Qualifying for Nike Cross Nationals (NXN) is a once in a lifetime experience for athletes and coaches. The top two teams from the nine district regions and four at large teams qualify for a total of 22 teams. In addition to the 22 teams the top 5 individuals from each region also qualify.

Below is the agenda from the this years NXN. Nike does a great job of planning the event and takes care of everything from travel, lodging, and meals. As a coach this is the least stressful out of town meet we attend because I don’t have to worry about the logistics.

Day One Travel and Visiting the Nike Campus

Our travel on the first day was straightforward with a direct flight at 9 AM departing for Portland. Everything went smoothly and we were picked up by the Nike Charter bus and taken to the Embassy Suites in Tigard. The hotel is very nice and is only available for nike employees, athletes, and coaches for the duration of the event.

Embassy Suites Lobby decked out for NXN

After getting checked in at the hotel athletes are taken by charter bus to the Nike Campus. This is one of my favorite parts of the trip. Getting to run on the wood chip trail and the Michael Johnson track is always special. This year I decided to also tackle the big incline pictured below. Was a fun challenge even though I did feel my achilles straining toward the end.

Nike Incline

For the workout on Thursday our girls ran 2 miles plus 6×200 @ 3200 race pace plus another 2 miles on the hollister trail. Nothing crazy and good way to shake out the legs after traveling to Portland.

After our workout Nike has a big opening ceremony on campus where they introduce all of the qualifying teams and individuals. Each year they also interview Nike Elite athletes like Grant Fisher, Cole Hocker, and Karissa Schweizer. Always great to see these elite athletes and appreciate the advice they provide to athletes and coaches.

Michael Johnson Track

Day Two Course Preview and Nike Gear

Day two is dedicated to checking out the course and receiving all the Nike gear. The Nike South Region has historically had the blue kits which I like since Flower Mound’ school colors are navy, silver and white.

In addition to receiving the gear for the meet athletes also get a chance to run on the course. The course this year like most years was very muddy. Nike ropes off the main course and has us run on the “gator trail” which is what is used by the lead gator on race day to film the race.

For our workout we ran the first half of the course and then added another 1.5 miles on the Glendoveer wood chip trail that circles the perimeter of the course. After our three mile run we added on 4×30 seconds at race pace. Usually we do this from the start line, but with the muddy course I felt it was best to just run on the wood chip trail.

Day Three the NXN Race

Day three is the big race day. Our team’s focus was to run our best race. That meant running as a team, maintaining a controlled but fast start, passing athletes in the middle of the race, and lastly finishing strong. Easier said than done. We had a disappointing race the year prior, and I felt that was my fault for having the athletes too focused on other teams and the overwhelming fast start.

On the morning of the race, we left the hotel at 8:45 a.m. and arrived at the course around 9:30 a.m. The girls went to the athletes’ village and their designated team space and tried to stay relaxed. I always get anxious at meets and decided to go ahead and cheer on the teams and individuals from the Nike South Region in the boys’ race. At first, I told myself to just walk around and cheer without getting too excited. Of course, before I knew it, I was sprinting around and cheering on Caden Leonard from Southlake. His dad, Justin Leonard, is the coach at Southlake, and I always try to cheer on coaches’ kids…even when they are competitors.

After the boys’ race, our girls did their usual ten-minute warm-up, followed by drills, and then went to the finish line to be recognized before the start of the race. The “athletes run out,” as it’s called, is great for the spectators at the event and those watching online. For coaches and athletes, however, it can be stressful as they try to time their warm up and stay focused on the race ahead.

After the athletes’ run out, we had just enough time to do a few more drills and several strides before the start. When the gun went off, I positioned myself by the first turn to see how well we got off the muddy starting line. It’s always hard to tell exact placement at NXN because there are 45 individuals who don’t count toward the team score, along with so many great teams. I could tell we were around the middle of the pack, which was good for us.

When the splits started coming in, I was very excited to see that we were in the top five for most of the race. Our girls did a great job of running as a pack and holding their position through much of the race. We did fall back slightly over the last kilometer but managed to hold on for a top ten finish, placing ninth overall. I was pleased with our pack running; we had a gap time of 28 seconds from our first to fifth runner. Our fifth runner was the fourth fastest fifth runner among all teams. In years past, we’ve had strong front runners but have struggled somewhat at the fifth spot, so it was encouraging to see improvement in that area.

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After the race we headed back to the hotel for lunch and a shower. I was exhausted from the long day and also took a nap. That evening Nike recognized the top individuals and teams after dinner. I have been fortunate to attend NXN a few times and have noticed the teams getting recognized are the same ones every year. Very impressed with those programs!

You can see the NXN Appearance Stats at this link

https://www.runnerspace.com/gprofile.php?mgroup_id=44531&do=news&news_id=673733

Afterwards the athletes had a dance party (maybe their favorite part of the trip!) and I decided to relax in my room and take a deep breath after a long and fortunately successful season.

My thoughts on NXN and why it’s so difficult

The Challenge of Elite Competition

This is probably obvious, but the level of competition at NXN makes racing extremely difficult. Every team and individual is elite, yet there can only be one winner. Many athletes who are accustomed to racing at the front of their state meets suddenly find themselves in the middle or even the back of the pack. Fast starts that normally put them near the lead are unlikely with so many top teams and aggressive front runners. In the years we performed well, our success came from racing as a team and focusing on passing runners throughout the race. Focusing on overall place especially early can quickly become discouraging.

Disruptions to Routine

Most athletes at this level thrive on consistency and routine, from sleep schedules to pre-race meals. Traveling to the West Coast and adjusting to a different time zone, along with unfamiliar meal timing, can disrupt an athlete’s rhythm. Even the warm-up becomes more difficult to plan. Nike introduces all teams and individuals before the race, and the timing of those introductions affects when athletes warm up, do drills, and complete final strides. This year, our team chose to warm up first, go through introductions, and then finish with strides at the finish line. It’s not a major issue, but it is a departure from what athletes have done all season.

A Deceptively Difficult Course

The NXN course itself adds another layer of challenge. Many look at the elevation profile and conclude it isn’t very hilly, and that’s largely true. There are really only two significant hills: one around the halfway point and another right before the finish. However, the placement of the final hill is especially demanding and creates an opportunity for strong athletes to pass runners who are struggling late in the race. What truly makes the course difficult particularly for teams from Texas and California is the soft footing. In our multiple trips to NXN, the course was dry only once. That soft ground drains energy and, in my opinion, favors strength-oriented runners. Athletes who excel at the 800 and 1600 during track season may find this course especially challenging.