Time To Chime In: Was The DCXC Course A 5K?

Just like a race we don't want to get off on the wrong foot here. This piece isn't meant to take away from anyone's awesome performance or to make claims that are not substantiated. It is just to provide a forum for discussion and to analyze the facts as they are. 


This past weekend the DCXC Invite took center stage nationally with its stellar performances. Race after race provided awesome finishes and amazing times in a unique and fun atmosphere. Pacers Running each year steps up their meet and makes it unlike any other meet around. 

The two things that really make this event awesome aside from being one of the few invitationals in the District of Columbia are that the races are done by class (Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, Senior) and that the course is very fast. It is a flat, shortly cut grass course that finishes on the track just next to Kenilworth Park


Immediately after the event questions began to circulate whether this course was a full 5K and RunWashington online actually posted that the course was 3.07 miles or roughly 48 meters short of a 5K. Now by the books anything within 50m on one side or the other is a legal 5K course. The race is classified as a 5K and will appear in the rankings as a 5K. 

The questions though were warranted and based on the simple fact that all eight course records fell by an average of 34 seconds. Now the weather was very nice and the course has changed since its 2014 inception but does grass being cut short and perfect fall weather... and it was perfect fall weather equate to every record being shattered? 

Obviously we at MileStat want every one of these times to be legit as they can because that means Team VA is going to be rolling deep in the post-season but as a form of media we must ask the tough questions whether this course was a full 5K and if the distance was short. 

Let us know what you think on our poll and commenting below!