Wichita, KS - As the Friends cross country teams gear up for the season, the University is also preparing to host the Friends Cross Country Invitational. Held at Lake Afton Park in Goddard, the meet will take place on September 10, starting at 6:00 p.m.

In 2009, 128 women and 117 men competed in the event, making it the largest field in Friends Invitational history. This season, the field is expected to be even larger, with many more teams willing to compete. With the large amounts of teams competing, both the men's and women's races should be very exciting.

The men's race will be 8,000 meters long, with the runners crossing the Lake Afton dam twice, sending them alongside the lake. The women will also take on the same course, but will run 5,000 meters. One spot where the runners will be challenged is "The Narrows," which will take the competitors into the woods, then up a challenging uphill. For the fans, the race ends with a ¾ mile stretch where the runners can be clearly seen as they push for the finish.

With the cross country season kicking off with the home meet, the teams will be ready to make a good showing. The Friends University Invitational will be very closely contested for both the men and the women, for individual places as well as team points. The meet will be an exciting one, as the Falcons are taking their first step to what should be a promising season.