The USA Cross Country Championships is the annual national championships for cross country running in the United States . The championships is generally held in mid-February and it serves as a way of designating the country's national champion, as well as acting as the selection race for the IAAF World Cross Country Championships .
65-414: The competition, currently run under the auspices of USA Track & Field , traces its history back to 1883. The competition was held sporadically until 1905 at which point it has been held every year since. The National Championship has been sponsored by multiple organizations over the years, some of them holding competing championships. It has thus been known under a variety of names. Women did not have
130-534: A B section to make the number of runners on the course manageable. There are currently four races held at each Winter Championships: the men's 12 km open race, the women's 8 km open race, a junior men's race of 8 km and a junior women's race of 6 km. All four serve as selection races for the IAAF World Championships in which the top six runners from each race gain qualification. Each race awards medals on an individual basis and
195-593: A University of Colorado graduate, in 1997. They have four sons, Cruz (b. April 2002), Levi (b. June 2006), Rocco (b. May 2008), and Chase (b. Feb 2012). Shayne also represented the United States in the 2000 Sydney and 2004 Athens Olympic Games. On February 10, 2007, Alan won the Open Men's 12K at the 2007 USA Cross Country Championships in Boulder, Colorado. He finished the race, held at Flatirons Golf Course, in
260-511: A bid for the 2019 World Championships, losing to Qatar. The choice of Eugene will make the 2021 event the first held in the United States. Runner's World magazine reported that Eugene's selection by World Athletics , then known as the International Association of Athletics Federations, was an "unusual move". They report the choice of Eugene will make the 2021 event "the first held in the United States." The event will be
325-496: A championship until 1964. Until 1979, women's championships were segregated from the men, on the same date in a different location. Currently there are two major Cross Country Championship events, generally referred to as the "Fall Championships" and the "Winter Championships." The Fall Championships generally happen in late November or early December, which corresponds with the end of the broader cross country season from late-August into November. Since 1998, those have been known as
390-606: A federal investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Internal Revenue Service into possible criminal conflict of interest in regards to the awarding of the 2021 World Championships in Athletics to Eugene, Oregon . Lananna was also the long time president of TrackTown USA, the hosting organization for the World Championships and had hosted the 2016 IAAF World Indoor Championships . Lananna
455-505: A financially successful tournament that may never arise again." Despite this, the lack of bidding for the 2021 event was not unprecedented: the 2007 World Championships were awarded to Osaka , Japan, without bidding. On July 17, 2018, Lananna also resigned as president of TrackTown USA, but has not left his position at the University. Since February 18, 2018, the interim USATF president has been Mike Conley . USA Track & Field
520-527: A prerequisite to entering those races. However, all marathons dropped this requirement for non-elite runners, causing the adult membership in USATF to drop dramatically in the 2000s. In some USATF associations, the number of youth members far exceeds the number of adult members. Today, USATF competes for youth membership with a parallel effort from the AAU, and with road racer/adult recreational runner membership with
585-479: A race regarded as a national championship. AAU's third race was in 1905, called the “National Cross Country Championship of the A.A.U.” and the championship has been held continuously since, under that name until the demise of the AAU as the national governing body in 1979. The championship for some seasons has fallen on opposite sides of the new year occasionally. The first race in Van Cortlandt Park
650-557: A result, RRCA has grown to 180,000 individual or family members compared with 130,000 USATF members, many of whom are children. To the general public, the similarity in terminology used by the organizations' events can lead to confusion. For example, both USATF and AAU conduct a series of track meets called the Junior Olympics and USATF, AAU and RRCA conduct separate National Championships and State Championships. Both AAU and USATF operate 57 state or local Associations, although
715-1511: A separate qualifying event in February. US women did not hold a separate qualifying race, then combined with the men, until 1998. NYAC sponsored NCCA sponsored Knickerbocker Athletic Club sponsored AAU sponsored Pan-American Exposition sponsored USTFF sponsored AAU Men's division AAU Women's division AAU World Championship Trials TAC Men's division TAC Women's division TAC World Championship Trials USTFF sponsored AAU Men's division AAU Women's division AAU World Championship Trials TAC Men's division TAC Women's division TAC World Championship Trials USTFA sponsored Women's Fall Championship Women's Winter Short Course Championship (World Championship Trials) Women's Winter Long Course Championship (World Championship Trials) Men's Fall Championship Men's Winter Short Course Championship (World Championship Trials) Men's Winter Long Course Championship (World Championship Trials) USA Track %26 Field USA Track & Field ( USATF )
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#1732776733335780-433: A team basis (where the performances by athletes belonging to a certain running club or sponsor are combined). Between 1998 and 2006 the championships featured short course races of 4 km for both men and women – these races are now discontinued. Occasionally, masters races, determined by age group, are held as part of the championships. Lynn Jennings won the championship nine times between 1985 and 1996, when there
845-584: A time of 37:09. It was Culpepper's third USA Cross Country victory; he also won in 1999 and 2003. On June 8, 2008 Culpepper won the Rocky Mountain Half Marathon in Denver, Colorado. He crossed the finish line with a time of 1:07:57. Alan assumed the head cross country coach position at Fairview High School (Boulder, Colorado) for the 2019 season. Alan assumed the head cross country coach position at Erie High School (Colorado) for
910-572: Is a United States national governing body for the sports of track and field , cross country running , road running , and racewalking (known as the sport of athletics outside the US). The USATF was known between 1979 and 1992 as The Athletics Congress (TAC) after its spin-off from the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU), which governed the sport in the US through most of the 20th century until
975-727: Is also an Associate Athletic Director at the University of Oregon , the host stadium of the event. Lamine Diack was the IAAF president in April 2015 at the time of the award and is under house arrest in France on charges of corruption. The 2021 Championships were awarded in an unconventional fashion, without the usual formal bidding process. The selection of the host city was announced on April 16, 2015 in Beijing. Eugene previously did put in
1040-691: Is the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) member federation in the United States. USATF is a member of the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) and selects teams for Olympic and Pan American Games competitions. To select the athletes for the Olympic Games, every Olympiad USATF conducts the Olympic Trials . USATF also has membership in, or close affiliations with,
1105-673: The IAAF World Cross Country Championships . In 1979 the USTFF renamed itself Track and Field Association, USA using the acronym USTFA for two years. There is no evidence USTFF or USTFA ever held a championship for women. As the new national governing body , The Athletics Congress (TAC) began administering the “National Cross Country Championship of T.A.C.” a month later. TAC changed its name to USATF in 1993, first holding "The U.S.A.T.F. National Cross Country Championship." A Women's national championship
1170-658: The 1968 International Championship , part of five in a row, she lost the November 1967 US Championship to Vicki Foltz . Pat Porter won eleven of the various men's championships over a seven-year period of time between 1982 and 1989, including eight Fall Championships in a row. In the 1930s, Don Lash won seven in a row (1934-1940). One set of brothers; Bill Ashenfelter and Horace Ashenfelter have won championships. Two sets of spouses have won championships; Cathy Branta (Easker) (1984) and John Easker (1986); Shayne Culpepper and Alan Culpepper . The Culpeppers did it on
1235-454: The 2004 Olympic marathon in Athens . His 2:09:41 at the 2002 Chicago Marathon tied him with Alberto Salazar for the fastest ever debut marathon by an American , and remains his fastest marathon. Culpepper has won three U.S. Cross Country titles and three track titles (two at 10,000 m and one at 5,000 m). His personal bests include 3:55.1 for the mile, 13:25 for 5k and 27:33 in
1300-641: The Amateur Sports Act of 1978 dissolved its responsibility. Based in Indianapolis , USATF is a non-profit organization with a membership of more than 130,000. The organization has three key leadership positions: CEO Max Siegel , Board of Directors Chair Steve Miller, and elected president Vin Lananna . U.S. citizens and permanent residents can be USATF members (annual individual membership fee: $ 30 for 18-year-old members and younger, $ 55 for
1365-596: The International Cross Country Championships existed back to 1898 for men and 1931 for women, the United States did not send representatives to participate until 1966 (when Tracy Smith brought home a bronze medal) for men and 1967 for women (after the women's event had not been held for 10 years). Those representatives were selected from the National Championship race. Doris Brown won the 1967 Championship and
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#17327767333351430-576: The Morris Park Racecourse . NYAC revived the series in 1897 also at Morris Park. The Knickerbocker Athletic Club hosted in the same location in April 1898 but in November of the same year, the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) held their first such event "The Cross-Country Individual and Team Championship of the A.A.U." AAU's second championship wasn't until 1903 but in between, the 1901 Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, New York hosted
1495-689: The NCAA , the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS), the Road Runners Club of America (RRCA), Running USA, and many community-based and disabled sports organizations. USA Track & Field is a Founding Sports Partner of the Sports Museum of America , joining more than 50 other single-sport Halls of Fame , National Governing Bodies, Museums and other organizations across North America to richly celebrate
1560-797: The National Track and Field Hall of Fame , and an annual meeting. It also organizes the annual USA Track and Field Outdoor Championships , the USA Track & Field Indoor Championships , the USA Cross Country Championships , the USATF National Club Cross Country Championships , and the USATF National Club Track & Field Championships. Through its sanctioning program, the national body provides
1625-476: The Road Runners Club of America (RRCA) and its member clubs. In many cases, youth track clubs join both USATF and AAU so that they can compete in both sets of track meets, and adult running clubs join both RRCA and USATF. However, unlike USATF which requires each individual runner to also become a member of USATF in order to compete in events or gain other membership benefits, when a club joins RRCA, all of its members automatically become members of RRCA as well. As
1690-589: The USA Track & Field Outdoor Championships to make IAAF World Championships in Athletics and Athletics at the Summer Olympics teams. Masters athletics has several Championship competitions: The USA Track & Field Legend Coach Award is an annual award to a single recipient selected by the USATF Coaches Advisory Committee. The award ceremony takes place at the annual USATF Outdoor Championships . Recipients of
1755-484: The USATF National Club Cross Country Championships . The Winter Championships generally happen in late January or early February and since they are three months after the broader season, are geared towards selecting the international team for the World Championships which is generally held in late March. Since 2011, the World Championships are only held in odd numbered years but USA continues to hold Winter Championships every year. There are currently several races held at
1820-422: The United States Olympic Committee notified USATF that its governance was deficient and threatened to remove its national governing body status unless major reforms were made. In response, at USATF's December 2008 Convention, the size of its board of directors was reduced from 31 members who had represented constituencies within the organization to 15, and none of the new directors could have an operating role in
1885-508: The 10k. Culpepper graduated in 1991 from Coronado HS in El Paso, Texas . In 1989 and 1990 he won five Texas state titles in cross country and track, but did not compete in his final season (1991). He went on to attend the University of Colorado in Boulder, Colorado , where he developed into a national-class runner. In 1996 he won the NCAA outdoor 5,000 m title and placed 10th at
1950-525: The 1999 World Championships. In 2000, he took second in the 10,000 m at the U.S. Olympic Trials, overtaking champion Mebrahtom Keflezighi in the final lap but not quite managing to pass him by the finish line. Culpepper represented the U.S. at 10,000 m at the 2001 World Championships as well. He won another U.S. track championship in 2002 when he took the 5,000 m title. That fall, in his debut marathon in Chicago, he ran 2:09:41. In 2003, he won
2015-465: The 2014 annual meeting, the member delegates voted 392–70 to re-nominate Robert Hersh as the USATF's nominee to the IAAF council. At the time, Hersh was the sitting senior vice-president of the IAAF council and by virtue of that position, a USATF board member. However, the reconstituted Board disregarded the vote of the member delegates and instead voted 11–1 to nominate president Stephanie Hightower as
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2080-498: The Fall Championships, the number of races depends on the number of entries. In addition to the open races for each gender, there are masters championships in each age division. Open and masters men run 10K up to age 60. 60 and above run 8K races. All women's divisions run 6K, but masters run at least one separate race. When there are a large number of entries, even the one division can be broken into an A section and
2145-541: The February event.. While the championship has predominantly been held in the last two weeks of November, aligning with the close of the traditional fall season on the scholastic level, it has occurred in eight different months around the year. In 1998, 1999, 2001 and 2003, the Fall Championship locations and dates were chosen to correspond with the location of the USATF Annual Meeting. While
2210-454: The Nation's first all-sports museum experience. USATF is composed of 57 Associations, which are the localized administrative districts. For competition, each association is obligated to conduct (local) association championships. This is the initial rung in the competition tournaments that lead to various national championships, though many national championships do not require participation at
2275-793: The Olympic Trials in that event; the following year he improved to 2nd at the USATF Nationals (behind Bob Kennedy ) and represented the USA at the 1997 World Championships. Following graduation from Colorado, Culpepper continued to live and train near Boulder. In 1999 he won his first open national title, the USA Cross Country Championships. That spring he also won the 10,000 m at the USATF Outdoor Championships and ran that event at
2340-593: The U.S. 10,000 m title. After taking 2003 off from marathons, Culpepper ran his second at the U.S. Olympic Trials in Birmingham, Alabama . Renewing his long-time rivalry with Keflezighi, Culpepper bested "Meb" in 2:11:42, with the lead changing several times in the final miles. Culpepper then placed 12th at the Athens Olympic Marathon, which would have been the best performance by an American marathoner in several Olympics had Keflezighi not won
2405-500: The U.S.T.F.F.” in the same week as the AAU. Most were in different venues, but the two 1964 championships were both held in Washington Park , Chicago two days apart. The same situation happened in 1968 at Van Cortlandt Park. In 1969, Jack Bacheler won both championships, USTFF at Penn State on November 26 and AAU at Bloomfield Hills, Michigan on November 29. The following year, his teammate Frank Shorter accomplished
2470-450: The VCS helps repackage the sport, draws new fans and new sponsors, and provides increased financial incentives for USATF athletes. The VCS fills indoor arenas and outdoor stadiums across the country. Athletes compete for prize money at each meet, and the top athletes share in a bonus pool of $ 100,000. The last meet of the season is the USA Track & Field Indoor Championships . Most focus on
2535-463: The award started in 2014 are: Alan Culpepper Alan Lawrence Culpepper (born September 15, 1972) is an American distance runner and two time United States Olympian (2000 & 2004). Along with competing on four World Championship teams, his accomplishments include finishing fourth in the Boston Marathon in 2005, winning the 2004 U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon and finishing 12th at
2600-665: The boundaries of their service areas are no longer exactly the same. Regarding the funding of promising post-collegiate athletes, USATF competes with RRCA's Road Scholars program to select athletes for stipends. In 1999, the USATF established the Golden Spike Tour – later the Visa Championship Series (VCS) – to showcase track and field in America and to facilitate the broadcast of key events on national television networks. Using innovative meet formats,
2665-513: The creation of new associations. Dependent upon the association fulfilling its obligations to its membership and the number of members in the association, each association is allowed to send a delegation of representatives to the National Meeting in early December each year. This is the primary means through which the local constituents are able to have a voice in the direction the national organization. Individual members may also attend
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2730-490: The first Amateur Sports Act of 1978 decreed that the AAU could no longer hold international franchises for more than one sport. The enactment of the Amateur Sports Act was prompted by lobbying by athletes, particularly runners, who felt that the AAU imposed artificial rules preventing widespread participation in sports. The Athletics Congress (TAC) emerged from the AAU in late 1979, when its first annual meeting
2795-497: The founding of the new board and the hiring of Siegel as CEO, USATF in 2016 achieved his highest medal count at an Olympics since 1936 (32) and its most-ever medals at a world championships, by winning 30 at the 2017 IAAF World Championships. The organization has seen explosive growth of its budget and sponsor ranks, with the annual budget growing from $ 22M to nearly $ 37M. In 2016, it established an "Athlete Revenue Distribution Model" that provided additional money to elite athletes. At
2860-425: The grassroots level, elite athletes who represent the US in international competition are also required to be members of USATF. USATF also has 57 Associations to promote the sport locally, and membership in USATF also constitutes membership in a local association, with the dues being divided between the national and local group. During the 1980s and 1990s, USATF encouraged major marathons to require USATF membership as
2925-594: The history, grandeur and significance of sports in American culture . Set to open in New York City on May 7, 2008, the Sports Museum of America will showcase both USA Track & Field and the National Track & Field Hall of Fame in its Hall of Halls Gallery (along with providing an annual donation) in return for sharing some of the hall of fame's valuable artifacts and their support of the creation of
2990-472: The insurance coverage necessary for members to rent facilities, thus allowing for competitive opportunities for all athletes to happen. USA Track and Field has held National conventions since the 1870s or 1880s. NAAA Track and Field Championship and Convention locations Dec 3–6, 2020, virtually; earlier announced the 2020 USATF Annual Meeting to be held virtually instead of face-to-face. On April 22, 1879 National Association of Amateur Athletes of America (NAAA)
3055-462: The lower level. Generally, the associations follow state borders, but in the cases of smaller states, several states are combined into one association, and in the case of larger states, the state is divided into multiple associations in order to more effectively serve clusters of the population base. Most association borders parallel the initial associations created by the AAU, though there has been some adjustment to those defined borders since, including
3120-532: The meetings, though voting is carefully controlled by the by-laws, based on the participation of various constituent groups. The National Meeting is the only time political business, rule changes and record ratification can be transacted by most wings of the organization. Many of the more than 130,000 members of USATF participate in athletics competitions through one of the thousands of clubs established in all 50 states. While most of these members participate as athletes, coaches, officials and supporters of athletics at
3185-470: The most votes of all candidates and led to all USATF candidates for IAAF positions being elected. In 2018, after serving on the IAAF Council for four years, Hightower came up for reelection. She was defeated by a vote of the delegates in favor of Willie Banks . In 2016, Vin Lananna was elected president of USATF. On February 18, 2018, Lananna was place on "temporary administrative leave" pending
3250-487: The new IAAF World Cross Country Championships . In 1973 , US men did not participate but US women won the team bronze medal. US men again did not participate in the 1974 World Championships , though the US Junior Men did participate and won the team gold medal behind Rich Kimball 's individual win over future Olympic medalist John Treacy . US men decided to take the World Championships seriously in 1975, holding
3315-646: The next four championships after that. By 1970, USA hosted the 1970 International Cross Country Championships for women in Frederick, Maryland but the event was segregated from the men's championship in Vichy, France the following day, though there was a women's race also held in Vichy resulting in two champions that year, one of them Brown. In 1973, the International Championships gave way to
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#17327767333353380-488: The nominee to the IAAF council. The Board's action caused such a controversy that USATF sent an email two days later to all of its members attempting to explain its action. The email wrote, "This is a different era and a different time. We think Stephanie Hightower provides us with the best chance to move forward as part of that change." Hightower later that summer, at the IAAF Congress, was elected to IAAF Council with
3445-686: The organization. Most of the new board members represented sponsoring organizations. On February 18, 2009, the members of the new, reduced Board were announced. The United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) and the TrackTown USA Local Organizing Committee announced the release of the updated competition schedule for the postponed 2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Track and Field, that took place in June 18–27, 2021, at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon. Since
3510-456: The rest), but permanent residents can only participate in masters events in the country, and they cannot win USATF medals, prize money, or score points for a team, per World Athletics regulations. USA Track & Field is involved in many aspects of the sport at the local, national, and international level, providing the rules, officials, coaching education, sports science and athlete development, youth programs, masters (age 25+) competition,
3575-764: The same day, February 16, 2003. The competition has been televised in the past on ESPN2 . The first events claiming the National Championship moniker were the "Amateur Individual Cross Country Championship of America" hosted by the New York Athletic Club (NYAC) in Mott Haven, Bronx starting in 1883. In 1887, the National Cross Country Association (NCCA) began holding championships. Both organizations held championships in 1887. Coincidentally, both were won by Edward C. Carter. NCCA held their last championship in 1892 at
3640-498: The same feat. Craig Virgin technically duplicated it in 1977, after winning USTFF, he finished second to British athlete Nick Rose at the AAU. By being the first American citizen to cross the finish line, Virgin was the AAU National Champion that year. Starting in 1975, the AAU added the “World Cross Country Championship Senior Men's Trials” in February at a more appropriate time to select an international team to
3705-519: The second held in North America , after Edmonton , Alberta , Canada in 2001 . The Guardian reported that the lack of bidding triggered concern in European cities that had bid to host the event. They quoted Lamine Diack , IAAF president, who justified the lack of bidding with the claim the selection of Eugene to host the event, "enables us to take advantage of a unique opportunity to host
3770-610: The silver medal. In 2005, Culpepper ran a 13:25.75 personal best in the 5,000 meter run at the 2005 Norwich Union British Grand Prix in London , England . He ran 2:11:02 to take fifth in the 2006 Boston Marathon. At the 2007 US Cross-Country Championships, Culpepper won his third cross country title, finishing first in the 12,000 m with a time of 37:09. (This race is featured in the documentary, SHOWDOWN – Five Elite Distance Runners, One Dream.) Culpepper married American distance runner Shayne Culpepper (formerly Shayne Wille), also
3835-601: The sport in a particular state or locality. Many of these associations were viewed as unaccountable to their members and some were accused of operating in a racially discriminatory manner. In addition, in some areas, the AAU continues to organize track and field events, including youth running programs. In response, the USATF restructured the Associations and adopted Regulation 15, which set minimum standards for association performance and called for biannual accreditation of each association under those standards. In May 2008,
3900-501: Was added in 1964. The women's championship was held at a separate location on the same date until 1979. In the last season of the AAU administration it was finally combined to the same location and date as the men. In 1998, the IAAF World Cross Country Championships began long course and short course championships, USATF commensurately held long and short course championships as qualifiers. 1998
3965-522: Was conducted in Las Vegas , in conjunction with the annual AAU Convention. A constitutional convention was subsequently held in Dallas–Fort Worth in 1980. In 1992, TAC changed its name to USA Track & Field (USATF) to increase recognition for the organization and for the sport in the United States. However, USATF inherited from AAU the 57 regional associations that are responsible for promoting
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#17327767333354030-400: Was formed and later replaced by the AAU x NAAA Track and Field Championship and Convention locations . On January 21, 1888, in the city of New York, rower and runner William B. Curtis and James Edward Sullivan founded what officially became, the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) x AAU Convention Locations . The AAU governed the sport of track and field in the United States until 1979 when,
4095-539: Was held in 1912, that venue has been a frequent host of the championship ever since, 25 times, even as recently as 2006. The first championship not held in the state of New York was 1917, when it was held in Franklin Park in Boston . To date, a championship has been held in 31 different states. In 1962, the U.S. Track & Field Federation (USTFF) began holding a competing “National Cross Country Championship of
4160-453: Was only the one championship for women. She is the only competitor to have won the USA Cross Country Championships and IAAF World Championships in the same year, having done so three times consecutively in 1990 , 1991 and 1992 . Prior to the existence of the World Championships, Doris Brown pulled the same feat four times, three consecutively with the " International Championships " in 1967 , 1969 , 1970 and 1971 . While Brown also won
4225-412: Was the first year women joined the men in holding a separate qualifier, at the same unified location. Prior to that, the women qualified to the World Championships based on their Championship about three months earlier. That same year, the Fall Championships were renamed the USATF National Club Cross Country Championships , with the USATF website redirecting the lineage of National Championship history to
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