Race Day Must-Haves

[ADPiSpaz16]

I've never done more than a 5K race but I'm about to start. I was just curious as to what runners feel are their "must-haves" on race day besides the obvious shoes! I'm also curious as to what people wear, especially for the races from May thru September when it's warmer. Thanks!

 

[Tiger Lily 03]

I'm going to give you a list that has a lot of packing ideas. There is also included within the lists some ideas of what some will take with on an event.

You can decide what works best for you, whatever you decide I've been told to train with what you will carry on the day of your event. Many will go with less is best. I prefer the more the happier I am route and travel with a waist pack.

I always take my ID, phone, camera, water bottle on the belt, GU. I'll pre-plan other things depending on event. Inclement weather needs poncho for rain and garbage bag to sit on while waiting for event start.

Good idea to plan it as best you can.

 

[Bookwood]

it depends on the race and the length. I always wear a tights and shorts (weight of tights depends on weather), and a shirt with sleeves- again long short and any "outer wear" depends on weather. I carry gels (if the race is longer than 5 miles), a hanky (2 if the race is longer than about 8 miles, or hte weather is very warm), then I usually carry a phone and someway to access either my vehicle or my room/house depending again on where I am and if I have a"cheerleader" at the event.

 

[stampingoddess]

For a 5k race I really don't "pack" much of anything- don't need it. I do bring my tube of Body Glide to prevent chafing under my jog top and on my thighs, a towel to dry off after the race, a dry shirt to put on after the race, and a hat and brush to hide my nasty wet hair in case we go out for a quick bite to eat afterwards.

Most 5ks have at least 1 water stop so I don't bring any additional water and the legnth just isn't enough to warrent Glu or anything else to eat during the race.

As for what I wear, in the summer it's a pair of bike legnth shorts or a running skirt, and a long/full legnth jog top (along with socks and running shoes, of course.)

 

[Duanerice]

First, congrats on upping the distance. It all depends on the race. If it is a good race that has plenty of aid stations them I don't take anything but GU. If not, I might take a water bottle with me at the start and carry it for a while.

Of course I need shorts, shirt, hat, visor, etc. I always take my number belt as I can use it for my number and it has a stretchy pouch for my GU. I also take a wash cloth as a towel. If the weather is cold that brings a whole different set of circumstances but I will assume the weather is OK.

Edited to say: Oops forgot Body Glide - that is a must for me!

enjoy your new distance!
Duane

 

[SAHDad]

My general "race kit" has the following for most of the year:

Shorts
Shirt
Socks
Shoes
Hat
Garmin
Glide
Water bottle (for before the race - I generally don't carry water onto the course)
Spare safety pins
Change of clothes for afterwards, just in case
For a half marathon or beyond, I will stock Gu, sport beans, or something similar, and actually eat beforehand

If I am travelling somewhere out of town for the race, I will have several shirts, shorts, etc, just in case the weather changes (ie, light colored shirt on sunny days, dark colored on cloudy days). It has to be pretty cold for me to wear a long sleeve tech shirt, and I virtually never race in anything more than shorts for my legs.

 

[ADPiSpaz16]

Can anyone tell me what this GU stuff is?
Also, can anyone recommend a decent (and preferably inexpensive - DH is having a small conniption over the cost of these registration fees and stuff he has to pay for to feed my new addiction!) running belt or pack?
And where is the best place to get running gear (clothing, etc.)? Is there a catalog or certain store that works best? I want to start stocking up!

 

[crewmatt]

GU is a sugary gel used to replace sugar/carbs in longer distance events. In general if you're going for less than an hour you wont really need it during the event, however different people have different preferences. If you've never GU-ed or used any of the other similar gel type supplements I would try them before race day if you plan on using it. They can be rather sweet, kind of sticky, and have a tendancy to get everywhere. There are also other supplements like sport beans, clif shot bloks, etc. The supplements really make a different when I'm going for more than an hour and a half.

In terms of a small belt, the best one I've found is Spi-Belt you can usually find them at expos/etc for like 20 bucks.

Running gear is always fun to collect. You can usually find great deals at expo's of big races. http://runningwarehouse.com and http://roadrunnersports.com are 2 places I go. Running warehouse has a discount code for this board I believe.

 

[tolemommy]

Can anyone tell me what this GU stuff is?
Also, can anyone recommend a decent (and preferably inexpensive - DH is having a small conniption over the cost of these registration fees and stuff he has to pay for to feed my new addiction!) running belt or pack?
And where is the best place to get running gear (clothing, etc.)? Is there a catalog or certain store that works best? I want to start stocking up!

Best place to purchase running gear is clearance racks at various stores at the end of each season, on sale at Kohls(varies), & I've scored several really good deals on moisture wicking shirts at TJ Maxx & Ross. If you aren't opposed to second hand or used, I've scored nice running gear at local second hand stores such as Goodwill & Value Village & purchased several gently used items on eBay .

I've only been running a year, I love it! Mymost recent dealeo a pink, moisture wicking New Balance running hat at TJ Maxx = $5.99, heck yeah! I'm on a tight budget due to two sons in college. The more I save on gear the more $$$ I have for race fees. It's been a fun challege for me to find super deals on running gear.

Good luck!

 

[Duanerice]

Don't rule out Target for some decent running gear. Good prices and some pretty good stuff.

Duane

 

[jmasgat]

The runningwarehouse discount code is WISHD--good for 15% off. Have used them with good experience. And they have a good selection of running belts--hydration and just race belts. I would suggest trying one on before you buy, though--for fit, preference.

Maura

 

[OK!]

In addition to everything else mentioned, I also like to bring along some napkins or tissues, just in case I have to use a Porta-Potty that might be out of TP.

And after today's miserable experience in the St. Louis half, I will now be carrying mini cans or bottles of a beverage with caffeine. I had a major allergy- and exercise-induced asthma attack that lasted from about mile 5.5 on and my rescue inhaler did NOTHING. It was so bad that I actually considered quitting mid-race, which is normally inconceivable for me. I never caught my breath even after sitting still for 10 minutes after the race. I had to stop to rest twice on the 6-block walk back to my car. However, once I got back in the car and downed half of the Diet Pepsi I had sitting there, my breathing returned to normal in about 10 minutes. So soda officially has been added to the must-have list.

Oh, and if the weather looks like it might turn nasty and you're using an mp3 player, you might also stick a ziplock bag into your waist pack. My iPhone came through the WDW Half this past year completely unscathed despite the constant freezing rain/drizzle that was going on because I kept it in the baggie the entire time; the best part is that the touchscreen totally works through the plastic of the bag.