With about 4,000 runners and 3,000 spectators to cheer them on, the 2006 Great American Cross Country Festival was held last weekend in north Shelby County.

Erin Smith, events coordinator for the city of Hoover, said people traveled from 26 states to the to the new cross-country track in front of Spain Park High School.

&8220;It was pretty intense,&8221; said Oak Mountain cross-country runner Shane Brogdon.

&8220;It

was an honor to run the championship race because that&8217;s people from all over the country. It was exciting.&8221;

Spain Park and Pelham

also participated in the races.

The Great American is touted as one of the top in season invitational cross-country events.

Allie Stasiuk of Kingstown High School in Rhode Island said, &8220;I think it was great for our team to do because we had so much fun traveling here. It means a chance for us to see how we stand against other schools in other states.&8221;

Her teammate Alexa Mazur said, &8220;I thought it was a great experience for us to match up against like the other schools that we would normally never get a chance to race with.&8221;

Shelby County Commissioner chairperson Lindsey Allison said, &8220;This is big for the county. It brings in a whole different element that we&8217;re not accustom to but yet its consistent with what we are trying to do for the county.&8221;