By Grace Gertner
KYMN News Intern
Northfield is getting ready to welcome thousands of visitors for the NCAA Division III Cross Country Championships on Nov. 21 at Carleton College.
The championship is expected to bring about 600 athletes, along with their families, coaches, trainers and fans, to the area, according to Jane Bartho of the Northfield Area Chamber of Commerce. As the community prepares to host the national event, the cross country teams at Carleton College and St. Olaf College are also working toward the possibility of competing in their own backyard.
“It is really exciting for us, and it’s going to be super special,” said Donna Ricks, head coach of Carleton’s women’s cross country and track and field teams.
The event, which will be held on a course in Carleton’s Cowling Arboretum, marks the first time Carleton has hosted a national championship for cross country. St. Olaf has hosted twice, in 2002 and 2007. Runners in the women’s competition run a 6K (3.7-mile) race, while the men’s race is an 8K (just under 5 miles).
Preparing to host the championship has required coordination across multiple departments. Ricks said campus facilities, the arboretum crew and dining services are among those helping prepare for the event. Organizers are also expecting nearly 200 Carleton cross country alumni to return to help with course preparation, event setup and merchandise sales.
“It truly is an endeavor by all,” Ricks said. “We wouldn’t be able to host if all these different departments didn’t step up to help.”
Parking has also presented a challenge, Ricks said. The college secured a nearby farm field to provide additional parking as preparations continued.
Bartho said the Chamber plans to notify local restaurants, retailers and hotels about the expected visitors and encourage businesses to participate in community wide welcome.
“We don’t have a specific event or welcome identified, but just a broad welcome across the community,” Bartho said. Bartho suggests out-of-towners check out the Northfield Area Chamber of Commerce’s events website to keep up with what’s going on in town in the days leading up to the event.
Bartho encouraged spectators to arrive early, stay later and explore the city’s restaurants, parks and downtown attractions.
“The biggest thing is that you don’t need to be a big city to run big events,” Bartho said.
While Carleton College prepares to host, its women’s team must continue focusing on competition and work to qualify for nationals.
Ricks said the coaching staff wants to balance the demands of organizing a national championship with the responsibility of keeping athletes focused and limiting the pressure they feel.
St. Olaf women’s cross country head coach Erica Maker said competing at a championship so close to home could offer local runners an advantage. The teams have opportunities to train on the course and become more familiar with its terrain, and they would not have to travel to compete.
However, Maker said staying home also creates a different challenge.
“When you travel as a team and you hype up everything, we have to create that ourselves here,” Maker said. “We have to make sure our athletes feel like this is truly the championship, and not just another day.”
For St. Olaf, preparations for the postseason include staying healthy, adjusting training mileage and maintaining intense workouts as the team builds toward regional competition, Maker said. The program is also working with an alum who provides sports psychology sessions and tools for athletes to use during races and practices.
Both teams’ chances of competing at nationals will depend on the regional results and the NCAA selection process. Teams can earn automatic qualification by winning their region or receive an at large bid, while individual runners can also qualify, Maker said.
Ricks said she hopes both schools will be represented at the championship, despite their friendly rivalry.
“In all honesty, I have a lot of respect for both teams, and really hope that both sides of the river are represented at this meet,” Ricks said.
Regardless of which teams qualify, Northfield’s preparations are already bringing together college departments, former athletes and local businesses for an event that will put the community in the national spotlight.
If neither St. Olaf or Carleton win their region, they will have an opportunity for an at-large bid. Teams qualifying that way will find out on Nov. 15 if they’ve been selected to compete.
Grace Gertner is a reporter with the St. Olaf Messenger and a KYMN News intern. Contact her through Rich Larson at rich@kymnradio.net
