Cross Country

Cross country or cross country running is one of the sports events belonging to the track and field category. Sometimes though, cross country is already noted as a separate sport from track and field simply because this sport is held on open roads and rough terrains. Cross country involves groups of runners racing with other teams or individually over a course of grass, mud, water or even forests and woodlands. Cross country is considered to be a participatory sport and popular at that.

The history of cross country running started all the way back to the 1800s when cross country race was being practiced in the public schools of England. It was in 1851 that a foot grind was created by the Exeter College, Oxford. It was somewhat based on steeple chasing while riding on a horse, but this time, it was on foot. They would run to the nearby church while they pass by the ditches and fences that acted like obstacles during that time.

Thus, by the year 1860, Oxford University has established the cross country steeplechase as part of their university sports. It was two miles by the way. The boys cross country was changed in 1865 with a flat field having barriers on the way. This was where the steeplechase in the world of athletics has originated. The following years made great developments to the sport until it became what it is today. It was in 1896 that cross country running in the United States became a formal sport.

One of the notable coaches in the United States is Jack Daniels. He was a coach at the SUNY Cortland. He created a book entitled Daniels’ Running Formula. There he talked about the Daniels training method which was widely used from high school cross country to professional cross-country athletes from the United States to other countries all over the globe. A lot of cross country runners have benefited from his book. His training for cross country has spread all throughout the world. Check out a copy and see for yourself the cross country running tips from one of the greatest cross country coaches in the world.

If you’re interested in the sport, you should get some dependable cross country spikes or simply put, cross country running shoes. There are a lot of shoes manufacturers like Nike, Adidas, Mizuno, New Balance and the like, that provide cross country shoes. Search the internet to find one now. You’ll also come across cross country logo and cross country running quotes to help you get inspired.