I am fortunate to remain good friends with someone I was close to in my earliest days.  Though we may not be geographically near, we keep in touch and see each other every now and again.  We always have the common ground of our hometown in the middle of Kansas.  In the past few years, he has become quite a runner, completing 7 marathons so far and his 8th coming up in December.  Though I’ve never run in a marathon, I’ve run regularly all of my life.  I still enjoy a good 5K as a motivation to set a goal and work to achieve it.  Matt was good enough to send me a list of things needed to complete a marathon, but I thought it would be a great list for anyone who is considering running in any race. I may have added a few details (his list was a little lacking in description. . .sorry Matt).

This is Matt running in a marathon in St. Petersburg, Russia this summer.

Here is the list that Matt sent me to share with you.

• Clothing
  • shoes (depending on your age and overall health, you may want shoes that offer features such as being supportive or lightweight)
  • socks (I like the kind that have the extra cushion at ankle to keep from getting blisters)
  • shorts (non-restrictive, so your legs have plenty of freedom to move quickly. Tights or fitted athletic pants for colder weather)
  • shirt (any t-shirt will work, but a moisture wicking, breathable fabric is a great thing on a hot day)
  • hat (to keep the sun out of your eyes in the summer or to trap heat in the winter)
• Accessories
  • running watch (Garmin works great for tracking location, distance, and time)
  • fuel belt with energy gel (gu) and salt tablets (for a marathon)
• 48 Hours Prior to Race
  • start carb loading (here’s a 60-second guide to carb-loading)
• 24 Hours Prior to Race
  • charge watch (or iPod, if you like to listen while running)
• Night Before Race
  • purchase post-race food (here are some ideas for post-race fuel)
  • purchase chocolate milk
  • get late checkout from hotel if needed
  • don’t eat too late or too much
  • go to bed early
• 1.5 Hours Before Race
  • eat pre-race food (here are some great tips for eating correctly before a race)
  • tape up with athletic tape (here are some instructions on taping up for blister-free racing)
  • wear a warm shirt to to shed in your race bag (it is important to stay warm before the race)
  • wear warm shirt to shed at the start line (it is important not to be too warm when you race)
• Post-Race
  • chocolate milk (??? Here’s why from Fitness Magazine)
  • stocking cap to keep warm (in winter)
  • favorite post-race food

Have you ever run in a race before? Have you ever run a marathon? Tell us what tips you have to prepare for a race.