Cross-country teams look to keep momentum rolling in October

Area cross-country teams kicked off their seasons in August and September. 

Now, it’s time to make some moves. 

The Jesse Owens Invitational on Oct. 1, Shelby County Cross Country Championships on Oct. 4 and Hoover Invitational on Oct. 20 highlight the upcoming month’s meet calendar. While one of the races may be more conducive to faster times, they should all provide teams with quality shots at testing themselves against high-caliber competition.

Jesse Owens Invitational: Saturday, Oct. 1, at Oakville Indian Mounds Park in Moulton. 

Cool temperatures, a fast course and unrestricted competition traditionally make this the season’s fastest meet. Jesse Owens pits the best against the best — regardless of classification — as Oak Mountain senior Cole Stidfole can attest. As a junior, he posted the state’s fastest 5K time of the season in a personal-best 15 minutes, 20.45 seconds, and finished second. 

Shelby County Cross Country Championships: Tuesday, Oct. 4, at Veterans Park in Alabaster.

This one’s for bragging rights, though it typically gets taken less seriously considering its close proximity to Jesse Owens. Last fall, the Oak Mountain boys and Westminster School at Oak Mountain girls ran away with the team titles. The Oak Mountain boys placed four in the top six, and the Westminster girls placed three in the top five. 

Hoover Invitational: Thursday, Oct. 20, at Veterans Park in Hoover. 

It’s the last big invitational meet of the season before sectionals begin, giving runners their final chance to see how they stack up against competition from different classes. Due to the course’s challenging terrain, the most important thing to look for is place, not time.