Cross country running
Cross country running is distance running that differs from traditional distance running in that it is not run on the track or on the road, but rather on natural areas such as grass, dirt, pavement and sometimes even water. It also includes challenges in the forms of hills. As such, times and achievement for cross country is difficult to measure owing to differences between courses. It is the most popular form of distance running in high school and college or university in North America, with there being no races longer than two miles (three kilometers) on the track in most cases. In professional running the courses vary from 8-10k for men and 4-6k for women.
The most notable cross country athlete in the world at the moment is Kenenisa Bekele, who was also the gold medallist at the 2003 World Championships in Athletics in the 10,000 m and the bronze medallist in the 5,000 m. Just 21 years old, the young man from Ethiopia was a double winner at the World Cross Country Championships in Switzerland, taking gold in both the short and long events (4 km and 12 km).
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