As the days get shorter and the mornings get colder here in North America, we reach the dawn of another cross country running season.

Now if you are a runner who came to the sport later in life, likely through road racing, you may never have experienced the thrill and challenge of a cross country race.  Fortunately, many places host all comers cross country races, so you have the opportunity to compete if you wish.  Check your local race listings

That being said, here is a quick and dirty overview of cross country running:.

When

In North America, the cross country running season starts in late August and continues through the fall. Championships are normally held in November and early December. The European/International season is a bit later, typically starting in November and wrapping up in late winter. The World Championships are contested in mid March.

What/Where

A cross country course can be set almost anywhere, provided the terrain isn't totally paved over. Typical venues include city parks, golf courses, or x-country ski trails. A good course will have a variety of terrain: uphill, downhill, flat, narrow track, rough ground, turns, etc.

Distances vary by age. Courses for young children can be as short as 500m or 1 km; distances for senior men tend to range from 8 to 12 km. Longer distances are contested, but they are usually called trail races.

Who

Running fast over a cross country course requires a few more skills than you need to do well in a road race or a track race. Cross country champions are normally very good at running both up and down hills and possess the ability to maintain good speeds over rough and uneven terrain. Leading road and track runners aren't always the runners who finish in the top spots in a cross country race.

Cross country is a school sport through to the university level. In addition, there are  open, all comers, and masters races.  In Canada and the US, juniors, seniors, and masters all compete at a single National Championships meet.

How

Training for cross country is similar to training for other distance racing.  You need to do a combination of long running, steady running, short fast running, and sprinting.  The key difference is terrain.  It's necessary to do at least some of your training on uneven, soft surfaces.  In addition, hill running practice (both up and down) is essential to good cross country running performance.

Why

Cross country running is an excellent complement to all kinds of distance running or endurance sports training. Long sprinters, middle distance runners, road racers or marathoners can use a cross country season to build a base for their specialties.  Ditto for triathletes, biathletes, or cross country skiers.

Cross country allows you to "switch it up a bit" and focus on something different for awhile. Physically, the hill running and uneven ground running allow you to practice a few different skills.  Mentally, because the courses vary in terrain, time is not as important.   Cross country forces you to race the person rather than the clock.

For help with a cross country running (or marathon,road racing, track, or triathlon) program, check out the RunQuick programs page.