flrunners.com

It's about time!

NOOOOOOO!!!!!!!

Larry and Penny here we come!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Belenxc

Larry and Penny here we come!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

@Belenxc At least we know the course will be 3.1

Maybe it will go somewhere with real cross country, not just an oversized track. Woods would be nice.

KBrnnr

@Belenxc At least we know the course will be 3.1

@KBrnnr on a Raposo wheel*.

I can't imagine how many people would measure it and think it's 3.25 miles. LOL!

We got to find something in Pensacola or Key West.

Larry and Penny, such a great course to have it at....though, is the course wide enough and would it be logistics friendly?

@jausna08

Larry & Penny couldn't physically handle the amount of cars and spectators that the state meet would bring, but as for the racing venue, we've hosted plenty of meets with 30+ teams without a problem.

Now, after racing on the open bermuda grass courses at 8:00am on a Saturday up north many-a-time, I can't imagine what a shit-fit people would have when they have when they have to race on coral rock in narrow trails at 3:00pm at Larry & Penny. Welcome to Miami! Where champions are made!

Anything with big hills would be a distinct disadvantage for South Florida teams. LER was the perfect venue. Shame on the whiners.

@eaglettes I think there is a difference between whining and voicing legitimate concerns. I consider some of the concerns that many coaches had spoken up about were legitimate concerns. And I believe those concerns could have been addressed and discussed and resolved via communication.

Kevin was very candid with me in our interview and very nice. And I appreciate that. But also the way that Little Everglades has often acted in the past is a controlling entity that runs the meet how they desire with little or any influence, discussions, or input from the cross country community. With the exception to maybe listening to Cyle Sage's advice sometimes. And they are not part of that community. They don't know what's necessarily best or what people are really thinking/saying. And personally I wish they had acted more like a venue than an event organizer. Rent the place to us, let us run the meet. ("us" being generic for the community at large, not flrunners specifically)

But the bottom line is that I think the communication was terrible or non-existent. It likely could have all been resolved if they'd have just sat down for reasonable discussions.

And all of this is assuming that what they are saying is exactly what happened and what the reasons are... and that there are no other "behind the scenes" motivations or factors here. And I'm not sure that can be assumed either.

What about disney? Were they approached. What were their answers/price?
There is a lot of land in the Kissimmee/St. Cloud area, lots of ranchers who aren't making it in beef right now.

@Skippy66
as long as they don't limit us on how much water or coolers we can bring in, as well as not charge an arm and a leg...and they use a XC course not a road race...Orlando / Disney could be HUUUUUGGGGGE.

Before the Replies hit the 100mark I wanted to voice a few things. These is coming from a Coach that really enjoyed the years at LER. What a great course and fair location for most of us (almost equal distance from Tallahassee to LER then from Miami to LER).

1) I totally understand that they can't run the meet for FREE. They need to charge something for a well ran Championship. But I think $9 per person is a little too much as well. We could have fixed these problem by meeting half way (maybe $6 fee)

2) The T-Shirt robbery has nothing to do with LER (I think). That company that the FHSAA hired to make the State shirts SHOULD BE FIRED! Paying $30 for a Shirt that cost $4 to make is sick! If we are going to bitch about money then forget the $7 parking fee and look at the $30 shirt or $55 sweater that the kids would like to buy for memories. I understand parking is NOT optional and the shirt is but as a Senior going to your last State Championship not buying the shirt is almost not an option.

3) Now that LER is out, finding a place that can take the car/bus load that is required is going to be pretty tough. One reason why maybe a Two Day meet might be an option. Friday Late afternoon (1A & 2A) and Sat morning (3A & 4A) flip-flop the next year. BTW Shanell is OK with these..

4) Courses in Tallahassee and South Florida need to be scratch out immediately (even though it would be fun to do it at L & P @ 3pm)

5) Disney also needs to be crossed out because if you think $7 parking was bad then wait until you knock on Mickey's door. Better have the Black Card ready..

6) Chris did a AMAZING job running the Pre-State meet at the Ranch. Will the new course allow for a "Pre-State" meet?

Well I hope we can work out a deal with a new course soon and we don't get into a really bad cycle of changing the course every other year.

Final Opinion:
UF would be great but parking is CRAZY (we would need to break it up into a 4 day meet)

Titusville would be my #1 choice (have Jason run the entire show)

Never been to Lakeland or Lake City

Is Florida State College the course that we ran in the late 90's?

Good bye Little Everglades and I hope to come back one day..

Gooch7

Titusville would be my #1 choice (have Jason run the entire show)

@Gooch7 Hah... thanks for the vote of confidence. I wouldn't mind the state meet coming to Titusville and flrunners being the Pre-State meet once again. But I want nothing to do with running the actual state meet!

@Raycer131
Disney has good points (Location, nice and clean, fun site) but they are "control freeks ' and tend to
do things their own way. The security thing is a joke and the cooler/tent thing as well. Parking is no problem and availability of land either. It's like every else, you have to take the good with the bad. I lived in Kissimmee in the 80's and am going to ask a few people. There is plenty of cattle land, it is just
a matter of finding the right persons.
Coach Lehning

This is sad....the facility was beautiful and provided as good a view of the entire race as a spectator could wish. My son has run there the last 2 years and it is a special place to him...life and dreams change. There are whinners everywhere, their volume got the best of us all.

My vote is for Titusville- there has never been a race that hasn't been exceptional there, and everyone seems to love it. It is in Central Florida, so no distinct advantages are given to runner from either North or South Florida.

cmgeshman

My vote is for Titusville- there has never been a race that hasn't been exceptional there, and everyone seems to love it. It is in Central Florida, so no distinct advantages are given to runner from either North or South Florida.

@cmgeshman Anxiously awaiting Raposo's response to this course.....

Chain Of Lakes honestly everyone has the right idea, Flrunners meet is there so if def can hold the amount of teams. Its going to have to be there or maybe...Disney would be another good one. Both courses ive run on many many times so not trilled about moving state meet there but those venues would prob be the best bet.

I'm not sure Chain of lakes is big enough. Crowd control would be the issue.

NOTE: The article has been updated with statements from the FHSAA.

Ed Radice!

jdpsu

Anxiously awaiting Raposo's response to this course.....

@jdpsu I knew I had written this somewhere! Here's what I wrote on the other topic about Titusville... "a properly measured Chain of Lakes might not be bad, the only problem is the asphalt walkway alongside the grass course; although it's a natural barrier, there is no real way to prevent kids from running on there."

I personally love that course and it's spectator friendly too.

I second Ed Radice. The atmosphere of a the state meet when it was held there was great. Open Course and racing at night? Many will say however that its not a true XC course because it is just soccer fields.