LA MIRADA, Calif. --- Near the end of October schools around the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics begin to gear up for conference and national cross country competition by participating in regional events.
 
Biola gets in on the action tomorrow, as they host some prominent west coast programs in the 2013 NAIA West Coast Jamboree. Men and Women's cross country programs from all up and down the west coast will descend upon Irvine Regional Park at 9 a.m. Saturday for Biola's lone home cross country meet of the year.
 
The men's 8k run begins at 9 a.m. with the women's 5k starting at 9:45 a.m.
 
No. 23 BU's men's squad will run three loops around the historic national park, competing against three nationally ranked squads and two others who are receiving votes.
 
The runners will traverse a track that is 89 percent flat and made up of all different types of surfaces, primarily blacktop (67 percent). It is the same route that Head Coach Jonathan Zimmerman has used in the past for this event.
 
The track record was set in 2011 when John Gilbertson of The Master's College ran it in 24 minutes and 24 seconds. In that same event, The Mustangs set the course record for team time with a 126:53 total time. TMC enters competition this season ranked No. 17 with Gilbertson no longer on the squad.
 
Other ranked programs competing include No. 10 CSU San Marcos and No. 19 Oregon Tech. Westmont and Vanguard are both receiving votes, and California Baptist and East Los Angeles College are the only non-NAIA schools competing.
 
The women's race has the potential to be among the fastest races in the nation this season. The Eagles enter the run ranked fourth in the NAIA, and they are not even the highest-ranked squad in the field. Joining them is No. 3 CSU San Marcos, No. 7 The Master's and No. 14 Westmont. Concordia is also running, and is currently receiving votes. CBU, Point Loma and East LA College are the only non-NAIA squads in the mix on the women's side.
 
The women's course takes two loops around the northeastern section of the regional park. The 5k loops are 93 percent flat and made up of a mix of blacktop, gravel, dirt, grass and concrete.
 
This course record was set way back in 2009 when Jacky Kipwambok of Azusa Pacific ran a 17:14 to lead APU to the record team time of 89:32.
 
Full results will be posted at http://athletics.biola.edu/ following the races, and more information on the meet, directions, parking fees and each school's entries can be found here.