Cross country is running on an open air course over hills, gravel, grass, on dirt trails, and other different types of terrain. The course is typically 5 kilometers. Sometimes short courses can be between 3000m-3200m. Girls typically run separate from the boys. Some JV or middle school events may be run coed. Our XC training starts with summer workouts with seasoned runners running as far as 6-12 miles on some days. Training during the school year is broken down into three primary work sessions. Long slow runs for endurance and stamina, medium runs run a little faster than the long runs for strength. The last runs are recovery runs done after a race or harder workouts. The competitive season begins in August and ends in November with the state championship. We usually run six to eight contests during the competitive season. Runners in this sport are usually highly motivated, self-disciplined, and mentally tough.