What’s in my suitcase for the NYC Marathon?

I just came back from California after running the Ragnar Relay Napa Valley (read about that here) and now I’m off again. This time I’m headed for the other coast, NYC  to be precise, to run my 10th marathon. If you had told me back in 2009 when I ran my first half marathon, that I’d have run 10 marathons before turning 30 (2 years to spare), I would have probably laughed. But here I am, getting ready to run the biggest marathon in the world on Sunday, November 1. 

You’d think that after nine marathons I’d have this packing thing down, but believe it or not, this is only my 3rd destination marathon (Marine Corps in DC and Chicago). I’ve got the hometown race thing down pat, but somehow when a flight is involved I panic, go through my entire closet then proceed to pack and repack my suitcase roughly five times. So, what’s in my suitcase?

 1. My favorite nutrition and hydration supplements. Picky bars make a great pre-race snack, but they’re also great for plane rides. Honey Stinger gel is my go-to for nutrition during the race. It’s organic and my stomach handles it better that some of the alternatives. Nuun, my favorite hydration and electrolite supplement ever, I’ll be downing this all week!  

2. The Stick. Rolling out is a really important element of my pre and post race routines. I love that it’s so portable and fits right in my carry on…so what if I get some weird looks at the airport?  

3. My Tiux compression socks. If you’ve ever met me, you know my calves are the size of Texas. Compression socks help increase the circulation in my legs, specifically my calves. I absolutely love these ones because the material is soft and smooth, I’ve tried sleeves that feel like wetsuits so these are a welcome change. Plus, the colors are awesome!

4. My fuel belt. I spend more money on my running clothes than regular clothes so the last thing I want to do is ruin them with safety pin holes. Wearing a fuel belt allows me to pin my bib there instead of my shirt. It’s also a handy spot for my race fuel!

5. Running shoes. I still haven’t decided which pair I want to wear yet, so I’ve packed two!

6. Throw away clothes. The race start is supposed to be freezing! Instead of packing clothes that I’ll just toss, I stopped by the TJ Maxx in NYC. Pj pants and a hoodie will do the trick!  

What do you pack for destination races?