Trail/XC/Hill/Mountains Question

spaceylou

I've been wondering (and am currently dossing on boards so thought I'd ask) what exactly (if any) is the difference between trail running and cross-country? Like what would make one thing a trail and another a xc route?

And are hill/mountain runs that some people on here seem to run a lot of much harder than road running or is it just a matter of adjusting? And are these classed as trail running or xc or in a whole other catagory of their own?

Thank you

cfitz

In Ireland, cross-country usually means mostly running around a field which can be hilly and also muddy depending on the conditions. Very occasionally, and I think this might be a little more common in other countries, there will be the odd obstacle like a log to step over. In the Benelux region, the seem to have parts of their cross-country races that go through sand and forests sometimes too.

Hill running/Mountain running usually means a race that runs to the peak of a mountain and back down. Physically, they are much tougher than cross-country - even the best runners sometimes walk parts of the course. Occasionally these races have laps or are just up rather than up/down.

I'm not sure exactly what trail running is but I think it's usually closer to hill running than cross-country. Hopefully someone here can tell us more...

Slogger Jogger

Hill running can be across a variety of terrain depending on the race. Its usually up and down and can go over trail, open mountain, bog, anything.

A pure trail race is simply that. A trail or fireroad, which should be one step removed from the messier stuff you could face on an out and out hill race.

Give both of them a go. You'd love it. Makes a nice change from pavement