Race Day Details

SEPTEMBER 9, 2023

If your team is interested in competing in the 2023 Forest Park Cross Country Festival please fill out our interest form here to be added to the email listserv.

Saturday, September 9

7:30 AM – Open Race 5K

7:40 AM – Coaches Meeting

8:10 AM – Varsity Girls 5K White Division

8:40 AM – Varsity Girls 5K Gold Division

9:10 AM – Varsity Girls 5K Green Division

9:40 AM – Varsity Boys 5K White Division

10:10 AM – Varsity Boys 5K Gold Division

10:40 AM – Varsity Boys 5K Green Division

11:05 AM – Junior Varsity Girls 5K White/Gold Division Combined

11:50 AM – Junior Varsity Girls 5K Green Division

12:30 PM – Junior Varsity Boys 5K White/Gold Division Combined

1:10 PM – Junior Varsity Boys 5K Green Division

1:40 PM – Freshman Girls 3K

2:05 PM – Freshman Boys 3K

2:35 PM – Middle School Boys & Girls 3K Green Division (MSHSAA Schools Only)

+Division note: For the varsity races, green is the most competitive, followed by gold, followed by white.
++If heat poses a threat to athlete safety, we reserve the right to shorten the race distances.

Your division and box assignment will apply to all Varsity races as well as the JV Green races.
JV Gold/White and Freshmen race boxes are first come, first served. Please do not take more than one box unless instructed by the starter.

The Forest Park Cross Country Festival will be held on the northern size of the park utilizing Langenberg, Cricket and Lindell Fields (same as 2022). The course begins with a long 400m+ straightaway before completing two 2k loops through Lindell Field then finishing with long 150m homestretch into the finish line on Cricket Field. The course is mostly flat with some short punchy hills. Athletes can expect to run FAST this year!

We will have clocks and timing splits at all mile marks.

The top three teams in each race will receive a team award. The top 30 individuals in each race will receive a custom Forest Park Cross Country Festival medals.

The awards ceremonies will take place in the Festival area near the finish line on the stage. The awards schedule is as follows:

AWARDS CEREMONY TIME SCHEDULE

8:30 AM – Open Race Awards Ceremony

9:50 AM – Girls Varsity (All Divisions) Awards Ceremony

11:05 AM – Boys Varsity (All Divisions) Awards Ceremony

12:25 PM – JV Girls (All Divisions) Awards Ceremony

1:40 PM – JV Boys (All Divisions) Awards Ceremony

2:30 PM – Freshman Awards Ceremony

3:00 PM – Middle School Awards Ceremony

T-shirt and concessions will be available once again this year at the Forest Park Cross Country Festival. The t-shirt tent can accept credit card payments, but the concession stand is CASH ONLY.

Other amenities include a professional meet announcer and real-time chip timing including 1-mile and 2-mile splits and a video board with finisher names and times.

The meet organizer’s reserve the right to alter or cancel the meet due to inclement weather in the case that we deem conditions to be unsafe to compete or complete a given event. In general, the Forest Park Cross Country Festival will follow the MSHSAA weather policy (p. 27 and 30). In the case of lightning, we will delay the start of any event until 30 minutes after the last sighting of lightning. In the case of extreme heat, the event and remaining races will be canceled if the heat index reaches 105 degrees. The Forest Park Cross Country Festival committee will begin to alter race distances if the heat index reaches 95 degrees or we deem conditions to be unsafe to complete the advertised distance.

Weather Communication:

  • We will make announcements over the PA system at the meet. As we are able, we will communicate delays and schedule updates via email to coaches (on the intent to compete list) as well as on Twitter. Please follow @BigRiverRacing and @SLUHXCTrack for real time updates.

Weather Procedures:

  • The head starter, head athletic trainer and the Meet Directors will make the call to implementing the Lightning Safety Policy.
  • If lightning is detected within 20 miles of the venue we’ll enter into a “Heads Up” mode, finishing the current race and watching the weather pattern to see if the lightening is moving towards the venue.
  • If lightning is detected within 10 miles or less we will begin safety procedures and initiating participants and spectators to seek shelter. The course and festival area (including the team tent area) must be completely cleared by the time lightning is within 6 miles.
  • Activities will be delayed until the storm has passed; resumption of activities can begin 30 minutes after the last lightning strike is detected at greater than or equal to 10 miles. We’ll do our best to communicate a “restart time” giving athletes adequate time to get warmed up and to the starting line.
Spectator Parking is available throughout the park. We have designated lots at the Visitor’s Center and both the lower and upper Muny lots. Street parking is available throughout the park as well, but please obey all posted parking signs to avoid getting ticketed.
Bus Route and Parking
Buses should enter the park from the South (Hampton) or East (Kingshighway) entrances and use Pagoda Circle (in front of Muny, see map) for dropping off their teams. This year buses may also drop off on Lagoon Drive.
Once athletes are dropped off, the upper Muny parking lot is open for bus parking. Please note, commercial vehicles, including buses, are not allowed on Lindell Blvd.