Injury Prevention Pro-Tip:
To prevent injury, training shoes should be replaced every season or two. In addition, alternating between two different pairs of shoes ensures that the small muscles of the feet do not face the same stresses each day.
You will need a running watch. It does not need to have a GPS feature. Those are great, but we do not require that you purchase one.
We are fans of Stateline Sports in West Leb and Omer and Bob's in Leb is another great local spot w/ excellent customer service. However, if you are new to finding shoes that are right for you and want a bigger selection, or have been plagued with injuries, it's hard to beat the custom fitting at Marathon Sports in Concord, Manchester, and Portsmouth, NH. They will spend a good 30-45 minutes with you helping you find a healthy fit. (Mention that you're on a xc team, and you'll get a discount.) They allow free returns and exchanges even after you've worn the shoes if they are not comfortable. Another good option is online at Road Runner Sports; if you join "VIP FAMILY," you can test out shoes, getting them sweaty and dirty, and still return them for a better-feeling pair. Good shoes make a difference in staying healthy! Running Warehouse is another great online source.
We recommend you get racing cross-country spikes. Running Warehouse is a good source for buying xc racing shoes online. Here are links to Men's & Women's xc spike selections. Marathon Sports in Concord, Manchester, and Portsmouth, NH also have a good selection of xc spikes!