Junior High Cross Country

Junior High Cross Country Welcome

 

Head Coach: Jeff McCloud (jeffrey_mccloud@etownschools.org)

What is cross country?

Cross country is a unique sport that is all about distance running. While runners train on a variety of surfaces, cross country courses are on grass and other natural terrain. The sport combines team competition with individual racing performances.

Why should I run?

You'll get into the best shape of your life because we run every day and do some form of core workouts and/or strength training. If you play a winter sport, cross country is an ideal way to get in shape for that sport. The best part is that no one is cut from the team, and everyone runs in the races. You can track their progress through the season, watching your times drop from the beginning of the season to the end. You'll get a sense of personal satisfaction knowing you have gotten in top physical shape and run faster and further than you ever thought you could.

How far do athletes run?

In middle school, a cross country race is 2 miles long. At the high school level, the distance is 5K, or 3.1 miles. During training, middle school runners build up to runs of 4 or 5 miles.

Where do athletes run?

When training, athletes run routes on and around the school district campus. The home course for races is entirely on district campus, starting and finishing on the football field in Thompson Stadium.

How many meets are there?

We have six regular season meets, starting the Tuesday after Labor Day. We have one scrimmage to be scheduled and two invitationals, the Comet Classic at Penn Manor Middle School and the Iron Bridge Invitational at Lancaster Mennonite, which is the last meet of the season in the middle of October.