Except that the world of specialization has grown in the last
couple of decades.
At the top level (not at collegiate where you do whatever your
coach tells you, for team points), if all they have is a 12K
race, everybody from Steeple specialists and shorter (middle
distance) simply won't run. They view it as a distraction
to adjust their "off-season" training for such a different
distance. Even some 5K runners may be tempted to skip it.
I looked at the entry list yesterday for the U.S. 4K, and
saw that it is full of prominent Steeplers (Croghan and Dobert
for instance) and Mile/1500 types.
You assume that if the 4K race were not offered, these people
would be in the 12K.
I think not.
The people in this 4K race don't claim to be "king's of cross
country", any more than a shot put champ could claim to be
the "king of throwing events" just by winning the one event.
[now the lady that won BOTH XC races last year is certainly the
"queen"]
By the way, I'd like to see a 1000m XC on a muddy course
with tight curves and small rolling hills. The speed of
the runners would make tactics very interesting. Not much
time to correct for a mistake...errors in judgement are
unforgiving...
Now Mo Green sprinting a 100m XC course through a gully and
over a hay bale might be taking things too far... :-)
RT
On Sat, 17 Feb 2001 10:15:50 EST, you wrote:
>Ditch the 4k.
>
>The appeal of the World XC Champs is the bringing together of the world's
>best distance runner's over one race. Everyone from 800m runners to
>marathoners battling it out. Who is the current men's world xc champ? It's
>Mohammed Mourhit not whoever won last year's 4k.
>
>Steve S.
