So dearest daughter has made the cross country squad at big school. She got picked as she won the trial in pe against the other girls.
Huge proud dad moment, always known she’s a bit of a sport billy type on the sly but never had her down as a runner.
So she’s running in the local competition next week and has been sent home a letter saying if you haven’t got spikes you may as well run in footy boots.
Now I don’t ever remember anyone running xc in spikes when I were a lad, but footy boots seem a bit grim.
All round trainers be better?

XC spikes very common.

Alternative aggressively studded low rise non spikes eg Innov-8

Heres a few at the £40 mark

http://www.startfitness.co.uk/prodtype.asp?strParents=3913,4098&CAT_ID=4100&numRecordPosition=1

Some fell/trail shoes would be my suggestion. probably about as much as a good pair of runners TBH. Trainers will be alright if the ground is firm; they’ll be worse than nothing if it’s wet and muddy mind.

Spikes are the default option for X-Country races- sorry!

Well I’m not sure she’s going to stick at it as she also swims and does gymnastics so something that could be used for other pe on the field etc would be great.

You can get XC spikes but I got these for my 9 yr old –
http://www.mandmdirect.com/01/details/AS774/Asics-Junior-Gel-Enduro-8-Trail-Running-Shoes-Marina-Flash-Yellow-Black

He has been running in the local schools XC competition and it was muddy this year. They got a note about football boots or spikes but he wore the ones above which I thought were a bargain. Not very girly colours though.

I’m not aware of anyone from his school with spikes for XC – it’s only about 1500m at that age. I would imagine the secondary age kids will be using them though.

If you want to spend more then these are the business but expensive for a couple of events.
http://www.northernrunner.com/shoes-c133/fell-shoes-c226/inov8-x-talon-160-cross-country-and-fell-running-shoe-kids-p1336

The problem is that even in fairly dry conditions the course soon gets churned up and heavy going. Those in the last races usually face the worst underfoot conditions. If you’re lucky, on a dry day, and if he’s is an early race, she may get away with trainers.

I use salomon speed cross off road and find they have a good grip but with a wider footprint than fell shoes which I found very unstable.

no 1 daughter (11) is a bit of a billy whizz and runs xc in the winter and fells in the summer ( 3rd in english champs)

.. only the re a brou play or haveally serious/ wealthy kids use spikes maybe half a dozen per race.. frankly the best gear for a non commited kid is a pair of walsh shoes daughter is still on her first pair and shes had them 18 months they run plenty of miles seen some real clagg and still her first choice 9 new pair coming from santa hopefully)

footy boots are the choice of the masses..

I use salomon speed cross off road and find they have a good grip but with a wider footprint than fell shoes which I found very unstable.

They gave me a knee tendinopathy because of the unstability.

.. only the re a brou play or haveally serious/ wealthy kids use spikes maybe half a dozen per race.. frankly the best gear for a non commited kid is a pair of walsh shoes daughter is still on her first pair and shes had them 18 months they run plenty of miles seen some real clagg and still her first choice 9 new pair coming from santa hopefully)

This doesn’t make sense to me, unless kids shoes are vastly differently priced to adults. A pair of Walsh fell shoes is more expensive than the Brooks spikes I’ve bought for this season’s XC. Ok, it’s 50 quid for a pair of shoes, but if it means not being on my arse for the race and enjoying it, then it’s money well spent.

Given an XC season is probably around 6-7 races, buy a decent pair of spikes, make sure they’re cleaned and dried well after each race, and sell them onto a kid in the year below next year.

Bung some 9mm spikes in these and she’ll be sorted.

Get her some basic spikes and a set of 10mm spikes for them. Talk of footie boots and fell shoes don’t belong in xc racing, even for kids. Spikes are light and thin and allow more natural running.

Spikes are narrow and cut through the mud to the firm ground beneath. They don’t clag up much. If it’s muddy you should tie extra laces right around to stop them being sucked off in the gloop.

Surely 30 quid for spikes is cheap enough.

Walshs come in children’s sizes at about £40 last time I looked. My son has used them and then moved on to some reduced inov8 when his feet got big enough. I reckon most runners are in fell shoes or spikes, probably more in fell shoes. Children’s races are usually the first at a xc meet so the ground isn’t too churned up.