Essex County Cross Country Championships 2022

Shortening the course in an effort to make it compliant with the

rulebook and to address some coaches' concerns over the starting line being

able to accommodate the larger size of the races at the county meet.

Due to the fact that course at Branch Brook wasn't

officially selected by the AD's until yesterday.

The time allowed to make the course compliant with the rules

of National Federations rules, that

course be between 2.5 and 3.1 miles, and to create a larger

starting area able to accommodate the

larger fields in the county race was only two and a half

days. Paul Williams, and I, used a measuring

wheel, and we moved the starting line forward and to the

left slightly, in order to shorten the course by

1 tenth of a mile.Because we are changing the start, it necessitated changing that the

point at which

the athletes move onto the path, from the field. So as make

the entry to the path as smooth as

possible, the area will be coned off in such as way so there

is not a sharp left turn, as the athletes enter

the path. There will be an official there as well. There

are no other changes to the course.

Everything will be marked by the time your team arrives at

the park tomorrow, so that you and your

athletes can easily visually check out the two minimal changes

to the course.Constraints on my time do

not allow me to put a map up online. But again, the two changes

I am describing are so minimal, that

they are easily visible from the old starting line and

finish area.

Here is the

description of the starting area:

The start:Locate the permanently planted 4 ft high post

that is 30 yds. in front of the old startling line. (That post, and the others

like it, have been planted in the ground for as long as we have been running

races at Branch Brook Park.) Now, just walk forward from that post heading

North (in the direction toward Heller Parkway). When you reach the next post,

that looks exactly like the one 30 yards in front the old starting line. That

is the start. The start will basically reach out from that post, to the West, toward,

the easily seen large tree, with red leaves.The new starting line is able to fit more athletes comfortably on the line

than the old original starting line could accommodate.

From the Start to the

first turn. There will be an official, visible from the startling line, to

direct the athletes at the first turn, plus there will be cones set up to guide

the athletes in the right direction. That official will be visible from the

starting line just like I was a Brookdale Park in previous years.

The first race of the

day- The Freshman 2 mile will NOT use the new starting line. Only the

varsity and Novice race will use the new starting line.

JUST A HEADS UP -

Trophies and medals will not be available at tomorrow's meet. Like so many

other things these days, parts are on back order, including the ribbon medals,

and parts necessary for the trophies. So medals and trophies will be delivered

to the individual schools whenever they arrive.