Back in April I wrote What’s All That Stuff You’re Carrying? Since fall is racing season, and I’m spending the week talking about race preparation, I’m re-posting it today with a few minor changes and additions.
I’m sure you never leave your house without your phone, but I’ll remind you anyway to take it (and even a small camera)! You might need your phone for meeting up with friends before or after the race; and you’ll definitely want to take pictures of the day that you got that amazing PR!
Really the most important thing you need to pack (other than your shoes) is your bib. You might even consider pinning it to your shirt the night before. If the race has separate timing chips, be sure to attach yours to your running shoe. These days most races have the chip attached to the bib, but don’t assume that it does!
Two of my 2010 marathons used separate timing chips
Next, go through your bag that you received at packet pick-up and make sure that you get everything out of it that you’ll need. This includes directions to the race start, where to park, etc. Don’t forget to dig deep and get the safety pins that are hiding in the corners of the bag.
There’s nothing worse than running around on race morning asking everyone if they have extra safety pins. Trust me, I know! If you run a lot of races, you might want to purchase this race number belt. Not only does it have two cords for attaching your bib, but it has little loops to hook your gels in.
Pack Body Glide or Vaseline to apply to those spots where you’re prone to chaffing. I hate seeing adults cry, so do me a favor and apply this stuff liberally! Raw skin rubbing against raw skin at mile 16 (knowing that you have ten more miles to suffer) is no fun! I have this stuff in my bag and apply it just before I check my bag (more on checking your bag later).
Please use sunscreen, and pack it for later, too! I apply it when I first get up and then again before the race. Don’t forget if you’re layering and might be stripping down to a sleeveless top, to apply sunscreen to your arms, too!
You might want to pack water, Gatorade, Nuun, etc. in your bag for after the race. I’ve finished races that had way too little water and they’ve run out by the time I came strolling over the finish line. Not fun!
If you choose to carry your own water, be sure to have your water bottles clean and ready to fill on race morning.
By race morning you should have figured out which gels or blocks work best for you. I usually pack the number that I’ll need (in the pouch on the above pictured hydration belt) and then throw a few extra in my bag in case any of my friends forget theirs. I don’t, however; suggest that you try anything new on race morning!
It might be dark when you leave your house on race morning, so don’t forget to pack your sunglasses! If you’re like me, you would be miserable without them!
Also, a running hat or visor is a nice option to have on a very sunny or rainy day.
For cold weather races, be sure to pack layers of clothing that you can take off as you warm up. Most races will pick up discarded clothing and donate it to local shelters. If I don’t think I’ll need my gloves the entire race, I take a pair of Bill’s old socks to put on my hands. Once I’m warmed up, I roll them together and toss them. It’s a lot cheaper than tossing my nice running gloves.
I also suggest laying your clothes out the night before. Consider having a couple of options available depending on the morning’s weather.
I always pack some Hefty garbage bags in case it’s cold before the start of the race. It’s amazing how warm they keep you, and it’s such a classy look! Depending on how cold it is, I’ll either take it off just before the race starts, or I’ll wear it and once I warm up at after a half-mile or so, I’ll rip it off and toss it in the nearest garbage can. I always rip arm holes before the race starts though in case I trip and fall, and need to catch myself.
Julie modeling her Hefty cover-up
I always leave my Asics by the back door ready for me to step into them on my way to the race. I have a fear of accidentally wearing the wrong shoes to a race!
If you haven’t run in a longer race before, most of them have bag checks so you can safely leave your bag of stuff behind while you run. For security reasons, many races require that you use the clear plastic bags that they issue at packet pick-up. If the race is a point-to-point, race volunteers will bus your bags from the start to the finish line for you.
After the race, you’ll be glad you remembered to pack baby wipes, a towel, dry clothes, socks, shoes, and a jacket to change into. At the very least, you’ll want a towel and jacket.
Non-race related items you might need are your ID, extra cash, something to carry your car key safely in, and a metro card.
A little planning in advance will save you a lot of frustration on race morning when you already have everything you need packed and ready to go!
- Questions:
- What items have I forgotten?
- What’s the funniest thing you’ve seen a runner wearing before a race?
- Do you take a race bag with you to your longer races?
i always carry lip balm/chap stick as well. also hand sanitizer in case the porta potties are out.
Good catch! I NEVER run without SPF-15 chap stick. How could I have forgotten it?
Love this Debbie! Besides shoes and race bib, Body Glide and sunglasses are at the top of my list. It’s funny, I NEVER race with a phone or camera. Sunscreen is a really good reminder. I forget this too often!
Back in the day, I never raced with a camera, but now I always carry with one. If I’m racing, I just don’t take pictures along the way; although, I took a few along the course of the Hokie Half and still managed to win my age group. 😉
I love your list! I always lay out everything the night before. I learned the hard way to bring and extra bottle of water and a banana/bagel to have after the race. Happy fall racing!!
Thanks! There’s nothing like learning a lesson the hard way to keep you from making that mistake again. Leaving my shoes by the door is a perfect example of that!
Awesome! I am going to definitely link to this post when I post my race-day necessities post soon. 🙂
I love that you talk about lubing up when you wake up and again before the race (sunscreen).
Thanks, that would be great! And yes, sunscreen is my friend. 🙂
Don’t forget to fill out the emergency contact info on the back of your bib! If something happens to you, that will be the FASTEST way for officials to contact your family. And remember…if your spouse is running, including his # as the primary contact only helps if he’s carrying his phone! [I don’t always carry my phone on a run; we usually put his parents down as emergency contact, just in case.]
Of course, since you are running regularly, you should already carry/use some form of ID with contact info AND allergies (Road ID, etc.). Don’t forget it, especially if you’re changing up sneakers, and it’s a sneaker tag. If, by some chance, you DON’T, then (1) Change that pronto; and (2) Be sure to include allergies on the back of the race bib. Again, just in case!!!
Good points, and be sure to stay tuned for another Road ID giveaway coming up soon on DebRuns.com! 🙂
For me it’s always a choice between my phone and my camera to bring along with me on long runs and races. I have better luck taking pictures with my camera than with my phone, but there have been several race finish lines where I have had a really hard time meeting back up with Barry and/or my dad. The last thing you want to do when you’re tired from a race, and especially when you’re happy after completing a race, is get frustrated trying to find your loved ones. But more often than not I choose the camera and deal with it. I really need to work on planning ahead and picking a meeting spot.
Your Hefty bag tip is a great one! As I was reading it I was thinking about how it’s important to make arm holes if you plan to run the first few miles of the race in it. I have seen runners fall in them before when their arms were still inside. It’s not good.
I have to remember Vaseline! That’s the one thing I always forget.
We always have a meet-up point, especially if there’s a large group of us. Also, if the finish line is going to be so crowded that you get herded through it and can’t wait there to watch for the rest of your group it’s very important to have a meet-up place.
Thanks for the race preparation series! I am prepping for cherry blossom 10 and nike women’s half and these tips are great.
Kimberly Westrich recently posted…Final Group Training Run for Cherry Blossom
I’m so glad you found them helpful!
[…] nothing like making a list to help you remember every little detail. I have previously shared my race items check list which you might find useful, but be sure to add your own items as you think of […]