Balboa Park - Morley Field Course for Foot Locker Nationals
Doug Speck

Link to course elevation contours and aerial image of course area - Dan Nelson

The Morley Field 5000 meter course, which we have been told will be used for the 2002 Foot Locker National Finals course, is a "fair" cross-country course which combines flats, gradual ups and downs, and two challenging hills which must be traversed during the two 1.5 mile loops (which have the extra distance added to get out to 5000 meters once you cross the starting line a second time). It is basically a big figure eight loop that has never presented itself as one where a "definite point to make a move exists" that has been a deciding factor in a number of the National Finals events where we observed from 1983 through 1998 as the meet announcer. The start through the one mile basically has a slight elevation drop during the run, with the hill coming at the one mile point, with a steep run up that segment, a tough "across the top" flat area following with the fatigue of the steep hill, and steep downhill section before a gradual uphill climb to the start line area to complete the first 1.5 mile loop. The athletes then repeat the same loop, with that same hill coming up at 2.5 miles, with a downhill, then gradual up to the starting line area (3 mile point), and the 188 yard two inch dash to the finish line after that point. The course is 95% grass, a little hard-packed dirt, with two road crossings, which have the athletes crossing cement six total times during the contest.

Let's take a short jaunt through the course, which the meet contestants this coming weekend will do with the help of National meet coordinator Max Mayo Friday morning. The starting line area actually sends athletes on a slight downhill through the race's first quarter mile, with athletes heading west on what should be a nice Southern California December morning (highs are predicted 66 for the day, with lows 51--we do not deal with the real winter world out here). The race times of 9:15 am and 10:00 am publicized for this year's events will certainly fall before the peak heat of the day, with the old 10:00 and 10:40 starts sometimes putting the second contest into the low-mid 70's, a definite heat problem for someone from the Midwest or Northeast running around in snow for a couple of weeks beforehand. No humidity allowed out here, with the condition mentioned by those in the 2000 event we attended in Florida (Jason Hartman from Michigan on the bus afterwards, "I almost collapsed at the finish line," with low humidity conditions that day) compared to the flat out cold winter he was used to in Rockford, Michigan in preparation for the event. Anyway, back to the course. The first quarter mile, heading west from the start, is again slightly downhill, with the veteran racers kind of working out the kinks during this period, with no one ever too crazy in the pacing department right near the start. The race comes back towards the start to the 880 point near the tennis courts just before a swimming pool area, with spectators from the start having the nice luxury of a short walk to view racers once again here a couple minutes into the event. This second quarter mile is a very slight uphill, as runners work their way back up towards the start line area after traversing out to the west end of the course. After a swing around a swimming pool area, the athletes start a gradual downhill segment, past the starting line, and down to complete a loop that consists of a grass area of picnic tables. At around the Jacaranda Place street crossing is the mile point. The boys one time (Brad Hudson New Jerseyite who eventually transplanted to Oregon during his prep career) and the Girls one time (I think Texan Kathy Smith led that year) were under 4:30 and 5:00 respectively at this one mile point, with typically mid-high 4:30's-low 4:40's for the boy's and 5:10-5:15 for the girls there. Someone who is from a portion of the country who has dominated locally or has gotten away this season without a first mile in this range may find themselves in a different position early on than they are used to. With the terrain on the course fairly consistent it seems some contact near the front pack at this mile point was a factor in most successful runners through the years, with this not really a "bob and weave" or type of course that features some segment so tough that it tremendously slows everyone down and a big move can be made or some other such race plan. Right after the mile the runners head up a steep hill that roughly parallels the Jacaranda Place street that it is next to, with a flat section across the top that has the runners with pulse rates very, very high with the excitement of this day and the very steep hill which is the first time one can really flex their racing muscles after a geographically uneventful first third of the contest. The downhill that parallels Upas Drive is very steep, with good downhil runners able to really let loose here. Again, the course is good for spectators, with those in starting line area able to take their binoculars and watch the runners as they go across the mile point, and depending upon the Eucalyptus tree trimming park plan, watch part of the hill run, see the crew as they head across part of the the flat segment at the top, and see them as they come out of the downhill segment that parallels Upas Drive (again three years since we've been there so the trees may have filled out, who knows). If you wonder why the metal baskets are all around the park here it has to do with frisbee golf, don't ask me to explain, a popular pastime for those with too much sun and time on their hands.

So, we've gone a bit more than a mile and a quarter as we come off the hill, with a gradual uphill segment before we cross the starting line area, where spectators again can add some cheers for favorites at the mile and a half point. It was always nice to have a San Diegan prep among the field, which boosted attendance, but unfortunately none this year. San Diegans area very active folks into the running scene, with the event typically attracting crowds up into the thousands, with the presence of potential winners Marc Davis, Milena Glusac, or Mebrahtom Keflezighi from the local prep crowd adding significantly to that number. Interestingly Davis, who attended San Diego HS, a short ways across the valley from the course, claimed he could sit in class and look out on the course, dreaming of championships (that he won in 1986).

After completing the first loop it is not real complicated, as we complete that same big figure eight configuration a second time. However, now we have the runners separated by a mile and a half of running. There is a geographic rivalry to these events, with westerner Galen Rupp of Oregon playfully promising "domination" by his area in the Boys' contest after his Western Regional run. The four teams do have different color running uniforms, and there is usually a two-team contest that has developed by this point. Your eventual individual winner does not have to be right on the lead by the start of this second portion of the course, but they are usually somewhere in the lead pack or close to it. From that one and a half mile point at the starting line the group is out and back to the tennis court/pool area for the next half mile point, putting athletes at two miles when they come past the east end of the tennis court area. The athletes are spread out a bit, and it is a nice, colorful stream of runners, certainly appreciating the support of all in their biggest competition ever! As the race passes the start line for a third time and athletes roll down into the picnic loop area, those up front are purring along, while many, champions most, are wondering how they ever ended up so far back, impolitely welcomed to a level of competition they had never before come in contact with. It is not easy! If it is close up front and places are to be sorted out, the hill section with a bit more than a half mile to go will make sure that happens. At two and a half miles everyone is quite fatigued, with a darn tough uphill segment and unforgiving flat segment on the top that drags on. The thoughts that go through the minds of champions here is often interesting to hear. Kristen Gordon, 1996 champion, quipped afterwards that the thought that went through her mind before she swept to victory (we had described her as probably the second best runner in the U.S. while giving her award two weeks previous at the California State Meet), was, "that Doug Speck is wrong, I'm not the second best runner in the United States, I'm the best!" Oh well! Others are more general, such as "I've done too much work to back down now, etc." Anyway, there will be at least one good quote from this section of the course from one of the day's winners. After the big final hill there is the downhill swoop and gradual uphill towards the starting line area (passed a fourth time during the event here), and nearly 200 meter sprint along a wall of spectators towards the finish line. The individual and team contests have unfolded by this time, with all runners 1-32 in each event appreciating the support of fans along the way.

The weekend is unlike any other, with runners treated royally, and Olympic level stars around for the fun times! If things are done as in the past, there will be 10 minutes or so of introductions of individual athletes, as instituted by former Meet Director Dennis McClanahan, followed by some directions at the starting line that are probably a bit different than the typical pre-race schedule of individual athletes. The first time through the entire weekend it takes a relaxed focus that some miss. For many it is the first introduction to the big-time, with an amazing number of eventual Olympic level stars indicating that this was their "eye-opener" to what the world of running could do for them. Bob Kennedy, Sarah Schwald, Suzy Favor-Hamilton, Adam Goucher, and Deena Drossin are just a few of the group that went on to "bigger and better" things during their running careers after a good start here. It is kind of funny years later when someone like evenutal NCAA Champ and World Championship team member Schwald passes on, "When I was a freshman I almost fell over with nervousness while jogging to the starting line, wondering who these people were who were telling all this information about my very short running career during the introductions!" If you are local, drive on down, if not, it will be on TV--advertised to air on December 19th at 3:00p.m. EST on Fox Sports Net (but check your local schedules!!).

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Editors: Doug Speck and Rich Gonzalez
Publisher: John Dye

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