LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course prepares for nearly 10,000 visitors this week

With four races scheduled this week and weekend, the LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course prepares for an exciting week of competition projecting to bring nearly 10,000 runners and spectators to the Vigo County course.
   
The festivities began with the Vigo County Middle School Cross Country Championships on Wednesday evening, followed by the 2022 Cross Country Town Twilight College Division scheduled for Friday, and finishing the weekend with both the Indiana Middle School Cross Country State Championships and the NIKE XC Town Twilight race on Saturday. 

“This is a packed week for runners, with championships and divisions bringing them all right here to Terre Haute,” said David Patterson, Executive Director of the Terre Haute Convention and Visitors Bureau. “This course continues to be a destination for the sport, and our continued advancements and investments in the facility prove to be a point of pride, ultimately enhancing the runner and spectator experience.”  

Between the four races, over 5,000 runners will tread the course. The Twilight College Division offers the first of its kind held as a night race, with most scheduled during the day in years past, and over 2,700 of the best high school runners will take the course at dusk for one of the season’s favorites, the NIKE XC Town Twilight race.  

“There is an added layer of complexity, challenge and excitement for the night races, making them popular amongst the athletes,” continued Patterson.   
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The LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course continues to help spearhead the tourism industry in Terre Haute – Vigo County. Averaging between 30,000 and 40,000 annually, the course has secured racing bids for events such as NCAA Division Championships, IHSAA State Championships and Nike Midwest Regionals. The bidding process is a competitive process in which the LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course presents on the course’s assets. These bidding periods are how races, invitationals and championships are secured, therefore allowing Terre Haute, West Central Indiana and the state of Indiana to welcome thousands of people from across the nation to the facility.