Look for Belen's Aaron Valenzuela in the lead pack at Saturday's Belen Adron Gardner Classic. Photo by Alan Versaw.
The season is heating up as New Mexico enters the third week of full-scale racing. Let’s take a look at what’s in store for the coming weekend.
Friday
Laguna-Acoma hosts their Home Meet, and perhaps District Course Preview, on Friday. This Meet usually draws a small, but competitive, field to Casa Blanca, and this year should be no different.
Saturday
Wherever you find yourself in the State, there’s a high likelihood races are happening nearby. Rather than preview directionally, we’ll go alphabetically.
Starting with the Belen Adron Gardner Classic. If you’re a fan of tough front running this is the meet for you. Whether it’s Arena Lewis in the Girls race, or Aaron Valenzuela and Jared Garcia in the Boys Race, the pace will be hot and the finish will be fast.
On to the Bosque Fall Fiesta, another potential District Course Preview, for what used to be limited as a 1-3A Meet. Whether those restrictions have been adjusted with realignment, I can’t say, but the races are always competitive at Balloon Fiesta Park.
Crossing the southern border into Texas brings us to the Canutillo Invite. While there may not be a large New Mexico representation, a few Schools may participate.
In the State Capital we find the Capital Jaguar Invite, which usually draws from the Capital and schools in the surrounding area.
In the southeastern corner of the state, the Carlsbad Cavemen take their turn playing host to much of Otero, Chaves, Eddy and Lea County at the Carlsbad Ron Singleton XC Invite.
In Rio Rancho is the Cleveland Invite. In the short history of this meet, it already has grown into a very competitive mid-September Meet. NM Milesplit will be providing coverage of this Meet.
In the southwestern corner of the state, the Cobre Invitational will be the big draw. With a Flood Advisory in currently in effect, here’s hoping for safe conditions on Race Day.
In the Embudo Hills of the Albuquerque Metro, Manzano will receive much of APS for the Manzano Invitational.
Crossing the northern border into Colorado is the Pagosa Springs CC Invitational. While it’s been a few years since any New Mexico teams have participated, perhaps this Saturday one will show.
Heading to the east of Glorieta Pass is the Pecos Ron Valdez Sr. Memorial Invitational. A week removed from finishing as a solid Runner-up at the ATC Everybody Invite, the Pecos Panthers take their turn as hosts.
In the Four Corners we find the Shiprock Chieftain Invitational. This is the front end of a back-to-back where many of the old, and new, District 1-4A will square off.
And finally, in McKinley County the Wingate Bears will draw from the surrounding area for their Wingate Bunbuster XC Invitational.
And that’s it. In almost every corner of the state you’ll hear the Starters Gun on Saturday. Happy Racing.