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Cross-country Running

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Of all forms of pedestrianism and, indeed, of all branches of athletics there can be nothing superior to cross-country running for either pleasure or health. The sport itself is ideal, whether a race be contested in fine or muddy weather. Track or road running is apt to grow monotonous, however exciting it may be; but there is nothing monotonous in an open country run.

Even the training itself is almost as enjoyable as the race, and from first to last I defy anybody to find a single point to cavil at.
The varying nature of the ground covered, moreover, assists enormously in building up one’s physique and in bringing into play every individual group of muscles, so that the long-distance track-runner will be well advised to devote a fair portion of his attention to field races, as they will materially assist his progress.

CROSS-COUNTRY TRAINING.

The track must naturally be abandoned altogether for cross-country preparation, and one’s practice carried out pretty religiously over country as closely resembling that on which the actual race will be contested as can be found within easy distance.

Work your spine up in length from about five miles, then eight miles to ten miles, and vary backwards and forwards. Run in company wherever possible, and pick out as much bad and heavy ground as you can; but run three times every week. , Get out by yourself if necessary and accustom yourself well to ploughed fields and Soft ground, because you want to get into the habit of covering this in quick style.

In actual races themselves it is always best to sprint over the difficult country, and to save yourself when the going is good. You won’t tire yourself halt as much by following this method.
Going slovenly over ploughed fields or soft ground will lead you into slipping and Stumbling, and will take it out of you badly; so cultivate a quick stride of about 4 ft. 10 in. for these Sections, and try and let your feet land about half-way up each furrow. If you try and land on the top or between them you will shake your-self, to say nothing of running a risk of missing your footing and breaking your stride.

When you get back to level ground again you can slow down, but at the same time lengthen out your stride to even as much as 6 ft. 6 in. There is not the same necessity to preserve all-through regularity of action over this style of course.
Another important point to study is the nature of the actual course itself. Get all the information on this point that you can, and lay your plane and train accord-ingly. 1f there is likely to be a lot of bad ground pay Special attention to this part of your work, and adapt your training also in the matter of hills.

Run up all the hills at a fairly slow pace so as to Pave wind, and come down them as hard an you can, partly to make up for this, and also because it is less exhausting to run down hill fast.

WATER, GATES, FENCES, AND HEDGES.

Never hesitate to clear these boldly. You will only waste time if you run about looking for openings, and, if possible, run over your gates and stiles in preference to vaulting or jumping them. This will want some practice, but is well worth getting into the knack of doing. Run right up, plant your front foot on the middle bar, step clean over with the other, jump down, and go on. This method may not sound so speedy a method of progression as a jump or a vault, but it very frequently saves a lot of time; for in many instances the obstacle may present itself just after a ploughed field or stretch of very, heavy ground, which has taken it out of you badly, and so will not improbably cause you to badly mull your early attempts to vault or jump.

In fact, you will notice that every practical cross-country runner runs over his obstacles. It is only when he gets a bit pumped that he “ vaults,” or gets over as best he can.

Cross-bars and other incidentals may occasionally assist or hamper this “ running over “ business, and of course from many other reasons it is always advisable to indulge in plenty of jumping practice.

This can be obtained wherever opportunity presents itself, but, failing a decent supply of hedges, gates, etc., in the near neighbourhood of your training quarters, as n substitute it is not a bad plan to set up a number of hurdles in any adjacent field, and to steadily practice jumping these one after the other.

You may not impossibly be a hurdler, or possibly may possess undreamt-of qualities at that sport, which this cross-country running and training will introduce to you.
The Americans are, as a rule, better hurdle racers than we are, no that you may be sure of gratitude if you discover that you can develop yourself into one. Four advent as s champion, or as a prospective one, would be very warmly welcomed.

Therefore for this reason, as well as on account of your cross-country chances and general all-round agility, don’t neglect any opportunity of improving your jumping
abilities. Practice broad as well as high jumping, so as to prepare yourself for water and possible thick hedges. When the weather is very wet, or you are for any other reason confined indoors,’ you might devote any spare time you have to jumping over forma ranged round the biggest room you can practice in.

This may not sound very important, but, like every other thing of the kind, it will help, if only in developing a springiness of action.

STITCH.

This malady is one to which all runners are liable. In ordinary races, it is usually a fatal complaint, but need not necessarily be so across country. If, however, an attack should come on, don’t allow it to overwhelm you. Keep on going. Slacken speed, walk even if necessary, but keep going on. You will be losing as little ground as possible, and will be gradually, if slowly, working off the attack. You may want to lie down and die, but don’t. Keep on getting ahead and quicken up as the pain diminishes, until you find yourself back at your normal pace, with the stitch departed.

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