Cross Country Running: A Beginners Guide

Cross country running can seem like a daunting hobby to take up, especially if you’re new to running in the first place.

You might not know what to wear, how to train the most effectively, or what to expect at all when it comes to cross country running. That’s where we come in.

This article is going to walk you through cross country running, from start to finish. We’ll cover ground that includes what the sport entails, some of the great benefits of it, and some tips on what type of gear you’ll need to get you started so that you can keep going. 

Let’s learn to walk before we run, and start by explaining exactly what cross-country running is.

What is Cross Country Running?

Cross country running involves running a distance of anywhere between 2.5 miles and 7.5 miles, traveling across multiple different types of terrain, including the ups and downs of hills, through muddy puddles, and over obstacles. 

Originally known as “hare and hounds” or referred to as “the paper chase”, cross country running as a sport dates back to around the nineteenth century, with the first official race taking place in 1876 followed by the first international race happening in 1903. 

It’s a form of running that’s practiced all over the world, and people now compete internationally with several big-league competitions happening all year-round. 

When is the Best Time for Cross Country Running?

The cross country season is considered to start around early October and runs right through until February, although it’s also been known to be pushed back to early March at the latest. 

There’s a certain risk of injury when you’re running on muddy terrain, so it’s important to consider your health and always take the time to recover fully before returning if you have experienced an injury. 

Because this is a pretty wide time frame, it’s sometimes about training smarter, not harder, to make sure that you can continue participating for the whole season.

Is it as Gruelling as it Sounds?

We admit the thought of just taking off and seeing how long you can keep running for is pretty daunting; we’re not saying it’ll be easy.

But one thing that’s often overlooked is just how fun cross country running is. There’s nothing more exhilarating than pushing yourself to your absolute limits whilst dodging and weaving obstacles and puddles in your path. 

While that might sound great, like we said, it can be a challenging hobby at times, and you’ll certainly see just how capable you truly are.

We’ve already mentioned that injuries are not uncommon, so to reiterate it’s really important that you take care of yourself and don’t try to do too much, too soon. 

So… Where to Begin?

If you’ve stumbled across this article, you’re probably new to if not a complete novice when it comes to cross country running, so you might be wondering, where do I even start? 

Start off gradually as you build muscle and get your body used to moving in a new running rhythm. Don’t push yourself too hard at this point, as it’s about warming up rather than pushing your limits just yet. This will also help to reduce the risk of injury. 

For those who are already used to running year-round, we recommend taking a short break before taking up your cross country training as this will give you body and chance to heal and rest up in physical preparation, as well as allowing you to mentally prepare. 

How to Train for Cross Country Running

Once you’ve built up some strength and stamina, you can start to really throw yourself into your cross country training. Consistency is key, here, as you’ll want to maintain a steady amount of progress rather than taking time off here and there and letting it lapse. 

The results are dictated by effort rather than pace when it comes to cross country running because, on top of pace, you also need to think about the terrain you’re traveling over, the elevation level, and any obstacles that may pop up in your path. 

This makes it more difficult to keep up a consistent rhythm so you are required to keep pushing yourself periodically, and you must meet it each time with your full effort. 

To prepare yourself for the challenges of such a demanding terrain, it’s important to begin with your foundation training. This should consist of long runs every week as well as a mix of interval sessions, recovery runs, and tempo runs, and then you can start to incorporate these same training methods on alternative terrain to the pavement. 

There’s Going to be Hilly Road Ahead

Hills are what every cross country runner dreads when they first start out, but you’ll learn to love them as you start to want to push yourself to go further, faster.

They force us to crank it up to maximum effort and they test the upper limits of our capabilities, so they’re an essential part of your training. It sucks, but it makes us better cross country runners, so we suck it up. 

If you were to take it competition level, you’d typically be racing on a course with a variety of terrains, including short and long hill inclines, so it’s good to get some practice in so your body is used to performing under these conditions. 

So Should I Stick to Just Hills?

Yes, hills are important, but they shouldn’t be the only aspect of your training as you’ll need to do more to succeed in cross country running. You should still be including varied speeds and interval work into your training as well, as this will be more beneficial in the long run.

If you’re looking for a bit of inspiration for where to start, here are some examples of beginner hill workouts that will help you to develop your ability and progress your training. 

Before attempting any sort of run or workout it is absolutely essential to stretch out and get yourself properly warmed up, as this will help to reduce the risk of injury.

Don’t forget that this applies to post-workout too, as you should also remember to always warm down after exercise to prevent your muscles from seizing up. 

Beginner Hill Workout - Option 1:

1. Find yourself a nice hill. Try to find one that’s around 800m in length, although finding the perfect hill might be easier said than done depending on where you live. 
2. Start to run up the hill using a challenging yet still manageable amount of effort. 
3. Repeat this 6 times, or 8 as a maximum if you’re looking to really push yourself.

Beginner Hill Workout - Option 2

1. Try to find a hill that looks pretty steady with approximately a two miles distance. 
2. Start to run up the hill at a 10 to 15-minute tempo. 
3. Jog back down the hill, using this descent to recover. 
4. Repeat this 3 times if you can, or 2 if you’re starting to struggle.

Keep it Varied

Now you’ve got the basics down, you can start to mix up the terrain that you’re running on which is the next step in your cross country training.

Once you’re feeling confident, you can start testing out how you fare on an uneven surface, through mud, over grass, and even softer types of dirt. These are all types of terrain you could experience in a real competition. 

This advances your training because it’ll start to push you in new ways, and it requires more energy and effort from you so you can start to build up better stamina.

Whether you’re performing one of the hill workouts from above or doing something from your regular repertoire of runs, making the transition to different terrains can do wonders for your progress. 

When you’re running on softer ground, it’s less taxing on your joints and it can give your body to rest up and have a break from the more challenging demands, so it’s important to still incorporate some softer runs into your routine as well as multi-terrain runs.

Next Up:200m Sprint Intervals Practice  

Being able to get a head start on your fellow cross country runners can be the difference between first and second place, so being able to put some power into your takeoff will be extremely beneficial come competition day if you’re looking to finish in a high position. 

The 200m interval sprint is perfect to incorporate into training because it will teach your body to get off to a quick start and you’ll have better conditioning and muscle memory to rely on an actual day.

Follow up your sprint with a steady pace for a few minutes, then repeat the rep and continue to do this until you feel like you’ve reached your limit. 

Through this, you’ll also get better practice at running on tired legs and you’ll learn how to effectively pull from those energy reserves that are buried deep within you which you so heavily rely on in this sport. 

Should I Be Wearing Special Gear?

It’s not so much special gear that it should be the right gear, as otherwise, you’ll find yourself in quite some discomfort, quite quickly.

While it’s harder to go wrong in the shorts and sports top department, finding the perfect shoe is another subject entirely. 

What is the Best Type of Shoes for Cross Country Running?

Your feet are literally the two things that carry you through your cross country running training, so it’s important to give them the support they need as otherwise, you could be at risk of serious injury. Getting this right can even improve your overall performance. 

The two main types of cross country running shoes are x-country shoes, cross country running spikes, and trail running shoes.

Running spikes are the most popular choice by a mile as they don’t carry much additional weight and they have more cushioning than track spikes.

But beyond this, how do you know which running shoes are going to be the best for you? This next part of the article will feature reviews of five of the best options for cross country running shoes that are currently available.

The Best Five Shoes for Cross Country Running

What Should Your Strategy Be? 

So, now you have hopefully found the right shoes, what should your strategy for race day be? Do you even need a strategy, or are you confident enough that you could turn up on the day and make the best of any course you end up competing on?

You don’t need to map out every step of your track, but practicing at least some type of strategy in the lead up to your race is one of the best ways for you to build your confidence up so that you feel sure of your strengths and aware of your weaknesses. 

Here are some useful tips and tricks we would encourage you to think about when coming up with a race strategy: 

1. Try to have a good head start so you don’t end up stuck behind the runners in front of you when it comes to coming round those first few bends in the route. 
2. Focus on the level of effort you’re putting into your cross country run rather than keeping your eye firmly on the speed or step tracker on your watch.
3. Instead of becoming overwhelmed by the number of people ahead of you, just think about overtaking them one by one, ticking them off like a checklist in your head. 
4. Don’t allow yourself to be disheartened if you don’t get off to a good start, as you can still bring it back later on in the race. Basically, don’t count yourself out too early. 
5. Last but not least, remember that you’re supposed to be having a good time! Enjoy it.

The Finish Line

You’re on the home stretch of this article now, so we wanted to leave you with the answers to a few frequently asked questions in case there’s anything we didn’t cover in the article.

Otherwise, we hope that you’ve found it helpful and that you’re one step closer to your cross country running goals! 

Do you really need shoes that have spikes or studs?

Your personal preference will dictate whether or not you should have spikes or studs on your cross country running shoes, but generally, they can be a great addition and can be particularly useful when running on wet or muddy course conditions. 

Can you run cross country indoors?

Nope, cross country running is, by definition, a sport that takes place outdoors on a variety of different terrains and in all weather conditions.

However, you can always train indoors before moving to a more challenging track. 

What is the average mile time for a cross country runner?

Whilst this question obviously depends on the circumstances of the runner, the average mile time for a non-competitive, in-shape cross country runner is around 9 to 10 minutes.

Not quite hitting that yourself? At least it’s something to work towards!