Southern Tier Cross Country Series (ALL RACES)

Event Overview

Ever dream of reliving the cross country glory days or wished you had the chance to experience it? Now’s your moment to shine! The Southern Tier Cross Country Series is your ticket to fun, camaraderie, and the thrill of racing in the Greater Binghamton, NY area. Round up your squad of 5 to 20, sign up, and dive headfirst into a world of team scoring, dirt, and pure adrenaline! You don’t have to be the fastest—just ready to have a blast!

Event Details

• Date: 2026-09-05
• Location: 130 Oakdale Rd, Johnson City, NY
• Website: Southern Tier Cross Country Series
• Presented by: Confluence Running Events

Participation Awaits

Presented by Confluence Running Events, the Southern Tier Cross Country Series brings the spirit of cross country running to the community like never before. This is your chance to compete, connect, and create unforgettable memories, no matter your age. Don’t miss out on the pulse-pounding excitement of real cross country racing!

Inclusivity in Competition

Not a speed demon? No worries! We reward both elite finishers and those who simply love being part of the action. Every team member—whether you're fast or steady—earns points, making sure everyone gets in on the fun!

The Hare Challenge

What's the Hare you keep hearing about? An actual rabbit (man-rabbit, if you will) that takes off ahead of the field and hides on the course. Come up with your strategy for catching him, because he can be awfully mischievous. Catch yourself a carrot from the Hare, and you gain yourself a position point in the standings for your team. Watch for other fun ways to earn yourself a pie (yes, literally) and a point.

Awards and Recognition

• The Joe Reynolds Positive Vibes Award: Acknowledging participants who spread positivity during the race.
• The Cindy Bilsky Loyalty and Faithfulness Award: Celebrating a beloved community member, with further details to be announced.
• Inclusivity: Everyone's performance contributes to the team’s success.
• Fun and Community: Enjoy a friendly competitive atmosphere with special awards.

Your Registration Includes

• All Races: Entry to every race in the series.
• Post-Race Refreshments: Including coffee, bagels, water, and more.
• Chance to Win: Opportunities to win pie and other prizes.
• Exclusive Gear: A race bib that you can use throughout the series and an exclusive shirt.

Race Dates

2025 Race Dates (All races have a 9:00 am start time) - details to be posted as we get them!

• Race 1 - September 28th Owego Free Academy Course.
• Race 2 - October 4th Dave Panella (Greene).
• Race 3 - October 19th Marathon Invitational (Marathon Elementary School).
• Race 4 - November 2nd Hickories Park Owego.
• Race 5 - November 9th Chenango Valley State Park.

Understanding Cross Country

"What is Cross Country, exactly?" you ask? Cross Country, or "XC" as lots of people like to call it, is a dynamic and challenging sport that combines endurance running with the natural terrain of the great outdoors. Unlike track or road running, cross country races take place on varied landscapes, including grass, dirt trails, mud, hills, and sometimes even through wooded areas on single track trail. Our courses are usually between 3 and 4 miles long.

Team-Based Competition

In cross country, athletes race against both the clock and their fellow competitors, often in unpredictable weather conditions that add to the sport's intensity and fun. Our races are team-based, with team scoring playing a crucial role. In team competitions, the finishing positions of the top five runners from each team are added together, with the lowest cumulative score winning. This format encourages camaraderie and teamwork, as every runner's performance contributes to the team's overall success.

What is Cross Country Scoring?

For an answer to this, we’re going to refer you to this website which gives you an easy-to-understand description of typical scoring: Cross Country Scoring Explanation. That's not the whole story for us, however! We split the points out for a men's and women's division as well as a mixed division. We have other awards (like pie), but our team scoring is based on typical cross country scoring, within each meet. That said, our Seasonal Scores are based on those as well as pie points, and some points based on your team attendance per race! Every team member matters toward your Season Score and the opportunity to win for the season!