Newark Invitational 2025

We look forward to hosting your teams this Saturday, September 13th! Questions can be directed to Head Coach Erika McCullough at erikalane.mcc@gmail.com

Entry Deadline

• Tuesday, September 9th at NOON (please complete entries ASAP).

• For athlete safety, access to the gated track/finish area is limited to coaches and athletes.

• Each team packet will include two coach wristbands. Contact Coach McCullough if more wristbands are needed.

Due to new tennis courts in the former camp/start area, we've made some minor adjustments to the course this year. Looking ahead, we've proposed a project that would allow us to extend farther into the fields along King Road, making the course even faster in the future.

The HS course still features only three turns in the first 1100m, setting athletes up for fast times. While the first mile is not especially spectator-friendly (we hope to add live mile timing next year!), it creates a rare athlete-focused racing experience that consistently produces PRs. Mostly flat but deceptively challenging, the course rewards smart tactics and sharp race instincts. With much of the first mile away from crowds and coaches, athletes must trust their race plan and compete independently-making this a unique and invaluable mid-season test a month out from league meets.

• Athletes will stay on the track for the entire finish.

• Athletes will enter the track through the back gate (behind the 100m start) and stay in lanes 6-8. They will continue straight, pass in front of the stands, and continue around the first curve. At the green "break line" after the first turn, athletes should run a tangent to lane 1 as they run the back stretch. Athletes will then have lanes 1-4 to run the final curve and final stretch into the finish.

Meet Address: Evans Athletic Complex, 948 Sharon Valley Road, Newark, OH 43055

7:30AM - Course Opens

9:00 AM - High School Boys

9:40 AM - High School Girls

10:20 AM - Fun Runs (Mile Race for Grades 5-6 will run first, followed by a shorter race for K-4)

11:00 AM - Middle School Boys

11:25 AM - Middle School Girls

Results Link

We have expanded our team awards this year! 

Teams: Champion, Runner-Up, 3rd Place plaques

Individuals: Top 30 medals

Bus Drop Off/Parking

• Buses should enter the Evans Complex and pull to the main gate area. A volunteer will meet buses to hand out packets and direct coaches to the team camp area.

• Buses can then exit the complex, turn right on  Sharon Valley Road, go around the roundabout and return to park in the highlighted bus parking across the street, or along the curb on the west side of Evans Blvd.am Camps

• Team Camp location has changed!

• New location: through the main gate, behind the storage garages. Set up anywhere on the practice football field (see map). 

• Restrooms and porta potties available inside the main gate. There will also be porta potties at the start line for athletes to use! 

There will be no charge for tickets this year. To help make spectating more affordable for families, we will only be charging $10 per vehicle (CASH ONLY) for entry. All proceeds will support the NXC programs! Parking and traffic will be managed by coaches, NXC parents, and community volunteers - please have payment ready to avoid traffic delays! Thank you in advance for your patience and courtesy in helping make arrival and departure as smooth as possible. We appreciate your support! 

//assets.sp.milesplit.com/meets/699138/files/newark_parking,_team_camps_2025.pdfVendors

• Wood St. Sports -Wildcat XC apparel (be sure to stop by and grab yours early!)

• BH Coffee Trailer will be on site selling hot, cold, and frozen coffee to keep spectators and coaches caffeinated during the meet.
• //assets.sp.milesplit.com/meets/699138/files/bh_coffee_drink_list.jpeg    
  

• Light, athlete-focused concessions will also be available at our concession stand.

We are excited to again host FREE Fun Runs for our younger runners. Friends, siblings, family, youth athletes are all invited to register and participate! All Fun Run participants iwll receive a popsicle at hte finish and a photo opp with our new mascot, JJ! Flier attached. 

Questions about Fun Run can be directed to Coach Peters:  jpeters@newarkcityschools.org

• 1600m Run (Grades 5th and 6th)

• Shorter run (a little over 500m - Grades K-4)
• 5K Map: //assets.sp.milesplit.com/meets/699138/files/updated_newark_hs_5k_course_2025.pdf
• 3200m Map: //assets.sp.milesplit.com/meets/699138/files/updated_newark_ms_3200_course_2025.pdf
• Grades 5/6 Fun Run:
  
   //assets.sp.milesplit.com/meets/699138/files/updated_newark_1600m_fun_run_course_(grades_5-6).pdf
• K-4 Fun Run: //assets.sp.milesplit.com/meets/699138/files/updated_newark_grades_k-4_fun_run_2025.pdf

Fun Runs:

Fun Run Registration

//assets.sp.milesplit.com/meets/699138/files/newark_cross_country_fun_run_2025.png

Thank you for joining us what we are sure will be another great day of racing.  Safe travels, and we'll see you Saturday!