DAUNTED BY THE PROSPECT OF A WINTER CROSS-COUNTRY RACE? DON ‘ T BE! RUNNING COACH LAURA FOUNTAIN REVEALS WHY YOU SHOULD GIVE IT AGO

LAURA FOUNTAIN

OFF-ROAD

While flashbacks of school crosscountry practice probably give you shivers, you might find that giving it a go as an adult is a lot more fun than you remember. With runners gearing up for the cross-country season in the UK, now is the perfect time to give it another chance.

IS IT AS SCARY AS IT LOOKS?

Before taking on her first cross-country race last winter, Josie Hart stood on the sidelines as a spectator, too, intimidated to give it a try. “It looked hard and everyone taking part looked very, very fit,” recalls Hart. “I was worried I wasn’t up to the challenge from a fitness perspective. But once the gun went off, it was just like any other race: a group of people running hard in the same direction!”

Hart’s first race was a 6K Metropolitan League fixture at Trent Park, where she ran for her club, Serpentine. “I loved it!” she enthuses. “The sense of achievement was brilliant. I’d been worrying about finishing quite far down the field, but finishing last didn’t seem to matter quite so much when I was out there with lungs and legs burning, giving it my best.”

In cross-country, you compete as part of a team for your running club, with points awarded to the team for your finishing position. As you’re running for points rather than a time, all abilities play their part. Emma Carter-Biggs (left) runs for Headington RoadRunners and has been taking part in cross-country races for the past 10 years. “I really enjoy the camaraderie, both from my teammates, who are always at the finish cheering me on, but also from the other runners around me,” says Carter-Biggs.