What to Bring to a Race: Complete Checklist in 4 Steps

Knowing what to bring to a race saves you last-minute stress: the bib you cannot find, the forgotten chip or the sweatshirt you miss at the finish. This guide gives you a checklist split into four moments (the day before, what you wear, your bag and the finish) that works for a 5K, 10K, half or marathon on the road. If you are heading to a mountain race, also see the guide to trail race mandatory gear.

What to bring to a race: get everything ready the day before

Most things people forget can be avoided by preparing everything the evening before. The essentials:

Bib and chip. Many races use a Championchip yellow chip or a chip stuck to the bib; if it is yours, check you have it. Pin the bib to your shirt or use a race belt.
Safety pins: four, although they usually come with the bib.
Start time and place, bag drop and how to get there. The race pages in our race calendar link to each race’s official website.
Your race kit, already tested, laid out on a chair.
Watch and phone charged.

The bib must be visible on the front. At the Cursa de Sant Antoni, for example, the rules require it on your chest, not on your back or shorts. Have a normal dinner with carbs; there are ideas in the guide to what to eat before a race.

What to wear on race day

The first part of what to bring to a race is your kit, and the golden rule is nothing new. No new shoes, socks or shirt. Whatever you wear on race day should have survived a long run first.

Shoes you have trained in, with the laces well tied.
Seamless technical socks, the same as in training.
Technical clothing for the weather. The guide to running clothes explains how to choose it.
Anti-chafing cream on armpits, groin, nipples and feet if you tend to chafe.
A watch, if you use one to control your pace. The guide to the GPS running watch explains how to set it up.
Cap and sunglasses if it is sunny, and sun cream.

White running shoes and a bottle on a track, part of what to bring to a race

What to bring to a race in your bag

A small bag, the kind accepted at bag drop, with:

An old T-shirt or a plastic poncho to wait at the start. If it is cold, some runners wear old clothes they leave behind at the start.
Gels or food if you will run for more than an hour. Test them beforehand; work out your carbs with the race carb calculator.
Water or a drink for before the start.
Dry clothes, a sweatshirt and socks for afterwards.
Flip-flops or comfortable shoes.
A small towel.
ID, a card and some cash.
Plasters and a couple of spare safety pins.

Group of runners in a city marathon, with everything to bring to a race

After the finish

When you cross the line, keep walking for a few minutes, drink and eat something at the finish area. Collect your bag and change clothes as soon as you can, especially if it is cold or you have sweated a lot. If it was a half or a marathon, a longer recovery awaits.

Common mistakes when deciding what to bring to a race

The most common are wearing new shoes or clothes on race day, forgetting the chip, arriving late and not finding bag drop, and trying new gels in the race. You avoid all of them by deciding the evening before what to bring to a race, packing your bag the evening before and arriving with at least 45 minutes to spare.

Athletic shoes in different colours and styles

Conclusion

To work out what to bring to a race, think in four moments: get the bib, chip and kit ready the day before; wear only tested gear; bring a bag with clothes for the start and afterwards, food if the race is long and your ID; and change as soon as you finish.

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