History of Cross Country

  • Crick Run

    Crick Run
    Taking place at Rugby School, participants followed a random paper trail that had made up what was the course. Many schools followed in instituting annual races.
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  • National Cross Country Association

    Founded after William C. Vosburgh introduced the sport to the US two years earlier. The NCCA held its first championship event the same year.
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  • First International Cross Country Championship

    Between the Home Nations of the UK held in Scotland, marked the first international event for the sport.
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  • Men's Cross Country in Olympics

    Men's Cross Country in Olympics
    The sport was held in 3 consecutive Olympic games.
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  • Cross Country is taken out of the Olympics

    Many participants dropping out because of extreme heat. It has not been apart of the games since.
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  • Women allowed in Boston Marathon

    Officially allowing when to participate in a major event in the sport paved the way for females in cross country running.
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  • "Cowboy Jamboree"

    "Cowboy Jamboree"
    Oklahoma State's first of many record-holding invitational meet for the longest consecutive intercollegiate race.
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  • NCAA adds women's collegiate running to championship program

    Women’s championship running is added to the NCAA program after a battle with the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women. The NCAA soon took over the AIWA.
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  • Women's Marathon in the Olympics

    Women's Marathon in the Olympics
    The women's marathon becoming an official Olympic event solidified the takeover of cross country of gender roles.
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  • NCAA lengthens Division I Races

    NCAA Division I lengthened the race to 6,000 meters (3.7 miles) for female runners.
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