FAQ

Registration is completed online through our Join Us page. Families MUST complete the athlete information form, and submit the required season fee before joining the first practice.
Note: If you just want to try out a practice before registering, we still require a signed Registration and General Waiver form.

The registration fee covers club operations, the end of the season party and awards. The fee does NOT include meet fees, team uniform/singlet, or spirit wear.
It is important to emphasize the Olney Cross Country Club is Not-for-Profit and our coaches DO NOT get paid. 

The 2026 Cross Country season begins with the first practice on Monday, August 10th. Our last practice of the regular season is on October 30th, and the last meet is on November 1st.
For those interested in post-season races may continue to train with the team (usually the first weekend of December).

Our program is open to athletes ages 5–18, but we welcome runners of all ages and abilities. Runners are grouped by age and ability level to ensure a positive and developmentally appropriate experience.
We’re passionate about sharing the joy of running—not just as a sport, but as a lifelong activity for fitness and fun. We even encourage parents to run alongside their kids during practices!

Our program does not impose a late registration fee. However, registration will close on August 31, 2026 or once we reach maximum capacity.

We recommend athletes attend all practices, but do not require it. We believe consistent attendance helps athletes improve skill and build team connections. Furthermore each practice during the week focuses on a different aspect of cross country running (i.e. distance runs, hills, and speed work). 
However, we understand families may have scheduling conflicts and recognize that each child has different running abilities and interests. Our overall goal is to make cross country running FUN, thus, it is ultimately up to the parents/athlete to determine how much practice is appropriate. (Please see our Expectations of runners and parents).

We practice from 5:15-6:30 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at Agricultural History Farm Park in Derwood, MD.  If you are not planning to stay for the practice, please plan to return promptly by 6:15 PM in case the practice wraps up sooner.
All practices begin promptly with a warm-up run and form drills. 
To accommodate different age groups and abilities, we generally have at least two or more running groups.  Faster and more experienced runners have tougher/longer workouts, whereas younger and/or beginning runners have easier/shorter workouts. After the workout, the entire team participates in cool down/stretching exercises and sometimes games.

Absolutely! – We encourage parents to run alongside their children whenever possible. It’s what sets Olney XC apart and it’s a great opportunity for families to stay active together, build confidence, and strengthen bonds through running.
Parents are welcome to stay during practice, but it is not required. If you choose to leave, please ensure we have your current contact information and plan to return promptly by 6:15 PM

There are many different philosophies on pre-workout nutrition. However a good basic rule of thumb is to only eat foods that easily digest before a practice or competition. Examples include fruits, an egg, and oatmeal. Avoid foods with high fat levels before a competition.
Within a half hour to hour after a practice or meet, simple sugars, such as those in fruits, bagels, etc. are recommended. Antioxidants are good too. This will help your athletes replenish their fuel sources quickly and decrease muscle fatigue.

No – water is not provided. All athletes should bring a filled water bottle, labeled with their name to practice.
Water is the best and recommended choice by our coaches. Athletes should avoid carbonated beverages such as soda and it is suggested that electrolyte drinks such as Gatorade are diluted with some water as the high sugar content can lead to cramping.

The number of meets vary by year. Most athletes participate in several regular season meets (see schedule), with opportunities for post-season championship races depending on age and readiness.

While meets and the competition is encouraged, participation in the season meets is optional. Our program primarily focuses on athlete growth and enjoyment of the sport.

Participation in meets is optional, so meet fees are not included in the season registration cost. This helps keep overall registration fees lower for families whose athletes may not plan to compete, while still giving runners the flexibility to participate in any meets they choose throughout the season.

Athletes are typically grouped by age group. Age groups are determined by the athlete’s age as of December 31 of the current calendar year, not the age of the athlete on race day.

If an age group race has a low number of athletes, the meet directors usually combine boys and girls for that event to speed up the meet.

Cross country meets are held on Sundays, usually beginning the 3rd week of September.
Parents are allowed to run with their child ONLY in the 1K races (6U group). “Rabbits” (guide runners) are used for 1K, 2K races and some 3K races.
Because each meet is at a different location, course walks are recommended to help familiarize your runner with each meet. Please arrive early to collect your athlete’s bib/chip and if you wish to do a course walk.

The coaches will distribute bibs or chips depending on the meet. All chips MUST be returned to the coaches at the end of the season.

All XC clubs are responsible for returning the timing chips to the timing company. The cost for a lost or damaged timing chip is $10 and families assume responsibity.

• Cooler for food/beverages
• Folding chairs or blankets to place on the ground and sit on in good weather
• Food, such as fresh fruits & veggies to snack (no dips), fresh or dried fruit & grain bars, nuts and/or trail mixes, sandwiches (ex. peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on wheat bread). No processed or fried meats and no cookies, donuts, sodas, candy.
• A change of clothes, socks and shoes in case of rain.
• For meets, athletes should wear their singlet, but if it is cold, then they can add layers.
• If it is wet, athletes should wear different socks and shoes for the course walk than they plan to race in case they get wet during the course walk.
• Spare socks in case socks get wet during course walk.
• Books, games & cards (for both parents & kids)
• Patience, support, sense of humor, and good sportsmanship!

Our team participates in meets hosted by different organizations/clubs. Each host is responsible for posting the results of their meet(s). Meet timing can be found on Athletic.net – Click here for instructions
If you have any questions about the results, please talk to one of our coaches.

No experience is necessary. We welcome beginner, intermediate, and experienced runners.

Athletes should wear comfortable running shoes designed for athletic activity (see running shoe tip-sheet for more information)
We recommend speaking with the coaches if you believe spikes may benefit your child before purchasing them for meets. In addition, the coaches will speak with athletes and parents if we believe that an athlete will benefit from having spikes. Spikes are not needed at practice.

Runners who are participating in club meets, must wear a team singlet (jersey).
Spirit wear is clothing and apparel available for both youth and adults, and shows the club logo.
All of our uniform and spirit wear ordering is online. Information for singlet and spirit wear ordering will be posted on our site at the beginning of the season.
Please note that the team store is only open for a limited time each season.
Spirit wear and singlet orders will be distributed at practice by parent volunteers or coaches.

Yes, there are usually 3 well maintained port-o-johns near the big red barn. We recommend you take your children there before we start practice.

You can use this online calculator to estimate the running pace. This calculator can also be used to estimate the time taken or distance traveled with a given pace and time or distance: https://www.calculator.net/pace-calculator.html