Sports are actually a physical punishment and running cross-country is more gruelling than running on straight and level pavement in cities. Many people, even some runners, dislike cross-country runs. Running cross-country is difficult due to random variations in terrain and weather. It takes time to get used to it. Some urban runners may re-discover discomfort and pain after running through cross-country paths. In many cases, they need to jump among rocks and even half climbing on some tracks. Many people complain that they will ruin their knees, ankle and the rest of their body by running cross country.
It is important for urban runners to overcome this fear and they can make a transition from being a pavement runner to becoming a skilled cross-country runner. The first thing that they need to do is to find a source of motivation. There should be an impetus to begin proper running habit. This should allow us to further improve our running performance. Another motivation is to set a good example for other family members by succeeding in trying something more challenging. Some runners may want to lose weight faster and running cross country could help them to achieve this faster.
After we are adequately motivated, we should push ourselves further by signing up for cross-country competitions. Many of these competitions accept hundreds or even thousands of participants. Urban runners shouldn’t try to win the race, although they have mastered city running for years. By running with other cross-country runners, we should be able to determine our performance.
Although we consider ourselves an accomplished urban runner, it is important to run shorter and start slow when we start running cross country. When trying something new, it is better to try slower. If we reach a level ground, we should repeatedly tell ourselves to slow down and run at slower pace. This is especially true when the track will get more difficult. When we are running cross country on our own, nobody will notice if we run slowly or even take a walk break. If this allows us to complete the cross country track, they we should do it. We will achieve less and less if we continue to push ourselves.
Urban runners should also track their effort and they may wear a smartwatch to compare performance and body responses, during urban and cross-country running sessions. Because cross-country running is often harder, we may need to consume more calories and drink more water. Our normal allowance of calories and water will be different compared to our urban running sessions. Cross country running often provides new opportunities compared to our usual city routes. We can seek to reach a location where we can see the scenery and relax ourselves after completing the track. If we enjoy listening to music during city running, it is also applicable for cross country running. If cross country running feels too lonely, we should run with a friend or join a running club.
