Salem XC

A dramatic uphill cross-country course segment on a forested hillside, photographed from a slightly elevated angle to emphasize the brutal climb. Deep, churned-up mud with staggered shoe prints climbs the slope, interspersed with protruding roots and jagged stones. A discarded, crumpled race bib lies off to one side, worn and splattered, alongside an empty paper cup from a water station. Tall pines frame the path, their trunks dark against a cool, overcast sky that gives flat, even light, accentuating textures in the earth and foliage. In the distant background, faint tape markings and colored course flags blur into a soft bokeh. The composition uses the steep diagonal of the hill as a bold leading line, creating a gritty, relentless atmosphere that screams endurance, toughness, and the no-excuses mindset of cross-country.

Race Calendar

Check race dates, bus departure times, and key team events for the season.

Season Schedule

Aug29

Bush Park

Salem OR

Race info

Sept3

Riverfront Trails

Keizer OR

Course map

Sept10

Summit Ridge

Silverton OR

Results link

Sept17

Pioneer Park

Dallas OR

Bus schedule

Sept24

Cedar Grove

Stayton OR

Volunteer list

Oct1

Timberline Loop

Albany OR

Heat sheets

Oct8

Heritage Fields

Monmouth OR

Live timing

Oct15

Maple Valley

Independence OR

Photos recap

Oct22

Lakeside Course

McMinnville OR

Season stats

A packed cross-country starting line expressed through equipment and environment rather than people: a row of well-worn racing spikes in bold school colors, their metal pins biting into a narrow strip of churned grass and dirt. Crumpled course maps, safety pins, and discarded warm-up bands scatter along the edges. The setting is a misty early-morning field framed by dark evergreen trees and distant rolling hills, rendered as soft photographic bokeh. Cool overcast light creates a moody, high-contrast atmosphere with beads of dew glistening on blades of grass. Shot from a low, ground-level angle with shallow depth of field, the spikes in the center are razor sharp while the chaotic meet-day background fades, capturing a bold, no-excuses race-day energy in realistic, documentary-style photography.

Meet Day Notes

View updates
An intimate post-race still life on a grassy infield, capturing cross-country team camaraderie without any people, in authentic photographic realism. Several pairs of racing spikes and trainers are piled together in a casual heap, mismatched in size and color but united by mud spatters and grass stains. A single varsity-style warm-up jacket, emblazoned only with a bold lettermark partially visible, is thrown over the pile, with a slightly crumpled ribboned finisher’s medal resting on top. The late-afternoon sun sits low, casting warm, golden light that creates long shadows across the field and subtle highlights on metallic eyelets and medal edges. The background shows blurred tents, timing equipment, and a distant tree line. Shot from a medium-low angle with moderate depth of field, the mood is proud, exhausted, and quietly celebratory—no excuses, just shared miles.