Presented By

The Marathon Goddess, Julie Weiss, gives us her shopping tips for training and racing at any distance 5k to full marathon!  

The Essentials 

"Your running shoes need to work for YOU the individual! Don't just buy what a friend is wearing, make sure you try them on in-person and find a fit that works for your running style. Also make sure you buy at least a half a size bigger than your regular size. I wear an 8 1/2 normally but I run in a size 10. For women, finding a quality anti-chafing sports bra is a must."

• Running Shoes   
• Running Socks 
• Running Hat/Cap
• Mask 
• Sport Sunscreen 
• For Women – Sports Bra 

> Shop Running Shoes

Most all major sports footwear brands available at Big 5 Sporting Goods.

Apparel 

"I go for tops, bottoms and socks with moisture wicking polyester and always pick bottoms with a key pocket. I pick running hats with moisture wicking fabric too because they're useful for conditions that transition from cold to hot. Always check the weather to see if you need layers!" 

Cool Weather Clothing  

• Tights or Joggers 
• Long Sleeve Top 
• Lightweight Wind Breaker 

Warm Weather Clothing 

• Running Shorts 
• Performance Tank/Tee 
• Sunglasses 

> Shop Women’s Running Apparel  
> Shop Men’s Running Apparel 

Hydration & Nutrition 

"Carrying a hydration pack with a water pouch, a hydration belt with 7-ounce bottles, or even a single bottle with a hand strap is always good idea because it keeps you self-sufficient. For training runs longer than an hour you’ll also need to use some electrolyte and energy products––I always suggest training with what is on course at the race so your G.I. system can get use to those products."

• Hydration pack / belt / bottle 
• Performance gels / chews / bars 
  (CLIF Shots & Bars are served on racecourse) 
• Hydration tablets / powder 
  (Nuun Endurance Lemon-Lime served on racecourse) 

> Shop Hydration Packs  
 
 

Accessories & Recovery Tools  

"Training is hard on your body so find a piece of equipment like a foam roller, massage stick, small sport ball (tennis, lacrosse, golf, pool balls all work) or percussion massager to help you kneed out muscles, straighten collagen fibers, and remove knots after training."

• Anti-chafing stick 
• Phone armband 
• Foam roller  
• Stick massager or percussion massager 
• KT Tape 

"Take the first step, learn as you go and enjoy the journey, that’s what it’s all about! My biggest tip of all is test everything out, long before race day!"

- Julie “Marathon Goddess” Weiss