I think it's great that the state meet is back at Elkins. WV will again have the distinction of having the most difficult state meet course in the country. It's going to take more than speed to win the state meet, and that's how it should be. The speedsters will get their chance on the track. I have run on the D&E course one time - in the state meet in 1977. I have since coached for many years in Virginia and North Carolina, and I have seen a lot of courses. D&E remains at the top with no rivals. McAlpine-Greenway in Charlotte has absolutely NO character, and is heavily used only because it can accommodate a lot of runners and it's easy to get to. Piedmont Virginia Community College, home to Virginia's state championship, is a good test for cross country runners, but, unless local wildlife interferes with racing, it falls well short of D&E in character. In my mind, Elkins is the best place for the WV state meet, and it should never be moved again.

Jeff Spencer