Narrow Gate Racing

Middle & high school cross country and track club · Greenville, SC

Run the narrow way.

Year-round, collegiate-caliber coaching for committed distance and middle-distance runners in grades 6–12. A team that works alongside your school program, builds the foundation in middle school, and gets high schoolers ready to race in college.

Express interest See how athletes join
Grades6–12
LaunchLate Fall / Early Winter 26–27
USATF Member ClubAffiliationUSATF Member Club

Why “Narrow Gate”

Narrow Gate Racing calls young runners to the path few choose: consistent work, honest effort, and patience with the process. We develop athletes of character who desire to compete at the collegiate level and beyond. Inspired by Matthew 7:13

Being an elite runner rewards choosing the harder road on purpose, day after day. That choice is what we train.

Mission

Helping every runner reach their full potential

We help middle and high school distance and middle-distance runners in the Greenville area and beyond reach their potential through disciplined training, purposeful coaching, and a supportive team culture, preparing each athlete for success on the track, in the classroom, and throughout life.

For athletes who hope to run in college, we help them build the fitness, race experience, and character to earn a spot on a college roster and thrive there.

Excellence

We train with intention and compete with confidence.

Integrity

We are honest with ourselves, our teammates, and our coaches.

Resilience

We treat discomfort as the currency of growth.

Community

We lift each other up and represent Greenville with pride.

Longevity

We develop athletes for lifelong health and sustained performance.

Encouragement

A positive attitude at every practice and meet, for teammates and competitors alike.

Two training programs, one team

Grades 6–8

Development Group

Fundamentals, running form, aerobic foundation, and a love of the sport. Training loads are sized for growing athletes. Racing centers on USATF Junior Olympic age-group events and open meets.

Grades 9–12

Performance Group

Event-specific training, national high school championships, and college preparation, including one-on-one recruiting guidance.

The year

Year-round focus and development

Four training blocks, each with a clear job, so fitness carries over instead of starting from zero every fall.

AUG – NOV

Cross Country

Aerobic strength, race tactics, and team cohesion on grass and trail.

DEC – FEB

Indoor Track

Strength, power, and indoor time trials on the banked oval.

MAR – JUN

Outdoor Track

Event specialization from 800m to 5000m and USATF qualifying marks.

JUN – AUG

Summer Base

Mileage development and aerobic base building ahead of the fall.

Training

A sample week for the full-time NGR athlete

MonEasyEasy aerobic run or cross-training, plus mobility and strength & conditioning
TueQualityTrack session: intervals, speed work, race-pace efforts
WedModerateModerate aerobic run or cross-training, plus a strength circuit
ThuQualitySecond session: tempo, lactate threshold, or event-specific work
FriEasyShakeout, drills, and a team meeting or athlete-education session
SatLong / RaceLong run, tempo effort, or race day
SunRecoverActive recovery or full rest, set by training phase and how each athlete is absorbing the work

This sample week is subject to change based on training load and race schedules. Training follows a long-term athlete development model: periodized mileage, quality work introduced by developmental stage, and event specialization guided by each athlete's strengths rather than their age. Every athlete gets a weekly one-on-one check-in covering training, goals, school, and wellbeing.

Beyond the workout

Six things every NGR athlete learns

Fueling

Carb and protein timing, pre-run meals, and how to avoid under-fueling and late-race bonks.

Hydration

Sweat rate, electrolytes, and adjusting for Upstate heat and humidity.

Race strategy

Pacing plans, split execution, positioning, surging, and racing your fitness instead of the field.

Recovery

Cool-downs, refueling windows, sleep, and treating recovery as training.

Cross-training

Cycling, elliptical, strength, and mobility work that keeps athletes fit and healthy.

Injury prevention

Early warning signs, root causes of overuse injuries, and prehab routines, with local sports medicine partners.

Three ways in

More than one way to run with NGR

Our goal is to partner with your middle or high school coach whenever possible, supporting your school program rather than competing with it. For athletes who prefer it, training with NGR year-round is also an option, and every path below has our full support.

Path A · Supplemental

School team + NGR support

Keep training and racing with your school team while NGR adds year-round coaching support and works with your school coach on training plan guidance.

Path B · Full-time

NGR year-round

Train and race exclusively with NGR in USATF-sanctioned club and open meets, with the full range of coaching, education, and recruiting support.

Path C · Post-season

Extend your season

Race for your school in the regular season, then join NGR for national invitationals and USATF club meets after your school season ends.

For school coaches: we offer training plan consultation, periodization and peaking guidance, athlete-specific programming, shared coaching resources, and an annual preseason coaching summit. Athletes coming out of local youth programs, including GTC Rabbits, are encouraged to continue with NGR starting in middle school.

Where we race

Local meets to national championships

Cross Country

  • Local & Charlotte-area open meets
  • Hare & The Hound Invitational
  • NXR (Nike Cross Regionals)
  • Nike Cross Nationals
  • Brooks XC Championships
  • New Balance RunningLane XC
  • USATF SC & Region 4 Junior Olympics
  • USATF National Junior Olympics XC

Indoor Track

  • Time trials at partner facilities
  • Tryon International
  • Open meets: Charlotte, Columbia, Raleigh
  • New Balance Nationals Indoor
  • Nike Indoor Nationals
  • Adidas Indoor Nationals

Outdoor Track

  • Spring invitationals & open meets
  • Hoka Festival of Miles
  • RunningLane Championships
  • USATF SC & Region 4 Junior Olympics
  • New Balance Nationals Outdoor
  • Nike Nationals Outdoor
  • Adidas Track Nationals
  • USATF National Junior Olympics

College pathway

No athlete goes through recruiting alone

  • Athlete profiles: times, rankings, and highlight video
  • One-on-one guidance on fit, NCAA/NAIA eligibility, and recruiting timelines
  • Help contacting college coaches, preparing for visits, and weighing scholarship and walk-on offers
  • Outreach letter templates and group rates on recruiting platforms like NCSA and FieldLevel
  • An annual showcase meet or time trial for recruitable athletes

Staff

Head Coach

Tim Briles

Founder · Head Coach · Program Director

Greenville-based coach with a deep background in competitive distance and middle-distance running. Tim leads program design, athlete development, competition scheduling, parent communication, and college recruiting guidance.

Membership

Fees

Cross Country$150–$350
Outdoor Track$150–$350
Indoor Track$100–$250
Full year (all four seasons)$400–$800

Need-based scholarships are available. Money should never keep a committed athlete off the team; ask the program director confidentially.

Partners

Sponsor the team

Presenting sponsor (season or event naming)$5,000–$10,000
Supporting sponsor (banner, digital, meet programs)$1,000–$3,000

We also welcome community partners for practice space, volunteers, and in-kind support. NGR is organized as an LLC, so sponsorships are marketing agreements and contributions are not tax-deductible.

Parents & athletes

Questions

Who can join?

Current middle and high school athletes in grades 6–12 (including home-school) from the greater Greenville area (Greenville, Spartanburg, Anderson, Pickens, and Laurens counties) and beyond. NGR is built for competitive runners who want year-round development and a path to college running. We don't enroll elementary or post-high school athletes.

How is middle school different?

Middle schoolers (grades 6–8) train in a Development Group focused on fundamentals, form, aerobic foundation, and enjoying the sport, with age-appropriate training loads. They race USATF Junior Olympic age-group events and open meets. High schoolers (grades 9–12) train in the Performance Group, with national high school championships and college preparation.

Can my athlete still run for their school?

Yes. Athletes who compete for a school team can train with NGR and race open club meets, consistent with NFHS and SCHSL eligibility guidelines. See the three join paths above.

What does a practice look like?

A short team meeting on goals, nutrition, or recovery, then a structured warm-up, drills, the day's workout, and a cool-down and debrief.

What equipment is needed?

Running shoes suited to the surface, spikes for track and XC meets (we'll help you choose), and the team uniform. A fitting at a specialty running store is strongly encouraged.

How are competitions organized?

NGR races USATF South Carolina Association meets and open invitationals. Post-season advancement follows USATF qualifying standards through Regional and National Junior Olympic Championships.

How are parents kept informed?

Weekly emails from coaches, a private team app, and a Parent Information Guide handed out at the season kickoff. All coaches complete SafeSport training and background screening as required by USATF.

Inaugural season · Late Fall / Early Winter 2026–27

Find the narrow gate.

Athletes, parents, school coaches, and sponsors: send us a note with the athlete's grade, school, events, and recent times, and we'll follow up.

OCT–NOV 2026Registration opens
DEC 2026Indoor season & orientation
MAR 2027First outdoor season
AUG 2027First full XC season