My Marathon Bag

Around mile 2 of my marathon this weekend, I mentioned that it'd be nice to see my fans because they had my bag with my sunglasses in it. One of the runners I was with was shocked that I had come prepared with a whole bag full of stuff for the day. "Wait, what? You have a bag!?

Of course I had a bag!

I could be classified as a chronic over packer. When I go away for one night I bring at least 2 shirts to choose from for the next day... and a pair of shoes to match each shirt... and accessories for each outfit. If I'm going away for a weekend, I have at least 4 different outfits, because, who knows what I'll actually feel like wearing? Maybe it's a bit due to the fact that I live in the Midwest where the weather is completely unpredictable? I'm also know for always having tweezers, Q-Tips, cotton balls, floss, mouth wash, band aids, etc. I the one to go to on a trip if you need something, or anything at all. So, yes, I had to have a bag for my big race.

Here's what I packed:

• Bib Number: Obviously necessary! I also brought a Sharpie marker to fill out the emergency contact info.
• Flip Flops: Running that long on asphalt makes my feet really hot and I didn't want to be walking around the park barefoot after the race.
• Face Wash Towelettes: My skin is very sensitive and breaks out easily so I wanted to be sure I could wash my sweaty face.
• Allergy Medicine and Advil: Breathing is nice when you're running and the Advil was in case I did have any injuries.
• Phone and Headphones: I use Run Keeper to track my runs and listen to Pandora. Unfortunately, I had no signal for a good portion of the run, but I did get to listen to a few songs and there were DJ's and bands every couple miles on the race course. What a great surprise!
• Sunglasses: Mostly from the ride there and home and hanging out in the park after the race.
• Chomps and a Power Bar: These are my energy replenishing foods of choice. I don't really like to eat before I run so when I'm running more than 8 miles, I have a few bites of a Power Bar beforehand. After my first hour of running, and every 30 minutes after that, I chew on a few Chomps. It may just be psychological, but I feel like it gives my legs a little boost when I'm feeling slow.
• Wallet: There were booths and vendors in the park after the race, but I was way too exhausted to visit any of them. I also missed out out on my free piece of pizza, free massage, and free stretching. There's always next year!
• Bottle of Water: I knew they'd be giving it out at the race, but I filled up my own water for the ride home so I wouldn't have to remember to grab a couple extras after my run.

All in all, I had most of the things I needed. The one thing I regretted not bringing was hand sanitizer. There wasn't any in the porta potty and I definitely touched something wet in there. (EWWWW!) I ended up dumping half my bottle of water on my hand and made a conscious effort not to let that hand anywhere near my face. I'm still alive almost 2 weeks later, so I guess I'll be alright. Next year though, I'm adding it to my packing list!

Anyone other marathoners have suggestions on what to pack in a race day bag?