Cross country running Cross country running is a sport in which teams and individuals run a race on open - air courses over natural terrain . The course , typically long , may include surfaces of grass and earth , pass through woodland s and open country , and include hill s , flat ground and sometimes gravel road . It is both an individual and a team sport , runners are judged on individual times and a points scoring method for teams . Both men and women of all ages compete in cross country , which usually takes place during autumn and winter , and can include weather conditions of rain , sleet , snow or hail , and a wide range of temperatures . Cross country running is one of the disciplines under the umbrella sport of athletics , and is a natural terrain version of long - distance track and road running . Although open - air running competitions are pre - historic , the rules and traditions of cross country racing emerged in Britain . The English championship became the first national competition in 1876 and the International Cross Country Championships was held for the first time in 1903 . Since 1973 the foremost elite competition has been the IAAF World Cross Country Championships . Race course . Cross country courses generally are laid out on an open or woodland area . The IAAF recommends that courses be grass - covered , and have rolling terrain with frequent but smooth turns . Courses consist of one or more loops , with a long straight at the start and another leading to the finish line . Course design . Because of variations in conditions , international standardization of cross country courses is impossible , and not necessarily desirable . Part of cross country running ' s appeal is the natural and distinct characteristics of each venue ' s terrain and weather . Terrain can vary from open fields to forest hills and even across rivers . According to the IAAF , an ideal cross country course has a loop of laid out on an open or wooded land . It should be covered by grass , as much as possible , and include rolling hills " with smooth curves and short straights " . While it is perfectly acceptable for local conditions to make dirt or snow the primary surface , courses should minimize running on roads or other macadamised paths . Parks and golf courses often provide good locations . While a course may include natural or artificial obstacles , cross country courses support continuous running , and generally do not require climbing over high barriers , through deep ditches , or fighting through underbrush . A course at least wide allows competitors to pass during the race . Clear markings keep competitors from making wrong turns , and spectators from interfering with the competition . Markings may include tape or ribbon on both sides of the course , chalk or paint on the ground , or cones . Some courses use colored flags to indicate directions : red flags for left turns , yellow flags for right turns and blue flags for continuing straight ahead . Courses also commonly include distance markings , usually at each kilometer or each mile . The course should have of straight terrain before the first turn , to reduce contact and congestion at the start . However , many courses at smaller competitions have their first turn after a much shorter distance . Distances . Courses for international competitions consist of a loop between 1750 and 2000 meters . Athletes complete three to six loops , depending on the race . Senior men compete on a 12 - kilometre course . Senior women and junior men compete on an 8 - kilometre course . Junior women compete on a 6 - kilometre course . In the United States , college men typically compete on or courses , while college women race for or . High school courses may be as short as , but the most common distance is ( although a few states , such as California and Louisiana , race ) . Start . All runners start at the same time , from a starting arc ( or line ) marked with lanes or boxes for each team or individual . An official , 50 meters or more in front of the starting line , fires a pistol to indicate the start . If runners collide and fall within the first 100 meters , officials can call the runners back and restart the race . Crossing the line or starting before the starting pistol is fired most often results in disqualification of the runner . Finish . The course ends at a finish line located at the beginning of a " funnel " or " chute " ( a long walkway marked with flags ) that keeps athletes single - file in order of finish and facilitates accurate scoring . Depending on the timing and scoring system , finish officials may collect a small slip from each runner ' s bib , to keep track of finishing positions . An alternative method ( common in the UK ) is to have four officials in two pairs . In the first pair , one official reads out numbers of finishers and the other records them . In the second pair , one official reads out times for the other to record . At the end of the race the two lists are joined along with information from the entry information . The major disadvantage of this system is that distractions can easily upset the results , particularly when large numbers of runners finish close together . Chip timing has grown in popularity to increase accuracy and decrease the number of officials required at the finish line . Each runner attaches a transponder with RFID to his or her shoe . When the runner crosses the finish line an electronic pad records the chip number and matches the runner to a database . Chip timing allows officials to use checkpoint mats throughout the race to calculate split times , and to ensure runners cover the entire course . This is by far the most accurate method , although it is the most expensive . Scoring . Scores are determined by summing the top four or five individual finishing places on each team . In international competition , a team typically consists of six runners , with the top four scoring . In the United States , the most common scoring system is seven runners , with the top five scoring . Points are awarded to the individual runners of eligible teams , equal to the position in which they cross the finish line ( first place gets 1 point , second place gets 2 points , etc . ) . The points for these runners are summed , and the low score wins . Individual athletes , and athletes from incomplete teams are excluded from scoring . Ties are usually broken by the position of each team ' s sixth runner . The lowest possible score in a five - to - score match is 15 ( 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5 ) , achieved by a team ' s runners finishing in each of the top five positions . If there is a single opposing team then they would have a score of 40 ( 6 + 7 + 8 + 9 + 10 ) , which can be considered a " sweep " for the winning team . In some competitions a team ' s sixth and seventh runner are scored in the overall field and are known as " pushers " or " displacers " as their place can count ahead of other runners . In the above match , if there are two non - scoring runners and they came 6th and 7th overall , the opponent ' s score would be 50 ( 8 + 9 + 10 + 11 + 12 ) . Accordingly , the official score of a forfeited dual meet is 15 - 50 . Strategy . Because of differences between courses in running surface , frequency and tightness of turns , and amount of up and downhill , cross country strategy does not necessarily simplify to running a steady pace from start to finish . Coach es and cross country runners debate the relative merits of fast starts to get clear of the field , versus steady pacing to maximize physiological efficiency . Some teams emphasize running in a group in order to provide encouragement to others on the team , while others hold that every individual should run his or her own race . In addition , whether you run ahead ' of the pack ' or behind it and pull ahead in the end is important , but can vary according to the runner ' s individual skill , endurance , and the length of the race . Most important , however , is the training beforehand . Equipment . Cross country running involves very little specialized equipment . Most races are run in shorts and vests or singlets , usually in club or school colors . In particularly cold conditions , long - sleeved shirts and tights can be worn to retain warmth without losing mobility . The most common footwear are cross country spikes , lightweight racing shoes with a rubber sole and approximately six metal spikes screwed into the forefoot part of the sole . Spike length depends on race conditions , with a muddy course appropriate for spikes as long as . If a course has a harder surface , spikes as short as may be most effective . While spikes are suitable for grassy , muddy , or other slippery conditions , runners may choose to wear racing flats , rubber - soled racing shoes without spikes , if the course includes significant portions of paved surfaces or dirt road . History . Formal cross country competition traces its history to the 19th century and an English game called " hare and hounds " or " the paper chase " . English schools started competing in cross country races in 1837 , and established a national championship on December 7 , 1867 . It was held on the Wimbledon Common in England , the same location of the tennis competition . It was the first cross country race that was considered " open " , or could be run by anyone . Its original purpose was to imitate steeplechase for off - season training , and was considered a bit of a joke . The race was about 3 . 5 miles long , and went through very boggy and hilly terrain . The course was not well marked , and many competitors got lost . Matters were not helped by the fact that the race was run in the dark , as it began at 5 pm . Olympic Games . Cross country was contested as a team and individual event at the 1904 , 1912 , 1920 and 1924 Summer Olympics . A United States team won the gold medal for cross country in the 1904 Olympics , Sweden took gold in 1912 , and Finland , led by Paavo Nurmi , captured the gold in 1920 and 1924 . During the 1924 race in the Paris heat wave , only 15 of the 38 competitors reached the finish . Eight of those were taken away on stretchers . One athlete began to run in tight circles after reaching the stadium and later knocked himself unconscious , while another fainted 50 metres from the finish . José Andía and Edvin Wide were reported dead , and medics spent hours trying to find all the competitors who had blacked out along the course . Although the reports of deaths were unfounded , spectators were shocked by the attrition rate and Olympic officials decided to ban cross country running from future Games . Since 1928 , cross country has been contested only as the fifth discipline of the modern pentathlon , and is the only discipline where the Olympic competition is only part of the modern pentathlon . World championships . Europeans dominated early International Cross Country Championships , first held at the Hamilton Park Racecourse in Scotland on 28 March 1903 . England won the first 14 titles , and 43 of 59 until the IAAF took over the competition in 1973 . France was the next most successful country in the early years , winning 12 championships between 1922 and 1956 . Belgium is the only other country to win at the International Cross Country Championship , capturing titles in 1948 , 1957 , 1961 and 1963 . The English also dominated the individual competition , with an Englishman winning the individual title 35 times , including three wins by Jack Holden ( 1933 – 1935 ) . The first international cross country championship for women was held in 1931 , and thirteen more times through 1972 . England won 12 of these early championships , losing only in 1968 and 1969 ( to the United States ) . American Doris Brown won five consecutive individual titles between 1967 and 1971 . Beginning in 1973 , the IAAF began hosting the renamed World Cross Country Championships each year . In 1975 , the New Zealand men and United States women won , marking the first championships by non - European countries . In 1981 an African nation ( Ethiopia ) won the men ' s race for the first time , and a decade later an African nation ( Kenya ) won the women ' s race for the first time . Ethiopia or Kenya has captured every men ' s title since 1981 and every women ' s title since 2001 . Through 2010 , Kenya has won 40 World Cross Country Championships and Ethiopia has won 23 . Regional organization . In addition to the World Cross Country Championships , the IAAF sponsors six annual area - level competitions : the African Cross Country Championships , Asian Cross Country Championships , European Cross Country Championships , NACAC Cross Country Championships , Oceania Cross Country Championships and South American Cross Country Championships . Beyond championships , IAAF world cross country meetings include the Great Edinburgh International Cross Country , Cross Internacional de Itálica , Antrim International Cross Country , Cinque Mulini , Nairobi Cross , Chiba International Cross Country , Fukuoka International Cross Country meet , Eurocross and Almond Blossom Cross Country . Australia . Cross country running is organised at the state level by the athletics association for each state . In Queensland this Queensland Athletics . In the Masters category ( over 30 ) , this is organised by Australian Masters Athletics . Brisbane will host the Australian Masters Nationals Championships , April 21 – 24 , 2011 with the Cross Country hosted by Thompson Estate and Eastern Suburbs Athletics at Minnippi Parklands . The cross country season in Brisbane is usually March - September . During the season there is usually one race each week in a different park , normally organised and hosted by one of the participating clubs . Photos of such events can be found here . Canada . Cross country running is a far reaching sport in Canada . Starting in elementary school , most children have had some form of exposure to cross country running , usually in the form of an annual all - school event . In middle school , races are more serious and are divided by grade and gender . In high school the races are very serious and tend to be the main talent pool ( especially at the senior level ) for university or national - level runners . At the university level , the sport is administered by Canadian Interuniversity Sport . United Kingdom . The organization of cross country running in the United Kingdom has continued to be mostly devolved to the four national associations : England , Wales , Scotland , and Northern Ireland . The sport is based around the clubs , which usually are mixed cross country and road running clubs . The current position ( which is changing ) is that in England , the English Cross Country Association is part of the Amateur Athletic Association . Cross country running takes place from roughly September until March . Most matches are parts of different cross country leagues , which are organised on an " ad hoc " basis . These vary from large , high quality leagues , such as the London Metropolitan Cross Country League , Birmingham League and Surrey League ( which is unusual in requiring ten runners to score ) to small , local leagues ( such as the Gloucestershire AA league ) , and individual clubs can be a member of several leagues . Typically there will be four or five fixtures a season . In addition there are county championships , area championships ( north , south , and midlands ) , the national championship ( whose location rotates around the three areas ) , and the Inter - Counties Championship ( which is often the best quality race owing to its restricted entry and its role as the trial for the World Championships ) . In addition there can be many inter - club matches , particularly among the older clubs . Most league matches are around long , and most championships 12 to 15 km ( " c . " 7½ to 9 miles ) long . Most clubs are mixed , though men ' s and women ' s races tend to be run separately . Secondary school aged students are also to compete at local schools races , with a set number of students qualifying for county level , at which there is a further race to qualify for the English Schools Cross Country race . There is also quite a lot of racing between universities , with larger fixtures organised through BUCS . Primary schools , although more often the juniors , also participate in cross country events and in some areas of England have done so since the late 1960s . An example would be schools near Ouston , County Durham which compete as part of Chester - le - Street & District Primary Cross Country Association . United States . USA Track & Field hosts four annual national cross country championships . The USA Cross Country Championships , first held in 1890 , include six races : masters women ( 8 km ) , masters men ( 8 km ) , junior women ( 6 km ) , junior men ( 8 km ) , open women ( 8 km ) and open men ( 12 km ) . In addition to crowning national champions , the championships serve as the trials race to select the Team USA squad for the IAAF World Cross Country Championships . The USA Masters 5 km Cross Country Championships , first held in 2002 , include a men ' s race and a women ' s race . The USATF National Club Cross Country Championships , first held in 1998 , feature the top clubs from across the United States as they vie for honors and bragging rights as the nation ' s top cross country team . The USATF National Junior Olympic Cross Country Championships , first held in 2001 , has races for boys and girls in five different two - year age divisions . Most American universities and colleges field men ' s and women ' s cross country teams as part of their athletic program . Over 900 men ' s cross country teams and over 1000 women ' s cross country teams compete in the three divisions of the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Men usually race or , and women usually race or . The season culminates in men ' s and women ' s championships . Every state offers cross country as a high school sport for boys and girls . Over 440 , 000 high school students compete in cross country each year , making it the sixth most popular sport for girls , and seventh most popular for boys . The standard high school cross country race distance is , though some states run a shorter , 3 - to 4 - kilometer course for girls . Beginning in 1979 , the Foot Locker Cross Country Championships have offered a national championship for high school cross country runners . Since 2004 , the Nike Cross Nationals have offered an alternative national championship , focused on teams rather than individuals . A 2008 film , " The Long Green Line " , documented the success of Joe Newton , cross country coach at York Community High School in Elmhurst , Illinois . While many middle schools ( grades 6 - 8 ) in the U . S . offer cross country as a school sport , youth running clubs dominate in this age group . A typical middle school course is or , and races may not split up boys and girls . Few elementary school s in the U . S . have school teams , but many running clubs exist for youth runners . Youth running clubs compete in local , regional , and national championships sanctioned by the AAU or USATF . Course distances for this age group vary depending on the age of the athlete . Common championship distances are : Mt . San Antonio College in Walnut , California hosts the largest cross country invitational in the United States , with over 22 , 000 runners from community colleges , high schools and elementary schools competing . The meet started in 1948 and continues today . Outstanding American cross country runners include Don Lash , who won seven consecutive national championships from 1934 to 1940 and Pat Porter , who won eight titles from 1982 to 1989 . Only two American athletes have won the IAAF World Cross Country Championships : Craig Virgin , who won in 1980 and again in 1981 and Lynn Jennings from 1990 – 1992 . Variations . One variation on traditional cross country is mountain running , which incorporates significant uphill and / or downhill sections as an additional challenge to the course . Orienteering is another competitive sport similar to cross country , although it features an element of navigation absent from the set and marked courses of cross country .