Endurometry
Lay kit out the night before. Carry only what you trained with: bib, pace band, gels, anti-chafe, proven socks. The last 2 km is racing; everything before that is pacing.
Last updated October 5, 2026
Race day goes wrong in small, predictable ways: the gel you meant to carry is in the hotel fridge, the bib is still attached with pins that have gone missing, the anti-chafe is in the drop bag that is already on a truck. A checklist solves all of it. Here is one that fits on a phone note.
The timeline
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| Night before | Pin or attach the bib, lay out everything in one pile, eat a familiar dinner, set two alarms |
| 3 hours before | Normal breakfast you have eaten before long runs. Nothing experimental. |
| 60–75 min before | Arrive, collect anything from the bag drop, anti-chafe on before you get sweaty |
| 30–45 min before | First gel timing decided, pace band on the wrist, short warm-up if you race that way |
| Start line | Do not sprint the first kilometre. The pace band exists precisely for this moment. |
| Every 5 km | Compare marker time with the band, drink to thirst, take gels on schedule |
| Last 2 km | Now you can race. Everything before that was pacing, not racing. |
The kit list that earns its place
- Printed pace band — the single most useful thing you can carry. Generate one from the pace band generator and read splits off the wrist instead of the watch.
- Race number belt — holds the bib without safety pins, so nothing rubs and nothing tears. Cheap, reusable, and it never gets lost in a laundry basket.
- Gels — carry what you trained with, not what the expo was giving away.
- Anti-chafe balm — apply before the start, not at kilometre 30 when it is too late.
- Socks — a thin technical pair, tried and tested. Race day is not the day for new socks.
- Cut-off check — if your race has intermediate cut-offs, run the cut-off calculator beforehand so you know your margin per section.
What you should not carry
Anything you have not used in training. That includes new shoes, new gels, new socks, a new belt, and any changelog in your routine at all. A marathon is an experiment in executing a known plan, not in discovering a new one.
Related Tools
Printable Pace Wristband
Generate a single-column pace wristband sized to your wrist — no cutting, just wrap it once. Pick even / negative / positive split and 1/2/5/10 km (or mi) intervals, then print at 100%.
Race Cutoff Time Calculator
Compare a planned even pace plus start-line delay with the course time limit, and see a linear checkpoint sketch — not the official race table.
Average Running Finish Times
Average 5K, 10K, half marathon and marathon times by age and gender, plus submit your own result anonymously.
Related guides
Marathon Pace Strategy
How to pick a realistic marathon goal pace from a recent race, why even splits beat fast starts, and how to hold pace without watching your watch all day.
How to use a pace band
Card grid versus wrap-around wristband, 40 mm × wrist+2.5 cm, print at 100%, 5 km rows on a 4:00 marathon, and why you read course markers instead of GPS.
How race cutoffs work
Finish cutoff versus intermediate gates, gun time versus chip time, and the same 6-hour marathon numbers the cutoff calculator prints: 6:30/km, 60 s delay, 4:35:16 finish, +85 min buffer, 8:32/km sweep.
How the numbers are calculated
Frequently Asked Questions
How many gels should I carry?
Work backwards from 60–90 g of carbohydrate per hour and check what each of your gels actually contains — most are around 20–25 g.
Is a race number belt worth it?
If safety pins have ever rubbed or torn your shirt, yes. It is one of the few pieces of kit that solves a real problem for a few euros.
Should I eat at the aid stations?
Only things you have practised with. You can use the average finish times data to see how much time the field spends walking the aid stations — it is not a small number.
Want a new tool or fix?
Tell us which calculator, pace chart or fix would help — we build what runners ask for. Replies usually come back in 1–2 days.