Andrew Boyd Hutchinson - The Complete History of Cross-Country Running: From the Nineteenth Century to the Present Day

Copyright 2018 by Andrew Hutchinson

Foreword 2018 by Craig Virgin

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any manner without the express written consent of the publisher, except in the case of brief excerpts in critical reviews or articles. All inquiries should be addressed to Sports Publishing, 307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018.

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Author Kenny Moore has given the author and Skyhorse Publishing permission to reuse portions of his work as featured in The Complete History of Cross-Country Running.

Jonathan Gault and the entity LetsRun.com have given Skyhorse Publishing and the author permission to reprint portions of the article Sonia OSullivan Shares Her Training Log with LetsRun.comHow Did the Villanova Grad Win the World Cross-Country Title (Twice) in 1998? in their book.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available on file.

Cover design by Tom Lau

Cover photo credit courtesy of Jeff Johnson, 1973

Print ISBN: 978-1-63144-076-2

Ebook ISBN: 978-1-63144-077-9

Printed in China

Dedicated to all runners who possess imagination, and to those who have ever been
curious as to the origin of things... and to my parents.

Thank you for this fascinating well-researched story of cross-country racing through the ages. While narrating the evolution of this most basic and inclusive of sports, you have given the reader opportunity to feel the allure of the never-ending challenges and adventures that come with the preparation and competition over hills and barriers, across fields and streamsfrequently in harsh weatherat the World Cross-Country Championships. To paraphrase Paula Radcliffe, who has expressed my sentiments so well, winning such a championship is as rewarding as an Olympic medal, for all the best of the worlds runners are there together in one race. And all know the journey to be equally rewarding, as is the privilege of competing for ones country and with teammates.

Doris Brown Heritage, five-time International Cross-Country Champion, five-time US National Cross-Country Champion, and first female member of the Cross-Country and Road Running Committee of the IAAF.

I have only praise for The Complete History of Cross-Country Running. Our most powerful connection with our atavistic nature is running over the land. Out of the African savannahs, through European pastures, over western mountain trails and golf courses, this is what formed and perpetuated our hunter ancestorsthe long chase. This wonderful history is absolutely crucial to understanding how we have incorporated our running into society for millennia. Well, well done.

Kenny Moore, author of Bowerman and the Men of Oregon, US National Cross-Country Champion (1967) and founding member, US Olympic Committees Athletes Advisory Council.

Cross-country running has always represented the soul of running, which after all is supposed to launch human athletes into the natural environment. Andrew Hutchinsons Complete History is just thata complete and entertaining account of cross-countrys long and colorful past. You cant read these pages without reflecting on your own best cross-country days, or maybe plotting for the next one.

Amby Burfoot, 1968 Boston Marathon Winner, Runners World Editor at Large.

Andrew Hutchinsons engaging history calls us to take to the trails, brush off the dust of civilization and enjoy the thrill and challenge of cross-country running. From its origins in British schoolboy races to shopgirls in France, he dives into a largely unknown corner of history and illuminates the colorful ancestry of a sport I love.

Mina Samuels, author of Run Like a Girl: How Strong Women Make Happy Lives.

Cross-country is what made me love running from the very beginning, and it gets far too little attention within the world of racing today. Hutchinson does an excellent job connecting the past with the present in this detailed description of harrier history. If you are not a cross-country runner or fan, you will be after this book.

Ryan Vail, five-time All-American at Oklahoma State University, five-time member of Team USA at the World Cross-Country Championships (earning team silver in 2013), 2:10 marathoner, Brooks Athlete.

Andrew Boyd Hutchinsons Complete History of Cross-Country is an ambitious examination of cross-country running and the special past that makes it one of the worlds purest sports.

Liam Fayle, HAWI Management.

Cross-country has always been my favorite discipline and Andrews book reminds me why it is such a great sport. The simplicity and history of the sport is difficult to put into words and Andrew has done an amazing job chronicling the important historical points and describing the feel of racing off through fields and over fencerows. The amount of effort Andrew puts into researching the past is one of the great aspects of this book. He also passionately recounts the events and characters of modern cross-country that have continued to raise the bar on American cross-country and its impact around the world.

Max King, four-time World Cross-Country member for Team USA.

Andrew Hutchinsons Complete History of Cross-Country Running is a detailed look at the history of cross-country running. The book drives into a detailed account of the sport including all the sweat, mud, and drama. Hutchinson doesnt miss a beat in this book telling the fascinating history of cross-country running.

Margaret Schlachter, author of Obstacle Race Training and founder of the award-winning website Dirt in Your Skirt.

I really liked The Complete History of Cross-Country Running. It was detailed and well-written. I found that I was forced to focus on learning about the sport, and that is a positive for both the educated runner and the casual fan. What I really enjoyed was the first chapter. Andrew pulled information from a span of history that I had never known, and here I am in my 17th year of running. I think that really shows how important it is for a book to come out that points out the foundation of our sport instead of the countless we already have that just talk about the present. The Complete History of Cross-Country is a genius account of how this seemingly crazy spectacle grew its roots into a healthy and heavily participated sport across the world.

Craig Lutz, 2016 US National Cross-Country Champion.

A fantastic read, for coaches and young cross-country runners across America who are involved in this brilliant, competitive, high-level sport!

Bill Rodgers, World Cross-Country Championship medalist.

For anyone who came up running as a kid our memories are flooded with crisp fall mornings running and racing through the forest during cross-country. Even after competing in a couple of Olympics in the marathon and spending most of my time on the roads, still, whenever fall rolls around I find myself reminiscing about cross-country. Yet, rarely are the war stories of cross-country told. Andrew does a brilliant job compiling a complete history of cross-country running. Ive never seen such a thorough celebration and telling of the beautiful sport that cross-country is.