When the Kansas State High School Activities Association announced its postseason cross country races for girls would change from 4 to 5 kilometers, it created a ripple effect.

Its full impact will take years to be realized, but it’s already affecting local programs and how their coaches train female runners. Most regular-season meets have already transitioned to the new distance.

North coach Michael Pope has already decided that he will pull his varsity girls from two meets they traditionally enter – this weekend’s race at Trinity Academy and El Dorado’s meet in October.

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