Link to event information:

http://image.aausports.org/dnn/athletics/2015/2015%20AAU%20XC%20Nationals%20Event%20Info.pdf

Link to 2014 Results:

http://heartlandtiming.com/results/aauxc/index.htm

Previous Team E-mails discussing this event:

2015 AAU Cross Country National Championship Dec 4-5, Danville, AL

Each year, the sanctioning organizations (USATF, AAU, TAAF) for Track & Field and Cross Country host their Championship series of meets in different locations. We look at them all and weigh the many factors involved to determine which route works best for our team. This year, we are choosing AAU and hoping that your family is able to attend the 2015 AAU Cross Country National Championship in Danville, AL on December 4-5, 2015. Here are a few key points that went into our decision:

- There is no "qualifier" for this event, so we can make travel arrangements in advance and take advantage of lower pricing. In the other Championships, families do not know if their athlete has earned a spot until the regional meet a couple of weeks before the championship. Then you are stuck paying last-minute prices for travel and accommodations. The current affordability of this trip's travel and accommodations was a tipping point in our decision.

- Believe it or not, Danville, AL (population 5,340) does not have it's own major airport, so any travel arrangement for this event will require some combination of flying and driving. While investigating the trip, we settled on an option that worked best for our family mainly due to the ridiculously cheap airfare involved:

Allegiant Air (same airline that we used for the AAU Club Champ in Orlando this summer) currently has round trip tickets Austin to Memphis (direct non-stop) for $77.50. This is not a typo, the flight out is $41 and the flight back is $36.50. Also, the flights happen to work great for our schedule.

Departing flights for Thu Dec 03

Returning flights for Sun Dec 06

Here is our tentative schedule for the trip:

Thursday, Dec 3

Flight to Memphis, dinner, booked 1 night at Four Points Hotel

Four Points by Sheraton Memphis - Southwind

4090 Stansell Court

Memphis, Tennessee 38125

(1)(901) 309-3020

Friday, Dec 4

Drive to Danville, AL for packet pick-up and scheduled course preview. We booked a suite ($109 as negotiated by AAU) at the Double Tree by Hilton in Decatur, AL for Friday night only. By my research, by far the best lodging option in the area.

DoubleTree by Hilton

1101 6th Avenue NE

Decatur, AL 35601

256-355-3150

18.8 miles to course

$94 + tax for doubles

$89 + tax for kings

$109 + tax for suites

Saturday, Dec 5

AAU Cross Country National Championship; return to Memphis area after race, booked final night at Embassy Suites Memphis

Embassy Suites by Hilton Memphis

1022 South Shady Grove Road,

Memphis,Tennessee, 38120,

USATEL: +1-901-684-1777

Sunday, Dec 6

Memphis area attractions, perhaps Graceland or Memphis Zoo? Return flight to Austin

Of course, other flight and hotel options might better suit your family's interest. There are airports closer to the venue than Memphis. However, if you are interested in the plan detailed above, I would encourage you to book the flight and your hotel for Friday night in the Decatur area, as I believe that demand will outstrip supply of hotel rooms as the event draws near.

Also, I have never been to Memphis. So, I would appreciate input from any of you who have about hotels, restaurants, attractions, etc.

Here is the full event information packet:

http://image.aausports.org/dnn/athletics/2015/2015%20AAU%20XC%20Nationals%20Event%20Info.pdf

We attended this event last year in Kansas and everyone had a wonderful time. Our team has grown significantly over the past year, and we could now, potentially compete for team awards in at least 4 different gender / age categories. This is the final XC event of the season, and is the focus and culmination of all the time, effort, sweat, tears, and training that our kids have put in throughout the year.

Please let me know if you have any questions and keep me informed as to your interest and availability to attend.