Top Runners Give Us Their Best Tips For Running In Costume

As if running 26 miles isn’t challenging enough, there are those that take part in marathons as an opportunity to raise further money for good causes by running in fancy dress.

Throngs of viewers line the streets on race day to see who can spot the most outrageous costumes. With thousands of extravagant outfits on show, they truly make marathons great viewing for adults and children alike.

If you are thinking of running a marathon in fancy dress, there are a few things you need to know to help make the most out of your experience:

1.     Costume Modifications

Most costumes are designed for fancy dress parties and aren’t exactly ideal for running a marathon in. With a little bit of handy-work you can adapt your costume slightly to make it much more comfortable and safer to run in. If you are making a costume yourself, use lightweight materials and include as much ventilation as possible so you don’t overheat. You also need to make sure that you can actually see and breathe in your costume; if it does impair your vision you may need to run with a friend who can guide you.

2.     Train In Your Costume

You need to rack up some experience running in your suit before the actual race day to see what alterations need making. Complete some long runs in your costume to get a feel for what race day will be like. You should never run a race in new gear, costumes included.

3.     Consider The Weather

There is plenty of running gear suited to any type of weather, but unfortunately, the same can’t be said for fancy dress costumes. If race day sees a lot of rain, will your costume weigh you down? If it’s windy, will your costume be dangerous? If it is extremely hot, will your costume cause you to overheat? These are all questions you need to keep in mind as you plan your costume.

4.     Taking on Fluid

Taking part in running events requires you to drink a lot of water to stay hydrated, and if you’re wearing a costume it is vitally important that you drink plenty of fluids to avoid overheating. Running gear is designed to wick sweat and heat away from the body, but costumes are made from materials which absorb and trap heat, causing you to sweat more and requiring you to drink more as a result.