Photo: Michael J. Giglio/MileSplit Alabama
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We're just over two weeks out from the 2025 New Balance RunningLane XC Championships, and there's still time to secure your spot on the starting line.
For the past five years, John Hunt Park in Huntsville, Alabama, has hosted the largest championship meet in the nation and the stage for some of the sport's most unforgettable performances.
From Newbury Park's historic team run in 2021 to Jenna Hutchins becoming the first girl to run sub-16 in high school cross country history, PR'Ville has been the backdrop for moments that redefined what's possible.
With nine days left before registration closes, more than 1,500 athletes are already planning their trip to Alabama - including several of the fastest runners in the country this fall. And the list is growing by the hour.
Dozens of national-caliber athletes have already committed to PR'Ville, and that number is expected to rise even more over the next week. If you want to compete on one of the biggest championship stages in the nation, now's the time to secure your spot. Register for the New Balance RunningLane Cross Country Championships before registration closes.
Here's a look at eight top athletes with championship aspirations who are set to toe the line at the fifth edition of the RunningLane Cross Country Championships.
CARSON KAISER
Maple Park (Ill.)
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Through eight races, the Illinois-based sophomore is 6-2 on the year, with a third-place finish at the IHSA State Championships and a seventh-place showing at NXR Midwest highlighting his resume. Both high-caliber meets resulted in big PBs, running 14:12.9 for 3-Mile at state and 14:55.07 in Terre Haute. This will be his first trip to RunningLane in his young career up to this point, but regardless of what the conditions may look like on race day, Kaiser will more than likely be one of the names on your screen during the broadcast.
Foster might be one of the only athletes on the line in Huntsville who has been racing cross country since July, and that extended season could play to her advantage. Since July 25, the sophomore has lined up 13 times, most recently at her first Illinois State Championships, where she finished runner-up in 16:47.14, her fourth career sub-17 performance for three miles. She's been remarkably consistent all year, and her combination of front-running ability and experience should serve her well once the gun goes off on December 6.
Before he takes his talents to the University of Pennsylvania next August, Mazzeo is looking to add some national hardware to his collection. In what will be his second trip to one of the most pristine courses in the country, he heads to Huntsville as a legitimate title contender regardless of who else joins the field. The senior has raced 10 times this season and has yet to finish outside the top two, winning four of those outings. The last time he headed south, he placed runner-up at The Southern Showcase in a lifetime best of 14:40.03. Accustomed to the cold and wind of a Pennsylvania November, Mazzeo will no doubt welcome the (presumably) friendlier conditions awaiting him in Huntsville.
She's run as fast as 17:02 during her senior campaign, breaking 18:00 in four of her eight races, and she'll have another chance to do so at the FHSAA 2A State Championships before making the 760-mile trip north to the edge of Alabama. Like many athletes on this list, Forbes is no stranger to front-running, with seven wins to her name dating back to mid-August. A strong runner-up finish at the New World Fall Spectacular showed she can handle a deep field, and it would be no surprise to see her among the athletes pushing the pace early on.
One of the sleeper picks for a RunningLane national title this year is making the trip from just south of the Kansas City Metro and has the tools to break the tape and hoist the championship belt. With a 14:49.4 to his name and a recent runner-up finish at the MSHSAA State Championships, the future Michigan State Spartan is absolutely someone to keep on your radar. He's also run 4:10 and 9:02.08 for 1600 and 3200, showcasing both his long-distance strength and his late-race speed. Voelker returns to RunningLane after placing fourth in the Boys Silver race in 2023, this time aiming to add "National Champion" to an already impressive résumé.
If there's one thing Hailey rarely does, it's run slower than 18:00. Across seven races in her final high school season, the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga commit has dipped under that barrier six times. She already has a preview of the Huntsville course thanks to her third-place finish at The Southern Showcase in September, and last month she added a lifetime best of 17:13 at the HOKA Frank Horton "Night" Classic. She'll arrive in Alabama a month removed from her third consecutive top-five finish at the TSSAA State Championships. As one of the top returners from last year's championship, where she placed 18th in 17:44, Hailey brings both experience and talent to separate from the field when it counts.
St. Charles North (Ill.)
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As most talented runners tend to do, Hill is catching fire at the right time and will head to RunningLane with championship ambitions. Earlier this month, he placed ninth at the IHSA State Championships and ran 14:20.4, cutting 11 seconds off his lifetime best. He followed that with a 14th-place finish on the historic LaVern Gibson Championship Course, clocking 15:10 in a field of nearly 330 athletes. Hill is one of several stars traveling down from the Chicago area and is leading the charge among the region's top contenders. The junior has lost only three times this season, winning his other eight races and throwing down fast times in each one.