Editing Long-distance running (section)

====Cross country running====
{{Main|Cross country running|Trail running|Fell running|Mountain running}}
Cross-country running is the most naturalistic form of long-distance running in athletics as competitions take place on open-air courses over surfaces such as grass, [[woodland]] trails, [[soil|earth]], or mountains. In contrast to the relatively flat courses in track and road races, cross country usually incorporates obstacles such as muddy sections, logs, and mounds of earth. As a result of these factors, weather can play an integral role in racing conditions. Cross country is both an individual and team sport, as runners are judged on an individual basis and a points-scoring method is used for teams. Competitions are typically races of {{convert|4|km|mi|abbr=on}} or more which are usually held in autumn and winter. Cross country's most successful athletes often compete in long-distance track and road events as well.

[[File:Maya Rehberg and Imana Truyers.jpg|left|thumb|Women racing on snow in the 2012 [[European Cross Country Championships]]]]

The history of the sport is linked with the game of [[Paper Chase (game)|paper chase]], or hare and hounds, where a group of runners would cover long distances to chase a leading runner, who left a trail of paper to follow. The [[Crick Run]] in England in 1838 was the first recorded instance of an organised cross-country competition. The sport gained popularity in British, then American schools in the 19th century and culminated in the creation of the first [[International Cross Country Championships]] in 1903.<ref>[http://www.iaaf.org/community/athletics/crosscountry/index.html Cross country – Introduction] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110227014746/http://www.iaaf.org/community/athletics/crosscountry/index.html |date=27 February 2011 }}. [[IAAF]]. Retrieved 27 May 2010.</ref> The annual [[World Athletics Cross Country Championships]] was inaugurated in 1973 and this remains the highest level of competition for the sport. A number of continental cross country competitions are held, with championships taking place in [[African Cross Country Championships|Africa]], [[Asian Cross Country Championships|Asia]], [[European Cross Country Championships|Europe]], [[Oceania Cross Country Championships|Oceania]], [[Americas Cross Country Championships|North America]] and [[South American Cross Country Championships|South America]]. The sport has retained its status at the scholastic level, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. At the professional level, the foremost competitions come under the banner of the [[World Athletics Cross Country Tour]].

While cross country competitions are no longer held at the Olympics, having [[Cross country running at the Olympics|featured in the athletics programme]] from 1912 to 1924, it has been present as one of the events within the [[modern pentathlon]] competition since the [[1912 Summer Olympics]].

[[Fell running]], [[trail running]], and [[mountain running]] can all be considered variations on the traditional cross country which incorporate significant uphill and/or downhill sections as an additional challenge to the course.