Last year, when I trained for my first marathon, I went a bit gear-crazy. I searched high and low for all the best products to help me get through training and across the finish line. And, I had a lot of fun doing it.
I tested out dozens of sneakers, agonized over my race day outfit, and indulged in all the high-tech recovery gadgets (I have a recovery tool for basically every part of my body, from head to toe). This year, my approach to gear is a lot simpler because I know what I like. More importantly, I know what works.
For example: I’m going on two training cycles now of exclusively using Gu Raspberry Lemonade gels as my fuel on long runs. Yeah, when something is good, I’m dedicated. So, while some of my training staple top spots haven’t budged—like my Bombas running socks, Garmin Forerunner 570, and Therabody JetBoots Pro Plus—that just means the things in this year’s Marathon Awards really impressed me.
I’m still loyal to many of the products in last year’s roundup of my faves, but these are the new additions that deserve a spot on the list. I have been pretty dead-set on my Nike Vomero Plus (which I wore throughout training and on race day last year) as my max cushioned shoe for everyday runs for a while—but these sneaks from Hoka finally gave them some competition for that spot. They’re less pillowy and more structured, so I feel more in control on a run, and my heel and ankle have more support.
During training this time around, I found that my feet started to crave a bit more of that stability from a shoe, so I switched over to the Cliftons to get me through my peak mileage. They hold their own on easy and long runs when it comes to comfort, and feel even better than the Nikes when I’m doing my speed intervals on the track. There comes a point in training when I simply cannot get myself to wear anything but sneakers.
My feet and body just need the support, even at work or running errands or going out with friends. The new Eliot Ryder from Tracksmith is a pillowy soft shoe that cushions every step. Made for running, it could totally double as your easy run go-to, but I’ve been living in it outside of logging miles as well.
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