Cross Country Races in Spain 2026

Cross country races combine the speed of athletics with the nature of trail running. They are run on natural terrain — grass, mud, dirt paths, small hills — but with short distances (typically 5-15 km) and very high paces. It is the discipline that best connects track athletics with trail: many mountain runners started in cross country and retain that speed base that sets them apart. In Spain, cross country has a huge tradition with provincial, regional and national championships that attract thousands of runners every winter season. If you come from athletics and want to try natural terrain without committing to an ultra, or if you want to improve your base speed for trail, cross country races are perfect.