In the days leading up to a race, I channel my love for organisation in every way possible. A plethora of to-do lists on the notes section in my phone is the centre of this organisation. I have separate to-do lists for things I need to buy (maybe bananas quite a few days before so they’re ripe enough for the morning of race day), what I need to do the night before (e.g. cut toenails), what I need to do on the morning of (from putting on my race number to getting someone to remind me to re-tie my laces just before the start) and what I need to pack in my bag. Well that was a long sentence of me fangirling about organisation. Fifteen year old me Me two years ago would be proud. So what do I always have in my race day backpack?
It only feels right to section this into subheadings. Let’s do this.
Food and drink
- Banana
- Trek bar
- Tub of grapes (a nice throwback to opening my lunchbox back in infant school)
- Two bottles of water
Running SOS essentials
- Four spare safety pins (my race number went rogue this year at the Great South so I should have ensured it was on okay with the help of more safety pins)
- A brush/comb
- Two spare hairbands
- Five spare hair grips (if you’re going out after and your hair has a mind of its own like mine, you’ll be grateful)
- Extra pair of socks
- Deodorant
The usual
- Purse (for a celebratory gin and tonic)
- Keys
- Phone charger/portable charger
I always fear that I’ll be hungry before or during an event day run. And, because I overthink it, I inevitably am hungry. *Enter incredibly over-prepared silver rucksack.* Bananas, as everyone will tell you, are a good’n and I love tucking into my favourite healthy snack in form of a protein flapjack. Trek bars are SO filling and SO yummy that you’ll feel totally satisfied. I pack an extra water bottle so that I can sip every now and then before the race and still have a completely full bottle to start a race with. I either dip in and out of a tub of grapes or have a little after-run snack to greet me at the finish line- after I’ve devoured everything in my goody-bag, of course.
What do you always pack in your event day bag?
~ Kat ~