He’s making a list, checking it twice.

I think that’s everything. Marathon on the left, 5K on the right

What Ho running peeps!

It’s another day on the exercise bike, keeping the legs loose ready for the marathon this weekend. I’m going through my checklist, making sure I don’t forget anything.
It’s pretty important to be sure you have everything on race weekend, especially if you’re travelling away. It would be difficult to head back home nearly four hours if you get to your hotel room and find you’re missing some element of your race gear. If you’ve forgotten band aids, you can easily get them at a local pharmacy or grocery store. Shoes not so. I wouldn’t recommend getting any new running gear at the expo. You shouldn’t be wearing anything new on race day.

I’m doing both races this weekend. The William A Irvin 5K on the Friday evening, and then the marathon on the Saturday. So I need two sets of running gear. I need to be doubly sure I’ve got everything. I’ve completed all my long runs wearing the same gear, so I know that it all fits and shouldn’t chafe me. What I wear was decided a long time ago.

This is the first time I’ll start paying attention to the weather forecast, to see if I will need anything other than shorts, socks and top. Is it going to be hot with lots of sunshine? Then I’ll be needing my headsweats hat and my spf sleeves. Right now we’re looking at cloudy with a chance of showers and temps no higher than the 60’s. It could be almost perfect conditions. If it’s chilly at the start then I may wear a long sleeved undershirt to keep my arms warm. That’s a race time decision. Like at the recent Get in Gear half marathon when I decided just before I entered the start chute. 

There is one thing I’m watching for, weather wise. Is there a chance of thunderstorms at the time of the 5K? I don’t want to get caught out running in puddles and soaking my running shoes during that. I wouldn’t want to start the marathon in damp running shoes. A second pair of running shoes might be a prudent decision.

Nutrition wise, I need a Clif bar that I will take just about 20 minutes before the start. One water bottle with a serving of Hammer nutrition HEED. Most importantly seven Montana Huckleberry Hammer Gels. I love Hammer gels but the Montana Huckleberry is the only one I enjoy on a marathon. I take one every four miles,which at my planned pace is one every 40 minutes which fits in with the manufacturer recommendations. Plus one for emergencies. A Clif bar, HEED and Hammer Gels have seen me though 20 years of running. I won’t change now.

Then there’s my running belt to keep my gels and HEED in, and my number belt. Since my triathlon days, I’ve used a number belt. I know that the race number is the great leveller. Many of the greatest runners affix their numbers to their vests with safety pins. I find the number belt more convenient. I used to use a bog standard number belt, but am switching over to one that has loops it to hold my energy gels. Much easier than reaching into a zipper pocket on your running belt, or perhaps even the pockets of your running shorts.

I think that’s it. You should make a list out yourself. Laminate it and use it every time. I’ve even found that just writing this blog post has organized my thoughts of what I need to bring. 
Right now, I'm going to sit and stare at this pile of gear for a while, just to be doubly sure I haven't missed anything...