Run The Roads

With the IAAF World T&F Championships taking place starting this weekend, the IAAF held their annual meetings.  Reading through the IAAF Council notes on their website, it came to my attention that the Council recommended to the IAAF Congress (the governing body that makes all final decisions) that the World Cross Country Championships take place biennially instead of the current format of being held every year.

If the IAAF Congress decides to change the current format, this could change the event dramatically.  First, the bidding process to host the World Cross Country Championships would more than likely become more competitive.  The past few years have seen fewer and fewer cities bid for the championships, so this could certainly raise the stakes, while increasing potential prize money and event sponsorship in the process.

Furthermore, this could create more interest in the event from the athlete perspective.  Especially in the United States, many of the top distance runners do not take part in the U.S. Cross Country Championships (which qualifies them for national team), or if they do, they choose not to run in the World Championships.  However, this could certainly change if there is more prestige surrounding the event, and perhaps even more bonus money from shoe sponsors.

Personally, this seems like a good decision.  The World Cross Country Championships have been losing steam over the past few years (financially, commercially, etc.), which means putting it into a more unique format could bring the event back to life.  Here’s to hoping cross country can gain popularity on the world stage once more.

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photo courtesy of ikhp123