PennTrackXC editor Dan Beck previewed the course on Friday afternoon ahead of Saturday's PIAA State Championships and set a new course record (no, he didn't). He took some mental notes along the way on the conditions.
And in case you missed it, take our video tour of the course here!
Here are some observations.
- The course is fast (relatively, folks). Not the fastest it can be, but we can expect some quick times. In comparison with states last year, it will likely run faster.
- While it was warm on Friday, temperatures are expected to be in the 40s for the first races on Saturday---terrific running conditions.
- The parts you might expect to be slushy/muddy aren't too bad. There's some mud in the last mile, as expected, but it's not awful. In fact, it's probably better than last year. The other slightly slushy part appears just after the 2K mark towards the top of the hill.
- With some rain earlier in the week, there may be less dust, particularly in the first mile heading into the hill. It was very dusty at Foundation.
- There are quite a few porta-potties.
- Overall, the course is in terrific shape. Hats off to the PIAA . The grass is low. The foliage looks great. We're expecting a great day on Saturday.
- Did Poop-Out Hill get steeper?
Ultimately, after fears of rain that was forecasted to potentially occur throughout the week, the course looks great headed into Saturday.
