I tested as many shoes, clothes, and as much gear as I could. Here’s what I’m arming myself with for the next 26.2.
Marathons: they are a test of human spirit, of physical endurance, of how long a person can survive in a conversation without mentioning that they’re training for one. They are a LOT: 26.2 miles of running, preceded by months of training. If you’re reading this, it is possible that in a springtime spasm of self-improvement or a New Year’s Resolution accident, you signed up for one, and it is beginning to dawn on you that you’re going to have to go through with it. That’s where I am as I write this. I got into this year’s New York City Marathon, it is six weeks away, and I am in the thick of the Season of Ruined Weekends: That last couple of months when each new Saturday or Sunday morning means more miles: 14, 16, 18, 20, then you dial it back for a couple of weekends, then you actually have to go and run the whole 26.2.
The rubber sole has met the road, there is a lot of running, and there is no turning around and running back to the time before you clicked register. The race is agony, you hit a point at which you swear you will never so much as walk briskly ever again, and then you have about eight more miles left. And then you cross the finish line and get a medal and a banana and you think, Okay fine maybe I will do one more of these.
This one will be my fourth, and you should know it took discipline to wait this long before mentioning that. But through the years, I’ve assembled a list of must-have items to make training and race day go that much more smoothly. Substantial trial and error and a truly obsessive need to make marathon training as pleasant as possible have made me an authority on what works and what doesn’t. So here’s my checklist, and my personal picks for every category from sneakers to clothes and some tech gear that’ll inspire your own marathon-training shopping.
Best Race Day Lube: Body Glide Anti Chafe Balm
Okay, here’s the thing, even the best, softest, sweat-wickingest running shirt is going to get very wet after a couple of hours, and there is no delicate way of saying it… Those nipples of yours are going to get rubbed raw. Like thirst, this is a thing you will want to get way out in front of; by the time you notice some discomfort up there, it’s too late. This stick is what surfers have long used to prevent wetsuit rash, and it remains your best bet. Swipe it on those nips before you head out for a long run and save yourself a world of pain.
