The Whole Kit + Caboodle

iRun investigates the best (and worst) of the race kit

Call us shallow, but there's just something about a well-planned race kit that makes us feel like event organizers really care. It's not just about the free schwag, either. While a well-measured and supported race course should always be top priority for any event, no matter how large or small, those races looking to impress with attention to detail should look for ways to extend runner support to what goes into the bag. Here's the iRun wishlist for an ideal race kit, plus a few commonly-found items that make us want to say 'no thanks.'

THE BEST

Advil/Tylenol samples These little beauties come in ever-so-handy during longer races, and thanks to their moisture-resistant packaging, they melt in your mouth, not in your shorts.

Waterproof sunscreen sample Sunscreen is a must-have for race day, and yet frazzled runners very often forget to bring their own. You've gotta love it when your race kit has you covered.

Lip balm Another frequently-forgotten item that sure comes in handy on race day, since no one wants to be tossing back lemon-lime sports drink through cracked, dry lips. (Ouch!)

Worthwhile discount vouchers Coupons for local sports stores and/or practitioners such as registered massage therapists are great, provided they a) don't expire within 48 hours and b) are for more than 10% off. We don't need more paper that isn't worth the paper it's printed on.

Drink sample A sample of the sports drink that will be provided on the course, especially if it's something other than Gatorade, which is what most runnners are used to.

Race course map A well-marked map of the race course (preferably featuring the locations of aid stations and porta-potties) and a clear set of pre- and post-race instructions, including how to get to and from the start and finish lines, is invaluable for every runner.

Technical t-shirt The Cadillac of all race kits offer a well-fitting race t-shirt made of technical fabric. Bonus points for gender-specific styling and sizing. If such a thing isn't possible, we wish race organizers would ditch the shirt entirely and deduct a bit from the race fee, rather than handing us yet another over-sized, cotton t-shirt destined for the dishrag pile.

Energy gels This is another item runners can either forget or try (sometimes frantically) to acquire at the last minute, so including them in the race kit can be a true life-saver. Bonus points for yummy flavours, not just rejected prototype flavours like Habanero Hula or Mochalatte Swordfish.

Race bib Bonus points if it's personalized with your name, so that even complete strangers can cheer for you along the way.

Safety pins And lots of 'em! It seems you can't have too many safety pins on race day. Each runner needs at least four to attach the race bib, but a few extras come in handy for pinning extra gels to shorts, etc.

Reusable kit bag The kit itself should be housed in a reusable cloth bag instead of a plastic one. Not only does this cut down on waste, but it gives us something to stash our stuff in at the baggage check-out. And when the race is over, a race kit bag that can double as a shoe bag is particularly handy— all the better to separate our stinky race shoes from the rest of our luggage, my dear!

THE WORST

Biz cards Useless business cards from every realtor, dry cleaner and pet groomer within a 50k radius of the race site. While we recognize the necessity of race sponsorship, we don't find this to be the most targeted form of advertising, since let's face it, these little tidbits are the first to get chucked.

Dud freebies Ditto for fridge magnets and/or calendars from every realtor, dry cleaner and pet groomer within a 50k radius of the race site. These are particularly annoying because they have just the slightest hint of usefulness that makes us feel momentarily bad about chucking them. But we do it anyway.

Buried vitals Race kits packed with junk often have vital race info, but it's indistinguishable from the various flyers and glossy ads shoved in the kit to round it out.

Unisex cotton t-shirt We all have one somewhere in the back of the closet…that great, cotton mumu that is the average race t-shirt. Seriously — do you know anyone who looks good in one of these?

Anti-racing snacks Some of the worst race kits thoughtlessly include snacks that would be ill-advised in the 24 hours before a race. This includes anything particularly spicy, fibrous, cheesy, chewy or otherwise challenging to one's delicate, pre-race digestive system. (One particularly ill-advised race kit contained not one but three boxes of high fibre cereal. Yikes!)

Plastic bag The kit itself is housed in a non-biodegradable plastic bag; just one more item destined for the landfill.