what is the length of a college cross country course

by Ardith Bruen 4 min read

In the United States, college men typically compete on 8 km (5.0 mi) or 10 km (6.2 mi) courses, while college women race for 5 km (3.1 mi) or 6 km (3.7 mi). High school students typically race on 3 mi (4.8 km) or 5 km (3.1 mi) courses. The start of a typical cross country race, as an official fires a gun to signal the start

US college distances: In the United States, cross-country runners race on courses of varying lengths—usually between eight kilometers (a little under five miles) and ten kilometers (a little over six miles) for men and five kilometers to six kilometers (a little under four miles) for women.Mar 2, 2022

Full Answer

How many miles is a college cross country race?

How Many Miles Is a College Cross Country Race? In most places, the standard distance for a college cross country race, for boys and girls, is 3.1 miles, which equates to 5 kilometers, or 5k.

What is the distance of the NCAA Men's college football championship race?

From 1965 to 1975 the race distance was 6 miles (9.7 km). Since 1976 the race distance has been 10,000 meters (6.2 mi). Prior to 1958, only a single national championship was held between all members of the NCAA; Division II started in 1958 and Division III in 1973.

How long is the Wisconsin State marathon cross country course?

About the course : According to Wisconsin, its cross country course features an exterior loop of approximately 2,500 meters and an interior loop of 1,000 meters. Both loops cover the area's rolling hills and valleys, while the outside loop also runs through a section of dense woods, which are aflame with color in the fall.

What is cross country running?

Cross country running. Jump to navigation Jump to search. Cross country running is a sport in which teams and individuals run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain such as dirt or grass.

How long is cross-country usually?

IAAF standard distances for international competition are not less than 12,000 metres (7.5 miles) for men, and 2,000–5,000 metres (1.25–3 miles) for women. Because of the varying difficulty of courses, world records are not maintained. Cross-country teams are made up of six to nine athletes.

How fast do you have to be to run college cross-country?

Division 1 track and field recruiting standardsEventD1 TopD1 Low800m1:47.141:58.491500m3:45.754:16.771600m4:05.894:27.805K XC13:58.2015:5222 more rows

How many miles do college cross-country runners run?

In cross-country, all races (except for Regionals and Nationals) are 8 kilometers (5 miles). It can be a little strange for freshmen runners to pass the 5k mark of a college race and realize that they still have two miles left to run.

What college has the best cross country program?

NCAA cross country rankings1 – BYU.2 – Northern Arizona.3 – Colorado.4 – Iowa State.5 – Tulsa.

How do you become D1 in cross country?

Research what athletic performances are competitive for the D1, D2, or D3 school you are interested in. Train smart and work hard within your sport. Contact college coaches to talk about a track or cross country scholarship. Understand what the academic requirements are for a Division 1 school.

What is a good 5K cross country time?

The average finishing time was 16:40, but the average first mile was 5:05 or roughly 15:47 pace. Did anyone in that race run a 15:47?

What is a D1 5K time?

NCAA D1: 5K Under 16:10.

How fast do you have to be to run d3 cross country?

Division III runners run miles too. 25 a week ain't gonna cut it. You need to get to at least 60-70 mpw gradually BUT GET THERE by next summer.

How many meters is the Wisconsin cross country course?

About the course : According to Wisconsin, its cross country course features an exterior loop of approximately 2,500 meters and an interior loop of 1,000 meters. Both loops cover the area's rolling hills and valleys, while the outside loop also runs through a section of dense woods, which are aflame with color in the fall. The course opened in 2009, and used the course at Indiana State as inspiration.

What is the oldest cross country race in the country?

Oklahoma State Cross Country Course. About this course: This course is home to one of the oldest cross country races in the country, the Cowboy Jamboree, which began back in 1937. The course is grass, with wood chips and rolling hills.

Who was the cross country coach at Indiana State?

The late Indiana State cross country coach John McNichols created the vision for the course, which was specifically created for cross country races. The course also has a press box and many areas for spectators to watch the race. A classic... the Lavern Gibson in Terre Haute!

How long is a cross country race?

Sometimes the runners are referred to as harriers. The course, typically 4–12 kilometres (2.5–7.5 mi) long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands ...

What is cross country running?

World Championships. 1973–. Cross country running is a sport in which teams and individuals run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain such as dirt or grass. Sometimes the runners are referred to as harriers. The course, typically 4–12 kilometres (2.5–7.5 mi) long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, ...

What are the USATF cross country championships?

The USA Cross Country Championships, first held in 1890, include six races: masters women (8 km), masters men (8 km), junior women (6 km), junior men (8 km), open women (8 km) and open men (12 km). In addition to crowning national champions, the championships serve as the trials race to select the Team USA squad for the IAAF World Cross Country Championships. The USATF Masters 5 km Cross Country Championships, first held in 2002, incl men's race and a women's race. The USATF National Club Cross Country Championships, first held in 1998, feature the top clubs from across the United States as they vie for honors and bragging rights as the nation's top cross country team. The USATF National Junior Olympic Cross Country Championships, first held in 2001, has raced for boys and girls in five different two-year age divisions.

How many men's cross country teams are there?

Over 900 men's cross country teams and over 1000 women's cross country teams compete in the three divisions of the National Collegiate Athletic Association. Men usually race 10 km (6.2 mi) or 8 km (5.0 mi), and women usually race 6 km (3.7 mi) or 5 km (3.1 mi). Every state offers cross country as a high school sport for boys and girls.

How long is a sand volleyball course?

The course, typically 4–12 kilometres (2.5–7.5 mi) long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road. It is both an individual and a team sport; runners are judged on individual times and teams by a points-scoring method.

What is the equipment used in cross country?

Equipment. Cross country running involves very little specialized equipment. Most races are run in shorts and vests or singlets, usually in club or school colours. In particularly cold conditions, long-sleeved shirts and tights can be worn to retain warmth without losing mobility.

When was the first USATF Masters 5 km race?

The USATF Masters 5 km Cross Country Championships, first held in 2002, incl men's race and a women's race. The USATF National Club Cross Country Championships, first held in 1998, feature the top clubs from across the United States as they vie for honors and bragging rights as the nation's top cross country team.

Qualifying

Teams compete in one of nine regional championships to qualify, where the top two teams automatically advance and thirteen additional teams are chosen as at-large selections. In addition to the 31 teams, 38 individual runners qualify for the national championship.

History

The field for the Division I national championship race has ranged in size from a low of 6 teams in 1938 to a high of 39 teams in 1970. From 1982 to 1997 the field was fixed at 22 teams. Beginning in 1998, the national championship race has included 31 teams.

Where do cross country runners go to college?

Many of the top runners head to prestigious cross country colleges such as BYU, Northern Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Oregon and Arkansas, all of which have claimed NCAA cross country ...

Why do cross country coaches want to cover college distances?

In addition, cross country colleges want to ensure that you’ll be able to succeed in the “student” part of the term, “student-athlete.”.

How many scholarships are there for cross country?

In NCAA cross country, schools are limited to 12.6 men’s and 18 women’s scholarships for cross country and track and field athletes combined. Those cross country colleges that are not track and field colleges as well are limited to five men’s and six women’s cross country scholarships, respectively.

What division is cross country in?

The top athletics departments compete in NCAA Division 1 cross country and other sports while NCAA Division 2 cross country and NCAA Division 3 cross country are roughly on par with NAIA cross country as far as the quality of teams go. Additionally, the NJCAA sponsors junior college xc for both men and women.

What are the terms used in cross country recruiting?

Colleges – cross country terms: Prospects, recruits and commits. As you go through the cross country recruiting process, it’s important to understand terms that are being used to describe you. The most common ones are prospects, recruits and commits. Most who participate in boys and girls cross country are prospects.

Can coaches contact you at cross country?

For example, coaches at cross country colleges are only allowed to contact you at specific times and in specific ways .

Does the NCAA Division 3 cross country program offer scholarships?

In any case, do also consider that NCAA Division 3 cross country programs and NCAA Division 1 Ivy League cross country teams do not award any athletics scholarships whatsoever. However, they do offer a considerable amount of financial aid to their general student bodies.

How long is a cross country race in high school?

Cross country races in high school are all 5 kilometers or 3.1 miles. A decent time for a 9th grader is around 19 min flat or a little above. Then each year after you should hope to shave off 30–40 seconds. An exceptional time would be low 16:00s. 1.6K views.

Why is knowing the course important?

It’s extremely helpful to have made your hard decisions, the suffering decisions and your strategy for tackling the course, in your mind’s eye before the gun ever goes off.

What is cross country?

Cross Country (XC) is a wonderful sport of a lifetime that encourages both individual and team participation and a love for running. If you are a ‘newbie’ parent and have a ‘newbie’ son or daughter that wants to try Cross Country, here are a few things to help you get started:

How long is a high school race?

High school races are usually 3.1 miles long, and junior high races are usually 2 miles long. The courses oftentimes take place at public parks or golf courses and parents are allowed to attend and cheer them on from anywhere on the course.

What is the great thing about cross country?

The great thing about cross country at this level is that everyone who tries out for the sport generally gets to compete. Even though the first 7 runners to finish are considered the “scoring team”, everyone still gets to run and try to contribute to the team’s scoring. In most school districts, there are no cuts, and.

What to wear for running in cold weather?

For warm weather running or cold weather running, proper attire can also be extremely helpful. This would include shirt, shorts and even socks that aide in wisking away moisture during very warm weather and proper cold weather running gear as well.

How to prepare for a race day?

You can assist by having the proper foods available in the house and planning a proper meal for race day. Avoid fatty and fried foods, and carbonated (soda)or acidic drinks. Encourage small portions of easily digested food eaten about 3 hours before racing. A lot of these foods will be in the form of carbohydrates.

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Overview

Cross country running is a sport in which teams and individuals run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain such as dirt or grass. The course, typically 4–12 kilometres (2.5–7.5 mi) long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road and minor obstacles. It is both an individual and a team sport; runners are judged on individual times and teams by a points-scoring method. Both men and wo…

Race course

While a course may include natural or artificial obstacles, cross country courses support continuous running, and do not require climbing over high barriers, through deep ditches, or fighting through the underbrush, as do military-style assault courses.
A course at least 5 metres (5.5 yd) full allows competitors to pass others during the race. Clear markings keep competitors from making wrong turns, and spectators from interfering with the c…

Strategy

Because of differences between courses in running surface, frequency and tightness of turns, and amount of up and downhill, cross country strategy does not necessarily simplify to running a steady pace from start to finish. Coaches and cross country runners debate the relative merits of fast starts to get clear of the field, versus steady pacing to maximize physiological efficiency. Some teams emphasize running in a group in order to provide encouragement to others on the t…

Equipment

Cross country running involves very little specialized equipment. Most races are run in shorts and vests or singlets, usually in club or school colours. In particularly cold conditions, long-sleeved shirts and tights can be worn to retain warmth without losing mobility. The most common footwear are cross country spikes, lightweight racing shoes with a rubber sole and five or more metal spikes screwed into the forefoot part of the sole. Spike length depends on race conditions…

History

Formal cross country competition traces its history to the 19th century and an English game called "hare and hounds" or "the paper chase". English schools started competing in cross country races in 1837, and established a national championship on 7 December 1867. It was held on Wimbledon Common in south-west London. It was the first cross country race that was considered "open", or could be run by anyone. Its original purpose was to imitate steeplechase fo…

Regional organizations

Beyond championships, IAAF world cross country meetings include the Great Edinburgh International Cross Country, Cross Internacional de Itálica, Antrim International Cross Country, Cinque Mulini, Nairobi Cross, Chiba International Cross Country, Fukuoka International Cross Country meet, Eurocross and Almond Blossom Cross Country.
Cross country running is organized at the state level by the athletics association for each state. I…

See also

• Sport of athletics portal

Further reading

• Havitz, Mark E., and Eric D. Zemper, "'Worked Out in Infinite Detail': Michigan State College's Lauren P. Brown and the Origins of the NCAA Cross Country Championships," Michigan Historical Review (Spring 2013), 39#1, pp. 1–39.