You may have noticed some athletes wearing running spikes which are lighter shoes with screw in spikes in the bottom. While these are not essential, they do help in competitions especially in cross-country when the ground may get slippy and muddy.
The spikes are adjustable and can be changed for the terrain. So for example if on a running track doing running or hurdling or jumping events you could have 5mm spikes while for softer surfaces like cross-country grass they could be 9mm.
They are available in sport shops such as Run Hub or Elverys and also available online. Some online examples are below and you should be able to get a pair for €25-€40.
Clongriffin AC 