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Writer's pictureSarah Sechan

Top Ten Race Giveaways

After receiving a large packet of tuna in my race packet, I thought about my ideal race swag. (Hint: not tuna.) Naturally, I thought I’d share:

10 Things I want to see in my race swag:

  1. COFFEE – They say runners are superstitious…and they are correct! My pre-race ritual always involves at least one cup of coffee. While a successful pre-race bowel movement doesn’t always guarantee a successful race, it makes me feel more comfortable/confident that I won’t have any problems during the race. Plus, caffeine = energy. If I receive coffee in my race bag, I will be a happy camper. Cafe Elite Turkish coffee, please make this happen!

  2. Imodium – While a pre-race bathroom visit can mean no mid-race accidents, it’s not guaranteed. Therefore, whenever I’m on a long run or racing a half marathon, I take Imodium as insurance. I’m proud to say that I have a 100% success rate! When I ran the NYC marathon in November 2017 I didn’t take Imodium and ran a 4:52. When I ran the Tokyo Marathon in February 2018 (on less training), I took Imodium and ran a 4:31. Imodium definitely helped, and I am proud to have them as my unofficial sponsor. 😉

  3. TASTY energy/protein bars – This is something the Israeli races do well. Almost every race packet I’ve received has included a nice energy bar. Please continue! I love not having to plan out my breakfast for shorter races.

  4. Yummy snacks – Either to be eaten immediately upon opening the bag, or as post-race fuel…you do you!

  5. Energy gels – I’m loyal to my CLIF Bloks Energy Chews (margarita-flavored, partly for taste and partly for the extra sodium, which prevents cramping) for races, because I know how my body reacts. After all, one of the cardinal rules of running is to not try anything new on race day! But on a random long run, I’m down to mix it up a bit.

  6. Icy-Hot (or an equivalent) – Racing = sore muscles, so this is really a no-brainer. The faster I heal, the sooner I can blow more of my money on races!

  7. Gatorade/tasty sports drink – I’m partial to Lemon Lime Gatorade because of the major nostalgia factor. But I’m willing to be flexible!

  8. Cheap sunglasses – I LOVE goodr sunglasses, but I wouldn’t be upset if I had a few extra pairs of cheap sunglasses laying around. Obviously I love race medals, but after race day, I can’t wear mine in public without looking like a weirdo. Sunglasses, on the other hand, can be worn repeatedly, without issue.

  9. Sweatband – Runners sweat. A lot. And I want a way to deal with said sweat without spending money. Ergo, sweatbands as a race giveaway!

  10. Foil heat sheet – Before I made Aliyah, I donated all of the clothes I didn’t regularly wear. This means that I don’t have cheap throwaway clothes to stay warm before the race. (Since I have no throwaway clothes, the odds of me leaving my apartment wearing a garbage bag as an added layer are pretty high.) I’d love to receive a foil heat sheet to wear before the race, so I can be super glamorous, like this:

Pre-Tokyo Marathon, wearing an old heat sheet, a throw-away sweatshirt, and gloves I bought for $5. I thought I’d toss the gloves at some point, but I ran the entire marathon with them!

What do you want to receive in your race bag?

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