We’re less than one month away from the TCS New York City Marathon taking place on November 3. While most of you who are running the race have probably been training for months now, we wanted to ensure you catch any last-minute necessities you might need. We vetted each of the 12 items below IRL—whether you’re a beginner or an experienced runner, we’ve got you covered. From actual training gear such as running shoes and shorts to post-workout essentials for your nutrition and recovery, here are the most important items you should be training with for the marathon, this month and beyond. There are a couple big-ticket, exclusive Amazon Prime Day deals through today, so don’t miss those.
Price: $265
Available at: StockX
New Balance unveiled its New York City Marathon collection in September, featuring graphic prints depicting an aerial view of the world-famous race in a bright fuchsia backdrop. The hero shoe model of the collection is New Balance’s soft FuelCell foam. Its Energy Arc carbon plate offers a highly responsive and cushioned ride, and the rocker design is meant to propel the runner forward.
Price: $33
Available at: Soar Running
Soar might have created one of the most breathable running socks on the market. They’re lightweight and comfortable, making them barely noticeable during a run. The attention to detail and three-yarn construction, also known as three-ply yarn, is extremely durable and can handle high-intensity workouts. Honorable mention goes to the Swiftwick Running Socks for its affordability and quality.
Price: $195
Available at: Soar Running
One of the most important elements of running shorts is pockets. The Soar Marathon Shorts feature a front waistband with gel loops that can fit four or more gels, as well as a rear zipper pocket. For such a minimal pair of shorts, the amount of storage is top-tier. The comfortable laser-cut mesh also makes it worth the investment.
Price: $33.60
Available at: Amazon
A running belt is essential because you don’t want to have to hold your phone in your hands or have your phone flying around in your pocket. The FlipBelt fits most smartphone models and can pack as many as six to seven gels, keys, earphones, and more. Users can attest to no chafing issues with this belt, and it keeps its shape, construction, and quality after countless machine washes. Make sure you’re getting the right size for you so the belt hugs our body without bouncing around.
Price: $61
Available at: StockX
If you’re getting into running, you’re going to need a water bottle. ALD dropped a good ol’ Nalgene one—Why not train in style?
Price: $65
Available at: StockX
NOCTA made a running collection last year featuring camo and gradient prints and it was surprisingly underrated. This hat checks a lot of boxes across functionality and style for its shape and breathability (there are two openings for airflow). Honorable mention goes to Bandit for also creating a hat that looks just as good with the right amount of functionality: the Bandit Running OG Mesh Hat.
Price: $315
Available at: SSENSE
For a pair of sunglasses to properly block the sun while running, it first has to stay on your face through movement and sweat. The District Vision Junya Racer accomplishes this with its oleophobic coating that repels water and oil, and the D+ lens technology offers excellent UVA/B protection, making these ideal for outdoor sports like running and cycling.
Price: $229.99
Available at: Amazon
The Garmin Forerunner 245 is probably the best entry-level Garmin for those starting to take running seriously. The battery life and fast charging are its most important features, as well as the option to program workouts through the watch. If you train four to five days a week, it only requires a weekly charge. Most importantly, the information across pace, cadence, GPS, heart rate, and sleep are much more robust than the Apple Watch.
Price: $119.99 (on sale from $189 for Prime Day)
Available at: Amazon
The Nothing Ear (open) is the British gear company’s newest open-ear headphone model. Its inherent design and Sound Seal System technology ensures awareness of the wearer’s surroundings without compromising its sound quality and bass. The silicone material on the ear hook makes them feel weightless, secure, and effortless to run with.
An honorable mention for a set of earbuds with comparable quality sound and passthrough is the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds. You really can’t go wrong between these two options.
Price: $29.99
Available at: Amazon
The BPN Go Gels are the best-tasting gels on the market. There are flavors that run the gamut, from Mixed Berry and Mango to a newly-released caffeinated version (This writer has religiously taken the Apple Cinnamon flavor on long runs, and they genuinely taste like apple sauce). Each gel has 24 grams of fast-digesting, high-quality carbohydrates, and is only 100 calories.
Gels can get pricey, so the affordable pick and honorable mention goes to Honey Stinger. They taste great too.
Price: $11.99
Available at: Amazon
A foam roller is an essential part of the training process, especially as your running mileage increases and your legs adapt to more work. It’s tedious to use, but your body will thank you. The Amazon Basics one is a perfectly good foam roller that will get the job done.
Price: $999.99
Available at: Amazon
The most crucial indicator of your improvement as a runner is your increasing spend time on-feet. What’s going to help you accomplish this is recovery and making your legs feel as fresh as possible after a long run. The Normatec Elite is the best compression boot on the market and worth every penny. Some of Normatec’s sets are on sale for Prime Day today.
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