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Marathon Gear Checklist
Equipping yourself with the right gear is just as important as staying consistent with your mile training. Whether it’s your first race or you are a seasoned marathon runner, there is always new gear to make sure you are prepared for race day. From custom fit clothing to new flavors of gels, the right equipment on race day is what it takes to meet a new PR. This checklist will walk you through essential running gear to make you feel confident for those 26.2 miles.
Getting Ready for Your Marathon
When getting ready for your marathon race, it’s important to wear the clothing and gear you’ve trained in as well as match the weather conditions. Our Running Expert, AJ, shares what he’s wearing for his next marathon.
Pre-Race Prep Checklist
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- Expert Tip | One of the most important factors to make sure that your running gear is comfortable is proper sizing. Never buy the same size of running shoes as your regular pair of shoes, because you always need extra room due to swelling.
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Running Top: Tank top, shirt, and/or zip-up
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Running Bottoms: Shorts, capris, or leggings
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Headwear: Visor, hat, or headband
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Gloves
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Sunglasses
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Hydration Vest
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Additional rain and cold weather gear
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Compression sleeves
What to Bring During Your Marathon
These items are essential tools to support you throughout your race. Make use of the water stations along the course or carry your own water bottle to stay properly hydrated. These simple practices, combined with the right gear, can not only enhance your performance but also contribute to a smoother and faster recovery after the race.
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Bib and timing chip
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Water bottle
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Race pack
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Band-aids
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Lip balm
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Sunscreen
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Headphones
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Gels / electrolytes
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Tissues
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Pain reliever
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Moisturizer
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Muscle salve
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Chafe balm
Ready to Run—What to Take in Your Waist pack
“I carry my running belt that clips around my waist, sometimes headphones, my phone, and a hat. Inside my belt, I have energy blocks, jelly beans, and gum!”
Post-Marathon Recovery
Once you have finished, post-race recovery is important to help your body heal and regain strength after the demands of a marathon. Rehydrating, refueling with nutrient-rich foods, and incorporating light stretching or gentle movement can aid recovery and reduce soreness. Taking the time to rest along with these checklist items ensures that your body recovers properly.
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Extra set of clothes
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Jacket
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Towel
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Blanket
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Compression socks
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Deodorant
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Electrolytes
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Massage gun
Expert Product Pick—Miniature Massage Gun
“I love the miniature massage gun because it’s so useful to take with me everywhere. It’s great to engage the muscles before my workouts and to massage them afterwards. I take this with me on the go, on vacation. I have a marathon in Tokyo soon and my Therabody Mini Gun will be coming with me.”
If you have more questions about how to properly start your marathon training or what you need with you on race day, our Experts are here to help at your local SCHEELS!
About our Experts
Kylie ran her first marathon in 2019 and fell in love with endurance races. She has done countless half marathons, 10k races, and even a half ironman. She is excited to get back into endurance training in 2025 as she welcomed her first child in November of 2023!
SCHEELS Expert AJ was always a competitive athlete growing up, competing in high school and college. After college, AJ continued with his running career and has now competed in triathlons, several half Ironman, a full Ironman, and marathons. In 2025, he finished his third World Major Marathon in Tokyo with a time of 2:38.