The Monte Vista Invitational - Home of the Eliminator!

Mens Races 2.1 Mile Freshman 10:05 AM 2.1 Mile Frosh/Soph 11:00 AM 3 Mile Varsity 12:00 PM 2.1 Mile Junior Varsity 1:00 PM Womens Races 2.1 Mile Frosh-Soph 10:30 AM 3 Mile Varsity 11:25 AM 2.1 Mile Junior Varsity 12:30 PM

Monte Vista has entries in the 10:30 FS Girls, the 11:00 FS Boys, the 12:30 JV Girls, and the 1PM JV Boys.   Entries found in the handout below.  Buses leave MV at 8:15AM.  Be there by 8:00AM to load.

The relay starts promptly at 7:00 pm, with one or more ‘teams’  of Mustang XC runners participating.  The relay ends promptly at 7:00 am (students are NOT dismissed from the event until complete is complete -- usually after 7:30).  Set up begins at 6pm.  All MV XC athletes need to be at the stadium by 6:30.  Plan on being picked up AFTER 7:30 am due to the event clean up.

Each team member runs one mile at a time.  You carry a baton to pass.  You sign up for your mile time at practice - Seniors sign up first, then Juniors, etc.  Yes, Freshman run in the late time slots, typically between 3am and 5am.  Yea for traditions!

At the conclusion of your mile (actually 1600 meters), the coaches or event volunteers will record your split as you hand the baton to the next team member.

Depending on how many team members participate, you may only run one mile.  If you do run again, it will be hours later.  In between your miles, you can eat, sleep, play frisbee or football, dance, sing,  play cards, and generally just hang out. (see Coaches official rules).  You also can help time, and help make sure that the next few runners are ready and in position. 

Someone needs to be running with the baton at all times.  If everyone goes to sleep at 4am, the relay will be broken and we will all go home.  It's up to YOU to keep it going.

You generally run your mile as hard as you can, understanding that you have a long time to rest between each one.  

Do Your Best - it does not matter what specific mile time you get - only that you have participated, and tried your best.  Over the course of the evening, there will be some outrageously fast miles run… and some amazingly not fast miles.  The faster the team averages, the more miles you complete - towards our team goals.  Give an honest effort.


For many years, the goal was to break 100 miles.  To do so, the team needs to average 7:12 per mile.  To break 110 miles, that average pace needs to drop to 6:33 per mile.   To break the all time record of 115.8 miles, the team will need to AVERAGE 6:13 per mile.  wow.   As a point of reference, the 2009 team that ran that 115.8 mark, had a slowest recorded mile of 8:17 (several other 8+ miles) and a fastest boys mile of 4:49.  The fastest girls mile on the night was a 5:37. 

Parents - Athletes

Just a couple of reminders about the Overnight Relay coming up on Saturday Sept 17th:

1. All athletes should be at the Track by 6:30pm.  The Gates will open up by 6:00pm, to allow time for set up.
2. No tents are allowed.  Runners should bring a tarp and either a sleeping bag or blankets.
3. If your student athlete needs to arrive late, you must bring them to the event yourself, and check them in.  Please use XC Stats to email the coaches if you will be bringing your runner after 7PM.
4. This is a closed event.  Once your student athlete is inside the stadium, they can not leave.  No friends are allowed.  If a runner needs to leave the event, they are done.  No exceptions.
5.  All school / district rules and policies apply (code of conduct).
6.  Your athlete should bring food to eat during the night (this was assigned at practice)  There will be a BBQ grill if you want to bring something to heat up.  Please avoid sending your student with food that will make a mess (crumbs) as we will painstakingly clean the field when we are done (hint - cheez-its and gold-fish are EVIL & BAD)
7.  The event ends at 7:00am Sunday morning.  However, the athletes will not be dismissed until the field is clean.  Therefore, plan on them being done around 7:45.
8.  Coach Davis has a No-Energy Drink policy.  Please help enforce this.
9.  Any behavior that violates district, school or team policies will result in your child being removed from the event.  Should that happen, at any hour, you will be called to come get them.  In the recent history of the MVXC Overnight Relay, we have not had to enforce this.
10.  One person per sleeping bag... need we further explain this?
11.  Music and loud noise needs to be controlled during the night.  Do not plan on playing loud sound systems.
12.  Lastly, this is a fundraiser.  The captains have selected Save Mount Diablo as their fundraising partner this year (funds are badly needed for restoration work due to the fire).  Each athlete has been asked to contribute $10 - bring to the event. 

We are hoping for a (relatively) warm night, and are of course trying to break the record of 115.8 miles set by the 2009 team.

MV assignments can be found in the MS Word document "handout" below.  Printable. 

Meet web site - with participating teams, course maps, general information:  http://www0.dlshs.org/webpages/selbyk/CrossCountry/NikeCrossCountryInvitational.cfm

Buses load at 6:50, leave Monte Vista at 7am.  First race is 8:45.  The weather forecast is unsettled - be prepared for rain!            GO MUSTANGS