Just four days before our scheduled cross country meet at AP Ranch in October, forecasts from the Weather Channel began to show major thunderstorms and a high risk of hail in the Fort Worth area—right on the day of the event.
After reviewing the potential weather threats, I reached out to our national office for guidance. While cross country is traditionally run in all weather conditions, we agreed that safety comes first. We were advised it would be best to err on the side of caution rather than take unnecessary risks. As a result, the meet was officially canceled two days before its start time.
Looking back, it was absolutely the right decision. While there were only minor showers during the scheduled hours of the meet, the area experienced an extreme number of lightning strikes. In fact, just a few miles from the track, a lightning strike caused a devastating fire that destroyed a family’s home and all their belongings. A local firefighter shared that they had just extinguished a similar lightning-related house fire in the area.
In light of these events, we are grateful to have prioritized the well-being of our athletes, coaches, families, and volunteers. Thank you to everyone for your understanding and continued support. We’ll see you at the next safe and sunny race!
