San Sebastian International Cross Country. Before the series of international competitions began, the Cross of Nations had been held at the Lasarte Hippodrome on 19 March 1955, with great success. Gordon Pirie was the favourite but an unfortunate flu kept him in bed and he was unable to start, and the winner was the young runner Frank Sando, from the English team. The secretary of the English Cross Country Union, Mr. Richardson, encouraged the leaders of the Guipuzcoan Athletic Federation to organise an annual cross country race in San Sebastian. This is how the Lasarte International Cross Country was born. In the first race, the Navarrese runner Lucas Larraza ran, covering the first kilometre in 2m. 46 seconds, but was unable to continue due to fainting. The famous Basque runner "Txikito de Arruiz" also wanted to take part in these international events in 1958, but despite his excellent medical examination, the IAAF prevented him from doing so, authorising him to compete in Spanish amateur events. He wanted to test his strength against the winner, Emil Zatopek, but was prevented from doing so. It was a matter of formalities rather than sport. The 1st International Cross Country Race of San Sebastian was held on 29 January 1956. The organisation began on the initiative of a group of amateurs, led by Willy Koch, the true promoter of the 1st International Cross Country Race of Nations, held at the Lasarte Hippodrome. Mr. José Ignacio Imaz, president of the Guipuzcoan Athletics Federation, played a leading role in the management, as did the unconditional support of other people and organisations such as Pancho Gómez and the newspaper "La Voz de España". Today, after almost twenty years, it has become perhaps the most important in the world, thanks to the impetus for continuity given by the president, Mr. José Luis Astiazar n, and his collaborators, such as the numerous clubs and sports societies of Guipuzcoa and members of the College of Judges and Timekeepers. The results of the San Sebastián International Cross Country in the past years are as follows:
| N. order | Date: January | Victor | Country | Distance meters | Time |
| I II III IV V VI VII VIII IX X XI XII XIII XIV XV XVI XVII XVIII XIX XX XXI | 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 | Ken Norris Antonio Amor s Emil Zatopek Alain Mimoun Gerry North Lacen Allal Ben Abdelasen Rhadi Mamo Wolde Mamo Wolde Mohamed Gammhoudi Nikolai Dutov Mamo Wolde Jos Miguel Maiz Mike Tagg Mike Taag Trevor Wright Lachie Stevart Dave Bedfod Mariano Haro Mariano Haro Carlos Lopes | England Spain Czech Republic France England Morocco Morocco Ethiopia Ethiopia Tunisia USSR Ethiopia Spain England England England Scotland England Spain Spain Portugal | 12,000 12,000 12,000 12,000 12,000 12,000 12,000 10,000 10,000 10,000 10,000 10,000 10,000 10,000 10,000 10,000 10,000 10,000 10,000 10,000 10,000 | 39' 37" 0 39' 19" 8 39' 54" 3 39' 38" 8 40' 08" 8 41' 36" 8 38' 51" 8 30' 33" 4 29' 48" 1 30' 44" 1 30' 59" 3 31' 04" 2 33' 07" 6 30' 49" 4 30' 48" 0 32' 18" 1 32' 04" 0 33' 15" 8 30' 49" 4 31' 30" 5 33' 57" 6 |
The women's race in San Sebastián has been held since 1971. In 1973 and 1975, Belén Azpeitia came second with a time of 8' 04" 8 for the 2,200 m, against Annie van de Kerkohf with 8' 02" 4; and 10' 34" 2 in 1975, against Carmen Valero, who came first with 10' 23" 0.