Long distance running has been a passion of mine for 10 years. I’ve run eight half marathons and am preparing for my fourth full marathon. And as of publication I’ve logged over 1,000 miles (over 1,600 km for you metric system users) this year alone.

I’ve tested and tried so much running gear in so many conditions and terrains that I could probably write an entire book dedicated to my successes and failures. But I’ve distilled that knowledge below with a roundup of the must-have running gear I find essential when training and racing at any distance.

• Shoes

• Clothing

• Distance tracker

• Hydration and fueling gear

• Race day essentials

So you’ve decided to prepare for a marathon or half marathon. You go to your closet and pull out your old, dirty trainers. Stop. Put them away because in all likelihood, you need new running shoes. Running shoes should be retired every 300-400 miles/450-650 km and if you've only got old shoes, it’s best to start fresh so you can track your distance on a shoe while you train.

But what shoe to buy? Shoes are a really personal choice for a runner and there are too many considerations for me to recommend any particular shoe — but if that’s what you want, I recommend this Runner’s World article where they round up the best running shoe options after extensive testing.

That said, there are some considerations to keep in mind when shopping for your new running shoes.

• Terrain. Where are you running? Roads, trails, and tracks all require different shoes so be practical about where you’ll do most of your training.

• Pronation is the way your foot strikes the ground (this article covers pronation in detail) and there are different shoes that provide more comfort and support, and prevent injury, depending on your foot strike. Most running stores can help you assess pronation.

• Prior injuries. Have bad knees or IT band syndrome? There are shoes that will help prevent these injuries from reigniting or becoming worse.

• Stability. That amount of stability or cushion you need in a shoe may be dictated by pronation, but it is also personal preference. Many people prefer a shoe that feels like running barefoot while others love a shoe with tons of cushion.

• Weather conditions. If you’re running in snow or rain frequently, you may want water resistant running shoes.

You may have to try a few shoes before finding your glass slipper, but once you do you’re guaranteed a more pleasant training experience. And you may want to consider investing in more than one pair for shoe rotation.

Okay so you’ve found perfect shoes that work for your body and your training environment. And since you’re training for a race you’re probably running some back to back days. This means you need to rotate your running shoes. This article can tell you more about the importance of shoe rotation, but the short version is that shoes need time to decompress after you run and if you use the same shoes every day, you’ll wear them out quicker.

You may want to consider different kinds of shoes for different runs such as long runs, speed or track workouts, or trail running. But if you’re brand new to running and just want the essential gear, start by getting a second pair of a shoe you already love.

infographic of things to consider when choosing the best running shoes

Next on the list of essential running gear is apparel. Like shoes, what clothing you choose to run in is highly personal and can directly affect your performance.

There are two main considerations when choosing running apparel: comfort and weather.

Knowing what’s comfortable for you will take some trial and error, and is also hugely impacted by the weather. The main weather conditions you’ll want to prepare for are heat, cold, and precipitation.

Running in hot weather is easy to prepare for because you’ll want to wear as little as possible to keep cool. Cold weather is trickier. If you overdress, you’ll end up overheated but if you underdress you may lose feeling in your extremities and your muscles may cramp.

A few considerations for choosing running gear for weather are:

• Fabric In heat, you’ll want lightweight fabrics that dry quickly. Too much sweat in the fabric of your running clothes can cause chafing and discomfort. In colder weather, you’ll want to go for fabrics that insulate without suffocating. Many tech fabrics offer this comfort.

• Fit This is all about preference. You may like form fitting running clothes that hug you figure and don’t move around. Or you may feel suffocated by running in form fitting clothing and want something loose and lightweight that lets a breeze through.

• Layers are critical in cold weather. Your best option is to experiment with what your body needs when it’s fully warmed up, then add light layers on top such as a long sleeve shirt that can be removed and tied around your waist or stashed mid run.

• Accessories are also important in cold weather. Your fingers, toes, and ears will appreciate some extra layers. But these can also cause you to overheat so make sure they’re easily removable. In hot weather you may want a sweat band.

When training, it’s likely you’ll face a long run that involves rain or snow. If you’re training somewhere that experiences extreme precipitation regularly, you’ll want to do more research on how to train in these conditions.

There are a few items that can help you make the most of occasional bad weather days:

• A rain repellent jacket will keep you from getting soaked, but these also tend to trap heat and may not be a good option for running during a summer shower.

• Quick drying fabric clothing, especially if you opt to run without a rain jacket.

• A hat with a brim will keep water and snow out of your eyes and make it much easier to run in the rain or snow.

• Breathable socks that are not made from cotton will keep your feet from carrying too much water in your shoes.

You’ll also want to make sure that your shoes have good traction and won’t slip. And if you’re prone to chafing, consider that when running in precipitation.

If you’re serious about completing a race, you need a tool to measure your distance. Understanding distance allows you to track how much you’re running and how much you need to run to meet your goal. The more competitive you are, the more miles/kilometers you will run on a weekly and monthly basis.

• Your smartphone very likely has a free running app you can download to track your distance. Strava, Nike, and Runtastic are just a few. Some of these apps will offer a premium paid service which may give you more insights or social sharing options.

• A smartwatch such as a Fitbit or Garmin is a great tool for tracking distance, time, pace, and more. This article sums up some different options with hyper accurate gps tracking. A smartwatch isn’t cheap but is a great option if you want to be precise in your pace or do heart rate training.

• The internet is a great device-free option if you want to run completely unencumbered. Websites like How far did I run? will let you map out a distance before or after a run. Pro tip: this is also a great way to plan runs when you’re on vacation or running in a new place!

Once you’re deeper into training you need to plan hydration and refueling. If possible, it’s great to find a route with water fountains, or that will let you refill and refuel without packing everything on you. Most races have hydration and fuel options throughout the race so you’re okay to train with this in mind.

• Hydration belts are great for short to medium runs. These will usually come with a small pocket for storing things like sports gels or keys and a few water bottles. The downside is that these bottles tend to be small so you’ll need a way to refill them if you’re doing a really long run.

• Running vests allow you to pack a lot of water and nutrition with you for a run if you want to take fewer breaks. You may need to try a few vests before you find one that’s comfortable for you.

• Running backpacks are great if you’re planning on a really long run totally off the grid without access to water or snacks. The downside is that they can get heavy if you’re packing all the water and food you need for a multi hour run.

Very little beats the feeling of finishing a long run. But it’s critical to not neglect recovery.

• Foam rollers are absolutely essential in recovery. They’re inexpensive and using it shortly after a run, especially on your legs, increases blood flow to muscles and speeds up recovery and helps prevent future injury. If you aren’t sure how to use a foam roller, there are plenty of YouTube videos that can take you through a rolling session.

• Massage balls and guns like Hypervolt are a really fantastic tool to help you get deep into your muscle tissue. These tools help loosen your muscles and expedite recovery.

• Muscle cream is going to be essential if your muscles are in a lot of pain in the day(s) after a long run.

• Book a massage. This sounds indulgent but getting a sports massage every few weeks can do wonders for your recovery. Having a professional stretch and massage muscles that often get overlooked is equivalent to getting maintenance on your car. You don’t do it daily, but a semi-regular tune up keeps it running smoothly.

You’ve spent months preparing and now race day is approaching. The best advice I have ever been given about race day is don’t try anything new on race day. You’ve trained with all the running gear you need and your race is just an extension of that training.

But race mornings tend to be really early and long, and most races happen in the fall or spring which means colder temps while you wait (sometimes for hours!) for a race to start. These are a few items that will keep you comfortable so you start your race in good shape.

• Chafing cream, lotion, chapstick, and other tools to keep you moisturized are really important on race day. Starting a race with cracked lips or hands is a miserable way to start a race. Pack anything you need to keep yourself comfortable and your skin from drying out.

• Pre-race nutrition. Race mornings are early and long so if you eat when you wake up, it’s going to be hours before you’re running. Pack a snack so you aren’t starting your race on an empty stomach. (Just make sure to only pack a snack you’ve tried when training...nothing new on race day!)

• Discardable clothing is also really important on race day. When I ran the New York City marathon in November 2017, I was underdressed for the three cold hours I would spend waiting for the race to start. Thankfully someone took pity on me and offered me an extra sweatshirt. Otherwise I would have started my race with stiff, painful muscles. Most races will let you discard clothing at the start line, and many donate them back to the local community.

• Portable charging packs are great so your phone doesn’t die during the race. But if possible, I recommend turning your phone off and living in the moment and enjoying your race.

The most important thing you need to to prepare for a marathon or half marathon is the willingness to commit to training. If you’ve got that, the running gear above will make your journey a bit smoother.

Once you start your search for your perfect running gear, read reviews on Trustpilot to see what experience other runners had with different running essentials before you make your decision. And once you’ve found some gear you love, share your experience with the running community when you leave a review on Trustpilot.

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