I knew I had a lot of shopping in my future when I decided to run my first marathon this November. Even amateur runners can guess that they'll require leggings with pockets (my favorites were Lululemon), a bounce-proof sports bra (Nike's are top-tier), and several pairs of their personal best running sneakers (it's the New Balance 1080 for me) to make it through a 26.2 mile course in one piece.
But as I began training in earnest in July, I realized I'd overlooked just-as-essential portions of preparation: skin, haircare, and general wellness. It wasn't just my feet and legs pushing me each mile, after all. My entire body showed up for every jog and cross-training session; my mind also needed to get into shape to handle the inevitable "I can'ts" that crept in when the distances got longer and training got harder.
That said, my training was a little less intense that what you'll find from a dedicated running editor. My lifestyle is simply too busy to install a cold-plunge tub in my apartment or book a one-week retreat before the race. I wasn't interested in spending hundreds (or thousands) of dollars to optimize my performance by a few minutes—I just wanted to train to finish, period. So I squeezed in runs on summer vacation and during New York Fashion Week; by race day, I'd run across five countries over five months. What supported me along the way were low-fi products that could have a place in my life with or without a race, and that could travel with me when work demanded it: 50 SPF and sweat-proof sunscreen; calming face balms; cleansing shampoos; extra-grippy hair-ties; roll-up-and-go sauna blankets; and so on.
By nightfall on Nov. 3, I'll have completed the New York City Marathon, and I'll have done it in a way that was, surprisingly, low-stress. Ahead are all the extras that helped me get ready to finally cross the 26.2 mile finish line—but they're just as suited to training for a 5k, 10k, or half marathon.
My Training Run Skin and Haircare Stack
I made two enemies when I began running four, sometimes five, days per week: the sun, and my sweat. But, they were easily vanquished with some key beauty minis in my go-pack.
The Supergoop! Play Everyday Lotion was my one and only SPF choice during my five months of training. I tested a few new sunscreens here and there for work, but I went back to this one for its pleasant scent and blends-right-in formula. Some other sunscreens would congeal and create a post-sweat white cast even on my extremely pale skin, but this one did not! To protect my lips—which are prone to peeing in the heat—I also carried a tube of Rhode Lip Peptide on every run. A quick swipe on my pit stop, and, voila, no chapping.
On the sweat front: Obviously, deodorant is an essential no matter how you're getting your steps in. Training sessions that lasted up to four hours, however, needed something strong. I'd read rave reviews for Duradry online and found it lived up to the sweet-smelling, anti-perspiring hype; so did Megababe, my go-to to keep my legs, pits, and inner arms smooth and unchafed on longer runs.
My hair is much more high-maintenance than my skin. I have hair down to almost below my shoulder blades with fluffy, Dakota Johnson-esque bangs. For training runs, a simple ponytail was never going to cut it. (And sweaty, sticky bangs in my eyes? No, thank you.) I didn't have to look far for a style or materials that would keep it all out of my face and secure for all five, ten, or twenty miles of my runs. Goody's drugstore hair ties with extra grip go in and stay in—specifically, in two French-braided plaits. On top, I push my bangs back with one of Lululemon's thin headbands. These come in a width that keeps everything off my forehead without overheating me. Plus, they're sold in colors to match the many, many sports bra and legging sets I ordered.
The Cool-Down Shower Routine
I sometimes felt like I spent almost as much time taking cold showers as I did running around Central Park on my marathon training journey. It's unsexy, but it bears repeating: You sweat a lot when you're running five days a week, sometimes for as far as twenty miles on the longest run. About two weeks in, I realized that tricking out my shower would be a nice motivator: Ending each run would feel like a treat when I had delicious-smelling products to look forward to.
Crown Affair's Marie Claire Skin and Hair Award-winning shampoo and conditioner have the cleanest scent and made my ponytail-braid-damaged hair feel the softest after each blow-out. For my body, I scheduled a twice-weekly scrub with Josie Maran Vanilla Vibezzz—it sugars off all the dull, dead skin (especially around my ankles) and leaves it feeling much softer than I found it. And daily, I avoided face and body breakouts in spite of all the sweat and sunscreen with Dieux's gentle, foaming glycerin cleanser.
My biggest shower splurge of them all was a fresh shower head. I replaced my apartment-issued version with Canopy's hand-held, including a scalp-massager attachment and essential oil diffusers. Pre-marathon training, I couldn't stand cold showers, even though I knew they were better for my muscles. Now that I have a tool that eases tension in my scalp and turns my entire bathroom into a steamy, fragrant oasis, I can spend hours in one.
Rest-Day Essentials and Treatments
Rest days are just as important as training days, if not more so. I learned this lesson after pushing myself a little too hard at the start of my marathon journey and sustaining a slight ankle injury. (Don't worry, I clearly made a full recovery.) Taking a breather is crucial for staying physically and mentally ready for longer and longer runs as training goes on.
Some of my rest day essentials were only-in-NYC treatments that purged my sweat-clogged pores and soothed my aching muscles. A facial at Ställe Studios included a buccal massage to ease all the tension in my cheeks and jaw I'd built up from grinding my teeth on my long runs; I'm booked for a 60-minute follow-up the day after the race. I also tried out a foaming, third-generation collagen treatment from QMS Medicosmetics, (hosted a the Public Hotel in DUMBO, Brooklyn), to plump up the places on my forehead and neck where all those hours running in the sun were enhancing my fine lines and wrinkles.
But I have to be real: Even as a fashion and beauty editor, I didn't have the budget (or the time!) to go to weekly cryotherapy sessions or full-body massages. I brought the spa home instead, starting with a daily dime-sized dollop of Neuraé's Sérénité balm. It's hydrating, smells like a blend of fresh flowers and clean laundry, and is formulated with N|A3 technology that stimulates the part of the brain controlling feelings of relaxation when it's applied. (Necessary!)
My two most-used devices were HigherDose's Infrared Sauna Mat and Theragun's Handgun Massager: the former for an extra sweat after a long stretch and foam roll in my living room, the latter for treating a sore back and quads as my weekly mileage ticked upward. Rolling out my sauna blanket on the living room floor earned me some side-eyes from my dog and my husband, but it became my happy place for even more muscle relief and some meditation.
I'd finish off rest day with an eye mask (Dieux's, straight from my freezer), a foot mask (Aquaphor, courtesy of Amazon) and a Ghia Spritz—one part Ghia to two parts sparkling water. It's a personal preference, but I felt more energized for early-morning wake-up calls after putting down the "real" drinks on my training journey.
