Cross Country
Created | Updated Jan 28, 2002
Cross country: a sport unlike any other. What is it? Running, but so much more. There are two main levels: modified, which runs 2.5 kilometers, and varsity, which runs 5 kilometers. This is not on a track, that would be too easy, not to mention exceedingly boring. It is run through woods, over fields, in mud puddles, and over hay bales. Using racings shoes with spikes varying anywhere from an eighth of an inch to five eighths, it can be very dangerous. It is very common at the start of races for people to get spiked by the people in front of them.
The first cross country course in the U.S. was at Van Cortlandt park, in the Bronx. There is a race there almost every day, now. The biggest being the Manhattan College Invitational.
Cross country tests both endurance and speed. A good way to get in shape for the races is to start out with mid-distance (3-5 miles), and then slowly build up. Seven miles is a good place to get up to. Don't skimp on hills, either! Once you get into race season, do about 5 miles on average days, and do mile repeats on hard days. Or, if you don't feel like doing mile repeats, get some hill repeats in. That will increase your strength. On the days before the races go easy, doing about 2 miles, with a couple of 400 meter strides. Once you want to get to the peak of your condition, train with short, hard workouts. For example, do 800's, 400's, and 200's, with easy hill repeats in between each.
So, as you can see, cross country is truly an amazing, and difficult, sport.
The first cross country course in the U.S. was at Van Cortlandt park, in the Bronx. There is a race there almost every day, now. The biggest being the Manhattan College Invitational.
Cross country tests both endurance and speed. A good way to get in shape for the races is to start out with mid-distance (3-5 miles), and then slowly build up. Seven miles is a good place to get up to. Don't skimp on hills, either! Once you get into race season, do about 5 miles on average days, and do mile repeats on hard days. Or, if you don't feel like doing mile repeats, get some hill repeats in. That will increase your strength. On the days before the races go easy, doing about 2 miles, with a couple of 400 meter strides. Once you want to get to the peak of your condition, train with short, hard workouts. For example, do 800's, 400's, and 200's, with easy hill repeats in between each.
So, as you can see, cross country is truly an amazing, and difficult, sport.
