Cupertino High School XC page

Required gear:	Optional gear:
Running Shoes (trainers)	Racing flats *
Running Shorts	cell phone carrier
Socks	Gloves *
T-shirts (short and long sleeve)	Tights *
Training pants	Hats and Caps
Training tops	Sunglasses *
Sports bras	Sun Screen *
Backpack or gear bag	Rain gear *
Runner's Watch	Identification
masks *	Toilet paper
Hand sanitizer *	Insect repellent

* strongly recommended

A few words about running/racing shoes: Depending on how much you want to spend, you can get by for as little as $50 on sale or as much as $160. The best values are in the $70-100 range. The most important goal is to get a good pair of training shoes with good impact absorption and arch support. I strongly recommend that you buy your shoes at a reputable running store. The stores that I recommend are Athletic Performance in Los Gatos and Ryan's Sport Shop in Santa Clara, especially if you do not have much experience with running shoes. These stores have knowledgeable staff that will help you find the right shoe for you and most will let you try it out before you buy. The shoe may also double as a racing flat but will be heavier than if you were to buy a separate racing shoe. A good training flat will cost $70 or more but all of the above stores will give you a 10-20% - depending upon if you buy trainers or racing flats- discount if you tell them you run for Cupertino High School. Also, break the shoes in before you run in them. Wear them inside your home. Walk around in them. Then, run in them for the warm-up. Use them for part of a workout. Also, since new shoes are a potential source of blisters, coat your feet with something like vaseline before using new shoes.

Make sure the fit is comfy with toe box. A racing flat will be many ounces lighter than trainers and make you feel like you're flying when you put them on, but it's also another expense. I prefer to race in shoes that I do not train in. I strongly recommend that you obtain a new pair shoes at least every year or every running season, because the shoes will breakdown over time and continued use will lead to injuries. Also, Spenco inner sole inserts are recommended to help with shin splint type problems, especially if you have them now.

Additional stores to try might be Sports Basement in Sunnyvale and Campbell, RoadRunnerSports in Sunnyvale and Campbell or Running Revolution in Campbell. I do not recommend Dick's Sporting and Big 5.