Foot Locker National Championships, a San Diego staple, will no longer be run

The Foot Locker National Championships, a staple of cross-country running across the country but particularly in San Diego, is no more.

An announcement simply said that “after thoughtful and careful consideration, Foot Locker has made the difficult decision to conclude the annual Foot Locker Championships.”

The annual meet brought together the top 40 high school boys and girls from four regionals to compete over a 3.1-mile course in Balboa Park.

In the 45 years the meet was held in San Diego and briefly in Orlando, Fla., it was considered the only true national high school championship. It began in 1979 as the Kinney National Championship.

During its run, San Diego High’s Marc Davis (1986), Rancho Buena Vista’s Kira Jorgensen (1987) and El Camino’s A.J. Acosta thrilled the usually large crowds by capturing individual titles. San Diego’s Meb Keflezighi (1993), Fallbrook’s Milena Glusac (1992) and Francis Parker’s Kenan Pala (2021) came close with runner-up finishes.

The course was a double loop that included two trips up the notorious Upas Street hill that proved the demise of many fine runners. But those who survived the steep incline through eucalyptus trees were rewarded with a downhill half-mile sprint to the finish line as the fans lined the course, often four and five people deep.

Valley Center High’s Mike Cummings, who took over the meet director position from Mt. Carmel’s Dennis McClanahan, voiced the reaction of the running community.

“It’s devastating,” Cummings said. “It was a matter of pride for all of us who worked the meet over the years. It was the premier high-school running event in the country.

“Now that Foot Locker will officially discontinue running the event, hopefully someone else will want to put it on. We still have the dates set aside with the city and the team to run it.”

McClanahan called it “the longest-running high school championship event in the country.”

“Track and field has numerous national meets after the high school season, but cross country only has two — now one,” he said. “Unless someone steps up.”