Prepping for race day can be nerve-wracking enough. Will there be enough water stations on route? What if you sleep through your alarm and miss your start wave (spoiler: you never will). But when you’re heading overseas for an international race, there's an extra degree of planning involved to ensure your race day strategy isn’t scuppered by being in a new place without the comfort of your usual routine.

But, rest assured, with thoughtful planning and packing, you can make it to the start line (relatively) stress-free.

First up, when packing for the marathon, it’s completely appropriate to over-pack. You really do want everything with you that you might possibly need.

It's easiest to break your packing into three parts: pre-race, race day, and post-race. Lay everything out and try it on. Going through the motions will help you remember everything you might need. Oh – and remember to pack your passport.

Pre-race

This will slightly depend on where you're going and how far ahead of race day you're travelling to your destination. But in general, packing for pre-race will mostly be like packing for a holiday. There are a few extra things to consider, though:

  • Comfortable shoes: If you plan on getting some sightseeing in ahead of the race, make sure you pack comfortable trainers or walking shoes. Try to limit the amount of time you spend on your feet where possible – bus tours and river tours are great for this, and avoid you racking up 20,000+ steps before the big day.
  • Snacks: Main meals aside, you may want to consider bringing some snacks from home that your stomach is used to, to minimise the chance of any pre-race day tummy upset.
  • Massage gun/What is overpronation
  • How to prevent and treat achilles tendonitis: Even if you don't get much sleep on race day eve, clocking enough hours in the lead up is super important. Travelling can knock your body clock off, so a sleep mask and ear plugs are easy wins to induce those zzz and beat jet lag.

Extra tip: When travelling, whether flying or driving, wear compression socks – preferably the full foot ones. Compression socks assist with the venous return of blood so they help prevent blood from pooling in your lower legs when sitting for long periods of time. Compression socks can help you avoid 'dead legs' on race day.

Race day

Perhaps the most important piece of advice for racing abroad: if you're flying, pack a carry on and put all the running gear you’re planning to wear on race day in that bag. Keep that bag with you at all times and do not check in anything you plan to wear or need on race day – especially your shoes!

Resting heart rate:

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  • Running socks
  • Shorts/leggings
  • Top/vest
  • Sports bra
  • An extra layer to throw away at the start line (most races collect clothing left behind at races and donate it to shelters, so it goes to a good cause)
  • Running watch
  • Headphones
  • Race day fuel – put the gels/chews/electrolytes Checklist for your carry on

Optional:

Extra tip: It's unlikely you'll have the level of friend/family support you're used to if you're not on home soil. Consider putting your name on the front of your shirt in large letters so spectators can cheer for you. Hearing someone call out your name, even a total stranger, can give you a boost.

Post-race

Pack your race gear check bag with items you need post-race to hold you until you can make it back to your accommodation or car. Remember, you may be walking quite a distance, so plan your post-race wardrobe accordingly so you are warm and comfortable during this time. Items of value, like your phone, keys or medication, are best carried with you during the race because they may fall out of the gear check bags.

The best massage guns for runners:

  • The best anti-chafing creams for summer running
  • Jumper or jacket
  • Deodorant
  • Recovery shoes
  • Recovery shake/snack

Health and safety

A mini first aid kit is a good idea – you're bound to get some issues post-race so it's always better to be prepared. Here are a few things worth considering.

  • Anti-chafing cream
  • Blister plasters
  • Painkillers
  • Recovery rubs
  • Electrolyte drinks

Some final tips...

1. Nothing new

By all means, shop at the expo – it's great to see all the latest and greatest gear, products and nutrition, but do not wear or use anything new on race day. Always try out anything new on a training run first before using it in a race. Also, if you have a sensitive stomach, avoid sampling the food items at the expo the day before the race too. You don't want to risk an upset stomach on race morning.

2. Breakfast

Pre-race breakfast is crucial. You need to eat something your body is used to. It’s a good idea to pack this in your luggage. Plenty of brands sell porridge in pre-prepared sachets that you simply add hot water to, for example, so even the most basic of hotels should be able to cater for this.

Headshot of Ali Ball
Ali Ball
E-Commerce Editor

Ali is Runner’s World UK's e-commerce editor, specialising in testing and reviewing the latest running shoes, gear and tech, as well as finding the best deals during sales events such as Amazon Prime Day and Black Friday. She has tested hundreds of products from the biggest running brands, including Nike, New Balance, Adidas, Hoka and more. Ali speaks to some of the world’s top experts across footwear, running apparel, fitness equipment and nutrition to help runners make smart decisions when shopping online, from glucose monitors to help you nail your fuelling strategy to compression boots to aid your recovery. Ali has worked in health and fitness journalism since 2017. Before joining Runner’s World, she was health editor at Future Plc, working across brands including Coach, Fit&Well, T3, TechRadar and Live Science. A Boston qualifier, she’s completed 12 marathons, including four of the World Marathon Majors (only Tokyo and Boston left). Her proudest achievement to date? Running a five-day 220km ultramarathon across Tanzania. Just don’t ask her to race a 10km…