Europe’s Greatest XC Runner Going For It Again

At 36, he isn’t letting his age get in the way.

On December 11, Europe’s most successful cross-country runner, Serhiy Lebid of the Ukraine, will be lacing up his spikes once again. The 36-year-old athlete will be competing in the SPAR European Cross Country Championships. In the event’s 17-year history, Lebid hasn’t missed one.

Even more impressive: He’s won nine titles.

“The SPAR European Cross Country Championships means a lot to me, it’s a race which established my name more than 10 years ago,” Lebid said. “It will be a sad day when I can’t run in it any longer so I want to keep being on the start line for as long as possible.”

Lebid’s recipe for success at the championships is a bit unusual: He doesn’t race any cross-country events beforehand.

He last raced at the end of August when he won the Giro delle Mura Città di Feltre 9.5K road race in Italy in 27:10.

“I’ve heard [Great Britain’s] Mo Farah will not be running this year but look at last year’s race. I had to work really hard to beat some good French, Spanish and Portuguese runners,” he said. “Nobody ever lets me have an easy time.”

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