Women Share the Best, Most Unexpected Products That Got Them Through Marathon Training

5 min readThere are some things you know you need before you start training for a marathon, like a good pair of sneakers. But some of the most useful marathon items? You don’t even realize how helpful they are until you’re deep in the thick of training.We’re talking the non-glitzy, random products that make life easier when you’re spending multiple days running each week. For me, one of those things is canned salmon. I buy the stuff in bulk because when I get back from a long run, it only takes me 20 seconds to whip the stuff up with some salt, pepper, and mayo and serve it on crackers before I collapse on the couch for a few hours. (It’s a kinda-smelly, but ridiculously simple way to get protein fast.)Curious what other unexpected finds made a difference, I asked women to share the products they never knew they needed before running a marathon but now can't imagine training without. Check out their answers…Race Day ExtrasThere is nothing like race day, especially for your first marathon. And, for the most part, you know what you need: Your trusty sneakers, an outfit you’ve hopefully tested during training, your fuel, and your watch. Here are three more things that will help the day go by even better.A Specialty Name Tag“Having your name on a shirt or bib is soooo fun because even strangers will cheer you on along the course! It will help you feel the true energy and vibe of the race.” —Claudette Sariya, 33, Honolulu ’25 (You can use iron-on letters from Amazon, or go through a company like Pens and Paces to commission your own bib.)Rally App“Rally is a great way to feel supported by your loved ones who can’t make the race, or maybe you don’t have time to stop if you’re going for a personal best. At mile 10 of my first marathon, I was struggling a bit and my mom’s message came through my headphones—I hear her words every time I run a race now. Such a special concept that really enhanced my race day!” — Shannon Kauber, 25, NYC ’25, ’26, Chicago ’26Portable Charger“After a race, because I have so many apps running (like Strava, Spotify, and Rally), my battery can be very low, and it sucks when I’m on four percent and looking for friends and family or want to take pictures, so it’s good to have a portable charger just in case. I’m less anxious knowing that I’ll be able to get in touch with people and that my phone is good to go. And if my phone dies randomly, then I’ll have backup juice.” —Sariya (Any charger will work, but Sariya has seen success with Anker brand ones.)Cold Towel“I had my boyfriend meet me at the halfway point with a cold towel and it was a game changer. It made me feel instantly more awake and energetic.” —Tianna Soto, 32, NYC ’24, NYC Virtual ’26 (You can stay low-tech and put an old towel in the freezer, or you can opt for a cooling towel that helps you regulate your body temp.)Friction FixersThese products all help remove any uncomfortable rubbing and chafing from their gear to keep you comfortable over many, many miles.Body Glide for Her“I keep it on my bathroom counter so I don’t forget to swipe at minimum inner thighs and inner arms for a training run. Long runs and race days get the full treatment with swipes under any and every seam, around the toes, waistbands, and shoulders under straps. I love traveling with the teeny travel version too.” —Jennifer Nied, 40, NYC ’17, ’19, Chicago ’18, London ’24Band-Aid Hydrocolloid Blister Patches“The bigger ones saved me when I used to get these crazy arch blisters from when I first started running. I usually use those, but I’ve also used the smaller ones for toe blisters.” —Geneve Lau, 27, Marine Corps ’24, NYC ’25, ’26Gel Toe Sleeves“I swear by [these] soft little tubes that go over your toe to help prevent friction and pressure when you’re running or walking. I just started using them this year, and they’ve saved my pinkie toes during training and the marathon!” —SotoUnderrated Fuel HacksFueling is one of the most important parts of marathon training, and chances are you've already experimented with your fair share of gels. But sometimes, the foods and snacks you never thought to try end up making the biggest difference.Clementines“I liked clementines as a whole food before moving to gels and chews. Clementine wedges are bite-sized so I wasn’t as worried about choking while running but they weren’t chewy, saving those textures for other fuel. They have water and sugar, though I never did the math on the amount of sugar compared to my needs while training (I know better now). During training, I would toss two whole clementines in my running hydration vest pockets and peel as I ran to occupy my hands/brain with something other than running. On race day, I pre-peeled the food and put the slices in a snack sized ziploc.” —Suzi Berkey Hanson, Chicago ’23Kind Bars“As someone with endometriosis and a resulting sensitive G.I. system, taking in a high volume of carbs at any point in time is highly aggravating to my stomach and often causes high levels of nausea, bloating, and discomfort. So, I decided to switch to more solid foods that included a healthy source of fats and proteins mixed in with carbs. In this marathon training block, I would alternate Kind Bars with Honey Stinger Chews which sat much better with my stomach and made my race and post race recovery much more pleasant.” —Winnie Yu, 31, NYC ’23, ’26Uncrustables“I ate one pretty much after every morning run because they were easy to throw in my bag and defrost on the way to work and they’re great for quick carbs. They were also great to eat before a long run because, again, they require basically no prep. When you’re marathon training and working a full-time job sometimes you just gravitate towards whatever is easiest and whatever fits into your routine best but still helps you meet your goals and this was mine” —Andrea Bian, 26, NYC ’25, ’26Olivia Luppino is an associate editor at Women’s Health. She reports, writes, and edits content ranging from service stories to in-depth features and awards packages across all verticals, including health, fitness, sports, and beauty. While at WH, she’s traveled to Paris, France to watch Faith Kipyegon attempt a sub-4-minute mile and covered major races like Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc in Chamonix. Olivia is a RRCA-certified running coach who is especially passionate about helping people start their running journey and is training for her second marathon. Her works also appears in New York Magazine’s The Cut, PS (formerly Popsugar), and Salon, where she also did on-camera interviews with celebrity guests.