Friday PM Session | Saturday Early Morning Session | Saturday Late Morning Session
Please read Hare & Hounds Meet Information as well as the COVID-19 Safety Regulations you need to follow at the event this weekend. We have the entry information for each wave in the links above. You can find live results for the weekend on MitchellTiming.com. We will be on the ground getting coverage of the event.
Coaches and Student-Athletes,
Below are the instructions and guidelines for this year's 10th Hare & Hounds Cross Country Invitational at McAlpine Park in Charlotte.
**PLEASE read over them.
***IT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT to follow all guidelines so that we don't jeopardize our ability to hold the meet and we don't jeopardize our ability to give these kids this opportunity.
***We are grateful to Metrolina Christian, Mecklenburg County Park & Recreation, the Mecklenburg County Health Department and the Mecklenburg County Manager for guiding us and allowing us to hold the meet so that the student-athletes can have the opportunity to compete.
If you have any questions or need clarity on anything, please ask.
ALSO:
1) PLEASE EMPHASIZE TO YOUR PARENTS THAT SPECTATORS ARE NOT ALLOWED.
**We have a cap on the number of people allowed in the park's competition area at the same time (set by Mecklenburg County government), and that includes ***runners, ****support staff and ***1 head coach of a team only -- boys & girls are considered 1 team).
PARKING:
**Parking is in the normal area (as you pull into the entrance at 8711 Monroe Road, Charlotte, NC 28212)
**Student-athletes and head coaches are asked to stay in their vehicles until 10-15 minutes before their designated time to cross the bridge.
**Also, please arrive to the park no earlier than an hour or so before your race.
ENTRANCE:
**The ONLY entrance to the course will be at the bridge
**At the bridge, we will check temperatures and ask several screening questions for each competitor and each coach that enters the park.
**If you do not pass the screening, you will not be allowed to compete (it is for the safety of you and others)
**At the entrance you will be given a bib, chip and yellow Hare & Hounds wristband that you must wear.
**1 head coach per team only.
INSIDE THE PARK:
---Things we must adhere to at the meet:
**FACEMASKS: Must be worn at least until you begin to warm up (feel free to wear them while warming up or even while racing, but you are only required to wear them until you begin to warm up).
**NO TENTS: Tents are not allowed this year.
**NO SPECTATORS: Spectators are not allowed (I know this is not ideal, but we can only have so many in the park. If this is violated for any reason, the spectator will be asked to leave and if they don't, then the runner they are there to see will not be able to compete)
**ASSIGNED SPOTS FOR LEAVING ITEMS:For teams and individuals we will have assigned spots within the park to sit, stand, etc., until you warm up.
STARTING LINE:
**ON THE LINE: We will have boxes marked off that will help create the 6-feet social distance that we are asked to adhere to by national, state and local health officials.
MEET SCHEDULE:
Friday, Sept. 18
4:30 p.m. (3K middle school) -- waves:4:30 p.m., 4:33 p.m., 4:36 p.m., 4:39 p.m.
--each wave will have about 20 or so runners(of similar ability based on PRs or team rankings)
--Can enter across the bridge at 3:50 p.m.
6:10 p.m. (5K varsity) -- waves:6:10 p.m., 6:13 p.m., 6:16 p.m., 6:19 p.m.
--each wave will have about 20 or so runners(of similar ability based on PRs or team rankings)
--Can enter across the bridge at 5:30 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 19
7 a.m.(5K varsity) -- waves:7:00 a.m.,7:03 a.m., 7:06 a.m., 7:09 a.m.
--each wave will have about 20 or so runners (of similar ability based on PRs or team rankings)
--Can enter across the bridge at 6:00 a.m.
--Must exit the park past the finish line upon completion or your race.
8:30 a.m.(5K varsity) -- waves:8:30 a.m., 8:33 a.m., 8:36 a.m., 8:39 a.m.
--each wave will have about 20 or so runners (of similar ability based on PRs or team rankings)
--Can enter across the bridge at 7:50 a.m.
--Must exit the park past the finish line upon completion or your race.
10:00 a.m.(5K varsity) -- waves:10:00 a.m., 10:03 a.m., 10:06 a.m., 10:09 a.m.
--each wave will have about 20 or so runners (of similar ability based on PRs or team rankings)
--Can enter across the bridge at 9:20 a.m.
--Must exit the park past the finish line upon completion or your race.
11:35 a.m.(5K varsity) -- waves:11:35 a.m., 11:38 a.m., 11:41 a.m., 11:44 a.m.
--each wave will have about 20 or so runners(of similar ability based on PRs or team rankings)
--Can enter across the bridge at 10:55 a.m.
--Must exit the park past the finish line upon completion or your race.
EXIT:
**As you cross the finish line, there is a trail that continues to another exit (that takes you to the other side of the parking lot).
**Athletes should gather their items in their assigned area (or from their coach if with a team).
**Athletes and coaches and family waiting for their son or daughter are asked not to congregate in the parking lot. We must social distance, per guidelines set by national, state and local government.
MEDICAL:
**We will have an EMT in a gator trailing the last runners
**We will have a registered nurse on a bike trailing the last runners
**We will have a Novant Health trainer near the finish line.
**We will have an EMT near the finish line.
**We will have staff stationed on key parts of the course
**Coaches will be looking for and accounting for their athletes, as well.
AWARDS:
**I know awards are not what everyone is here for, and I know everyone is here to compete and are grateful for the opportunity (after seeing everyone's emails), but I wanted to give awards and they will be mailed after the meet.
**TEAM**
--LARGE SILVER ENGRAVED ROSE BOWL:to overall team winner (no divisional winners this year because of the limited spots and the limited amount of teams we can have)
--MEDIUM SILVER ENGRAVED ROSE BOWL:to overall runner-up(no divisional winners this year because of the limited spots and the limited amount of teams we can have)
**1st and 2nd overall will be determined by top-5 average and meet merge
(***Background on the switch to the rose bowls for team champions from this year on out:The name "Hare&Hounds" is taken from the beginnings of the sport of cross country in the 1800s, when the very first cross country race was held (and is still run to this day). Given that the name of the meet is rooted in the beginnings of cross country and in the meet in England, I wanted to duplicate their awards as best I could).
**INDIVIDUAL AWARDS**
--OVERALL FASTEST INDIVIDUAL (SILVER ENGRAVED PLATE):to overall fastest boys' runner and overall fastest girls' runner in the entire meet
--OVERALL SECOND-FASTEST INDIVIDUAL (SILVER ENGRAVED CUP):to overall second-fastest boys' runner and overall second-fastest girls' runner in the entire meet
--MEDALS (TOP 3 IN EACH WAVE):Gold, silver, bronze medals to top 3 in each wave of 20 or so runners
(***Background on the switch to the individual awards:The name "Hare&Hounds" is taken from the beginnings of the sport of cross country in the 1800s, when the very first cross country race was held (and is still run to this day). Given that the name of the meet is rooted in the beginnings of cross country and in the meet in England, I wanted to duplicate their awards as best I could).