2024 UIL State Cross Country Meet

Below are my thoughts on the state meet and our season

Why is state so early?

After speaking with many coaches, most expressed satisfaction with the state meet course and UIL management, with no significant issues reported. However, one concern stood out—the date of the state meet. Over time, the state meet has gradually been scheduled earlier and earlier. This year, it was held on November 1st, and next year it looks like the race will fall on Halloween (scary!).

In 2025, district certification is set for October 11th. With most teams taking the week off before district, this means all regular-season meets will need to be completed in August and September. To fit in the eight regular-season meets allowed by the UIL, the first meet would have to be scheduled as early as August 9th. This would result in four meets in August and four in September.

As most coaches and athletes know, racing in August can be both challenging and potentially dangerous, particularly for athletes who are new to the sport. To address these concerns, more teams have begun hosting shorter races, such as 2 mile runs or relay events like the 4×1.5 miles, to reduce the risk of heat related issues. While it’s great that schools are prioritizing the safety of their athletes, it’s unfortunate that these adjustments are necessary due to the increasingly early scheduling of district certification and the state meet.

State Meet Course

The start remains one of the strengths of the course, with around 600 meters before the first turn in the race. I’d like the starting line to be slightly wider, as I believe there’s enough space to add another 30 yards of width. This expansion would allow each team to comfortably fit all seven athletes on the line.

Due to construction at the park (not the UIL’s fault), there was a narrowing of the course, primarily in the second mile. This made passing difficult and favored teams or individuals who took advantage of the fast first mile.

The increase in fencing along the course has improved athlete safety. In past years, crowd control had become a concern, with the risk of a spectator interfering with runners.

Was the course long, and does it even matter?

I didn’t measure the course myself, but I did check GPS data from our athletes who ran it the day before. Most recorded around 3.15 to 3.20 miles on their GPS watches. Although GPS isn’t perfectly accurate, I believe the course was close to 3.1 miles. Since this was the state meet, most athletes seemed focused on competing rather than fast times.

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Flower Mound Jaguars

I don’t usually write specifically about our team, but I’m incredibly proud of our girls for winning their fifth consecutive state championship. With so many great teams and coaches in Texas, reaching the top of the podium is a huge achievement. I’m also proud of our boys for returning to state and placing eighth. Our boys didn’t have a standout individual, yet they worked hard as a cohesive team all season to achieve their goals.

Some Things We Did as a Team to Reach Our Goals

Taking a Break This Summer – For the first time in my coaching career, I took about three weeks off from coaching this summer. This break helped me feel fresher and more energized when we started serious training in August. By the end of last cross country season, I was mentally and physically burned out. While this wasn’t the athletes’ fault, I realized I wasn’t taking care of myself.

Keeping Things Simple – Our workouts primarily consisted of threshold repetitions, 200-meter hill repeats, and some form of fartleks. We rotated through these three for most of the season. This approach made it easier to monitor athletes’ progress and maintain consistency.

Focusing on the Team – We emphasized the importance of working hard together and pushing each other to improve.

Character Counts – We had great leaders on our team who understood our program’s expectations and led by example.

Track Matters – A strong track season often leads to a strong cross country season. Last year, we graduated two of Texas’s best distance runners on the girls’ side. This year, we could have settled for less, but our JV girls worked hard during track season and improved dramatically. Their progress on the track gave them the confidence to compete for another state championship.