Frequently Asked Questions
When is the season?
The official season begins Monday, August 10th, 2026 and ends with the State Championship on Friday, October 23.
Who do I contact if I have any questions?
Coach Johnston at ctjohnston@mpsomaha.org
Booster Club/Parent Questions: mwxc.booster@gmail.com
Is there summer conditioning or winter conditioning?
Yes. We will meet Monday through Friday all summer at 7:00 a.m. at the track to prepare for the season.
Once the season officially ends, we have an additional optional meet on Sunday, November 15 - the Nike Heartland Regional in Sioux Falls, SD that is open to all team members.
After cross country season is finished, we will meet for winter conditioning Monday through Friday at 3:30 p.m.
When are practices? How long do practices last?
Practices typically last between 90 minutes and 2 hours each day. During the season, we will practice Monday through Saturday.
Afternoon practices: Our typical practice will be after school, starting at 3:30 p.m. and ending between 5:00-5:30 p.m.
Morning practices: Depending on weather or training purposes, we will have some morning practices. These will usually begin at 5:30, 5:45, or 6:00 a.m. depending on the purpose of the workout. We will be finished by 7:15 a.m. on morning practice days to give students time to get ready for school.
Are practices mandatory?
Yes, practices during the season are mandatory. The only way to get better at anything is being consistent with it. Training consistently will lead to improvement.
We know there may be conflicts with school work and other activities. We will work with each student-athlete if conflicts are communicated in advance to allow them to participate in multiple activities at the same time.
Skipping practice may results in missing meets or being dismissed from the team.
Can my child participate in other activities such as band or club sports at the same time as cross country?
Yes, we want multi-sport and multi-activity athletes. If proper communication is utilized, we will work with each kid to balance their activities. If they need to miss an occasional practice for another activity or leave practice a little early, that is okay as long as it is communicated in advance.
However, you cannot participate in road races, trail races, triathlons, etc. during the official season (First official practice until last official meet of the season). Please talk with the coaches before doing these races.
If we have a conflict with a practice or meet, what do we do?
Please talk with Coach Johnston about any potential practice or meet conflicts. We will work with your son/daughter around these conflicts and come up with a plan.
What equipment is required?
Training Shoes: A good pair of training shoes is the most important piece of equipment. If your son/daughter is new to running, we recommend going to Fleet Feet Sports or Peak Performance to find a comfortable and appropriate training shoe.
Racing Spikes: Because races are mostly on grass, dirt, and mud, racing spikes will help. This is necessary for all varsity athletes and upper level JV athletes who are pushing for a varsity spot.
Clothes: Weather changes rapidly throughout August, September, and October. Running shorts, t-shirts, long sleeve shirts, running pants/tights, hat and gloves should be always be in your son/daughter's bag.
Watch: A watch with a stopwatch function or GPS watch is very helpful during training. The coaches have watches the kids can use during practice.
Water Bottle: Hydration is a necessity. It is important to always stay hydrated throughout the day, before practice, after practice, and before and after meets. There are bottle fillers all over the school to fill up during the day.
Uniform: At the beginning of the season, all team members will receive a team uniform (shorts and jersey). Varsity athletes will receive a warm-up jacket. Please wasch and return these at the end of the season.
Are there cuts in cross country?
No. Cross country is a no-cut sport. All team members have the opportunity to train and races in meets.
How many meets are there in a season? Where can I find the meet schedule?
Check out the Schedule & Results tab on the website for the meet schedule.
How far are cross country races?
The standard NSAA cross country race distance is 5,000 meters, or approximately 3.1 miles.
What does a cross country meet look like? What race divisions are there?
A typical cross country meet has four races: Girls Varsity, Boys Varsity, Girls Junior Varsity, and Boys Junior Varsity.
In most meets, each team can have 7 athletes entered in each varsity race and an unlimited number of athletes entered in each junior varsity race. Some meets allow more than 7 in the varsity races, but most follow this rule.
When traveling by bus, we will always be at meets at least 90 minutes before the first race. If we do not have a bus, we ask the team members to be at the meet at least 1 hour before their scheduled race time.
After all the races, there is typically an awards or medal ceremony near the finish line. In most meets, the top 15 in each race are given a medal. The winning varsity team will receive a meet championship plaque or trophy.
The kids will warm-up with the teammates they will be racing with, usually starting 45 minutes to 1 hour before race time. After each race, the kids will do a cool-down - ranging from 10 minutes to 3-4 miles, depending on the time of season and training level of each kid.
How is the varsity team selected?
As a general rule, the fastest 7 runners (regardless of grade) make the varsity team. The 7 varsity runners can and will change throughout the season.
How is a cross country race scored?
Lowest score wins. Each team participating must have at least 5 finishers to score as a team. The top 7 runners are the only runners involved in team scoring.
The top 5 finishers on each team are assigned a number of points equal to their place in a race. For example, if a runner finishes in 6th place, they score 6 points for the team. The top 5 finishers places are added together to make up a team score.
While the 6th and 7th runners do not "score" for the team, they are extremely important to the team. They can "displace" other team's scoring runners by finishing ahead of them in a race, thus pushing the other team's score higher.
The 6th runner is also used as a tiebreaker. If two teams are tied after scoring their 5 runners, the highest placing 6th place runner will break the tie.
Transportation - how will my son/daughter get to off-campus practices and meets?
Since we race on grass, trails, and hills, it is important to do some of our training on that terrain. We will typically travel away from Millard West a couple of times per week to Walnut Grove Park, Lake Zorinsky, Whitehawk Lake, or Chalco Hills to run on grass or trails. On these practices, students drive themselves, carpool with teammates, or parents drive them.
For cross country meets that are at Walnut Grove or Walnut Creek, we typically do not take a bus. We carpool, students drive themselves, or parents drive.
All other meets outside of Walnut Grove or Walnut Creek, we will have a bus.
How can I watch the races?
Course maps are available on the Course Maps tab on the website. Locate the start and finish lines of each course and look to see where the course goes to see your son/daughter the most. Some courses are more spectator-friendly than others. In order to see the majority of a race, you may be required to frequently move around the course. Cross country is one of the only sports where parents "participate" along with their son/daughter in order to spectate.
Where can I find meet results?
www.athletic.net will have most meet results. I will post a live results link when available for each meet. The Schedule & Results tab on the website has a link to meet results.
How is a varsity letter earned?
All girls who race under 23:30 and boys who race under 19:30, in good standing (honest effort, daily attendance) will earn a Varsity letter.
All seniors in good standing will earn a Varsity letter.
Coaches Recommendation and Hardship Ruling. If a student-athlete has a long-term injury or illness, coaches may recommend a Varsity letter.
What do we do if my son/daughter is feeling sore, tired, or has pain somewhere?
Soreness will happen. Please talk with the coaches first if you are feeling anything abnormal. All three of our coaches have a lot of personal experience in distance running and in coaching. We may recommend to see our athletic trainers for an evaluation.
Cross country is hard. There will be times you will be sore or tired. That is normal. If a particular spot is sore or consistently painful, please talk with the coaches and athletic trainers.
How can I help my child be successful?
Be positive! Cross country is a hard sport, but a positive and confident runner is essential.
Sleep: Help your son/daughter have a consistent sleep routine (at least 8 hours per night). Sleep is when the body restores itself and comes back stronger.
Nutrition and Hydration: Food is fuel for the body. Eating good, quality foods, avoiding junk food and energy drinks, and hydrating consistently are important. Pack easily digestible snacks to eat prior to training and racing and eating healthy foods as soon as possible after practices or races, helps the body absorb training and recover quicker.