Coopah Recommends: The Ultimate Marathon Training Gift Guide
‘He’s making a list, he’s checking it twice, he’s going to find out who’s naughty or nice…Coopah Claus is coming to town’
Yep, that’s right, Christmas is right around the corner. And the big question is… what is on your Christmas list this year?
As a runner, long gone are the days where I am disappointed to receive socks for Christmas (in fact if you are reading this Santa, please bring me some more socks!) But as you are now preparing for a marathon, you have probably realised you may need a few extra bits of kit to get you through the training, and ultimately race day.
And if you are not sure where to start with what you need, then you’re in luck. As I have put together my top picks for items you can add to your Christmas list this year - from stocking fillers to those bigger investment pieces to help you on your marathon journey (and beyond).
RUNNING SHOES
A question I get asked time and time again is what running shoes do I recommend for marathon training, and it can be a really hard one to answer as this can be different for everyone.
The right pair of shoes can depend on so many factors; your running style, the shape of your foot and generally just what you find comfortable. So in reality, there is not a one size fits all answer.
Instead, what I would recommend is heading to you local running shop and booking yourself in for a gait analysis.
And just incase you didn’t know, a gait analysis is where you have your running style and form assessed whilst running on a treadmill, and you then also have the opportunity to try on a number of different brands and style of shoes that are recommended personally for you based on that.
Also, if you are training for your first marathon, or are new to running, I would definitely recommend having a gait analysis before you start ramping up the mileage. Wearing the right trainers isn’t just about looking good, it can also help to prevent niggles and injuries too, so it really is important to make sure you are wearing what is best for you.
And then once you know what trainers you need, you can then add them to your Christmas list so they are ready to go come January (or even Christmas Day parkrun if that’s your thing).
Up and Running offer free in store gait analysis, click here to see if there is a store near you.
WINTER KIT ESSENTIALS
As you have probably realised, training for a Spring Marathon means that we will be doing the majority of our training during the winter, in the coldest and darkest months of the year. And if you haven’t realised this yet then...sorry to be the bearer of bad news.
With that, it does mean that we need to give some extra consideration to our running kit, compared to training at other times of the year. Not only to make sure that we are prepared for all weathers, but to also ensure we stay safe on our runs as well, especially if we are heading out in the dark.
Here are my top picks for products that I use regularly throughout the Winter months to ensure I stay safe, and seen;
RUNNING BACKPACK
Personally, I believe this should be one of the key pieces in your marathon training kit list, especially once you start tackling those long runs. It just makes your life easier, and when you already have a million other things to think about, that’s a winner in my eyes.
They are super useful as it allows you to carry all of your long run essentials without meaning you have to carry things in your hands or stuff your pockets full; items such as water, gels, mobile phone and even spare kit incase you need to change mid run or there is a change in the weather (which is extremely possible when heading out for a few hours in the British Winter) can all be carried with ease, meaning you can just focus on the running.
Check out Up and Running range of running packs here.
PERSONALISED MARATHON TRAINING PLAN
And of course, I have saved the best until last. Wouldn’t it be great if you could ask your friends and family to get you something that not only is going to help you prepare for your marathon and get you to achieve your goal, but also take all of the stress away of trying to work out exactly how to do this, and generally just make marathon training a more enjoyable and something experience?
Well, luckily for you, I have the answer. A Coopah subscription.
With our annual subscription, you will get access to unlimited personal run coaching for 12 months. So not only can you be rest assured you have your Spring marathon training plan covered, but Coopah will then also be on hand to help you prepare for your next goal (even if you haven’t quite decided what that is yet)
Purchase an annual subscription here.
I hope this list has given you some Christmas present inspiration.
Next week we will be back to our usual content and sharing tips and advice to help you throughout your marathon training.
And on that note, I would also love to know if there are any topics you would like us to cover - whether its general coaching tips, nutrition, strength and conditioning, whatever it may be pop them in the comments below and we will do our best to cover these over the coming months.
Coach Jordan 🧡