Running

A FIELD OF DREAMS

The Saratoga National Cross Country Classic

by Laura Clark

Runners on mall area of the Saratoga National Cross Country Classic Course in Saratoga Spa State Park.

Despite numerous doubters, Kevin Costner, the down-and-out farmer in the movie, The Field of Dreams, insists that, “If you build it, they will come.” And so he clears his cornfield, builds a baseball diamond and invites the heroes of the past to play one more game.

The coming of autumn, with its chilly mornings, shorter days and ripening harvest also sets the stage for last-chance efforts and resurrected dreams of glory. And while football homecomings readily come to mind, those of us who favor a more rural setting look with nostalgia upon their scholastic cross country days. Or, if you are like me, an adult-onset fitness runner, the wistfulness is more of a “what if” sentiment as we cheer our offspring through the woods and into their own field of dreams. For fall is the season when present, past and wanna-be athletes are inevitably drawn to revisit their own stomping grounds.

Cross country running is the great equalizer. Famous venues like the Bronx’s Van Cortland Park are on a par with your own local parks or golf courses. They all whisper tales of victories and defeats, of blood, sweat and tears.

But for many of us, Thomas Wolfe’s axiom, “You can’t go home again” is all too true. Until two years ago, that is, when Jeff Allen, the director of Saratoga’s First Night 5K Run and Ray O’Conor, the president of Saratoga National Bank, went for a cold February morning run, daydreaming all the while of different weather and friendlier footing. They lamented the fact that even in perfect fall conditions, the majority of local races feature asphalt, car exhaust and manicured nature. Instead, Allen wanted to offer fellow runners, “An opportunity not to run on the pavement.”

So with Jeff Allen providing the expertise and Ray O’Conor the financial backing, the Saratoga National Cross Country Classic 5K was born. The inaugural event drew 199 participants and grew by almost 50 percent the second year with 277 entrants. Now into its third year, another record field is anticipated on Sunday, October 19, at Saratoga Spa State Park in Saratoga Springs. Notably, it was cited in the October 2003 issue of Runner’s World as one of the five best cross country races in the nation and featured in their “My Favorite Race” profile.

Besides the recent flurry of publicity, though, what makes this race so special? First and foremost is the course, which boasts a mixture of wooded single track, open meadows, scenic bridges and wide dirt roads. With an imaginary start line at the beginning a 450-meter meadow, athletes have ample opportunity to sort themselves out by ability level before heading into the woods. A series of ups and downs follows as runners hurl themselves down “Gravel Hill,” traverse a bridge and tackle a similarly steep uphill. A fairly level circuit around the Peerless Pool area is followed by a steep plunge down the previous uphill and a dash towards Ferndell Hill. Once Ferndell is crested, the remaining mile is fairly easy, with a short woods loop leading back out to the meadow and a dramatic dash for the finish.

As I discovered during my parenting days, the course loops around enough so that onlookers have almost as much fun as the participants. After the gun sounds, walk briskly to the end of the meadow and turn left towards the top of Ferndell Hill. There you can give your favorite runner a mental push up the final hurdle. Then backtrack and wait by the next intersection as your runner emerges from the woods. Or, if you prefer the drama of the finish, head back across the grass, cheering all the way.

Another element that makes the classic a standout event is the fact that it serves as the USATF (United States Track & Field) Adirondack Cross Country Championship. If your goal is to measure yourself against the best in the region, this is where you want to compete. According to Jeff Allen, the championship “…adds more credibility, rather like certification does for a road race.” He hopes that this will attract more serious roadrunners to cross country. To this end, Jeff provides mile splits and station marshals along the course. While these amenities are not typical of cross country, his aim is to make first timers feel less anxious in an unfamiliar situation. By doing this, he has created a user-friendly course where, he states, “No one’s gotten lost yet.”

1K Kids Classic Finishers show off their medals.

The event also features a very popular 1K Kids Classic fun run for children 11 years and under in which all finishers receive a medal. According to Jeff, “It seems to be a lot of fun, both for toddlers who are just learning to run to older kids who are more competitive.”

Still, I believe the major attraction of this race is its field of dreams quality. As the home course of the Saratoga Streaks championship high school team and the site of numerous scholastic and collegiate regional meets, there have been many dramas played out along its well-worn trails. You too, now have the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of Nicole Blood and Evan Welsh, standout high school and collegiate athletes, as well as Cherri Goddard-Kenah, whose victories on this same course culminated in her Freihofer’s Run for Women win in 1999.

Or, closer to home, you can test yourself against your son’s or daughter’s PR (personal record). After many years of watching my daughter, Jill, race on these trails, I was thrilled that the tables would finally be turned. Up and down the hills, through the meadows, and along the agonizing 450-meter straightaway to the finish, I pursued Jill’s high school PR. I discovered that things were a lot tougher looking up Ferndell Hill as a runner, rather than gazing down as a spectator. Although my feet knew the way, the rest of my body struggled. Needless to say, Jill’s time still stands as the family record.

Those of you who were lucky enough to attack this course as part of your high school or college experience, you can now venture even further back into your own personal field of dreams by rounding up three to five friends to help you recreate the team experience and give you that extra mental push when the going gets tough. But whether you decide to run solo or as part of a group, know that this is your opportunity to rediscover your inner child.

Enjoy whatever challenges the course dishes out that day — whether it is mud to sink in and puddles to splash in, or branches to leap over and rocks to slip on. To register online or download an application, visit www.saratoganational.com.

Photos courtesy of Saratoga National Cross Country Classic.

Laura Clark (laurac@sspl.org) of Saratoga Springs is an avid trail runner, snowshoer and cross country skier. She is a children and young adult’s librarian at the Saratoga Springs Public Library.

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