By BRENT STUBBS

Chief Sports Editor

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

WHETHER you are a competitive athlete or a casual spectator, the Red-Line Athletics’ inaugural cross country and fitness championship is the ideal event for you to compete in.

Scheduled for Saturday, September 14, starting at 6am, the event will take place at the St Augustine’s College campus where competitors will get a chance to traverse over two hills, a staircase and both road and grass surfaces.

The event is designed for both the walkers and runners with more than 60 awards presented to the first through six place finishers, according to Tito Moss, the head coach of the Red-Line Athletics Club.

Categories for male and female runners are under-9, under-11, under-13, under-15, under-17, under-20, under-30, under-40, under-50 and 50-and-over, while the walkers will be under-20, under-30, under-40, under-50 and over-50. 

“It’s going to be the quickest and most challenging cross country of the season. It’s the only one where persons from under nine to under 90 can participate,” Moss said. “We will have walkers and runners participating.

“We want all of the traditional runners, who usually take part in those fun runs and fitness runs, to come out and participate. We want the moms and the dads, the uncles and aunts and grandparents to participate.”

Unlike the other events they host, which is primarily geared towards the athletes and clubs, this one is designed for the entire family and he said they anticipate everyone to come out, whether to run or to walk. “We have a category for you to participate in,” Moss said.

With the course set up for just over a mile, Moss said the terrain being offered at SAC will take most runners about seven minutes to complete and walkers at least 15-20 minutes. 

“It’s a challenging course. It’s one mile, but it probably will feel like two miles,” Moss pointed out. “

Moss said they decided to stage this event to allow everybody to participate.

“It’s early in the off season training for the athletes,” Moss said. “A lot of the clubs are just returning to training, so we decided to select a route that everyone in track and field, including the spectators, can participate in.

“It’s a course that is challenging, but it’s a course where clubs are just getting back to training and this is a good training route to participate in. That’s why we selected the terrain, the location and it’s a real cross country with roads, hills, stairs and grass. We’re the only cross country that will probably have all of those terrains. Nothing can replicate it.”

Moss said they are anticipating at least four to 500 competitors but, if they have more than 500, they will be able to accommodate them in the usual Red-Line Athletics Club’s first-class event.

Persons wishing to participate in the event are urged to register online at: redlineathletics242@gmail.com