University of Minnesota Athletics
Les Bolstad Cross Country Course
2/8/2007 12:00:00 AM | Men's Cross Country
Les Bolstad Golf Course - Home of Golden Gopher Cross Country
Les Bolstad Golf Course
2275 W. Larpenteur
Falcon Heights, Minn.
55113
Phone: 612-627-4000
Mapquest Directions
The Golden Gopher men’s and women’s cross country teams call the rolling hills of the University of Minnesota Les Bolstad Golf Course in Falcon Heights their home. The course annually plays host to the prestigious Roy Griak Invitational, one of the nation’s largest cross country events in the nation. Minnesota has also hosted Big Ten Championships and an NCAA Midwest Region Championships in recent seasons.
Following is a description of the women’s 6-kilomoter and the men’s 8-kilometer courses at Les Bolstad.
Les Bolstad Cross Country Course Descriptions
First Three Kilometers — Common to all races
Start--A waterfall start line in front of the driving range tee area. The far right of the start line is a straight shot out onto the course.
Firsts Kilometer--Straight out and slightly uphill entering onto a short loop in a clockwise direction.
Second Kilometer--Across the course toward the main clubhouse into a loop in a clockwise direction. The terrain is slightly undulating with no major hills.
Third Kilometer--Continue clockwise loop from second kilometer. The terrain is downhill during the first portion and then flattening out. Approximately 300 meters before the three-kilometer mark is a moderate to steep uphill climb for 150-200 meters.
Completion of Men’s 8-Kilometer Course
Fourth Kilometer- Finish the clockwise loop and re-enter the loop that ended with the first kilometer, now running the loop counterclockwise. The terrain is undulating with no major hills.
Fifth Kilometer--Depart the counterclockwise loop and head uphill to the “shop” area and along Roselawn Avenue on the north side of the course, rejoining the loop from the second and third kilometers slightly before the five-kilometer mark. The terrain is mostly downhill and flat.
Sixth Kilometer--Running the loop counterclockwise, the terrain is uphill from the five-kilometer mark for 300-plus meters and the course is then flat to undulating to the six-kilometer mark.
Seventh Kilometer--The course moves into a clockwise loop in the center of the course. There is a 100-meter hill just past the six-kilometer mark but the remainder of the terrain is flat to undulating, beginning uphill approaching the seven-kilometer mark.
Eighth Kilometer--The course continues clockwise until intersecting with the first kilometer loop just after the “shop” and continues along Cleveland Avenue, deviating from the loop at the one-kilometer marker and heading into the finish line in the reverse direction of the start. The terrain is a series of progressively steeper hills to the “shop” just before the 7.5-kilometer mark, where the course levels out and is general downhill toward the finish.
Completion of Women’s 6-Kilometer Course
Fourth Kilometer--Finish the clockwise loop and begin a series of four turns through undulating terrain.
Fifth Kilometer--The fifth kilometer begins with a short uphill run into a clockwise turn which is a short downhill run entering a gradual hill of approximately 100 meters. From here, runners enter a series of turns, beginning with a short counter-clockwise loop around the water. A short clockwise loop turns into a hairpin turn in a counterclockwise direction to lead up to the final kilometer.
Sixth Kilometer--The final kilometer begins with a short uphill run into a sharp clockwise turn that will take them uphill and then into a gradual downhill run of about 200 meters to the finish.