What is cross country running? Cross country is an outdoor endurance sport that can be mentally challenging and fun. This type of running and racing has both a physical and psychological component. You're not only putting one foot in front of the other; you're also thinking ahead to obstacles and changes in the trail or course.

什么是越野跑？越野是一项户外耐力运动，能给参与者带来精神挑战和乐趣。这种跑步与竞赛需要身心同时投入。参与者不仅仅是简单地迈步向前，还要预想前方路上或赛道上可能出现的障碍与变化。

For example, how will you clear that stone without tripping? Can you pass the person ahead of you safely without slipping in that mud puddle? How should you handle hills or turns—in a short burst of speed, or at your current steady pace?

例如：如何清走石头而避免绊倒？能否安全超越前面的参与者而不跌入泥坑？应该怎样应对山路和转弯——是短时间突然加速，还是以现有速度稳步前进？

Typically, cross country races take place in all weather conditions, which means you also have to worry about environmental conditions that can affect your race performance: rain and wind, snow and ice, hail and heat waves. It's rare for a cross country race to be canceled due to inclement weather.

越野赛通常在任何天气状况下都会进行，这意味着参与者还不得不考虑可能影响比赛成绩的环境因素：风雨、冰雪、冰雹和热浪。鲜有越野赛因天气恶劣而取消。

Many runners love cross country and its sister sport, trail running, precisely because running in this way is not the same as road running. The variations in the terrain and the mental challenges of pacing oneself over an ever-changing course make for a more stimulating run.

很多跑者之所以热爱越野跑及其姊妹运动——野外跑，正是因为这种跑步运动与公路跑不同。野外的地势变化，以及调整节奏以适应不断变化的跑道所带来的精神挑战，让越野跑更加刺激。

However, the same aspects of the sport that make it diverting and enjoyable also make it rough on a runner's body, at any age. High school runners, college runners, and adult runners all need to be aware of the risks of injury that come with running cross country.

然而，让越野跑有趣、快乐的这些因素，恰恰也会对所有年龄段的跑者身体构成挑战。无论是中学生、大学生还是成年跑者，都需要了解越野跑会带来的伤病风险。

By running cross country over a mix of natural terrain and groomed or paved trails, you may find yourself pounding not only pavement, but also packed or loose dirt, sand, gravel, mud, leaves, pine needles, tree roots, rocks, grass, moss, and anything else you might find on the ground in a natural area (including, possibly, snakes).

越野跑途中会经过多种类型的跑道，有自然地带，也有清理或铺好的路径。参与者可能会发现自己的脚步不仅落在人工铺好的道路上，也可能踩到压实的或松软的土地、沙子、碎石、淤泥、落叶、松针、树根、岩石、草和苔藓，以及其他任何自然地面上可能出现的东西（甚至可能包括蛇）。

Though most cross country race courses are groomed and approved ahead of race day, surprises can come up. Weather, wild animals, and falling foliage from trees can't always be controlled. And on non-race days, if you train in areas that aren't approved courses (such as running on wooded paths or through parks), the level of trail maintenance isn't guaranteed. You may encounter unexpected, non-natural obstacles like trash or discarded bottles.

尽管大多数越野赛在开赛前会清扫并核准赛道，但仍可能出现意外。天气、野生动物和树木落叶并不总是在控制之中。另外，在非比赛日，若在未经核准成为赛道的区域进行训练（比如在林间小路上跑步或跑步穿越公园），跑道的维护水平并无保障。也许就会遇到意料之外的、非自然的障碍，比如垃圾或废弃的瓶子。

All running subjects you to the possibility of impact injuries or repetitive motion injuries. But running over irregular or slippery surfaces can add to risk by changing your gait and creating opportunities for acute injuries. You may overstretch to clear an object in your path, or you may swerve suddenly and pull a tendon, twist an ankle or knee, or trip and fall. With falls, abrasions and head injuries aren't out of the question, too.

所有的跑步都可能造成撞击伤或反复性动作损伤，但在不规则或湿滑路面跑步会增加风险，因改变步态可能造成急性损伤。可能会因为清除途中障碍物而过度拉伸，或因为急转弯而牵拉到跟腱、扭伤脚踝或膝盖，也可能被绊倒——摔倒还可能造成擦伤和头部损伤。

In addition to changing surfaces, a typical cross-country course may also involve twists and turns and short—but steep—uphills and downhills. These rapid course changes can subject your feet, hips and legs to forces and stresses that may not affect someone running on level roads or gradual inclines. Running downhill, for example, may lead to jammed and sprained toes.

除了路面变化，越野赛道通常还曲折蜿蜒，并且有短而陡的上下坡。赛道的这种迅速变化会使人的脚、髋、腿易受压力冲击，例如跑步下坡可能挤到甚至扭伤脚趾，而在平路或缓坡上跑步的人则不会受到这些影响。

Heat illness is also a concern. In Texas, with our strong sun (and on the coast, high humidity), there's the additional risk of dehydration, sunburn and heat stroke.

中暑同样令人担忧。在得克萨斯州，阳光强烈（同时海边湿度高），越野跑还有脱水、晒伤和中暑的风险。

Cross country running is a wonderful sport if you love the outdoors and nature, and it's mostly very safe in comparison to other team sports—but before you begin training and racing, you should be aware of potential injuries and how to avoid them.

如果热爱户外与自然，那么越野跑是极好的运动。与其他团体运动相比，它通常都很安全——但是，在开始训练并参赛前，参与者就应该了解潜在的损伤及如何预防损伤。