Fairfax Police Youth Club

Cross Country

2017 FPYC Cross Country Schedule

*When schedule changes are required, we will make families aware and change the schedule here on the website.  If viewing from a small screen, you may need to turn your device horizontally to view all columns.

WHEN WHAT Fairfax Location TIME Accotink Location
Thursday, August 31 Pre-Season Coaches Meeting Fairfax Pacers 6:00-6:30 PM n/a
Thursday, August 31 Meet the Coaches Night Fairfax Pacers 6:30-7:30 PM n/a
Tuesday, September 5 Introductory practice Van Dyck Park 6 PM - 7 PM 6 PM - 7 PM
Thursday, September 7 Introductory practice Providence Park 6 PM - 7 PM 6 PM - 7 PM
Sunday, September 10 Parent & Athlete meeting/practice Fairfax HS 1 - 2:30 PM  n/a
Tuesday, September 12 practice Van Dyck Park 6 PM -7 PM 6 PM - 7 PM
Thursday, September 14 practice/uniform purchase Providence Park 6 PM -7 PM 6 PM - 7 PM
Sunday, September 17 practice/uniform purchase  Van Dyck Park 1 – 2:15 PM n/a
Tuesday, September 19 practice/uniform purchase Van Dyck Park 6 PM - 7 PM 6 PM - 7 PM
Thursday, September 21 practice/uniform purchase Providence Park 6 PM - 7 PM 6 PM - 7 PM
Saturday, September 23 PACERS DCXC INVITE Kenilworth, DC 10:30 AM – 12:30 PM  n/a
Tuesday, September 26 practice Van Dyck Park 6 PM - 7 PM 6 PM - 7 PM
Thursday, September 28 practice Providence Park 6 PM - 7 PM 6 PM - 7 PM
Sunday, October 1 FPYC MEET @ Van Dyck Park Van Dyck Park 12:30 – 4:30 PM n/a
Tuesday, October 3 practice Van Dyck Park 6 PM - 7 PM 6 PM - 7 PM
Thursday, October 5 practice Providence Park 6 PM - 7 PM 6 PM - 7 PM
Saturday, October 7 Southwestern Youth Association Centreville 8:15- 11:45 AM n/a
Tuesday, October 10 practice Van Dyck Park 6 PM - 7 PM 6 PM - 7 PM
Thursday, October 12 practice Providence Park 5:45 - 6:45 PM 6 PM - 7 PM
Sunday, October 15 FPYC PETER BANKS MEET Van Dyck Park 12:30 – 4:30 PM n/a
Tuesday, October 17 practice Van Dyck Park 5:45 - 6:45 PM 6 PM - 7 PM
Thursday, October 19 practice Providence Park 5:45 - 6:45 PM 6 PM - 7 PM
Saturday, October 21 FPYC MEET @PROVIDENCE PARK Providence Park 12:30 – 4:30 PM n/a
Tuesday, October 24 practice Van Dyck Park 5:45 - 6:45 PM n/a
Thursday, October 26 practice Providence Park 5:30 - 6:30 PM n/a
Saturday, October 28 NOVA Athletic Club Invitational Leesburg, VA a.m. Races n/a
Tuesday, October 31 HALLOWEEN - NO PRACTCIE n/a n/a n/a
Thursday, November 2 practice Providence Park 5:30 - 6:30 PM n/a
Sunday, November 5 USATF PVA Post-Season Qualifier Smithsburg, MD 12:30 - TBD

n/a

 
Sunday, November 5 Vienna Meet Vienna, VA TBD n/a
Tuesday, November 7 Post-Season Practice Robinson HS 6 PM - 7 PM n/a
Wednesday, November 8 End-of-Season Banquet Lanier MS 6 PM - 8 PM n/a
Thursday, November 9 Post-Season Practice Woodson HS 6 PM -7 PM n/a
Sunday, November 12 Post - Season Practice Van Dyck Park 1 PM - 2 PM n/a
Tuesday, November 14 Post - Season Practice Robinson HS 6 PM -7 PM n/a
Thursday, November 16 Post - Season Practice Woodson HS 6 PM -7 PM n/a
Sunday, November 19 Post- Season Practice Van Dyck Park 1-2 PM n/a
Tuesday, November 21 Post - Season Practice Robinson HS 6 PM -7 PM n/a
Thursday, November 23 THANKSGIVING - NO PRACTICE n/a n/a n/a
Sunday, November 26 Post - Season Practice Van Dyck Park 1-2 PM n/a
Tuesday, November 28 Post - Season Practice Robinson HS 6 PM -7 PM n/a
Thursday, November 30 Post - Season Practice Woodson HS 6 PM -7 PM n/a
Sunday, December 3 No organized practice n/a n/a n/a
Tuesday, December 5 Post - Season Practice Robinson HS 6 PM - 7 PM n/a
Thursday, December 7 Post - Season Practice Woodson HS 6 PM -7 PM n/a
         
POST SEASON OPPORTUNITIES  
WHEN WHAT Location TIME  
Saturday, November 18 X-C Coaches Championships West Chester, OH TBD  
Saturday, November 25 Footlocker South Regional Charlotte, NC TBD  
Saturday, December 2 AAU J.O. X-C Championships Charlotte, NC TBD  
Saturday, December 9 USATF J.O.  X-C  Championships Tallahassee, FL TBD  

 

See the Practice & Meet Locations tab for addresses and links to directions

We expect to have a "Meet the Coaches" night prior to the start of practices. This is an informal, non-mandatory event that allows athletes and families to come and meet our coaches and answer questions they may have before the season begins.
 
The fall cross country season starts in the beginning of September. We know that many families are scrambling to establish back-to-school routines, so if your child is unable to attend any of the initial practices, that is not a problem. We can get you and your child up-to-speed when they come to practice.

Cross Country Events

RACE DISTANCES
We encourage all of our runners to compete at their official age-appropriate distance, declared by USA Track and Field (USATF). Some runners, though, may need a race or two at a shorter distance to get to that level.
At our home meets, we allow runners of any age to compete in any distance they choose, including multiple events. For awards, all athletes are separated into the age divisions so runners are only competing against others in their age group. At away meets, athletes are typically required to run the age appropriate race distances used by USATF or as the meet directors determine.
 
2016 USATF National Age Divisions and Respective Race Distances:
 
Age Division
Year of Birth
Distance
Approx. Distance in Miles
8 & Under 
2008+*
2K
1.24
9 – 10
2006-2007
3K
1.86
11 – 12
2004-2005
3K
1.86
13 – 14
2002-2003
4K
2.48
15 – 16
2000-2001
5K
3.10
17 – 18
1998-1999**
5K
3.10
 
* Per USATF Rule 300.1 (c) "Athletes must be at least seven (7) years of age on December 31 of the current year to compete at the Youth Athletics or Junior Olympic National Championships."
** Athletes who are still 18 through the final day of the USATF National Junior Olympic Track & Field Championships are eligible to compete in the 17-18 age division through that meet. This extended eligibility does not apply to cross country events.
usatf.org/Resources-for---/Youth--NEW/Championships/Age-Divisions.aspx
 
For our regular season smaller local meets, the youngest runners are further broken out from the 7 and 8 year-old age group to create a separate “6 & Under” age division at the 1K race distance. The 6 & Under age group is not an official USATF age group, but encourages the youngest runners by reducing their peer group.
 
Age Division Name
Birth Year
Age at the End of the Year (December 31, 2012)
Distance (K = kilometer)
Approximate Distance in Miles
6 & U
Born in 2010 or after
Age 6 and under
1K
0.62
7 – 8
Born in 2008-2009
Ages 7 – 8
2K
1.24
 
*There is no 6 & Under age group for Junior Olympics competition. The youngest age division is 8 & Under, which includes age 8 and younger runners at the 2K race distance. Note that for USATF, runners must be 7 by the end of the calendar year to compete at Youth Athletics or the Junior Olympic National Championships.
 
Cross Country Coaches National Youth Championships (CCCNYC) does allow 6 year olds to compete at their championship cross country race in the 2K distance. Please see the AGE GROUPINGS and the EXTENDED SEASON/NATIONAL COMPETITIONS tabs for more information.
 
There is a running log that is available for runners to keep track of their progress and distance run. Runners can update it throughout the fall. Coaches can give kids estimates of distances run at practice. This is for fun and we will collect them at the end of the season. Everyone who reaches certain age-appropriate mileage levels over the course of the season will receive special recognition.
 
RUNNING LOG
 
Age
Name
Minimum Distance
8 and Under
“Half-marathon”
13.1 total miles
9 through 12
“Marathon”
26.2 total miles
13 and Older
“Ultra marathon”
50.0 total miles
 
COURSES FOR MEETS AND PRACTICES
There is something to be said for the familiarity and perceived advantage of a home soccer pitch, running track, or basketball court. But in the end, the dimensions and playing surfaces for these sports are relatively consistent.
 
That is certainly NOT the case for cross country running. Every course is different in many ways:
 
layout (loop(s) vs. "out-and-back" vs. "point-to-point");
surface (grass vs. dirt vs. gravel or crushed stone vs. paved blacktop);
geography (meadow vs. woods);
terrain (flat vs. hilly) -
 
Most challenging and fun courses have a little of all of these elements.
 
Course walks are offered at the beginning of most meets, but it really pays off for runners to have a practice or two on the courses prior to their races. Our schedule includes pre-race practices on all courses in the central Fairfax area. While this strategy counts on the extra planning and patience of parents, knowing a course really instills confidence in the runner for their race. It eliminates the biggest variable contributing to pre-race anxiety.
 
Providence Park General Map
The yellow line is the full race course loop (minus start and finish areas on the field).
The course is broken into smaller red, green, purple and blue loops which are utilized as practice areas. MAP
 
Daniels Run Park Race Course Map
All distances 1K-5K start and finish on the field behind Daniels Run Elementary School. MAP
 
Van Dyck Park Race Course Maps
1K: Preamble lap around the bowl (40m); one short loop (1K); finish on field. MAP
2K: One long loop (2K); finish on field. MAP
3K: Preamble lap around the bowl (160m); one short loop (1K); one long loop (2K); finish on field. MAP
4K: Preamble lap around the bowl (120m); 2 long loops (2K); finish on field. MAP
5K: Preamble lap around the bowl (280m); one short loop (1K); two long loops (2K); finish on field. MAP