Cross-Country Running

What is Cross-Country Running?
When comparing cross-country running with track and field or road racing, the main difference is the course. Cross-country courses vary in length and may include hills with a variety of terrains including grass, mud, woodlands, or water. Course marking is very important in cross-country. Painted lines, flags, and lead vehicles are used to guide the runners along the correct path. The following is the flag coloring standard for cross-country running: red for left, blue for straight, and yellow for right. The other difference in cross-country running is the scoring system. A cross-country team includes five to seven runners. Points are given to individual runners in the
order they finish. The first five finishers on each team are counted in the team score. Teams are awarded their ranks according to their total number of points, with lowest being the best. The lowest possible score a team can achieve is 15 points (1+2+3+4+5). This is called a "sweep" because the winning team claims the first 5 finishing positions. The picture above is from the US Armed Forces Cross-Country Meet.

		Trail Running
		Trail running is very similar to cross-country as the terrain varies and is often rough. Trail running is usually a more recreational form of running than competitive cross-country running. However, there are many trail races as this form of running continues to grow in popularity. Fairfield, Iowa has a series of trail races called the Iowa Trail Runs. These races include a half-marathon, marathon, and 50 kilometer race. Each race is run on trails located within Jefferson County Park.
Above is a picture from the Iowa Trail Runs. There are also many trails throughout Eastern Iowa. Squire Point is one of the many developed trail systems around the Coralville Reservoir–Lake MacBride complex. The connecting loops of Linder and Squire Point have long served as a haven for dog walkers and trail runners.