Great-value shorts. Ron Hill, the former European marathon champion who the company is named after, invented the ubiquitous wrap-over style shorts in the late 60s. (Men's) Contact www.ronhill.com; 0161 366 5020Sugoi Technifine Ace Short – £27Ladies

and responsive, yet supportive enough for moderate overpronators, and perfect for long slow runs, short slow runs and, eventually, tempo-sessions and even marathons. And at £60 they represent excellent value for money.Contact 0800 056 1640; www.nike.comBest All

between the sheets really could help. "If you're aiming for a five-hour marathon, but arrive at the first mile and find yourself going too fast, you know what to do – slow down, find the right rhythm and get yourself back on track," says Dr Petra Boynton

count down sequentially, so you can use them to warm up, train and warm down.Can display fat burning as a percentage of the energy that you’re using. Contact: 01454 853573; www.sportstronic.comTimex Marathon Digital £59.99 Digital FM technology

.nike.comGet The Bird… Golden Emu OilWe can’t offer any scientific evidence to back it up, but testers who’ve rubbed Golden Emu Oil – first made famous by Paula Radcliffe during the build up to the Flora London Marathon – have been impressed with its injury

.Contact www.nike.comNike Triax Swift – £80Simple and intuitive to use, the Triax Swift is perfect for marathons thanks to its 27-lap memory – a split for every mile – and the last 0.2. The Swift also has three countdown timers, which could be useful if you

screen, and you can choose which is shown largest. Both models also feature large, easy to hit buttons on the watch face that operate the stopwatch. With 30- and 50-lap memories, both models will hold your marathon (and mega speed session) splits

What is it? Running day sack designed with adventure racers in mind, and perfect for events such as the Karrimor International Mountain Marathon. The main sack's 25-litre capacity is big enough to carry a small tent and a lightweight sleeping bag