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The Oklahoma State Cross Country Course is the home of the oldest cross country race in the country, the Cowboy Jamboree, which dates back to
1937. 2012 marks the Jamboree's 75th year, and the course offered the over 6,000 runners the chance to run on one of the greatest cross country courses in
the country. Every year an outstanding field competes in the Jamboree, with teams traveling from around the country to test their skills on this historic course.
In the beginning, the course was only two miles in length but has now grown into
an 8k trek. The course is a 5k loop that is run twice for major championship
races. One of those is the Midwest Regional Championship, which was held on the
Jamboree course in 1996, 2003 and most recently in 2008. The course also hosted
the Big 12 Cross Country Championships in 2010.
The course itself is grass, with wood chips making for a soft surface for the OSU harriers to train on year round. The rolling hills give it an added element that
makes the course perfect for training in many different scenarios. The course also has something that many cross country courses do not have in this day and
age — steps located in three positions on the course. Each set is three steps, which gives the course the feeling of a typical European cross country course.
The many features of the OSU Cross Country Course help runners experience a course that is challenging and unique at the same time. The location is one of
the best possible as it is only a half mile from the track and cross country locker rooms, which allows easy access to a great running experience and also
optimal conditions for workouts.
Another characteristic which sets the OSU course apart from any other in the country is the fact that it is one of the few courses actually located on a college
campus. This provides a great opportunity for not only the team members to utilize the course, but also for the other students and faculty of this great university
to have easy access.
The Cowboy Jamboree has grown to the point where it is now one of the largest non-championship races held in the country
with hundreds of teams and thousands of participants. Over 80 college and
university teams competed at the Jamboree in 2010, and with the traditions that have been passed down over the years the Cowboy Jamboree will
continue to be one of the best and longest running cross country meets in the country. One of the main goals of Oklahoma State University and the cross
country coaching staff is to continue the experience that so many runners, coaches and spectators have experienced for the last 75 years and to continue
those traditions for many more years to come.
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