What Equipment Do You Need To Run A Marathon

Interested in participating in a marathon? Here’s a rundown on what equipment you’ll need for the long run and your training.

Shoes

Shoes are very important in marathons in order to stop injury, but a 20 mile marathon is quite different from a 500m sprint Long distances require a cushioned and comfortable shoe because while an uncomfortable shoe in a 500m sprint may lead to a decrease in speed, a 20 mile marathon could lead to severe injury and the inability to finish the race One of the best and most important steps in finding the shoe for you is having your training walk or run analysed by a professional shoe fitter. This will allow the professional to evaluate your stride and gait, as well as other factors such as a wider toe box or a specific heel-to-toe drop, which enables you to buy a fully customised and personal fit shoe to provide you with the perfect comfort and assistance to do your best Some shoes are generally considered very good, such as the Nike Air Zoom AlphaFly NEXT% 2 or Saucony Endorphin 3, but to avoid wasting money or a physically painful experience, we recommend taking advice from your shoe fitting professional, whether that be buying what they recommend, or finding a shoe that fits similar criteria

Sports Watch

Sports watches are the perfect tool to track exercise, they are small, lightweight and easily accessible on your wrist. Sports watches will use GPS tracking to measure your speed and distance travelled and include other monitors such as a heart rate tracker or a daily activity tracker. Some watches are even able to make or receive phone calls, further adding to the convenience However, when looking for a sports watch you need to also watch out for other factors such as battery life, comfort and durability, and even good software. So what are some of the best sports watches to buy right now?

The Garmin Forerunner 245 is one of the best sports watches on the market, sporting a best-in-class GPS system, a capable battery that can last up to 7 days, or 24 hours while using the GPS, lightweight construction and a plethora of other features, which combine to give you a solid picture on your fitness and performance, the watch starts at £249.99, but for its high cost, it provides anything and everything you could want from a sports watch

The COROS APEX watch costs a pretty penny, starting at £300, but provides an impressive battery life of 100 hours while using the GPS, while still bringing excellent GPS and heart rate tracking capabilities.

The Apple Watch is also a capable sports watch, despite the budget option of this device still costing £259, its main highlight is that it is more of an all-purpose watch that you can use day-to-day, not just for fitness and exercise Despite that, it is still perfectly acceptable as a fitness watch

The Garmin Forerunner 25 is a budget option, this watch starts at £119.99 and is known for mainly doing 3 things This watch will tell you the time, tell you the distance travelled, and tell you the pace at which you are travelling

Water Bottle

Water bottles are quite easy to forget about, but during a long-distance race such as a marathon, it can be very helpful to have an appropriate water bottle, instead of any old bottle of Volvic water off a store shelf. If searching for a water bottle to retain temperature, you’ll want an insulated, vacuum-sealed bottle This is because a vacuum is a terrible conductor of heat, which means that the heat will take a long time to transfer between surfaces, meaning that it will take a very long time for the heat to transfer from the outside of your bottle to the inside or vice versa. If searching for a very compact and lightweight water bottle then you will want a soft flask such as the FITLY soft flask as it will shrink depending on the amount of water inside it, making it perfect for making you lighter for those last few miles.

Athletic Tops

When it comes to truly optimising what you are capable of, a simple cotton t-shirt simply won’t cut it A technical, sweat-wicking shirt is required to help ventilate you properly and keep you comfortable A singlet or a tank top is preferred due to its breathability and lightweight properties, especially one that has a polyester mesh.

For men, the Pro Hypervent Running Singlet excels in providing breathability and comfort, making it perfect for those hot days. For women, the Rabbit Lightning Tank provides the perfect fit to make you feel as fast as lightning Made from a tasteful mix of polyester and spandex to provide a soft feel and dry quickly for utmost comfort

Athletic Bottoms

Shorts that help you move freely are a game changer when it comes to distance running and overall athletic performance, allowing you to move the way you want, how however long you want Also, something that most runners neglect, is getting bottoms that have storage in some form - usually pockets. Pockets are great for stashing away gel bars or any other items that need to be accessed in a hurry

For men, the On Hybrid Short is a perfect option for making sure you stay on top of the weather at all times by using a combination of a comfortable inner lining that fits snugly and a removable, lightweight outer short that is attached by a button at either hip. These two layers can be worn independently or together, making it easy to adapt to your needs

For women, the Brooks Chaser Short is a great all-around option as it blends comfort and performance The modern polyester blend offers great breathability to help regulate temperature and wick away sweat as you run The flared cut allows for a natural range of motion with less risk of chafing.

Athletic Jackets

Having a jacket nearby is essential when the weather turns sour - even if there are no signs of rain Lightweight jackets can often be folded up and stored away, allowing you to adapt to the conditions and keep on running The On Weather Jacket helps protect you from rain and wind, whilst being breathable and light. This makes it perfect for spontaneous downpours. The hood is designed to be adjustable to help you retain your field of vision whilst running, and protect you from the rain It can be neatly folded up and stored when it isn't needed

Running Socks

A pair of specially made running socks makes a massive change when it comes to performance and overall comfort. Running socks help mitigate friction and blisters, making sure your feet are at their best on race day Some socks have built-in compression, such as The Run 4 0 Compression Socks which help improve oxygen flow to muscles, therefore increasing performance. Compression is also known to reduce swelling and inflammation, helping mitigate pain and shorten recovery periods after race day

Running Accessories

Extra storage to carry your belongings and any food you happen to bring along with you is always welcome on marathons. Making sure you buy professional running packs will have you an edge that might help you get over the finish line - or just get there even faster A running pack is lightweight with plenty of space for storage and has lots of breathability. The Nathan VaporKrar 2.0 is a great compact vest that repels water and keeps your belongings dry. It also comes with 360-degree reflective coverage and a safety whistle

A more casual form of storage is the FITLETIC Hydration Belt This belt has an ergonomic design to eliminate wasteful parts and give you the best chance on race day It can hold two 8oz bottles and a waterproof pouch for your phone The interior of the belt is silicone to eliminate bounce and help you keep your rhythm.

Sun Protection

When you’re running for an extended period, the sun is always an issue no matter how little of it there is. Investing in proper sun protection is good for your overall health, but can also help with improving your endurance in marathons This is due to heat exhaustion and eye strain that intense sunlight can cause A lightweight cap is essential if you plan to run marathons The RONHILL Sun Split Cap is a fantastic, easy-on-the-wallet solution to help you power through marathons Its split design makes it easy to fold up and store, making it perfect to bring with you just in case

In eye protection, not many sunglasses come close to the SUNWISE Waterloo Photochromic Sunglasses when it comes to all-around protection and convenience Although being on the pricier side, these sunglasses fully protect you from dawn to dusk whilst having a secure and comfortable fit