‘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

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

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

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 🧡