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MileSplit HQ - Across the nation, school is back in session and preps are back on the trails and turfs of their local cross country courses. For some across the country, their eyes are already on Nike Cross Nationals, the defacto National Championship for our teams. For other, their gaze may be on sandy beaches of San Diego, for the Foot Locker National Championships, the defacto National Championship for our individuals. Whichever route teams and individuals may be looking at, athletes across the country are looking to qualify for the post-season. But exactly how do you accurately gauge your competition across the nation, against varying terrain, temperature, and competition?
Some may say look at the times, but all coaches know those are only accurate to a point. So, in 2000, one man looking to get a more accurate read on the landscape, decided to do something about it. Bill Meylan, a NY Native who spent most of his free time at Saratoga Downs, a horse racing facility, decided to adapt the method of Horse Speed Rating to high school cross country runners. As the process matured, it has revolutionized the way people talk about XC times in NY. Soon, the word began to spread, and Speed Ratings became an integral part of the national conversation. Since then, some have tried to replicate the methods, with less success and accuracy, but the TullyRunners Speed Ratings remain the most accurate measure of a XC performance we have available.
What is the Speed Rating National Merge?
MileSplit NY has partnered with TullyRunners to provide a running merge of the Nation's top performances. In short, a speed rating is a number attributed to an XC performance, roughly one point per three seconds, adjusted for overall race quality and depth. Using these numbers, we can compare apples to apples, in terms of XC times and teams. It provides an answer to the hypothetical question, "What would happen if the best teams in the nation all raced at once?," thus giving us a National Ranking. However, these do not predict the outcome of NXN. These predict the outcome assuming every athlete in the race is having their best race of the season. NXN has many variables that affect that outcome. More can be read about the calculation of speed ratings by clicking here.
Without further adieu, here they are...
Girls Top Individuals - Click Here
Girls Top Teams - Click Here
Boys Top Individuals - Click Here
Boys Top Teams - Click Here
Woodbridge Classic caused big shifts in the rankings