Have you been bitten by the cross-country bug? If not, you've got some catching up to do because more and more triathletes are realising just how beneficial a winter of cross-country running can be. As well as being one of the most effective ways

Knee-high mud, driving rain, howling wind and numb hands form many people's memories of cross-country running at school. But despite this unappealing recollection, cross-country is the training backbone for many of our most successful distance

-mile cycle ride and eight-mile cross-country run, though those feeling less courageous can take the event’s half-length option without feeling short-changed of the fantastic views and varied landscapes on offer.Both races start and finish in the bay

Clarendon Way Marathon, Winchester: Sunday, October 13WHY RUN IT?Scenery, challengeA cross-country marathon. Run along the Clarendon Way from Winchester College to Wyvern College near Salisbury. There is also a half-marathon and a four-stage relay

for maintaining a runner’s fitness. Here’s how I rank the options available at most gyms in terms of their effectiveness for cross-training a runner, from best to worst:Elliptical trainerDeep-water runningCross-country ski machineStairclimberStationary bicycle

readers responding to today's poll say they 'loathed' running at school, compared with a mere 18 per cent who 'loved' it. To have your say and check the latest results, see the poll box on the left-hand side of the forum page.Cross-country = Abuse of kids

I've ticked most of the 'must-do' boxes in my 20 years of running, from 5Ks to marathons, a multi-day event and even a night run. But I've never raced a mile, attempted cross-country or donned fancy dress. Nor have I run a European city marathon

Neolithic Marathon: Sunday, May 5WHY RUN IT?Scenery, Stonehenge, challengeThis cross-country marathon starts at the Great Barn in Avebury and follows the route to Stonehenge over which the famous rocks were hauled 5000 years ago. There is also a

Weight 371gEvaluation Sometimes the only way to find out whether an offbeat idea works is to try it. Credit to Adidas, then, for mating a trail shoe with a cross-country spike to see if they could make a shoe that’s equally at home on easy trails

Where and when?Sunday, November, 9, BristolWhat is it?Comprising eight heart-stopping, lung-busting and back-breaking 'country' miles, The Easy Runner Sodbury Slog is anything but 'easy'. Starting with a long road section, the course is run across