When I first started on the running journey, I didn’t realize how few workout pieces I owned. At the time I had enough to get me through about 6 workouts without laundry, and I never felt like I lacked/needed more. Well, when you start running 3-4x a week outdoors in the heat and the cold, plus a weekly strength training session and you’re not trying to do laundry every week (I live in an apartment building with pay machines so I aim for bi-weekly), you start going through things pretty quickly. 

I also did not know you needed a shoe rotation (more on that later)….I had one pair of brand new Hoka shoes that I was going to run into the ground. I ended up investing in quite a few pieces, my favorites listed below. 

Clothing

Jacket: Adidas Fast Iteration Running Jacket

• Love love love this jacket! It’s unfortunately no longer available on adidas.com but I’m seeing options with a few resellers. Jacket description below. The material is good quality, and I like the finger loops to keep the sun off your hands (not trying to get sun spots!). I wore it on a 14 mile long run in the pouring rain and it dried super quick and it’s lightweight enough to tuck into a sports bra to become a long sleeve crop top. I wore this jacket to run the half-marathon and the full. The reflective details are nice for night runs, which you’re going to have to do….no getting around it especially if you have a regular 9-5 job

• Jacket description from Adidas
  • Head out for a long run prepared for what may come. This adidas running jacket features WIND.RDY to protect you when the gusts kick up. It repels light rain too, so you stay dry even if you’re far from home when the showers start. Thumbhole cuffs add extra coverage, and a watch window lets you check your stats on the go.
    • Slim fit
    • Full zip with adjustable hood
    • 100% recycled polyester double weave
    • WIND.RDY
    • Packable
    • Zip chest pocket with inner key clip
    • Watch window and thumbholes on cuffs
    • Reflective details
    • Yarn contains 50% Parley Ocean Plastic
    • This garment contains a minimum of 70% recycled material
    • Imported

Leggings: Lululemon Fast and Free High-Rise Tight 25” Pockets

• It makes me sad how expensive these are, but they are actually so worth it. The material is super silky against the skin, keeps everything tucked and tight and there are pockets on both sides, perfect for keys, phone and earbuds

Shorts: Nike Universa Women’s Medium-Support Biker Shorts

• Especially for long runs, but also overall, I like tight shorts with pockets. I like knowing my phone is easily accessible and I luckily don’t have a lot of chafing. I bought these Nike Medium Support shorts in 3 colors and opted to size down since the material was stretchy. I’m around a size 25 waist, my weight was higher during training, and the XS fit well. I tested out the Nike High Support shorts in a Small on a 15 mile run and was struggling with not only the distance, but the shorts were way too tight. I’ve got small curves both front and back, lol, so keep that in mind. Luckily I was able to return even after wearing it, Nike has a 60-day trial return policy. I learned you can go lighter on the support but just size down to get a similar effect. I wore these shorts for both the half-marathon and the full. 

• Sports Bra/Top: Fabletics Bungee High Impact Sports Bra
  • There are a lot of good running sports bras out there. I have a few from Lululemon, Adidas and Fabletics. This is my favorite one because I feel like I can get away with not wearing a shirt, and the high neck design also keeps the girls from bouncing around 🙂. This specific style is winding down, I would recommend finding something similar if possible

• Socks
  • I just bought whatever was cheap and my staple was a 3 pack of Under Armour ankle running socks. I do recommend buying running socks, they wick away sweat, material is lightweight and I don’t remember any strong odors after hard training. 
  • I wore Knee High Running Compression socks on my long runs (10+ miles) and feel like they really helped. Overall throughout training I felt good, no major injuries or issues, though when I first started intensely training my calves would cramp up, charley horse style. I became more intentional about hydrating and stretching thereafter and the cramping stopped 
    • My compression socks are from Comrad, but there are a lot of other brands/options out there
    • https://www.comradsocks.com/collections/performance/products/athletic-knee-high-compression-sock 
    • Bonus tip: A friend mentioned she wore knee high compression socks during pregnancy to help with the swelling and her feet did not grow in size. Ladies, we are not trying to let our cute shoe collection we’ve worked hard for go to waste!

• Underwear
  • This I learned the HARD WAY, you have to buy specific workout underwear. I was using my everyday very thin seamless underwear in the beginning and they WOULD NOT STAY PUT! Even with the tightest shorts, I found myself adjusting all the time. My favorite underwear brand is Calvin Klein, marketing aside, they are well made and last awhile. They had a modern performance line that was designed specifically for workouts which may be discontinued, it looks like the closest option is their Flex line

• Hydration Vest / Hydration Water Bottle
  • I have a REI Swiftland Hydration vest, which I used for long runs and the half and full marathon. I thought it did its job well. I filled the Camelback with electrolyte water, and the main staples in the pack were snacks/gels, kleenex, keys, AirPods and sunscreen. I recommend buying a Camelback type of vest vs. a vest that holds water bottles in the front. It’s just easier to have the drink nozzle handy and you don’t have to pull anything out
  • Nathan Handheld Water Bottle. I used this for shorter runs in hot weather. I like that this version is collapsible and light-weight, so in theory I could tuck it into a pocket when done
    • If you’re running a full marathon and don’t want to stop at every hydration station I would recommend getting a vest, while the handheld water bottle is a nice to have. It tends to stay hot in Los Angeles through October and I remember a few very sunny December runs. You could also just carry a small water bottle and toss at the end 

SHOES

The first pair of shoes I started off with were the Hoka Bondi, the style with max cushion. If I’m doing a lot of running I need a lot of support right? I used them for treadmill training and when I first started road running. What I didn’t know until I tried out other brands and styles is how heavy and clunky they are. From running photos, it’s obvious my ankles roll in and I pronate, so I need a stability shoe. The two main shoes I ended up using for this marathon adventure were the On Cloudrunner and the Brooks Glycerin GTS. And just for fun I tried out the new Altra running shoe that had a drop, AltraFWD Experience. The breakdown of use went like this:

On Cloudrunner – used on shorter road running training routes (3-10 miles)

Brooks Glycerin GTS – I knew I wanted to wear these for the half and full marathon so I used them only on long runs (10+ miles). There should be nothing new on race day, no surprises, all gear should be tested out already 

AltraFWD Experience – used on track days. By February I was running track 2x a week. Since there are less obstacles to worry about on the track I didn’t feel like I had to have a stability shoe

The reason you need a rotation is so the shoes don’t wear out and to maintain good cushioning for race day. Seems obvious but I didn’t realize that when I first started! You should be training in the shoe you plan to use on race day so your body is used to it and to see if you need to make adjustments due to comfort/blisters etc. No breaking in new shoes on a 26 mile run! I did get a blister after the longest training run of 20 miles, so for the marathon I double-socked in order to prevent chafing and it worked! 

A few other shoes that I’ve tested on the road that I really like are the On Cloudmonster and the On Cloudstratus. I found the Cloudsurfer to be too bouncy, especially when you’re on a track which has a little bit of give already and the Cloudflyer, which is also for stability, I felt had a weird bottom sole that created a rocking sensation where your toes were lifted too far off the ground.

Buying gear, knowing what you need, and not trying to break the bank can be very overwhelming. Many times, I stood in front of the shoe section at REI, eyes glazed over. My suggestion is to read a few reviews and get a list of 4-5 shoes that sound like they work for you and try them out in person. REI has a great return policy so you can test out shoes too. I did buy the Cloudsurfers on sale at REI and ended up returning. I discovered I like feeling supported both on the bottom and top, some of the shoes felt too soft on the top (I could wiggle my toes a lot in the material), so I went for more rigid shoes.

Main takeaways:

1. My personal favorite brands for shoes are On and Brooks. My main concern was finding a shoe that would hold up the full 26 miles and I asked other people what shoes they ran their races in and many said On. I saw a lot of people sporting Hoka and Saucony and a friend really likes the Adidas Boston
2. Invest in a few good running pieces, especially to wear on race day and test them out in training. Pieces should fit well and move with your body. I had very little chafing, thank God, so there were no distractions during the actual race. Find out what you like and wear long compression socks for long runs! 
3. A hydration vest helps you with time on actual race day. The water stations would get crowded and if you can avoid them as much as possible I would recommend that

All of this to say that if you don’t care for time and you’re running a marathon for fun (I don’t know why you would do that though as it’s not my idea of fun), you don’t really need any of these things aside from a good pair of shoes and socks. I saw many people walking and I walked more of the course than I would like to admit. What I do love about the marathon length is it’s an equalizer. The length is humbling and slow and steady wins the race, you just want to keep moving forward. One memory that will always stay with me from LAM is of an older Hispanic man I saw at the beginning of the race, near Chinatown. He was dressed in basketball shorts and a cotton t-shirt, holding 3 small Gatorade bottles still attached by the plastic rings, slowly shuffling along. My friends and I passed him as we ran/walked the main middle section of the course. By around mile 19, I saw the same man pass me, 2 Gatorade bottles still attached! I think I did end up getting ahead of him in the last stretch, but the point is his slow shuffle got him exactly where I was. How apropos for life, slow and steady, put one foot in front of the other-life is a marathon, not a sprint.