Shoes for HS Cross Country?

Dirty Toes Joe

Barefooters
Jul 20, 2010
92
52
18
My boys (14 and 12) are running CC. They're both pretty good. My oldest is a freshman this year. Last year he practiced with the HS team and was already faster than all but a couple of the seniors. He's been running in Merrel Trail Gloves, but his shoes from last year are getting too small. Any other minimalist shoes anyone can recommend?

He probably needs spikes as well, but he'll need something else to practice in first.

I've seen some interesting ads and reviews for the Xero Shoes. Anybody have any experience in CC type environments?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Barefoot TJ
Proud papa. :happy:

I'm very impressed with your boys.

Other than when spikes are required, will they let him run barefoot if he prefers? Some schools do, some schools don't.
 
Proud papa. :happy:

I'm very impressed with your boys.

Other than when spikes are required, will they let him run barefoot if he prefers? Some schools do, some schools don't.

Quite certain barefoot would be a no-go. Even if it was allowed, I'm not certain he would go for it. He's pretty good compared to a lot of teenagers, but he's still really self conscious of his appearance, and I don't think I could convince him to go barefoot because of the negative attention he would receive. I played the whole minimalist thing very carefully, because his shoes are NOTHING like "what all the other kids have." I just found out his chief (friendly) rival on the team was ripping on his shoes the other day because he thought they were "no name walmart water shoes." Kid changed his tune a bit when he found out they were still over $100 and that Merrel isn't "no name." As we all know that whole conversation is stupid - especially since I have a pair of "no name walmart water shoes" that I have used to run in the winter.

I'd love to see him a barefoot purist and maybe someday he will be, but for now he's at least not got his feet crammed in tight supportive shoes all the time, and is excelling at what he's doing.

His younger brother asked if he could try running BF next time he goes for a run, so we'll see how that goes. Sadly our road is really ugly for BF - they tar-and-chipped it and it's like running on razor blades. Now, after YEARS of traffic wear, there are sporadic narrow strips down each lane that are sort of smooth enough to run on without shredding your feet, but the first step out of that area is nasty. I can get to dirt in a half mile in either direction, so I just kick the shoes off at that point if I'm going bare.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Barefoot TJ