Half Marathon Gear Checklist: What to Wear and Carry for Training and Race Day

For a half marathon you need six things: shoes you've already done your long runs in, moisture-wicking socks and clothes (not cotton), anti-chafe balm, a way to carry water and gels on runs longer than about an hour, a watch or phone to time your runs, and your race bib with a belt or pins to wear it. Everything else is optional. The rest of this page explains why each item earns its place and which products we'd pick for it.

The kit follows the training. In Hal Higdon's Novice 1 half marathon plan, the Sunday long run grows from 4 miles in week 1 to 10 miles in week 11, and total running sits around 10-23 miles a week (our arithmetic from the published schedule). Short midweek runs need almost nothing. The 8-, 9- and 10-mile long runs in weeks 8 to 11 are where water, fuel and chafing start to matter, so that's where this checklist is aimed. Shoes come first, and we cover them separately in our best half marathon shoes, our pick list for this level.

The half marathon gear checklist

When each item comes into the plan

You don't need to buy everything in week 1. Here's how the kit lines up with the Novice 1 schedule, so you can spread the purchases out and test each item before it matters:

Schedule details are from Hal Higdon's published Novice 1 plan, which also says the tune-up races can move if nothing suitable is on your calendar that week. The gear column is our recommendation.

What to wear for a half marathon

The American Academy of Dermatology's blister advice is a good rule for the whole outfit: wear moisture-wicking, loose-fitting clothes, avoid cotton because it soaks up sweat and moisture, and make sure your shoes fit properly, neither too tight nor too loose. For socks, the AAD recommends nylon or moisture-wicking pairs, and a second layer if one pair doesn't stop the problem.

For temperature, Nike's running guide uses a common rule of thumb: dress as if it's 10 to 20°F warmer than the temperature outside. You'll feel a little cold standing at the start; that's why an old top you can shed in the first mile is handy.

The most important rule is to wear your race outfit, including the socks, on at least one long run before race day. A seam that's fine for 3 miles can rub raw by mile 10. Novice 1 builds to 8 miles in week 8 and 10 miles in week 11, which gives you two good rehearsals. If blisters are already a problem, see how to prevent blisters when running.

Carrying water on the 10-mile long run

There's no single right amount to drink. The American College of Sports Medicine's fluid replacement position stand says the goal of drinking during exercise is to prevent excessive dehydration (more than a 2% body weight loss from water deficit) and big swings in electrolytes, and that sweat rates vary so much between people that customized plans are recommended. It suggests a simple way to estimate your own sweat rate: weigh yourself before and after exercise. Do that on a couple of long runs and you'll know whether you need to carry water at all.

If you do, there are four ways to carry it:

• A hydration belt with a bottle keeps your hands free. The Nathan Peak Hydration Waist Pack comes with an 18 oz flask in an angled, insulated holder, plus a zip pocket for most large phones.
• A belt with flask pockets such as the Salomon Pulse Belt holds two 500 ml soft flasks (sold separately) in a 2 oz belt.
• A handheld bottle is the simplest. The Nathan SpeedDraw 2 holds 18 oz and has a phone pocket.
• A hydration vest carries the most. Salomon rates its ADV Skin 5 for up to marathon distance, which is more than most half training needs; it's worth it if you run long in the heat or on routes without water.

On race day, many half marathons have aid stations, and Hal Higdon's Novice 2 plan suggests walking through them so you can drink more easily and avoid colliding with other runners. Check your race's course map before deciding to carry anything. For a deeper comparison, see hydration vest vs belt and how to carry water while running.

Timing your runs: do you need a watch?

Not strictly. Hal Higdon's own advice is not to worry about running precisely the scheduled distances, but to come close, and he notes that GPS watches make measuring courses easy. A phone app does the job too. A watch earns its place at this level because the long runs get long enough that pulling out a phone to check distance is a nuisance, and because Novice 1 asks you to run at a conversational pace; Higdon gives 65 to 75 percent of your maximum heart rate as the target zone for runners who wear heart rate monitors.

Our pick for this tier is the Garmin Forerunner 265, which Garmin lists with training readiness, multi-band GPS and up to 20 hours of GPS-only battery. If you want something simpler, our beginner running watch picks cover lighter, easier options.

Gels, socks and anti-chafe

Gels

GU's own guidance for efforts of one to two hours is one energy gel every 20-30 minutes, always with a few sips of water, and one about five minutes before you start. A Geisinger sports medicine article on half marathon nutrition agrees that small, simple carbohydrates like gels can help you finish strong, and warns that race day is not the time to experiment with unfamiliar food. Put those together and the plan is simple: practice with the exact gel you'll race with on your 8-, 9- and 10-mile long runs.

Socks

Look for synthetic or merino blends with a seamless toe and a heel tab. Our default for half training is the Feetures Elite Light Cushion No Show Tab, which lists a seamless toe, a double-thick heel tab and a left/right-specific shape. More options are in best running socks.

Anti-chafe balm

The AAD's advice covers this too: petroleum jelly or powder on problem areas helps reduce friction. A stick like Body Glide Original goes on dry and comes in a 0.35 oz pocket size you can carry on race day. Apply it wherever straps, seams and skin meet: thighs, underarms, feet and the waistband line.

The night-before race bag

Lay everything out the night before so race morning is just getting dressed. This is the list we'd use:

• Race bib, plus a race number belt or four safety pins
• The shoes and socks you did your long runs in
• Your tested race outfit, chosen for the forecast
• Anti-chafe balm, applied before you leave
• Gels: the same brand and flavor you trained with
• Watch, charged; phone, charged, if you're carrying one
• An old layer for the start corral and a dry top for after
• Water belt or handheld, only if you've decided to carry your own
• A breakfast you've eaten before a long run; Geisinger suggests eating 2 to 3 hours before the start

For race-morning timing, pacing and what to do in the last week, see our first half marathon tips.

What you can skip

• A hydration vest, unless your long runs are hot, long or far from water. If your longest run is under an hour or your race has aid stations every couple of miles, a belt or handheld carries enough.
• A carbon race shoe. It's optional at this level. If you want one, compare our half marathon race shoes first.
• A top-tier watch. Maps, huge batteries and advanced load metrics are marathon-tier features.
• Anything bought in race week. See the rule above.