Running Gear Information

Spirit Gear

Our June 2026 BSN Team Shop is open!

All athletes are required to purchase the following:

Blue Command 1/4 Zip Pullover and Blue Command Warmup Pant
- If you are a returning athlete with warmups from a previous season that still fit, you are not required to purchase the new warmups.
White team tech short sleeve t-shirt

All other items in the store are optional.

Cross country uniforms are sleeveless with short shorts. Athletes who tend to run cold or who prefer more coverage may want to purchase compression gear to wear underneath. If you do, note the following requirements:

Compression shirts (long sleeve, short sleeve, or sleeveless) MUST be white and either Under Armour or have no visible logo.
Compression shorts must be royal blue, end above the knee, and be either Under Armour or have no visible logo.

The BSN team shop will remain open from May 20 through June 1 before closing permanently. Once the store closes, no additional items can be ordered. A second store will open in August for athletes who join the team later in the summer.

If you miss both ordering windows, you will need to provide your own warmup clothing for meets. All warmup gear must be Under Armour or have no visible logo. The only exceptions to our Under Armour contract on race days are running shoes and racing spikes. Covering competitor logos with tape is expressly forbidden in our contract.

Racing Uniform

Jerseys and shorts will be issued to each athlete before the first meet of the season. The team uniform is the only one permitted to be worn at meets. There is no cost to the athlete or family for use of the uniform during the season, but it must be returned at the end of the year.

Unreturned uniforms will be billed at $125 for a varsity uniform and $60 for a junior varsity uniform. Seniors will have the opportunity to purchase their uniforms at a reduced cost at the conclusion of their final season.

The racing shorts are shorter than what most athletes are used to. Many runners do get used to them, but some prefer additional coverage. If you would like to wear compression shorts underneath, you may, provided they meet the following requirements:

They MUST be royal blue.
They MUST be Under Armour logo or have no visible logo.
They MUST end above the knee.

Note that most Maryland-sanctioned meets require all athletes on a team wearing compression shorts to match in both color and length. In extreme weather conditions, meet directors or race referees may make exceptions, but this cannot be assumed.

When available, compression shorts in the BSN team store meet all of these requirements.

Some athletes also prefer to wear a compression shirt under the racing jersey. This is permitted provided the shirt:

Is white
Is Under Armour or has no visible logo

When available, the compression shirts in the BSN team store meet this standard, as well.

Shoes

Cross country athletes use two types of running shoes: training shoes and racing spikes. Whichever you are shopping for, do not let aesthetics drive your decisions. The most important factor in any running shoe purchase is fit. The right shoe for your body and running style is the one that minimizes your injury risk, regardless of how it looks.

Training Shoes

If you have never been professionally fitted for training shoes, Road Runner Sports or RNJ Sports are great places to start. In addition, Haraka Run and Walk opened right here in Hyattsville last year and is owned by the parents of one of our 2026 team captains.

Road Runner Sports offers a free gait analysis using a treadmill, slow-motion camera, and pressure pad to help identify the shoe that best suits your physiology and running style. RNJ Sports and Haraka do not use the same technology, but they have highly knowledgable staff and will take good care of you.

Road Runner Sports will also offer to create a custom orthotic insert for your shoes. Test the shoe both with and without it. Many athletes in the right shoe don't need an orthotic at all, and you should not feel pressured to purchase one. That said, some athletes do benefit from them. Trust how your body feels during your test run.

Most running stores will let you take a short jog to test a pair of shoes before buying. Take advantage of this. You will be spending a lot of time in these shoes.

Replace your training shoes regular, using the following as a guide:

If your current shoes are from last season, replace them.
If your current shoes have more than 300 miles on them, replace them.
If your big toe is touching the end of the shoe, replace them. A good rule of thumb is a thumb's width of space between your toe and the end of the shoe, as your feet expand during runs and need room to spread to prevent blisters.

If you have the means to purchase two pairs and alternate them daily, you can extend the life of each pair by roughly 33%. This Runner's World article references a study showing that athletes who rotate training shoes see a 39% reduction in injury risk compared to those who don't.

Racing Shoes

Racing shoes, or spikes, are worn on race day. Athletes are permitted to race in training shoes, but a dedicated pair of spikes is strongly recommended. Spikes provide superior traction in adverse conditions, improve power and speed in ideal ones, and are significantly lighter than training shoes, all of which add up on race day.

One important note: there are two types of spikes - track spikes and cross country spikes. Track spikes have little to no heel cushioning and a plastic plate on the bottom designed for track surfaces. Cross country spikes have minimal heel cushioning and no plastic plate, making them suited for the longer distances and uneven terrain of cross country courses. Make sure you purchase cross country spikes.

Socks

Blisters are one of the most common issues for distance runners, and the two main culprits are moisture and friction. Properly fitted shoes help, but the right socks are just as important. Generic athletic socks tend to be thick and trap moisture. Investing in quality running socks that ventilate well and actively manage moisture will go a long way toward keeping your feet healthy through a long season.

Good running socks, like good running shoes, cost more than the generic alternative. They are worth it. There are hundreds of options and no shortage of reviews online. The key feature to look for is some form of moisture-wicking or moisture management technology.

One important note on logos: per our Under Armour contract, any socks worn during racing must either be Under Armour or have no visible logo. Since Under Armour's running sock options are limited, look for socks where the logo appears on the sole rather than around the ankle. That will keep you compliant without limiting your options.

Watch

All athletes need a watch, as most workouts are time-based. At minimum, any watch with a stopwatch function will do the job.

That said, a GPS watch with a heart rate monitor is strongly recommended. Being able to track your mileage, pace, and heart rate over the course of the season makes a real difference, both in how you train and in how you understand your development as a runner. It does not need to be top of the line, and we would still rather you invest first in quality shoes and socks before spending big on a watch. But if your budget allows for a decent GPS watch, it is a worthwhile invetment.

Athletes who prefer to use their phone for tracking time and distance during runs may do so, but the phone must be secured in an armband. Holding it in your hand affects your running form.

Yoga Mat

The team incorporates yoga once a week before practice. Strength routines and cooldown stretching follow every run. For these activities, a towel is the bare minimum. It will get the job done on a gym floor but offers little protection on harder surfaces like asphalt or concrete and next to no protection when working in the grass where rocks or sticks are easily felt through a thin layer of fabric.

A yoga mat is a worthwhile investment. It provides a consistent, cushioned surface regardless of where practice takes place and will make stretching and strength work noticeably more comfortable over the course of a long season. Any standard yoga mat will do; this does not need to be an expensive purchase.

Recommended running stores

Road Runner Sports - Rockville

http://www.roadrunnersports.com
1807 Rockville Pike
Rockville, MD 20852
240.292.7420
Store Hours: Mon-Sat 10a-7p | Sun 10a-6p

Road Runner Sports - Columbia

http://www.roadrunnersports.com
6630-C Marie Curie Drive
Elkridge, MD 21075
410.290.2906
Store Hours: Mon-Sat 10a-7p | Sun 10a-6p

Haraka Run and Walk - Hyattsville

https://haraka.run
5501 Baltimore Avenue #106
Hyattsville, MD 20781
301.909.9790
Store Hours: Mon Closed | Tue-Fri 11a-7p | Sat 10a-7p | Sun 12p-5p

RnJ Sports - Rockville

http://www.rnjsports.com
11910-R Parklawn Drive
Rockville, MD 20852
301.881.0021
Store Hours: Mon-Sat 10a-6p | Sun 12p-4p

RnJ Sports - Bethesda

http://www.rnjsports.com
4945 Elm Street
Bethesda, MD 20814
301.986.0558
Store Hours: Mon-Sat 10a-6p | Sun 12p-4p

Fleet Feet Sports - Annapolis

http://www.fleetfeetannapolis.com
2572 Solomons Island Road
Annapolis, MD 21401
410.268.6290
Store Hours: Mon-Sat 10a-6p | Sun 12p-5p

Page updated

Report abuse