Cross Country
2018 FPYC Cross Country Schedule
*If schedule changes are required, we will make families aware and change the schedule here on the website. If viewing from a small screen, you may need to turn your device horizontally to view all columns or scroll down.
See the Practice & Meet Locations tab for addresses and links to directions.
The fall cross country season starts at the end of August. We know that many families are establishing back-to-school routines, so if your child is unable to attend any of the initial practices, that is not a problem. We can get you and your child up-to-speed when they come to practice. Scroll down below the schedule for more information about specific cross country races/distances. We do not take attendance and do not need to be notified if your child is unable to attend practice or a meet.
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Cross Country Events
RACE DISTANCES
We encourage all of our runners to compete at their official age-appropriate distance, declared by USA Track and Field (USATF). Some runners, though, may need a race or two at a shorter distance to get to that level.
At our home meets, we allow runners of any age to compete in any distance they choose, including multiple events. For awards, all athletes are separated into the age divisions so runners are only competing against others in their age group. At away meets, athletes are typically required to run the age appropriate race distances used by USATF or as the meet directors determine.
2018 USATF National Age Divisions and Respective Race Distances:
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Age Division
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Year of Birth
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Distance
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Approx. Distance in Miles
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8 & Under
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2010+*
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2K
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1.24
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9 – 10
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2008-2009
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3K
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1.86
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11 – 12
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2006-2007
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3K
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1.86
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13 – 14
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2004-2005
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4K
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2.48
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15 – 16
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2002-2003
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5K
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3.10
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17 – 18
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2000-2001**
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5K
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3.10
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* Per USATF Rule 300.1 (c) "Athletes must be at least seven (7) years of age on December 31 of the current year to compete at the Youth Athletics or Junior Olympic National Championships."
** Athletes who are still 18 through the final day of the USATF National Junior Olympic Track & Field Championships are eligible to compete in the 17-18 age division through that meet. This extended eligibility does not apply to cross country events.
usatf.org/Resources-for---/Youth--NEW/Championships/Age-Divisions.aspx
For our regular season, smaller local meets, the youngest runners are further broken out from the 7 and 8 year-old age group to create a separate “6 & Under” age division at the 1K race distance. The 6 & Under age group is not an official USATF age group, but encourages the youngest runners by reducing their racing group.
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Age Division Name
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Birth Year
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Age at the End of the Year (December 31, 2012)
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Distance (K = kilometer)
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Approximate Distance in Miles
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6 & U
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Born in 2012 or after
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Age 6 and under
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1K
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0.62
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7 – 8
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Born in 2010-2011
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Ages 7 – 8
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2K
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1.24
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*There is no 6 & Under age group for Junior Olympics competition. The youngest age division is 8 & Under, which includes age 8 and younger runners at the 2K race distance. Note that for USATF, runners must be 7 by the end of the calendar year to compete at AAU or USATF Junior Olympic National Championships.
Cross Country Coaches National Youth Championships (CCCNYC) does allow 6 year olds to compete at their championship cross country race in the 2K distance. Please see the AGE GROUPINGS and the EXTENDED SEASON/COMPETITION tab for more information.
There is a running log that is available for runners to keep track of their progress and distance run. Runners can update it throughout the fall. Coaches can give kids estimates of distances run at practice. This is for fun and we will collect them at the end of the season. Everyone who reaches certain age-appropriate mileage levels over the course of the season will receive special recognition.
RUNNING LOG
Download: (PDF) FPYC XC Running Log
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Age
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Name
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Minimum Distance
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8 and Under
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“Half-marathon”
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13.1 total miles
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9 through 12
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“Marathon”
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26.2 total miles
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13 and Older
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“Ultra marathon”
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50.0 total miles
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COURSES FOR MEETS AND PRACTICES
There is something to be said for the familiarity and perceived advantage of a home soccer pitch, running track, or basketball court. But in the end, the dimensions and playing surfaces for these sports are relatively consistent.
That is certainly NOT the case for cross country running. Every course is different in many ways:
layout (loop(s) vs. "out-and-back" vs. "point-to-point");
surface (grass vs. dirt vs. gravel or crushed stone vs. paved blacktop);
geography (meadow vs. woods);
terrain (flat vs. hilly) -
Most challenging and fun courses have a little of all of these elements.
Course walks are offered at the beginning of most meets, but it really pays off for runners to have a practice or two on the courses prior to their races. Our schedule includes pre-race practices on all courses in the central Fairfax area. While this strategy counts on the extra planning and patience of parents, knowing a course really instills confidence in the runner for their race. It eliminates the biggest variable contributing to pre-race anxiety.
Providence Park General Map
The yellow line is the full race course loop (minus start and finish areas on the field).
The course is broken into smaller red, green, purple and blue loops which are utilized as practice areas. MAP
Daniels Run Park Race Course Map
All distances 1K-5K start and finish on the field behind Daniels Run Elementary School. MAP
Van Dyck Park Race Course Maps
1K: Preamble lap around the bowl (40m); one short loop (1K); finish on field. MAP
2K: One long loop (2K); finish on field. MAP
3K: Preamble lap around the bowl (160m); one short loop (1K); one long loop (2K); finish on field. MAP
4K: Preamble lap around the bowl (120m); 2 long loops (2K); finish on field. MAP
5K: Preamble lap around the bowl (280m); one short loop (1K); two long loops (2K); finish on field. MAP