Mud, ice, corn husks – Doug Landau realized 500 meters into the 8 km., 4-loop course, that good traction was critical at the 2009 National Cross Country running championships. 2004 Olympic men’s marathon silver medalist Meb Keflezighi won his third national cross country title while Emily Brown won her first at the USA Cross Country Championships on Saturday at the Agricultural History Farm Park in Derwood, Maryland. The men’s winner had 1/2 inch spikes on the front of his shoes and 3/8th spikes in the back. Landau got to watch some of the other racing, including the Junior Girls competition (shown below at left) and see the Collegiate teams, including from New York City’s Columbia University, for whom his sister ran in the 1980s.

Highlights of the 2009 USA Cross Country Championships will be televised on February 15 during ESPN coverage of the Tyson Invitational. The championships consisted of six cross country championship races for men’s and women’s categories with national titles on the line for junior, masters and open divisions. The nation’s premier cross country event, the Championships featured $47,000 in prize money. In addition to individual prizes, there were also team competitions, with the Herndon Reston area sports injury and disability lawyer racing as part of the DC Road Runners Club (DCRRC). For more information on the 2009 USA Cross Country Championships visit www.usatf.org.