A checklist of what you can expect to buy for marathon training

Many non-marathoners and marathon newcomers believe that the sport requires only one pair of shorts, one pair of socks, and one pair of running shoes.

But the truth is that the sport of the marathon, especially during the training season, requires much more than this.

Here’s a checklist of what you need, might need, and might want:

• Running shorts or compression tights: Good running shorts are made from technical fabric that will wick sweat away from your body and move with you. Compression tights are an even better choice for marathon training because they promote circulation and help stabilize muscles, tendons, and ligaments.
• Running socks: Good running socks are made from technical fabric (again, for sweat wicking), provide padding where needed, and avoid seams in irritating places. Some are even glove-like for the feet, with individual coverage for each toe.
• Running shoes: Good running shoes are crucial to avoiding many types of injuries during marathon training. And the best place to get them is at a specialty store, where shoe experts can make sure you get what you need. you need.
• Technical T-shirt or compression top: While the cotton you find in most T-shirts is ideal for everyday wear, you need a T-shirt made from a technical fabric for marathon training. Even better is a compression top, which supports your posture for reduced stress and easier breathing. A non-workout benefit of technical fabrics is that they dry quickly (a tumble dryer is not required or recommended), so you can get by with fewer garments made from technical fabrics.
• Running cap: A good running cap wicks perspiration away from your scalp or forehead, protects your eyes, keeps the sun off your face, protects your head from sunburn, and keeps you warm in winter.
• Hydration belt: You must make a conscious effort, especially in cold weather, to stay hydrated during your marathon training sessions. Otherwise, you could become dehydrated to the point of hypernatremia. A hydration belt ensures that you have water on hand when you need it.
• Mobile phone case for hydration belt: Even if you train with a partner, you should carry a cell phone with you for emergencies during your runs or hikes. The easiest way to do this is in a cell phone case for your hydration belt.
• Electrolyte/Protein Drink: If you’re running or walking for at least an hour, then you should seriously consider carrying an electrolyte drink or electrolyte plus protein rather than just water in your hydration belt. This will give you more stamina and better recovery than the water can provide.
• Special foods for resistance: These come in goos, gels, and blocks. They provide a mix of slow and fast digesting carbohydrates and electrolytes to keep you going. And they’re packed for easy portability, say, in a pocket on your hydration belt.
• Orthotics: The inserts that come with most running shoes don’t correct structural problems with your gait, so you may want to see a podiatrist and get custom orthotics to wear while running or walking.
• Yoga or stretching mat: Stretching after a long run or walk can improve your flexibility. You can stretch out on a towel, but you may prefer the extra cushioning of a stretching or yoga mat.
• Polarizing sunglasses: Good sunglasses prevent harmful UV rays from hitting your eyes. And the best ones polarize light so you see less reflection from reflective objects. Less glare leads to less stress, which leads to a better workout.
• Sunscreen: Your skin also needs protection against UV rays. A good sunscreen won’t wash off easily while letting your skin breathe.
• White LED Path Light: If you start a training run or hike before dawn then you should carry a flashlight or use a white LED trail light. LEDs (light-emitting diodes) are preferable to incandescent bulbs for several reasons: they require less power (which makes the battery last longer), they have a longer lifespan (which means more years before needing to be replaced), and They emit a whiter light. light (making it easier for you to see and be seen). And a trail light that you can clip to your cap or hydration belt is superior to a flashlight because having to carry the latter in either hand during a long run or hike can lead to unnecessary shoulder strain and neck pain.
• Flashing red LED: Think of this as an early warning light for drivers and others to see at night. The color red tells them to be wary, and LED technology is hands down superior to previous flashers based on incandescent bulbs.
• Mitts, gloves or a hybrid: In cold weather, mittens have the advantage of allowing all the fingers on one hand to share heat. Gloves give you more dexterity, which you might need, for example, to open a bottle of water or stop a stopwatch. The hybrid approach, a glove with a mitten-like shell, could give you the best of both worlds.
• Hand warmers: Before a long run or walk in cold weather, activate and insert one of these disposable items into each glove or mitt to keep your hands warm for seven to ten hours. Handwarmers can make the difference between quitting early and ending an especially long training session in the cold.
• Earmuffs or ski mask: In cold weather, you can wear an ear warmer band made of technical fabric, so your ears stay warm but perspiration doesn’t build up under it. Or you can wear a balaclava, which goes beyond ear warmers to provide warmth to your neck and everything on your head except your eye area.
• Stopwatch or GPS wrist unit: This is like an odometer, stopwatch, and speedometer for your body. It tells you precisely how far you’ve run or walked, tells you the length of your training session, and tells you your pace (in, say, minutes per mile). You can use online or offline mapping software to tell you the distance of a training route. And you can use a stopwatch to tell you the duration of a training session. But you need a GPS unit to know your average or instantaneous running or walking pace at any time during your training session, and this knowledge is crucial to staying on track and improving.
• Interval Timer: Some GPS stopwatches and wrist units include an interval timer, which you can use to remind yourself when to switch between running and walking while using microlevel pacing. But you may prefer a stand-alone interval timer that vibrates, has a variable-length beep duration, and can be taken to the gym for use during cross-training.
• Pedometer: This is more of a novelty item for marathon training sessions. But wearing one every day will help you know if you’re walking enough every day to help keep you fit. (10,000 steps a day is the widely recommended minimum.)

“Your experience may be different.” is a common expression in TV commercials for cars, but the concept applies to this checklist as well. In particular:

• You may not need or want everything on the list. For example, you can complete all of your training before sunrise, in which case you won’t need sunscreen or sunglasses. And the weather you train in will tend to skew your marathon wardrobe toward the cold-weather side or the warm-weather side.
• What you pay for any item on the list will vary from season to season and from year to year. For example, if you’re willing to forgo the latest fashions, you can get deals at the end of summer, when retailers replace their specific summer inventory with winter gear. And the typical price of a particular type of item may drop in the coming years as more manufacturers enter the field and compete for your purchases.
• You may qualify for a permanent discount through your membership in a training group. Savvy specialty retailers encourage word-of-mouth marketing and repeat business by offering discounts to members of marathon training groups. Be sure to take advantage of those discounts. They come with the expertise that only specialty retailers can provide.

His experience, location and budget will dictate his needs and desires… and therefore what happens his private checklist.