Cross-Country Study Guide
Cross-country began in England in the early 19th Century as a game called “hare and hound. It is a caridovascular activity that you can enjoy throughout your life time.
Number of Competitors: Seven runners for an invitational. Open races can have more participants.
Course Distance: Course distance varies from race to race. An average distance for male races at the high school level would be 3.1 miles. An average distance for female races at the high school level would be 2.5 miles.
** In Middle School, the length of the course in about 1.5 to 2 miles.**
Scoring: Cross Country is an individual and team sport. Each individual competes to finish in the lowest position possible and is issued a card with the place of finish. A cross country team score is determined by each teams’ overall top five finishers. The places of your first five runners finishing are added to compute the team score. As a result, the team with the lowest score wins. Reasons for disqualification during a race include; pushing,tripping, and cutting corners.
Field of Play: Each course is unique and would typically take the competitor across a variey of terrains that could include: open spaces, wooded areas, hills, valleys and natural obstacles (river beds, fallen logs, boulders).
Race: The race begins at the start line. Each team is designated a “box” to start in at the line. You place your fastest runners in the front of the box for strategy.
The race begins with an official shooting a starting pistol into the air. Racers begin the course and follow the flags along the course to know what direction to go in. See below:
Cross-Country Running Colors:
Red- Turn left
Yellow- Turn right
Blue- Go Straight
Strategy:Runners should keep a pace during the race in order to keep from slowing down and falling in position. Pace is a rhythmical running pattern that is sustained throughout the duration of the run. Starting the race too quickly will result in the runner not being able to finish the race in a strong manner.
Racers finish in the chute in a single file line. The chute is an area beyond the finish line that is used to organize runners in their appropriate order of finish.
When ascending (going up) a hill, runners should pump their arms, take shorter strides and push off their toes. When descending (going down) a hill, runners should take longer strides and use the momentum to carry them down faster and further along the course.
Running Form:
Head- your head should be slightly tilted down looking 10-20 feet ahead of you.
Shoulders- your shoulders should be relaxed, low, and facing square to where you are running.
Arms- your arms should be bent at the elbow at 90 degrees. Your arms should also be swinging forward and backwards to the sides of your torso, not swinging across your body.
Hands- your hands should be relaxed and forming a cup. They should not be closed fist or have your thumbs up.
Torso- your torso should be in an upright position allowing for better breathing causing you to “run tall”
Hips- your hips should be in line with your head and shoulders which is key to having good running posture.
Feet- foot placement: land lightly on the mid sole or ball of the foot, then lift from quadriceps as in a marching step- keeping the feet moving under the body, similar motion to peddling a bike
Cross-country began in England in the early 19th Century as a game called “hare and hound. It is a caridovascular activity that you can enjoy throughout your life time.
Number of Competitors: Seven runners for an invitational. Open races can have more participants.
Course Distance: Course distance varies from race to race. An average distance for male races at the high school level would be 3.1 miles. An average distance for female races at the high school level would be 2.5 miles.
** In Middle School, the length of the course in about 1.5 to 2 miles.**
Scoring: Cross Country is an individual and team sport. Each individual competes to finish in the lowest position possible and is issued a card with the place of finish. A cross country team score is determined by each teams’ overall top five finishers. The places of your first five runners finishing are added to compute the team score. As a result, the team with the lowest score wins. Reasons for disqualification during a race include; pushing,tripping, and cutting corners.
Field of Play: Each course is unique and would typically take the competitor across a variey of terrains that could include: open spaces, wooded areas, hills, valleys and natural obstacles (river beds, fallen logs, boulders).
Race: The race begins at the start line. Each team is designated a “box” to start in at the line. You place your fastest runners in the front of the box for strategy.
The race begins with an official shooting a starting pistol into the air. Racers begin the course and follow the flags along the course to know what direction to go in. See below:
Cross-Country Running Colors:
Red- Turn left
Yellow- Turn right
Blue- Go Straight
Strategy:Runners should keep a pace during the race in order to keep from slowing down and falling in position. Pace is a rhythmical running pattern that is sustained throughout the duration of the run. Starting the race too quickly will result in the runner not being able to finish the race in a strong manner.
Racers finish in the chute in a single file line. The chute is an area beyond the finish line that is used to organize runners in their appropriate order of finish.
When ascending (going up) a hill, runners should pump their arms, take shorter strides and push off their toes. When descending (going down) a hill, runners should take longer strides and use the momentum to carry them down faster and further along the course.
Running Form:
Head- your head should be slightly tilted down looking 10-20 feet ahead of you.
Shoulders- your shoulders should be relaxed, low, and facing square to where you are running.
Arms- your arms should be bent at the elbow at 90 degrees. Your arms should also be swinging forward and backwards to the sides of your torso, not swinging across your body.
Hands- your hands should be relaxed and forming a cup. They should not be closed fist or have your thumbs up.
Torso- your torso should be in an upright position allowing for better breathing causing you to “run tall”
Hips- your hips should be in line with your head and shoulders which is key to having good running posture.
Feet- foot placement: land lightly on the mid sole or ball of the foot, then lift from quadriceps as in a marching step- keeping the feet moving under the body, similar motion to peddling a bike