#tcsnycmarathon

From the Verrazzano to the Queensboro (Ed Koch) Bridge, good luck to the herd of TCS NYC Marathon runners on Sunday! It’s a marathon, not a sprint. 

“When you’re young, you just run...” ✨ 🏃🏼‍♀️

Hey everyone! I’m new here and haven’t done an introduction post, so I thought I’d introduce myself and my marathon at once 💕 My name is Ray, I live in Brooklyn, NYC, and I’ve been a Swiftie alongside my mom since 2006. I’m a Debut and Rep stan, and I own the song So It Goes 🖤 I love to read and write, I’m queer (they/them pronouns pls!) and I’m a 5th grade special education English teacher.

That’s where the marathon comes in!

Earlier this year for my 23rd birthday, I committed to something I’ve been talking about doing since I was a teenager: running a marathon. And not just any marathon, the TCS New York City marathon, which is the largest race in the world! I’ve loved running for as long as I can remember, and my running playlist is FULL of Taylor songs, which always push me to keep going just a little more. Taylor has been a crucial part of my training process so far, so it seemed appropriate to turn to Swifties for the remaining help I need.

Part of my commitment by signing up for this race is to raise $3,000 for Success Academy Charter Schools (the network where I teach). The money will go directly to programs that serve NYC youth who have been failed by a crumbling and systemically racist public school system. The link below will take you to a CrowdRise page where you can donate. I’m immeasurably grateful for help of any amount, even if that’s just reblogging this link to help me spread the word. I’m also happy to answer any questions about the race or Success Academy.

And, of course, don’t forget to stream Lover 8.23 ✨💕🦋🏹🌈

Shoutout to my buddies at #zpurs for a GREAT new product on kickstarter! No more messy footwear. 

A little annoyed because I thought I had 45 even for the week. But 2019 is off to a good start, at least mileage wise. Shaving off some pounds and legs are feeling good...finally (it feels like all the PT and rest took a year to finally pay off). Even the pacing is progressing, may start building in speed work this coming week to start getting these regular runs back in the 740 range.

And of course, I’ll be back in Staten Island this November for the sixth go around.

The world’s largest race is upon us! 50,000+ runners will be running 26.2 glorious miles on Sunday through the amazing streets of New York City. But before they undertake this arduous task, they’ve gotta make it to the starting village in Staten Island. This is will be your home base for at least a couple hours before you start your race. 

I’ve ran the New York City Marathon 5 times and have experienced everything from beautiful and somewhat warm weather to cold, rainy and ridiculously windy conditions (hello 2014). It is essential that you pack a race bag that can help you make it through before, during and after the race.

So here’s a list based on my experience of What to Pack in Your Race Bag for the NYC Marathon:

Pre-race meal & snacks - As I mentioned earlier, you’ll be in the starting village for at least a couple hours before your wave starts even if you are in wave 1. It’s important that you ensure that you fuel your body properly in advance. There are a couple of vendors like Dunkin Donuts that provide things like coffee, hot chocolate, tea, energy bars and some savory breakfast foods like bagels, muffins etc but I wouldn’t rely on it. It’s done on a first come first serve basis and if it’s not something you’re used to eating/drinking, I wouldn’t risk having digestive issues on race morning.

Warm Clothes - The average temperature for the NYC Marathon is 54 degrees F (based on 10 years) which may be perfect for racing but when you’re standing or sitting still, not so much. You’ll need to wear clothes to keep you warm before and after the race. 

Throw-away Clothing or Material - This is temporary clothing or material used to keep you warm before the race but you plan to toss it before the race or maybe a couple miles into the race after your body has warmed up. Many people swear by old sweatpants, hooded sweatshirts and bathrobes as their throw-away clothing. And those are all great options that you can get for free or dirt cheap at a thrift store like the Salvation Army. However they are pretty damn bulky and often time, require a lot of layers which can be a pain to undress. This is why I swear by a Tyvek Suit. I’ve said and posted as much about it on my Instagram. As I mentioned before, I’ve done this race 5x and 2014 was by far the coldest and most windy race I’ve ever experienced. I wore my Tyvek suit with my race clothes under it and I still stayed warm. I ditched the suit when I was on the bridge right before the start. I did wear a warm hat courtesy of Dunkin Donut and cheap gloves with hand warmers for a few miles and then tossed them when my body felt warm enough. The suit cost me $10.00 because I got it online but you can find it in a hardware store or at the TCS NYC Marathon Race Expo for about $20.00. They usually offer the full suit or separate pieces like the top and pants so you choose what’s best for you.

Hand and Toe Warmers - Your hands and feet tend to be the coldest because they are furthest from your heart and blood doesn’t circulate easily. So it’s important to keep them warm by any means necessary. My go to product are HotHands hand and and toe warmers. I buy a big box of them from Amazon so they last me through the winter. But you can grab also them from a pharmacy like Rite Aid, CVS, Walgreens, Duane Reade or the TCS NYC Marathon Race Expo.

Anti-Chafe Lubricant - My go to is Ruby’s Lube but Vaseline, Aquaphor, Body glide etc are also great options. Choose the ones that worked best during your training.

Energy Gels - Be sure to carry enough energy gels or whatever fuel source you’ve been training with. The race organizer does provide energy gels at mile 18 (I think) but it may not be something that you’re used to.

K-tape - Kinesiology tape can work magic on your body. Use it if your injured, need pain relief or want to help reduce inflammation.

Bandaids - This can help treat or prevent blisters before and after the race. It’s also helpful for guys to reduce friction on their nipples. 

Arm Band - I run with my phone and like to run handsfree so I run with an armband. I have one with pockets that can accommodate some of my energy gels, money, credit card, metrocard and ID.

Headphones or Earbuds - If you run with music or podcast, you’ve gotta remember to charge(If they’re wireless) and pack them. I like to carry an extra pair of wired headphones just in case.

Money, ID & Metrocard - A lot can go wrong during a race. Ensure that you have your ID, money, credit card and a metrocard in case of an emergency. If you have a Road ID bracelet, take it with you as well.

Garbage Bags - Carry a couple of large garbage bags with you. You can use to sit on in the starting village and another to help protect yourself or your things from the elements. Many runners use garbage bags as a wind and rain shield.

Ziploc Bags - I like to use small ziploc bags to help organize small items in my bag like toiletries, ID, cash, cards, ear buds etc. You can also use large ziploc bags in the event that you lost your gear check bag. Once you get to Staten Island, you will be provided with a proper gear check bag.

Sharpie or Permanent Marker - Very useful if you need to label your gear check bag or want to write your name on your racing gear.

Tissue - This is a must in case the porta potties run out, which happens a lot.

Body Wipes - Great to clean yourself up after the race. The salt stains are real! I like to use Shower Pill because they are large, thick, absorbent and come in an individually wrapped packet. But if I don’t have those on hand, I’ll pack some of my daughter’s Huggies wipes in a ziploc bag.

Foam Rolling Stick - You can use this to roll out fascia before the race. Also great to use after the race if muscles are tight.

Pain Killers and/Medication - If you’re on medication or have asthma and need an inhaler, be sure to take it. Medical professionals don’t recommend taking painkillers before a race so keep them handy for after the finish line.

Post-Race Snacks and Beverages - Although the race does a great job of providing a snack, energy bar, water and electrolyte drink in your post-race goodie bag, I would still advise you to pack your own. The options provided may not be something you’re used to or like. I like to pack a small bottle of coconut water, chocolate milk & larabar. I’ve also seen friends recommend packing easy to digest foods like baby food and soup. 

Portable Phone Chargers - As a blogger that likes to document races with photos and videos, it is super important that I pack portable chargers to help keep my phone going. However even if you don’t use your phone a lot, I still recommend doing this because you will be without an electrical outlet for several hours. My go to portable chargers are the anker phone case charger ( I also have a mophie but I find it to be too big and bulky) and an anker stick. 

Small packet of salt - We sweat out a lot of salt running for hours during a race and sometimes the gatorade provided on the course isn’t enough to replace it. Carrying a tiny packet of salt like ones provided in takeout utensil packets can be helpful during the race. 

Post-race clothing - It’s best to stick to loose clothing like a sweatshirt and sweat pants because it’s comfortable and easy to throw on. Also carry a coat and/or rain poncho depending on the weather.

Compression Sleeves or Socks - compression gear is great for helping with blood circulation and recovery. Although I try to wear compression tights during the marathon, I always pack a pair of compression calf sleeves for after the race. I don’t do socks post race because I need my feet to breathe but everyone is different.

Long Loose Skirt or Towel - This is great if you need to change in the park or on the street after the race. I’ve had to change in the park every single time after the race and a long skirt offers good privacy.

Deodorant and other toiletries - Many runners don’t have access to a shower for a while after the race so in addition to body wipes, I like to pack deodorant, face wash, moisturizer & mouth wash, to freshen up before heading to my celebration dinner. 

Plastic Bag for Wet Clothes - separate your wet race clothes from your other belongings by putting them in a separate bag.

Extra Socks - Running for a marathon usually leaves your socks and shoes either super sweaty or super wet. Putting on a pair of fresh socks even if you’re wearing the same racing shoes, can feel great. 

Comfy shoes or Slippers - when you’re feet have been constricted in racing shoes for 26.2 miles, slipping into comfy shoes, slippers or slides can feel like heaven! My go to choices are either crocs or foam flip flops depending on the weather.

So there you have it. My complete list of What to Pack in Your Race Bag for the NYC Marathon. Even if you’ve selected the NO Bag Check option, you can and should still pack a bag with items that you can use in the starting village. You just have to toss it before you enter your corral.

If you’re reading this post late and realize that you need to get some of these items, try visiting a 24hr store or pharmacy like CVS, Riteaid, Walgreens, Duane Reade, Target and Walmart.

Good luck on your race!

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