The city of runners

With today’s economy, it can be a struggle to get money flowing into the city of Spokane, so the Spokane Regional Sports Commission is doing their part to help. After conferences and many hours of brainstorming and preparation, the Northwest Regional and USA Track & Field National Club Cross Country Championships are coming to Spokane.

USATF sanctioned events will be held on Sunday, Nov. 23 and Saturday, Dec. 13 where runners from the region can compete against the nation’s best runners.

“You are racing to be known as the best club in the nation,” said Suzanne Boyce, director of sponsorships and communication for the Spokane Regional Sports Commission. “So there is incentive for people to come and have the title of national champions.”

While independent runners can compete in the races, they won’t win any titles. “Individuals can race just to see how they would compete against some of the best runners in the country,” said Boyce. About 1,000 people are expected to show up to fight for the national title and about 250 for the regional.

Both events will be held at Plantes Ferry Park where a winding course will be created with varying distances.
Runners in the 2008 Northwest Regional Cross Country Championship can race in the masters men (10k) and women (6k) for those 40 years of age and over, open women teams (6k) and open men teams (10k) for runners 18 and over. Races start at 10, 11 and 11:40 a.m., respectively. Individuals pay $15 to get in and groups (three or five runners depending on the age group) pay $60.

“Open is usually the toughest competition,” said Boyce. “[Because] as old as you are you’re still competing against 18-year-olds.”

The regional race includes Idaho, Oregon, Washington and Montana and is “basically a race to see who’s the best in the region in the varying age groups,” said Boyce.

There is also going to be a community race with categories in juniors (18 and under), open and masters for men and women, which will be followed by the 2008 National Club Cross Country Championships. All races will start at 9:30 a.m. and cost $10 to enter.

The races are not qualifying events so anyone willing to register with USATF and pay the fee can join. Boyce said there have been a few teams from Spokane specifically formed for this event; Emde Sports has created two teams, the Spokane Swifts (local women) have a team, and Bloomsday Road Runners Club is also expected to compete.

This event has been rotating around the country for 10 years and this is the first year Spokane gets to host it. “Being a national champion in December is kind of rare… especially in this part of the country,” said Boyce.

To bring in an event like this into a city, there’s a bidding process agencies need to go through.

Requirements like a local organization that’s putting on the event, numbers of hotel rooms and an acceptable facility to host the occasion in have to be fulfilled. Spokane representatives need to come out to a previously-established destination and “sell the city,” said Boyce, after which someone will come down to check out the community and then vote on it.

“We recruit sporting events that will bring people from out of town into our community and basically spend money,” said Boyce, who’s worked for Sports Commission for four years. “Sports tourism is our primary purpose.” Also, the company is interested in building a bigger resumé so larger events can be brought to Spokane, boosting the economy.

If there are any proceeds from this event, they may go to the Spokane Regional Sports Commission Athletic Achievement Grant Program, said Boyce.

More information on registration and races can be found online at www.signmeup.com/62403 or usatf.org and at (509) 363-6825.

Story by Alina Shanin.