Here's Flat Samantha, pre-Portland. "I only had one crying melt down so far this evening when I could not find my Flip Belt," she said, "Located it in sister-in-law''s running bras after laundry. Crisis averted."

Here’s Flat Samantha, pre-Portland. “I only had one crying melt down so far this evening when I could not find my Flip Belt,” she said, “Located it in sister-in-law”s running bras after laundry. Crisis averted.”

 

There are a few tough things when you’re heading into taper. Transitioning the hard work from your muscles to your mind. Figuring out how to eat when you’re hangry but haven’t run the miles to justify non-stop snacking. Getting to bed early when you don’t have the exhaustion dragging you there—and your mind wants to run a marathon every night.

Then there’s the packing. Becaue your mind doesn’t need one more thing swirling around—and, as a rule, we like to avoid meltdowns from mother runners or their offspring—we pulled together a comprehensive marathon packing list, which will also work for a half-marathon.

A slice of the list.

A slice of the list.

Did we forget anything on the marathon packing list? And curious: Have you ever forgotten something essential before a big race? (I’ll go first: I—Dimity—forgot my bike helmet at a half-Ironman.)