5k Proposal Dies

[kenwoodrun]

Coach Ethridge says that the board of directors from the TSSAA has rejected the proposal to move from 3 miles to 5k at the state meet. They gave their justification, but I fear that they are ignorant as to what is best for the sport in this state. The coaches have the body of knowledge and the pulse of the sport, but in the case, it appears it went for naught. At least this time around. The course will still be officially measured this summer, to an exact 3.0 it appears to correct for the slight shortness that has plagued the course in recent memory.

 

edited to try to clarify for golden eagle

Edited June 11, 2005 by kenwoodrun

[Grace Golden Eagles]

What are you talking about?

[coachlj65]

Coach Ethridge says that the board of directors from the TSSAA has rejected the proposal to move from 3 miles to 5k at the state meet.

 

That's a shame since surrounding states run 5K and college coaches ask for 5k times rather than 3 miles when recruiting.

Edited June 11, 2005 by coachlj65

[ReadyToRun]

that's a shame. tennessee should be on the same page as all other programs for the benefit of the runners. if all other courses are the same length, what reasons are there causing the refusal of the proposal?

[etownrunnercc]

that stinks...5K is the american way. i think they should reconsider...

[gorideabike]

And people ask why swimming isn't a TSSAA sport....

 

At least TISCA has a little common sense!

[NWTennSports]

that stinks...5K is the american way. i think they should reconsider...

825698850[/snapback]

kilometers is NOT the American way. Just more of that metric crap which we shot down in the 1970s

 

But seriously, it seems to me that if everyone else around Tennessee runs 5K and colleges use that for recruiting, then we need to make the switch for the sake of out athletes.

 

(I hope everyone takes my little joke in the way it was meant and doesn't get offended.)

[CherokeeChief]

Not to be argumentative, but there was much talk about collegiate recruiting on the boards last winter. Most of the arguments centered around the fact that some coaches thought that college coaches did not look at specific times when looking at cross country performances due to the many variables involved in the courses. However, when we coaches wanted to change to 5K, many started spouting off about colleges coaches needing similar distances to be able to recruit. I think most coaches will say whatever they want to try to justify making a case for getting more of what they want, which was in this case a 5K distance. I'm to the point that I think it's no biggie one way or the other.

[p9morbid]

I simply cannot understand a single justification for running 3 miles instead of 5K.

[CherokeeChief]

Just to play devil's advocate, one can compare past times to each year's time because historically the course has always been three miles. There's a single reason for justification.

 

TSSAA cites the reason as being athletes could no longer race 5K's on the weekend if they wanted to. There are two reasons.

 

Again, just to play devil's advocate. The board is dead.

[p9morbid]

so athletes can normally race 5K road races during season? I thought you weren't allowed to do that. If keeping the distance at 3 miles allows athletes the loophole to race 5Ks on the road i'm totally supportive of keeping the distance at 3 miles.

[CherokeeChief]

Or they could just change the rule about road races and make cc 5K anyway.