletes can expect a 500m straightaway from the starting line, that filters into the varying terrain of the lowlands, and the gentle rises alongside the ridge. With great vantage points of the Mile, Two Mile, and the 800m-to-go distances, it makes for a very spectator-friendly destination.

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Roy Griak (MN): Sept. 28

The Roy Griak Cross Country Invitational will be September 28th at Les Bolstad Golf Course in Falcon Heights, Minnesota. This course is known to be winding and can be difficult for first-timers. With quick, hard ascents and fast-downhill descents, runners who manage it smartly will be rewarded for their efforts. Spectators line the course throughout and provide a great atmosphere. Finishers of Les Bolstad typically come away prepare for the rest of the season. You can watch this meet live on FloTrack.