By LetsRun.com
April 4, 2019
We’ve departed Aarhus, and while we had you covered over the weekend with our post-race analysis of the 2019 IAAF / Mikkeller World Cross Country Championships, there were a few things we didn’t manage to get to at the time.
Mainly: the scene. If you got up early to watch on Saturday morning, you may have gotten a sense of the atmosphere, but TV cameras can only catch so much. Walking around the course on race day, there was a buzz, a palpable feeling of excitement reverberating through the crowd. Part of the fun of World XC is showing off how far you traveled to get there; we saw flags from Eritrea, Kazakhstan, Canada, and Ethiopia (plenty of those!) waving around the course.
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World XC is a place where rivals can become friends. We saw a group of English fans — some from Oxford University, some from Cambridge — walking around the course in joyous harmony, choosing to be united by their love of cross country rather than divided by their school affiliation. When you’re far from home, anything familiar — even a rival’s colors — is reason for excitement.
There was a beer tent, a beer-dispensing firetruck, Vikings, and lots and lots of runners. Words alone do not do it justice. Fortunately, we have iPhones. Below, a selection of some of our favorite shots from an unforgettable weekend in Aarhus.
![](https://www.letsrun.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/IMG_1321-400x300.jpg)
Team LRC’s Kelsey Bruce couldn’t wait to preview the course on Thursday
![](https://www.letsrun.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/IMG_1334-400x300.jpg)
2019 World XC mastermind Jakob Larsen (far left) and ace course measurer David Katz (middle)
![](https://www.letsrun.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/IMG_4587-300x400.jpg)
Wejo liked the media shuttle bus
![](https://www.letsrun.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/IMG_1399-400x300.jpg)
“We have to run through WHAT?”
The US’s Leonard Korir checks out the course map
![](https://www.letsrun.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/IMG_1400-400x300.jpg)
Race Results Weekly’s David Monti shows off his swag
![](https://www.letsrun.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/IMG_1412-400x300.jpg)
Two of Massachusetts’ (and the USA’s) finest distance runners: Shalane Flanagan & 3-time World XC champ Lynn Jennings
![](https://www.letsrun.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/IMG_1434-e1554370991735-400x235.jpg)
Team LRC’s Kelsey Bruce & Matt Crowe
![](https://www.letsrun.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/IMG_4590-400x300.jpg)
Kazakhstan
![](https://www.letsrun.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/IMG_4593-400x300.jpg)
The start/finish line
![](https://www.letsrun.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Screenshot-2019-04-04-at-08.42.20-1024x593.png)
A shot showing the angle of “the roof” the runners had to try and run up
![](https://www.letsrun.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/eritrea-300x400.jpg)
Eritrea in the house
![](https://www.letsrun.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/canada-400x300.jpg)
O Canada!
![](https://www.letsrun.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/IMG_1453-400x300.jpg)
With wins in the relay and men’s U20 race, Ethiopia had plenty to celebrate
![](https://www.letsrun.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/IMG_4596-300x400.jpg)
Team GB had its supporters too
![](https://www.letsrun.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Screenshot-2019-04-04-at-08.41.39-1024x580.png)
Not your typical athlete gathering area
![](https://www.letsrun.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/IMG_1459-400x300.jpg)
Oxford and Cambridge fans unite
![](https://www.letsrun.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/IMG_1470-400x300.jpg)
Yes, there were Vikings
![](https://www.letsrun.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/viking-400x300.jpg)
The Viking village
![](https://www.letsrun.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/manangoi-400x300.jpg)
Kenya’s world 1500 champ Elijah Manangoi battles Ethiopia’s Teddese Lemi up the Moesgaard Museum roof in the mixed relay
![](https://www.letsrun.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/jordanmann-300x400.jpg)
The man, the myth, the legend: Jordan Mann
![](https://www.letsrun.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/IMG_4640-300x400.jpg)
The view from inside the beer tent during the men’s U20 race
![](https://www.letsrun.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/IMG_4633-400x300.jpg)
More beer tent interior
![](https://www.letsrun.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/IMG_1502-400x300.jpg)
The beer setup outside the Runner’s Valhalla
![](https://www.letsrun.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/IMG_4641-400x300.jpg)
![](https://www.letsrun.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/IMG_1506-400x300.jpg)
Our beers were free thanks to this kind LRC visitor
![](https://www.letsrun.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/IMG_1510-400x300.jpg)
World XC, beer in hand. What could be better?
![](https://www.letsrun.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/2F4B0FC0-51E6-4E50-99C7-F215E19639D5-400x300.jpeg)
US junior women
![](https://www.letsrun.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/IMG_4663-400x300.jpg)
The scene from atop the museum roof
![](https://www.letsrun.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/IMG_4664-1-400x300.jpg)
The roof was packed all day
![](https://www.letsrun.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/IMG_4614-400x300.jpg)
Fans line the course on the museum roof
![](https://www.letsrun.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/jakobingebrigtsen-300x400.jpg)
Jakob Ingebrigtsen was so exhausted after the men’s U20 race that he could not stand in the mixed zone
![](https://www.letsrun.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/IMG_4653-e1554372523138-400x248.jpg)
Oh yeah, there was some running too. Lead senior women climbing the roof.
![](https://www.letsrun.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/IMG_1579-400x300.jpg)
Team USA’s Stephanie Bruce, Courtney Frerichs, and Sarah Pagano navigating the water splash
![](https://www.letsrun.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/IMG_1588-400x300.jpg)
Women’s leaders
![](https://www.letsrun.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/stephaniebruce-e1554372790877-313x400.jpg)
Stephanie Bruce rolling downhill
![](https://www.letsrun.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/kelseybruce-e1554372849397-288x400.jpg)
Team LRC’s Kelsey Bruce descending the museum roof
![](https://www.letsrun.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/IMG_1675-400x300.jpg)
Cheptegei, Kamworor, & Kiplimo powering through the sand in the men’s senior race
![](https://www.letsrun.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/FC6DF1A3-E06D-45E0-B820-3C2972769B8F-400x300.jpeg)
Shadrack Kipchirchir led the US men with his 34th-place finish
![](https://www.letsrun.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/IMG_1693-400x300.jpg)
Team USA’s Leonard Korir & Mason Ferlic with Jordan Mann cheering from the sidelines
![](https://www.letsrun.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/IMG_4668-e1554302661645-376x400.jpg)
Team LRC’s Matt Crowe descending the roof
![](https://www.letsrun.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/16ceab06-b42b-489e-81b9-3a3651249eef-400x300.jpg)
Matt could only watch after he was pulled from the course
![](https://www.letsrun.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/IMG_1726-400x300.jpg)
Matt still managed to crack a smile in the mixed zone
![](https://www.letsrun.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/IMG_1740-400x300.jpg)
Senior men’s medalists Kiplimo, Cheptegei, and Kamworor
![](https://www.letsrun.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/IMG_1750-400x300.jpg)
The champ
![](https://www.letsrun.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Screenshot-2019-04-04-at-08.44.21-1024x624.png)
Thank you Aarhus!