73-525: The USATF National Club Cross Country Championships are an annual cross country competition for running clubs in the United States organized by USA Track & Field . The championships typically feature a 10K men's race and a 6K women's race, with the course changing every year. The first recorded race was held in Orlando, Florida in 1998. The initial history of the competition was as part of
146-423: A business is going to compete, what its goals should be, and what policies will be needed to carry out those goals" and the "...combination of the ends (goals) for which the firm is striving and the means (policies) by which it is seeking to get there." Henry Mintzberg described five definitions of strategy in 1998: Complexity theorists define strategy as the unfolding of the internal and external aspects of
219-636: A conceptual framework capable of harmonizing emergent and deliberate strategies. Within complexity approaches, the term "strategy" is intricately linked to action but contrasts programmed action. Complexity theorists view programs merely as predetermined sequences effective in highly ordered and less chaotic environments. Conversely, strategy emerges from a simultaneous examination of determined conditions (order) and uncertainties (disorder) that drive action. Complexity theory posits that strategy involves execution, encompasses control and emergence, scrutinizes both internal and external organizational aspects, and can take
292-635: A doctrine that will ensure long-term success if followed faithfully." Subordinating the political point of view to the military would be absurd, for it is policy that has created war...Policy is the guiding intelligence, and war only the instrument, not vice-versa. In military theory, strategy is "the utilization during both peace and war, of all of the nation's forces, through large scale, long-range planning and development, to ensure security and victory" ( Random House Dictionary ). The father of Western modern strategic study , Carl von Clausewitz , defined military strategy as "the employment of battles to gain
365-425: A national championship was first held on 7 December 1867. It was held on Wimbledon Common in south-west London. It was not particularly well organised, many runners went off course, and it was declared void and had to be rerun, but it was a start and the championship has been held over the distance of 10 miles (16,093 metres) since 1877. In 1869, Thames Hare and Hounds , the world's first cross country running club,
438-526: A pattern in a stream of decisions to contrast with a view of strategy as planning, while Henrik von Scheel defines the essence of strategy as the activities to deliver a unique mix of value – choosing to perform activities differently or to perform different activities than rivals. while Max McKeown (2011) argues that "strategy is about shaping the future " and is the human attempt to get to "desirable ends with available means". Vladimir Kvint defines strategy as "a system of finding, formulating, and developing
511-481: A rubber sole and five or more metal spikes screwed into the forefoot part of the sole. Spike length depends on race conditions, with a muddy course appropriate for spikes as long as 25 millimetres (0.98 in). If a course has a harder surface, spikes as short as 6 millimetres (0.24 in) may be most effective. While spikes are suitable for grassy, muddy, or other slippery conditions, runners may choose to wear racing flats , rubber-soled racing shoes without spikes, if
584-667: A selection meet for Great Stirling Cross Country meet in Scotland. The next event is scheduled for December 9, 2023 in Tallahassee, Florida. Cross country running Cross country running is a sport in which teams and individuals run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain such as dirt or grass. The course, typically 3–12 kilometres (1.9–7.5 mi) long, may include surfaces of grass and earth , pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills , flat ground and sometimes gravel road and minor obstacles. It
657-605: A set of attraction basins establishing operational and regenerative capabilities. Hence, one of the primary roles of strategists is to identify "human attractors" and assess their impacts on organizational dynamics. According to the theory of Symbiotic Dynamics, both leaders and the technical system can act as attractors, directly influencing organizational dynamics and responses to external disruptions. Terra and Passador further assert that while producing, organizations contribute to environmental entropy, potentially leading to abrupt ruptures and collapses within their subsystems, even within
730-449: A steady pace from start to finish. Coaches and cross country runners debate the relative merits of fast starts to get clear of the field, versus steady pacing to maximize physiological efficiency. Some teams emphasize running in a group in order to provide encouragement to others on the team, while others hold that every individual should run his or her own race. In addition, whether one runs ahead of "the pack" or behind it and pull ahead in
803-555: A strategic problem. The first is related to environmental factors, and the second focuses on the organizational context (Mukherji and Hurtado, 2001). These two sources summarize three dimensions originally proposed by Ansoff and Hayes (1981). According to them, a strategic problem arises from analysis of internal and external issues, the processes to solve them, and the variables involved. In Terra and Passador's conceptualization, organizations and their surrounding systems are closely linked, so their survival depends on each other. Therefore,
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#1732775782927876-479: A strategy should combine proactive and reactive approaches, which means recognizing the organization’s impact on the environment and acting to minimize harm while adapting to new demands. The strategy should also align internal and external aspects of the organization and include all related entities. This helps build a complex socio-economic system where the organization is part of a sustainable ecosystem. Complexity science, as articulated by R. D. Stacey, represents
949-407: A team across to France for a cross country match and in the process invented international cross country running as a sport. The International Cross Country Union was formed in 1903, and the four home nations of England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales started a match in that year which became a true international event in 1907 when France sent a team to compete. Other European countries sent teams during
1022-581: A thousand pounds, I could run as fast as thou canst," and Samuel Pepys in his diary for 10 August 1660 describes going to Hyde Park to see, "a fine foot-race three times round the Park between an Irishman and Crow, that was once my Lord Claypoole's footman." In his diary for the year 1720, whilst he was an undergraduate at Oxford university , Sir Erasmus Phillips (1699–1743) later the MP for Haverfordwest, describes how he rode out to Woodstock Park one afternoon where he
1095-440: A type of problem solving in 2011. He wrote that good strategy has an underlying structure he called a kernel . The kernel has three parts: 1) A diagnosis that defines or explains the nature of the challenge; 2) A guiding policy for dealing with the challenge; and 3) Coherent actions designed to carry out the guiding policy. President Kennedy illustrated these three elements of strategy in his Cuban Missile Crisis Address to
1168-399: A view consistent with the definition of strategy by Porter and Mintzberg. In contrast, Burnett regards strategy as a plan formulated through methodology in which strategic problem encompasses six tasks: goal formulation, environmental analysis, strategy formulation, strategy evaluation, strategy implementation, and strategy control. The literature identifies two main sources for defining
1241-631: A widespread but false perception that it was injurious to their health and reproductive ability. Women were also excluded because they did not receive formal education, and the sport started largely at schools, from which women were excluded—women first went to university in England in 1868. There were races for women, but they were few and far between. At the Longtown Sports in Cumbria in June 1851
1314-520: Is a government's plan to use the instruments of national power to neutralize terrorists, their organizations, and their networks in order to render them incapable of using violence to instill fear and to coerce the government or its citizens to react in accordance with the terrorists' goals. The United States has had several such strategies in the past, including the United States National Strategy for Counterterrorism (2018);
1387-567: Is a natural-terrain version of long-distance track and road running . Although open-air running competitions are prehistoric, the rules and traditions of cross country racing emerged in Britain. The English championship became the first national competition in 1876, and the International Cross Country Championships was held for the first time in 1903. Since 1973, the foremost elite competition has been
1460-801: Is another extreme cross country race held in Himalayan mountain slopes. Primary schools, although more often the juniors, also participate in cross country events and some areas of England have done so since the late 1960s. An example would be schools near Ouston, County Durham which compete as part of Chester-le-Street & District Primary Cross Country Association. USA Track & Field (USATF) hosts four annual national cross country championships. The USA Cross Country Championships , first held in 1890, include six races: masters women (8 km), masters men (8 km), junior women (6 km), junior men (8 km), open women (8 km) and open men (12 km). In addition to crowning national champions,
1533-426: Is both an individual and a team sport ; runners are judged on individual times and teams by a points-scoring method. Both men and women of all ages compete in cross country, which usually takes place during autumn and winter , and can include weather conditions of rain, sleet, snow or hail, and a wide range of temperatures. Cross country running is one of the disciplines under the umbrella sport of athletics and
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#17327757829271606-542: Is definite evidence was organised by Hampstead Harriers at their club headquarters, the Green Man pub in East Finchley, also on Boxing Day, Wednesday 26 December 1906. The race had five teams of three men who each ran around two miles over a snow-covered out and back course. The first man to finish was G. Banbrook of team three in a time of 41:42 1/5. Women were largely excluded from the sport for many years due to
1679-586: Is important because the resources available to achieve goals are usually limited. Strategy generally involves setting goals and priorities, determining actions to achieve the goals, and mobilizing resources to execute the actions. A strategy describes how the ends (goals) will be achieved by the means (resources). Strategy can be intended or can emerge as a pattern of activity as the organization adapts to its environment or competes. It involves activities such as strategic planning and strategic thinking . Henry Mintzberg from McGill University defined strategy as
1752-611: Is organized at the state level by the athletics association for each state. In Queensland , it is organized by Queensland Athletics. In the Masters category, which includes runners over 30, this is organized by Australian Masters Athletics. There is also the Australian Masters Nationals Championships. The cross country season in Brisbane is usually March–September. During the season, there
1825-495: Is said to have summoned men to race up Craig Choinnich overlooking Braemar with the aim of finding the fastest runner in Scotland to be his royal messenger, and a 1540 manuscript in the British Museum describes a run across Roodee, also known as Chester Racecourse , for a prize of "six glayves of silver." William Shakespeare , writing in the early 17th century, has Sir John Falstaff tell Prince Henry, "I would give
1898-465: Is usually one race each week in a different park, generally organized and hosted by one of the participating clubs. Cross country running is a far-reaching sport in Canada . In middle school, races are more serious and are divided by grade and gender. In high school, the races are far-reaching and tend to be the main talent pool, especially at the senior level, for university or national-level runners. At
1971-780: The National Collegiate Athletic Association . Men usually race 10 km (6.2 mi) or 8 km (5.0 mi), and women usually race 6 km (3.7 mi) or 5 km (3.1 mi). Above the youth or middle school level, every state offers cross country as a high school sport for boys and girls. Over 440,000 high school students compete in cross country each year, making it the sixth-most popular sport for girls, and seventh most popular for boys. High school students typically race on 3 mi (4.8 km) or 5 km (3.1 mi) courses. The Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut, California hosts
2044-632: The USA Cross Country Championships , founded in 1890. In 1975, the club element was partially divided from the main, individual focused national championship. The club event was held in fall while the individual event was held in winter. This arrangement became formal and permanent in 1998, with all national selections being moved to the winter competition and the USATF National Club Championships taking its current title. Since 2018, this served as
2117-686: The United States into eight qualifying regions with their own respective regional events, listed below. [REDACTED] Wisconsin After these eight regionals, the Nike Cross Nationals itself will take place on December 7, 2024 at the Glendoveer Golf Course in Portland, Oregon . The Foot Locker Cross Country Championships , sponsored by HOKA , are managed similarly, with four regionals instead of eight, detailed in
2190-624: The World Athletics Cross Country Championships . The highest level circuit of professional cross country competition is the World Athletics Cross Country Tour Gold level, administered by World Athletics since 2021. While a course may include natural or artificial obstacles, cross country courses support continuous running, and do not require climbing over high barriers, through deep ditches, or fighting through
2263-660: The modern pentathlon , and until 2016 it was the only discipline where the Olympic competition was only part of the modern pentathlon. There have been recent efforts to bring cross country running back to the Olympic Games. In 2020, World Athletics President Sebastian Coe pushed to bring the sport to the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris , but the IOC rejected this proposal. Once the 2024 Summer Olympics arrived, Coe pushed for
USATF National Club Cross Country Championships - Misplaced Pages Continue
2336-411: The "art of creating power." Eastern military philosophy dates back much further, with examples such as The Art of War by Sun Tzu dated around 500 B.C. Because counterterrorism involves the synchronized efforts of numerous competing bureaucratic entities, national governments frequently create overarching counterterrorism strategies at the national level. A national counterterrorism strategy
2409-459: The 1880s. In 1837, Rugby School started a longer run of approximately twelve miles known as the Crick Run because it goes out to the village of Crick and returns to the school. This has become an annual tradition and continues to this day. By the early 1850s, athletic clubs had started holding their own paper chases as a form of training, the sport was seen at Oxford University by that time and
2482-486: The 1920s and Tunisia sent a team in 1958. The idea for a cross country relay originated in Paris in 1903, when the members of Stadte Francaise invited South London Harriers to Paris for a relay race of approximately fourteen miles to be held on Boxing Day, 26 December 1903. It is not known whether South London Harriers took up the invitation or whether the race actually took place. The first cross country relay for which there
2555-554: The Nation of 22 October 1962: Rumelt wrote in 2011 that three important aspects of strategy include "premeditation, the anticipation of others' behavior, and the purposeful design of coordinated actions." He described strategy as solving a design problem, with trade-offs among various elements that must be arranged, adjusted and coordinated, rather than a plan or choice. Strategy typically involves two major processes: formulation and implementation . Formulation involves analyzing
2628-733: The Obama-era National Strategy for Counterterrorism (2011); and the National Strategy for Combatting Terrorism (2003). There have also been a number of ancillary or supporting plans, such as the 2014 Strategy to Counter the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant , and the 2016 Strategic Implementation Plan for Empowering Local Partners to Prevent Violent Extremism in the United States . Similarly,
2701-526: The United Kingdom's counterterrorism strategy, CONTEST , seeks "to reduce the risk to the UK and its citizens and interests overseas from terrorism, so that people can go about their lives freely and with confidence." The essence of formulating competitive strategy is relating a company to its environment. Modern business strategy emerged as a field of study and practice in the 1960s; prior to that time,
2774-426: The basic requirements for strategy development include, among other factors: 1) extensive knowledge about the environment, market and competitors; 2) ability to examine this knowledge as an interactive dynamic system; and 3) the imagination and logic to choose between specific alternatives. Henderson wrote that strategy was valuable because of: "finite resources, uncertainty about an adversary's capability and intentions;
2847-556: The championships serve as the trials race to select the Team USA squad for the IAAF World Cross Country Championships. The USATF Masters 5 km Cross Country Championships, first held in 2002, incl men's race and a women's race. The USATF National Club Cross Country Championships , first held in 1998, feature the top clubs from across the United States , who vie for honors and bragging rights as
2920-652: The chart below. The 2023 Foot Locker Championships took place on December 9 at Balboa Park in San Diego, CA . Charlotte, NC Boston, MA Physical leanness is desirable to achieve competitive success in cross country running. This emphasis on body weight has led to a culture of eating disorders within the sport. Scholars have cited a high incidence of eating disorders among cross country (long-distance) runners. They have noted that while eating disorders can occur in all runners, they are far more prevalent among female athletes. Other factors, such as social pressures and
2993-399: The chasing pack of dogs. Thus the terminology of hunting with dogs became associated with cross country running, with the leaders being called the hares, and the chasing pack the hounds. The hares carried a sack of paper scraps that they dropped to simulate their scent and provide a trail for the hounds to follow, and this sport was called paper chasing , or Hare and Hounds. Becoming popular at
USATF National Club Cross Country Championships - Misplaced Pages Continue
3066-449: The course includes significant portions of paved surfaces or dirt road. In 1819, boys at Shrewsbury School asked their headmaster, Dr Butler, if they could form a fox-hunting club, and he refused. The boys therefore formed an alternative club where instead of riding horses and chasing hounds they ran across country, with a small number of boys starting first to simulate the prey, and the rest following after an interval as though they were
3139-439: The demands arising from these interactions. To achieve this, organizations need to incorporate all interconnected systems into their decision-making processes, enabling the envisioning of complex socio-economic systems where they integrate in a stable and sustainable manner. This blend of proactivity and reactivity is fundamental to ensure the survival of the organization itself. Professor Richard P. Rumelt described strategy as
3212-592: The end is important, but can vary according to the runner's individual skill, endurance, and the length of the race. Runners should also account for food intake prior to the race. Most important, however, is the training beforehand. Cross country running involves very little specialized equipment. Most races are run in shorts and vests or singlets, usually in club or school colours. In particularly cold conditions, long-sleeved shirts and tights can be worn to retain warmth without losing mobility. The most common footwear are cross country spikes , lightweight racing shoes with
3285-446: The end of war." B. H. Liddell Hart 's definition put less emphasis on battles, defining strategy as "the art of distributing and applying military means to fulfill the ends of policy". Hence, both gave the pre-eminence to political aims over military goals. U.S. Naval War College instructor Andrew Wilson defined strategy as the "process by which political purpose is translated into military action." Lawrence Freedman defined strategy as
3358-413: The environment or situation, making a diagnosis, and developing guiding policies. It includes such activities as strategic planning and strategic thinking . Implementation refers to the action plans taken to achieve the goals established by the guiding policy. Bruce Henderson wrote in 1981 that: "Strategy depends upon the ability to foresee future consequences of present initiatives." He wrote that
3431-863: The finish line to facilitate the recording of finishing positions. Courses for international competitions consist of a loop between 1,750 and 2,000 meters. Athletes complete three to six loops, depending on the race. Senior men and women compete on a 10-kilometre course, junior men compete on an 8-kilometre course, and junior women compete on a 6-kilometre course. In the United States, college men typically compete on 8 km (5.0 mi) or 10 km (6.2 mi) courses, while college women race for 5 km (3.1 mi) or 6 km (3.7 mi). High school students typically race on 3 mi (4.8 km) or 5 km (3.1 mi) courses. Because of differences between courses in running surface, frequency and tightness of turns, and amount of up and downhill, cross country strategy does not necessarily simplify to running
3504-460: The finish. José Andía and Edvin Wide were reported dead, and medics spent hours trying to find all the competitors who had blacked out along the course. Although the reports of deaths were unfounded, spectators were shocked by the attrition rate and Olympic officials decided to ban cross country running from future games. Since 1928, cross country has been contested only as the fifth discipline of
3577-405: The flag. Courses also commonly include distance markings, usually at each kilometer or each mile. The course should have 400 to 1,200 m (440 to 1,310 yd) of level terrain before the first turn, to reduce contact and congestion at the start. However, many courses at smaller competitions have their first turn after a much shorter distance. The course should also have a corral or chute after
3650-671: The form of maneuvers or any other act or process. The works of Stacey stand as pioneering efforts in applying complexity principles to the field of strategy. This author applied self-organization and chaos principles to describe strategy, organizational change dynamics, and learning. Their propositions advocate for strategy approached through choices and the evolutionary process of competitive selection. In this context, corrections of anomalies occur through actions involving negative feedback, while innovation and continuous change stem from actions guided by positive feedback. Dynamically, complexity in strategic management can be elucidated through
3723-403: The irreversible commitment of resources; necessity of coordinating action over time and distance; uncertainty about control of the initiative; and the nature of adversaries' mutual perceptions of each other." In game theory , a player 's strategy is any of the options that the player would choose in a specific setting. Any optimal outcomes they receive depend not only on their actions but also,
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#17327757829273796-513: The largest cross country invitational in the United States, with over 22,000 runners from community colleges, high schools and elementary schools competing. The meet started in 1948 and continues today. There are two major national championships on the high school level; the Nike Cross Nationals , and the Foot Locker Cross Country Championships . Beginning with Nike Cross Nationals, this competition splits
3869-790: The men's race for the first time, and a decade later an African nation ( Kenya ) won the women's race for the first time. Ethiopia or Kenya has captured every men's title since 1981 and every women's title since 2001 . Through 2010, Kenya has won 40 World Cross Country Championships and Ethiopia has won 23. Beyond championships, IAAF world cross country meetings include the Great Edinburgh International Cross Country , Cross Internacional de Itálica , Antrim International Cross Country , Cinque Mulini , Nairobi Cross, Chiba International Cross Country , Fukuoka International Cross Country meet, Eurocross and Almond Blossom Cross Country . Cross country running
3942-429: The model of "Symbiotic Dynamics" by Terra and Passador. This model conceives the social organization of production as an interplay between two distinct systems existing in a symbiotic relationship while interconnected with the external environment. The organization's social network acts as a self-referential entity controlling the organization's life, while its technical structure resembles a purposeful "machine" supplying
4015-413: The nation's top cross country team. The USATF National Junior Olympic Cross Country Championships, first held in 2001, has raced for boys and girls in five two-year age divisions. Most American universities and colleges field men's and women's cross country teams as part of their athletic program. Over 900 men's cross country teams and over 1000 women's cross country teams compete in the three divisions of
4088-429: The organization that results in actions in a socio-economic context. Crouch in 1998 defined the strategic problem as maintaining of flexible relationships that range from intense competition to harmonious cooperation among different players in a changing market. Despite being open to the idea of cooperation between players, this approach still considers that strategy is determined by market and organizational structure,
4161-444: The organizations themselves. Given this issue, the authors conclude that organizations intervening to maintain the environment's stability within suitable parameters for survival tend to exhibit greater longevity. The theory of Symbiotic Dynamics posits that organizations must acknowledge their impact on the external environment (markets, society, and the environment) and act systematically to reduce their degradation while adapting to
4234-413: The overall stress of the college environment also contribute to the prevalence of eating disorders among female college cross country runners. Following professional runner Mary Cain's 2019 account of how the competitive pressures of long distance running contributed to her eating disorder, many other prominent female cross country athletes have tried to bring attention to the issue of eating disorders in
4307-755: The prize for the women's race was three times that for the men's, and the first three women all got the same prize, whereas the second-placed man only got half the winner's prize. Women's sports clubs and formal competitions for women's teams did not arrive until the 1920s. France was the first country to hold national championships for women, in 1918, the first English championships for women were held at Hoo Park, Luton, in February 1927, and women were allowed to participate informally in international cross country only from 1931. There were not even officially any rules for women's cross country until 1962 and their races were not considered championships until 1967. Cross country
4380-477: The school by 1831 it had become part of the curriculum, with several courses of different lengths. The original course of a little more than three miles was over some land owned by a farmer called Tuck, and is to this day known simply as Tucks. These boys did not invent the idea of running across country, which had been known for centuries. Schools started the process of turning an adventurous and athletic pastime into an organised sport. The Scottish King Malcolm III
4453-401: The social system by processing resources. These intertwined structures exchange disturbances and residues while interacting with the external world through their openness. Essentially, as the organization produces itself, it also hetero-produces, surviving through energy and resource flows across its subsystems. This dynamic has strategic implications, governing organizational dynamics through
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#17327757829274526-700: The sport to instead be included in the Winter Olympics , with efforts to make the sport appear in the 2030 and 2034 Winter Olympics in the French Alps and Salt Lake City respectively. Beginning in 1973 , the IAAF began hosting the renamed World Cross Country Championships each year. In 1975 , the New Zealand men and United States women won, marking the first championships by non-European countries. In 1981 an African nation ( Ethiopia ) won
4599-401: The sport. Strategy Strategy (from Greek στρατηγία stratēgia , "art of troop leader; office of general, command, generalship" ) is a general plan to achieve one or more long-term or overall goals under conditions of uncertainty . In the sense of the " art of the general", which included several subsets of skills including military tactics , siegecraft , logistics etc.,
4672-488: The term came into use in the 6th century C.E. in Eastern Roman terminology, and was translated into Western vernacular languages only in the 18th century. From then until the 20th century, the word "strategy" came to denote "a comprehensive way to try to pursue political ends, including the threat or actual use of force, in a dialectic of wills" in a military conflict , in which both adversaries interact. Strategy
4745-545: The underbrush, as do military-style assault courses . A course at least 5 metres (5.5 yd) full allows competitors to pass others during the race. Clear markings keep competitors from making wrong turns, and spectators from interfering with the competition. Markings may include tape or ribbon on both sides of the course, chalk or paint on the ground, or cones. Some classes use colored flags to indicate directions: red flags for left turns, yellow flags for right turns, and blue flags to continue straight or stay within ten feet of
4818-507: The university level, the sport is administered by Canadian Interuniversity Sport . National Championship is held every year by Athletics Federation of India . Nagaland hosted 56th National cross country Championship. It was held along with South Asian Cross country championship which was held by South Asian Athletics Federation. Last edition edition was held in Indira Gandhi Stadium, Kohima . Himalayan Adventure Challenge
4891-408: The words "strategy" and "competition" rarely appeared in the most prominent management literature. Alfred Chandler wrote in 1962 that: "Strategy is the determination of the basic long-term goals of an enterprise , and the adoption of courses of action and the allocation of resources necessary for carrying out these goals." Michael Porter defined strategy in 1980 as the "...broad formula for how
4964-484: Was contested as a team and individual event at the 1912 , 1920 and 1924 Summer Olympics. Sweden took gold in 1912, and Finland , led by Paavo Nurmi , captured the gold in 1920 and 1924. During the 1924 race in the Paris heat wave, only 15 of the 38 competitors reached the finish. Eight of those were taken away on stretchers. One athlete began to run in tight circles after reaching the stadium and later knocked himself unconscious, while another fainted 50 meters from
5037-426: Was described in an 1857 novel, Tom Brown's School Days , by Thomas Hughes , who had gone to Rugby but was by then an influential politician. At Eton College , the chasing pack were known as Beagles, but in many other places they are called Harriers (a breed of dog used largely for hunting hares). At Harrow School they ran across farmland at Pinner, but Winchester school did not start cross country until sometime in
5110-846: Was formed in 1879, the Northern Cross-Country Association in 1882, and the Southern Counties Cross-Country Association was established in 1883. Then also in 1883 the National Cross-Country Union was formed, with Walter Rye, the founder of Thames Hare and Hounds, as first President. In 1933 this was changed to the English Cross-Country Union because by then the other constituent countries of the United Kingdom had their own cross country associations. The Scottish Cross Country Union
5183-561: Was formed in 1886 and held their first national championship at Lanark in March of that year, and the United States followed suit in 1887. Over time the sacks of paper scraps gradually got discarded and courses came to be marked with flags, lines on the grass, bunting, and marshalls, with races held on farm land, through forests, and over various forms of mixed terrain with championships frequently being held on golf courses and horse racing courses. In 1898, Harold Hardwick of Salford Harriers took
5256-498: Was formed in the same area of south west London, and the same year William C. Vosburgh of New York introduced the sport to the United States. Harvard University held races from 1880, and the universities of Oxford and Cambridge held their first cross country contest at Oxford in December 1880. Three area associations were formed to administer the sport in their region of England. The Midland Counties Amateur Cross-Country Association
5329-410: Was one of, "a most prodigious concourse of people," who saw a four-mile foot race between the duke of Wharton's footman and Mr Diston's footman." In July 1826 Bell's Life reported that, "Yesterday se'nnight a match of running, between the gentlemen of Milton and the gentlemen of Chart, was won by the latter." By 1834, Hare and Hounds was known at Rugby school , and their route, the "Barby Hill Run",
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