Dear runwv and West Virginia distance runners,

When I heard that the state meet course was moving back to Elkins I was excited. The course at Elkins is not only a difficult course but it challenges anyone who runs it to take there running to the next level. Anyone can run a 5k on a flat course, but it takes every ounce of strengh and determination that an athlete has in his or her body to complete a course like Elkins. Besides our state meet course should represent what kind of landscape our state has to offer. I mean you don't see people in Kansas running their state meet on a hilly course because they don't have any hills. So why should West Virginian's run on a flat course when 99 percent of our course are hilly anyways. I mean cross country isn't supposed to be easy. If you want to run a fast time flat course then go do it on the track. Cross country is supposed to have the hills, creek crossings, and natural barriers. I can't understand peoples point of view about college coaches not knowing what kind of a course West Virginia has because if you are a good enough runner then college coaches will come to you they won't have to search through state meet results to find you. I was actually dissapointed when the state meet moved from Elkins to Williamstown my senior year at Wheeling Park. I also don't understand why people would say that Williamstown is a fast course and it is good to hold a state meet on since it like other state meet courses. The reason i don't understand this is take Ohio for example they have a flat course and they have at least 10 to 25 athletes in all of their divisions run under 16 minutes at their state meet. When was the last time you saw a West Virginia athlete go under 16 minutes on Williamstown' s course? The only one that i can recently recall is me. In 2 years no one except myself has run under 16 minutes at Williamstown. Don't get me wrong,I am not trying to talk myself up but maybe our athletes need to stop whinning about the course and start training harder!

Thank you for your time,

Ex Wheeling Park athlete and two time state cross country champ,
Ricky Moore