Cross Country FAQ

I’m new to Cross Country is that ok?

Yes you do not need experience, we do most of the runs together and you can find someone who can run with you or coach will adjust your workouts based on your skill level

What should I bring to practice?

You should bring yourself, a water bottle, warm clothes layered..you can always take clothes off but can’t put ones on you don’t have:-)

What type of shoes do I need?

Any pair of running shoes will suffice. Just make sure they aren’t worn out and have good support. The more support the better. You can get fitted properly at Fleet Feet running store in Middleton or Sun Prairie

How much running should be done outside of the 2 day a week practices?

We recommend that you run 5 days a week 15 min. a day for beginners, 20-30 min. a day for the advanced athletes. 2 of those days would be the practice days we meet.

Do I need spikes?

No you do not need spikes to participate. However spikes can help you run faster as they are lighter and have…well spikes on the front that will help you get better grip up hills and when it’s muddy. You would only wear them at races. You want to buy either Middle Distance or Long Distance spikes. Either will be good and can be used for our Track Program as well.

What size spikes in my shoes are best for cross country?

Cross Country Running

Length	Style	Use
1/8″	Needle	track or pavement, rarely XC
1/4″	Pyramid	most XC courses especially if some pavement
3/8″	Pyramid	most XC courses especially if no pavement
1/2″	Pyramid	really muddy courses

Verify what lengths are allowed per race per rules…usually posted on the entry form if there is a limit on spike size.

Where can I buy spikes?

EastBay.com is a great place to start. Also the east side Rogan’s store usually carries 3-5 options for spikes. Once you find something that works, feel free to google or look on Amazon to see if you can find a better price.
If you are in Madison or the surrounding area you can go to either Fleet Feet or Movin’ Shoes

How often do you recommend that someone should race?

The general rule of thumb is you can race every weekend in Cross Country or Road Racing if you are doing 5k or less. Every other weekend is def. a standard. Racing more than once a week or within 5 day is not recommended because it doesn’t give your body enough time to recover for your next race.

What do I need to compete in the USATF Regional Meet?

You need a valid USATF membership. If you had one in Summer or Spring Track you’ll all good. If you don’t have one you can get one here http://www.usatf.org/Home.aspx Make sure when you sign up that you enter the following info when prompted for a Club USATF Club # 20-0656: Badger Track Club Ages are what you will be on December 31st of that year. The link to the USATF Connect Website is HERE Login with your current USATF login and then navigate to the area where you can upload your birth certificate if you have not done that already(Note you only need to do this once). You CANNOT qualify for any National or Regional Meets without this step completed.
USATF Memberships are from December 31st to December 31st. So if you sign up in November it will most likely expire that December and need to be renewed. (Note they have talked about changing this but I’m not sure what the decision was) In order to run in the Track Regional in the summer you will need a valid membership. The membership is for a calendar year and would cover CC and Track once you get it in sync.

What are the distances for Juniors 18-Under at the USATF Meets?

How many athletes qualify out of the WI USATF Association Meet?