<P> Most American universities and colleges field men's and women's cross country teams as part of their athletic program . Over 900 men's cross country teams and over 1000 women's cross country teams compete in the three divisions of the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Men usually race 10 km (6.2 mi) or 8 km (5.0 mi), and women usually race 6 km (3.7 mi) or 5 km (3.1 mi). The season culminates in men's and women's championships . Jr . College men often race 4 miles . </P> <P> Every state offers cross country as a high school sport for boys and girls . Over 440,000 high school students compete in cross country each year, making it the sixth-most popular sport for girls, and seventh most popular for boys . The standard high school cross country race distance is 5 km (3.1 mi) for most states with California high schools running 3 mile races, though some counties run a shorter, 3 - to 4 - kilometer course for girls . Beginning in 1979, the Foot Locker Cross Country Championships have offered a national championship for high school cross country runners . Since 2004, the Nike Cross Nationals have offered an alternative national championship, focused on teams rather than individuals . A 2008 film, The Long Green Line, documented the success of Joe Newton, cross country coach at York Community High School in Elmhurst, Illinois . </P> <P> While many middle schools (grades 6--8) in the U.S. offer cross country as a school sport, youth running clubs dominate in this age group . A typical middle school course is 3 km (1.9 mi) or 2 mi (3.2 km), and races may not split up boys and girls . Few elementary schools in the U.S. have school teams, but many running clubs exist for youth runners . Youth running clubs compete in local, regional, and national championships sanctioned by the AAU or USATF . Course distances for this age group vary depending on the age of the athlete . Common championship distances are: </P> <Table> <Tr> <Th> Group </Th> <Th> Ages </Th> <Th> Race Distance </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Bantam </Td> <Td> Under 10 </Td> <Td> 3 km (1.9 mi) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Midget </Td> <Td> 10 to 12 </Td> <Td> 3 km (1.9 mi) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Youth </Td> <Td> 12 to 14 </Td> <Td> 4 km (2.5 mi) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Intermediate </Td> <Td> 14 to 16 </Td> <Td> 5 kilometres (3.1 miles) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Young </Td> <Td> 16 to 18 </Td> <Td> 5 kilometres (3.1 miles) </Td> </Tr> </Table>

How far do you run in middle school cross country