There isn't much sanity left to be salvaged--it's all XC tomorrow here in Portland, Oregon.
The open races go off at 8:30 and 9:00 AM, local time, and then it is time for the big show--the team national championships of high school cross country.
The gun for the girls race should go off at 10:30. Few people are considering any teams for the title that aren't from New York or California, chiefly the Manlius and Santa Clarita clubs. But there is no shortage of quality teams. Every team present paid their dues to get here.
In the boys division, the favorites aren't as clearly cut. Certainly North Spokane and Dana Point warrant recognition, but it would be less of surprise if the boys title didn't go to one of the two favorites than if the girls title strayed from their two favorites.
Of course, nobody has conceded anything yet (except, perhaps, the boys team that showed a video at the opening ceremonies proclaiming their intention to "see you at the dance") and that is why these things are settled on a course on not on paper on in cyberspace.
Today's activities featured a visit to the Portland Meadows course where we were promised they would bring in fire trucks to hose down parts of the course. Just as Colorado's ski resorts indulge in a little snow-making to fill in where nature hasn't quite done its part, Oregon's cross country courses can add artificial mud.
Dathan Ritzenhein, Alan Webb, Shalane Flanagan, and Abdi Abdirahman shared insights and stories with the NXN athletes.
Following the visit to Portland Meadows, the athletes sat in on question-and-answer panels featuring Nike athletes. Shalane Flanagan dropped the line of the day when she left the audience with the thought, "I never regretted working hard." Even for national-level cross country runners, that thought is worth repeating.
This year's hard work, however, is now history. What happens on the course will stand as the measure of how hard 44 teams and 90 individuals worked in preparation for this event.
