Cross Country Running Shoes 101

Finding the right pair of cross country running shoes has never been easier. Includes an interactive chart of the current brands and models available on the market. Learn about their features and how a good pair of XC running shoes can help you run your best.

The Brooks Mach 12 is a dynamic cross country racer designed for distances from 3k to 10k. Building on the success of the Brooks Mach family, the Mach 12 has been tuned up and made even lighter than its predecessor. Available in spikes and flats for both men and women.

Introduced in July 2010, the Mizuno Wave Kaze 6 keeps all the successful features found in the popular Kaze lineup. The lightweight parallel wave creates a protective and supportive platform ideal for cross country racing. The overall result is a pair of running spikes that provides good traction, a supportive upper, and excellent cushioning suited to the variable surfaces encountered on a cross country course.

The New Balance RX506 is a unisex cross country racing spike offering lightweight performance that doesn’t weigh you down. It is suitable for dirt, grass, and rubber surfaces. It is available in spike (RX506CO & RX506CB) and spikeless (RX506R) versions. These are 2010 cross country running shoes.

Saucony continues to honor the memory of Ryan Shay with the XC2 racer. Saucony keeps the XC2 super lightweight, which is one of the best features of this XC shoe. Available in spike/spikeless versions for men and women.

Finding the right pair of cross country running shoes has never been easier. Includes an interactive chart of the current brands and models available on the market. Learn about their features and how a good pair of XC running shoes can help you run your best.

Introduced in July 2010, the Mizuno Wave Kaze 6 keeps all the successful features found in the popular Kaze lineup. The lightweight parallel wave creates a protective and supportive platform ideal for cross country racing. The overall result is a pair of running spikes that provides good traction, a supportive upper, and excellent cushioning suited to the variable surfaces encountered on a cross country course.

Introduced in July 2009, the Mizuno Wave Kaze 5 incorporates a lightweight parallel wave to create a protective and supportive platform ideal for cross country racing. The overall result is a pair of running spikes that provides good traction, a supportive upper, and excellent cushioning suited to the variable surfaces encountered on a cross country course.

Running spikes are specialized shoes used by sprinters, cross country runners, and by distance runners on the track. Unlike regular running shoes, spikes are used mainly for competition rather than training. Here we compare the running spikes used by track runners and cross country runners, and consider the times when each of these types of running spike would be most effective.

The Adidas adiZero Belligerence running spikes offer the cross country runner maximum style with minimum weight. This cross country racing spike is inspired by the Japanese anime character “Kizuna”. The open mesh nylon in the upper offers great breathability and quick drying.