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Cross Country

What is cross country?

According to USATF (the governing body for running in the United States), cross country running is “a sport in which teams and individuals run races on outdoor courses over natural terrain.”

This natural terrain? It essentially includes everything other than roads, sidewalks, and tracks. This means that a cross country course is usually run over trails, grass, and fields.

How long is a cross country race?

This question depends on the level. Cross country races can be all sorts of distances. The most typical distances are listed below:

  • Youth: 1-4 kilometer courses, depending on the age group
  • High School: Typically 5 kilometer courses (3.1 miles)
  • Women’s Collegiate: Typically 6 kilometer courses (3.7 miles)
  • Men’s Collegiate: Typically 8 kilometer courses (4.97 miles)
  • Men’s Collegiate Championships: Typically 10 kilometer courses (6.2 miles)
  • USATF Women: 6 kilometers
  • USATF Men: 10 kilometers

To learn more about cross country visit:https://www.usatf.org/disciplines/cross-country

Video of a Cross Country Race Starting:

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