🏪 Stores
Decathlon: Excellent value running clothing and accessories. Their Kalenji shoes are well-reviewed for training.
REI: Wide range of premium running brands (Brooks, ASICS, Saucony, Nike, Hoka).
Cotswold: UK running specialists with in-store gait analysis at larger branches.
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Running shoes
The most important purchase — and the most personal
Running shoes are the most critical piece of running equipment, and the most misunderstood. The "best" running shoe for one person will cause injury in another. Fit and function for your specific gait is everything.
What actually matters
Gait analysis before buying
Most specialist running shops offer free gait analysis — you run briefly on a treadmill and they film your foot strike. This identifies whether you pronate (foot rolls inward), supinate (rolls outward), or run neutral, and determines what level of support you need. Online reviews cannot substitute for this.
Replace every 500–800km — not by time
The midsole foam that absorbs impact degrades with use regardless of how the shoe looks. A shoe that looks fine may have lost 30–40% of its cushioning. Track your mileage on Strava or Garmin and replace on distance, not calendar.
Train in the shoe you'll race in — but with more cushion for training
Many experienced runners use a light carbon-plate race shoe for races but a more cushioned trainer for daily training to reduce injury load. Don't train exclusively in race shoes — the high stack and carbon plate create specific muscle dependencies.
Half a size up for distance running
Your feet swell during long runs. A shoe that fits perfectly in the shop may cause toenail damage at mile 20 of a marathon. Fit running shoes with a thumb-width gap between your longest toe and the end of the shoe.
You can skip
Expensive carbon-plate supershoes for first-time marathon runners — a standard cushioned trainer will get you around the course and is safer for runners still developing form.
Running socks
The most overlooked item that causes the most pain
Blister prevention is a serious science in distance running. The wrong socks cause hot spots at mile 10 that become open blisters by mile 20. This is a solved problem — the solution is cheap.
What actually matters
Toe socks vs regular — toe socks prevent inter-toe blisters
Injinji toe socks separate each toe, eliminating friction between toes — the cause of many marathon blisters. Bulkier and strange to put on, but genuinely effective for people who blister between toes.
Seam placement — seamless toes or seamless throughout
Sock seams against your skin create friction over distance. Running-specific socks have reinforced cushioning zones at heel and ball of foot, and flat or no seams at the toe. Any toe seam that crosses the top of the toes will cause blisters over 10km.
Wool vs synthetic for marathon distance
Merino wool socks (Darn Tough, Smartwool, Icebreaker) resist blisters better than synthetic over marathon distance because wool manages friction differently. More expensive but worth it for race day.
Race in the same socks you trained in
Never wear new socks on race day. Train in your race socks for at least 3 long runs before the event.
You can skip
Compression socks during the race unless prescribed for a medical condition — the evidence for performance benefit is weak. Post-race compression socks for recovery are more clearly beneficial.
Running clothing
Technical fabric, fit, and chafe prevention
Running clothing has one job: stay out of your way. Anything that rubs, holds sweat, or restricts movement becomes a significant problem over marathon distance.
What actually matters
Technical fabric only — never cotton for distance running
Cotton absorbs sweat, becomes heavy, and causes severe chafing over long distances. A cotton t-shirt will chafe your nipples and armpits raw by mile 15 of a marathon. Technical fabrics (polyester, nylon, merino) wick moisture away from skin and dry rapidly.
Flat seams and bonded construction prevent chafing
Running shorts and tops designed for distance have flat-lock seams (seam pressed flat rather than ridge-forming) or bonded seams (adhesive rather than thread) in high-friction areas. Check inseams, waistbands, and armholes.
Running tights: 7/8 for most, full length for cold
7/8 length tights (just below calf) work for most conditions and are cooler than full-length. Full-length for sub-5°C temperatures. In hot weather, loose shorts are cooler than tights — sweat evaporates more freely.
Anti-chafe cream is not a luxury over 16km
Body Glide, Vaseline, or similar is applied to all friction points before long runs: inner thighs, underarms, nipples (male runners), and any seam contact points. This is essential, not optional, for half-marathons and above.
You can skip
Compression running tights for performance — the evidence is marginal. Standard running tights work fine for the vast majority of runners.
GPS running watch
Useful from your first half-marathon. Essential for marathon training.
A GPS running watch tracks pace, distance, heart rate, and training load. For casual jogging, your phone suffices. For marathon training (18+ week plan with target paces), a watch becomes a genuinely useful training tool.
What actually matters
Garmin is the clear market leader for runners
Garmin dominates running watches for good reason: GPS accuracy, training metrics depth, and battery life are all superior to Apple Watch and most competitors for pure running use. The Forerunner 255 (~£250) is the best entry-level serious running watch. The Forerunner 965 (~£600) is the top tier.
Heart rate zones guide training effort
Training in the correct heart rate zone (easy runs genuinely easy, hard runs genuinely hard) is more effective than running by perceived effort. Zone 2 training (65–75% max heart rate) is where most distance running improvement comes from.
GPS accuracy: optical wrist HR is good enough for training, chest strap for racing
Optical wrist heart rate (built into all watches) is accurate enough for training zones. For race-day precision, a chest strap (Garmin HRM-Pro, Polar H10) is more accurate, especially during high-intensity efforts.
Battery life matters for marathon and ultra distance
A Garmin Forerunner 255 lasts 30+ hours in GPS mode — covers any marathon. An Apple Watch Series 9 lasts around 6 hours in GPS mode. For marathon race day, check your watch's GPS battery life carefully.
You can skip
A running-specific watch until you're training for your first half-marathon. A phone in an arm pocket with Strava does everything needed for casual runners.
Race day nutrition
Practice in training — never try anything new on race day
Hitting the wall (glycogen depletion) is what happens when marathon runners don't fuel properly. It's entirely preventable with a straightforward nutrition plan. The golden rule: never try anything on race day that you haven't tested in training.
What actually matters
Gel, chew, or real food — find what your stomach tolerates
Energy gels (GU, SiS, Maurten) are the standard marathon fuel. Some runners can't tolerate gels — they use chews, dates, banana pieces, or sports beans instead. All work. Find what your stomach accepts in a long training run, then stick with it.
Maurten 100 and 160 gels for weaker stomachs
Maurten gels use a hydrogel technology that passes through the stomach with minimal GI stress. They're more expensive (£3+ per gel) but are worth the cost for runners who suffer stomach problems with standard gels.
60–90g of carbohydrate per hour from 45 minutes in
For most runners: one gel every 30–45 minutes from the first gel at 45 minutes. Sip water with gels. This is the starting point — adjust based on how you feel in long runs.
Salt tablets for races in heat or for heavy sweaters
In warm races (Dubai Marathon, LA Marathon) or for runners who sweat heavily, electrolyte tablets (SaltStick, Precision Hydration) replace sodium lost in sweat and prevent cramping.
You can skip
Protein bars and recovery bars during the race — carbohydrates are the race fuel. Protein is for post-race recovery.
Race day bag — what to pack
The checklist that experienced marathoners use
The race day bag is a well-worn ritual for experienced runners. Pack it the night before with everything you need for before, during, and after the race.
What actually matters
Everything you wore in your longest training run
Race kit (shorts, top, socks, shoes) that you wore for your 20-mile training run. No new kit. No surprises.
Anti-chafe cream, nipple guards (male runners), blister plasters
Apply anti-chafe cream before you leave the hotel. Bring the tube. Nipple guards (or medical tape) for male runners — chafing nipples is one of the most common and preventable marathon injuries.
Pre-race breakfast identical to training long-run breakfast
Eat what your body knows. Toast, banana, peanut butter, coffee — whatever you've eaten before long runs. Eat 2.5–3 hours before your start time.
Post-race: warm layers and flip-flops
You will be cold within 10 minutes of finishing, even in warm weather. A warm jacket and a blanket for the finish area. Flip-flops remove the pressure from your feet immediately.
You can skip
Everything bought at the expo the day before the race. Expo purchases almost always end up as pre-race anxiety purchases that break the "nothing new on race day" rule.