Course redesign finalized at Norris-Penrose for state cross country
The course redesign ahead of this fall’s state cross country meets was finalized on Wednesday during a site visit to the Norris-Penrose Event Center in Colorado Springs.
A group consisting of CHSAA officials, state rules interpreters and site directors visited the course on Wednesday, their third such trip during this redesign process. While there, they addressed a number of concerns heard from a vocal cross country community, including the start of the race, the challenging Big Willis Hill, and the creek crossing.
The course still “needs to be measured out,” according to CHSAA assistant commissioner Jenn Roberts-Uhlig. As such, specific changes won’t be released until a later date — but a map will be published ahead of the pre-state meet at Norris-Penrose on Aug. 28.
“We’ve addressed most of the coaches concerns of the previous course,” said Jim Gjerde, assistant state rules interpreter for cross country.
As part of the redesign process, a group of seven well-respected, championship-level coaches gave their input.
“We certainly want to thank the (cross country) committee, the group of coaches, the site directors, and rules interpreters for all their work on it. It’s been about a year-long process,” Roberts-Uhlig said. “I think we’ve made some great changes. I really do.
“I think we’ve got a course that’s going to work well for us in the next few years. It will benefit kids, coaches and spectators — the spectator view got significantly better.”
The course will also feature other new additions, such as timing clocks at the one- and two-mile markers.
