Running Reviews Editor and multi-marathoner Amanda Furrer shares what she packs for destination marathons. Listing what you need before travelling to a race makes planning your run easier and checks off one less thing to worry about. Consider what you’ll need on race morning and what you’ll need during the race as two separate lists.

It gives me peace of mind and also ensures I’m prepared…

If you flip through my work notebook a week before a marathon, you’ll see a scribbled list of things to pack opposite my shoe notes and day’s agenda. Like a fire drill, I still write out what I need to pack the week before every race, despite running 27 marathons (and counting). It gives me peace of mind and also ensures I’m prepared for the big day.

No plan is perfect – iffy weather can make me panic-pack extra things I won’t be using or wearing – but here’s what I’ve learned to pack before a marathon. I break my list into three sections:

• What to pack for a destination race.
• What to store in the bag I check at the start.
• What I will carry with me at the athlete’s village and during the race.

The Destination Bag

In the past couple of years, I’ve travelled both locally and internationally to races, including Boston, Chicago, Berlin, Tokyo, London, and Sydney. I’ve scheduled my trips to run the marathon first, and let sightseeing be my recovery. I’ve also gone on a trip where the race was the very last leg of my visit, and I had to juggle the balance of short runs in the morning, being a tourist, and keeping my legs fresh for race day.

You don’t have to run at all before the marathon at a destination race. You’ll likely get plenty of legwork exploring, but a short run or shakeout with a group can help with race jitters. I suggest packing at least one non-race outfit for warming up. If your race is at the end of a weeklong trip, wearing your clothes multiple times saves space in your bag for shoes and souvenirs.

I’m not going to get into the nitty-gritty of all the clothing I pack here (you don’t need to know every shirt and pair of jeans I packed, do you?), but I will list some personal musts:

• Universal Travel Adapter:  A must-have when travelling, and make sure it has a USB port so you can charge your phone.
• Cable/Charger Organiser:  A cable organiser isn’t a necessity, but it makes travelling easier, given all the gear and tech we travel with.
• Water Bottle:  Hiking trails, city hiking and taking long-haul flights will leave you parched. Be sure to bring a water bottle with you.
• Comfortable Track Pants/Tights: Opt for comfort when flying and walking around (perhaps a little bloated due to stress and all the delicious street food) by packing the softest pair of track pants or tights.
• Comfy Sweatshirt:  I’m always freezing while flying, and I rarely wear a heavy enough long-sleeve sweater. When you’re running an autumn or spring marathon, always pack a cosy sweatshirt in case that temperate forecast takes a cold turn. 
• Mani/Pedi Set:  Your toes will thank me. I always tell new runners to trim their toenails before they race so they don’t end up with black nails (or no nails). You can also use the scissors in this kit to remove clothing tags to prevent chafing while racing.

Always pack your standard go-to for your period so you are prepared. Maybe you’ve gotten your cycle down to a tee, but I know travel wrecks mine, and there’s always the possibility Aunt Flo will arrive earlier than expected (rude).

Lastly, crazy as this sounds, since I feel like every runner has a small stockpile: pack safety pins. I don’t know how this was possible, but the night before Berlin, my partner and I were searching for sewing stores on Google Maps because my race packet and backpack were free of safety pins. Scrambling to find something to attach my race bib in a non-English speaking country was harder than it should have been in this day and age. Make sure you packed those pins.

The Bag Check Bag

When bag check is offered, it always induces a mix of relief and anxiety for me. A stream of questions loom: Where is it located? How far will I have to walk? Will I have to check it the night before? Before the bus to the start?

Here’s what I usually include in my bag:

• Backpack: Yes, a bag within a bag. I keep it empty so volunteers won’t have to rifle through the backpack, putting most of my personal items outside of the backpack in the clear bag to check. I know from experience that if I’m going to hit brunch after a race or just navigate public transportation, a backpack is so much easier to carry than the race-issued plastic bag.
• Change of clothes: Sweatpants, underwear, socks, race shirt that comes with entry, jacket for when my body temperature drops … I pack an entire outfit so I can feel human again after running 42.2km.
• Recovery shoes: I could walk in my racing shoes the rest of the day, but I’ve learned that a comfy pair of slops or Birkenstocks gives my feet supportive cushioning, room to flex, and recover from their racing shoe claustrophobia.
• Phone and wallet: I list these together because not everyone will want to put these in their bag check bag. I usually tuck them into my backpack as a security precaution. But maybe you run with cash, a credit card, a public transit card, and/or a phone, or maybe you feel more comfortable carrying these very personal things during the race.

The Race Village Bag

This jumbo-sized Ziploc-like bag is usually the only bag race organisers will allow you to take into the village. One way to omit this extra item is to stuff whatever you need into your pockets. Caution: Don’t accidentally toss away race essentials in your throw-away clothes. At my first official marathon, Disney World 2012, I almost left my iPod shuffle in the pocket of the sweatpants I shed on the way to my corral. I had to sprint back and fish it out. If you’re going the no-bag route, remember to check all of your pockets as you remove layers in the starting corral.

My athlete’s village list is divided into what I’ll need race morning and what I’ll need during the race:

Race Morning:

• Snacks: Granola bar, candy bar, bagel, apple, whatever I’m feeling that morning. I stuffed Lamingtons (an Australian sponge cake covered in chocolate and coconut) into my bag the morning of Sydney.
• Mini bottle of sunscreen: Even if the forecast is cloudy, I always swipe on sunscreen. I leave the tube or bottle at the athlete’s village for other runners to use.
• Small plastic water bottle: If you get one at the expo (organisers sometimes add one to swag bags), save it for race day morning to hydrate.
• Hair ties: I had an XC race in high school where one French pigtail came undone. That half hour cost me, but not much, as I wasn’t the best runner on the team. But during a marathon, when you’re running for hours? Wear that extra hair tie on your wrist! 
• Pack of tissues and wipes: You never know when port-a-potties are going to run out of toilet paper or sanitiser. I also leave these at the village for other runners to grab before they head out.
• Tums/Pepto: I don’t use Tums anymore because I honestly relied on them too much, but if you have a healthy relationship with antacids, it’s not a bad idea to pack a few tablets to settle your stomach.
• Garbage bag: If the ground might be wet outside, pack a garbage bag to sit on (or wear as a poncho) and keep you dry if you need to stretch on the grass or just sit cross-legged until your wave is called.

Things I also tuck into my pockets:

What I Race With: Gels, Skokz OpenRun (or whatever you use to listen to your playlist) and lip balm – something like Aquaphor Advanced Therapy ointment works to soothe chafe and chapped lips.

Extra Items Runners Can Pack

You might have preferences that differ from mine. Senior Reviews Editor Cat Bowen pointed out other supplies that runners may want to consider zipping up in their travel duffel.

• Nipple covers: Maybe your boobs are less dense, or you’ve seen those dudes wearing blood-stained singlets. Nipple covers aren’t just a model’s secret; they’re a runner’s best marathon friend.
• Anti-chafing stick: I’m all about mini products because they leave plenty of room for whatever else you need to carry on your run. BodyGlide’s less-than-an-ounce stick is great for a fast fix if you’re feeling that thigh rub.
• Deodorant: It can double as a stank blocker and anti-chafing stick.
• Allergy meds/EpiPen: Bowen made the solid point that runners with allergies should have their medicine on hand.

Always Be Prepared! And Remember: This Is Your Day

Despite my meticulous planning, I still experience packing snags from time to time (again, the safety pins – how?). But know this: You’ve put in the work, and the race is the party. No matter what you forget, unless it’s your race shoes or sports bra (all the more reason to write that list), you own this race.

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