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

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

should you join the crowd?Many triathletes are runners looking for something new to do. Once they try triathlon or triathlon-style cross-training, they often have an unexpected result: they become better runners. Heidi Wilson, 30, from London believes

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

-road terrain is that you are running on an uneven surface, so you need to prepare your body for that," says Barden. "If you were to do all of your training on the road, you might initially feel OK in a cross-country race, but your body will fatigue a lot

them faster.”In truth, you’d have to spend several months here before you could really start training like a Kenyan, and even then you’re starting from a less solid base unless you’ve run cross-country as a teenager. But I still vow to start running

in the pretty surroundings of Trent Park, a beautiful country park on the edge of greater London, easy to get to by tube, train, bus or car. The course is multi-terrain (grass, woodland, road) and fairly undulating. It’s good preparation for the approaching

Francisco’s Bay to Breakers are others. But right up there with the best, possibly the best, is the Cinque Mulini cross-country held every March in the unassuming little town of San Vittore Olona, about 20km north of Milan.The Cinque Mulini, which celebrated

're facing adversities, both physical and mental. Plus the over-distance training you need for cross-country complements track events.What do you enjoy most about running?I love being outdoors. It's just that feeling of overcoming obstacles, it's mind over

groups and preventing injury, taking a leaf out of a triathlete’s book might just prove a surprising ticket to improved running performance.What are the benefits of cross-training?Participating in different sports boosts your cardiovascular fitness