Nice threads – aren't you freezing?

I recently posted on the benefits of good trainers, but I have to say that the local plod don't look kindly on people who think that's all they need to wear in a public place.

So, to avoid an unpleasant brush with the law, I recommend wearing other items of clothing.

Last time round, I managed with one t-shirt, one long sleeved running top, a pair of shorts, few pairs of socks and a hi-viz vest. I also got pretty good at quickly doing a load in the washer.

Having finished the marathon, I now own two t-shirts, as they give you one that says “finisher” on it. Not the sexiest thing in the world, and it would be better to have “running god” or “I told you I fecking did it!” on there, but you can't have everything.

I've also invested in some trackie bottoms this time around, as I still see the look of horror on a cyclist's face as she saw me running past in the snow wearing shorts. Her cry of “your legs!” was full of anguish, concern and bewilderment which at the time I quite enjoyed, but probably best not to repeat it again as I don't want something falling off.

All my gear is “wicking”. No, that's not some new yoof colloquiall, it just means it draws the sweat away from you. It's also the lightweight, breathable stuff, so it doesn't rub and give you weird rashes.

Imagine rubbing one part of your body with a cotton t-shirt, thousands of times. That's essentially what happens when you run. With each stride, bits of your clothing rub against your skin, so you want to make sure it's not going to chafe if you want to the horrific to see “marathon nipple”. This is where someone hasn't used the vaseline and has two bloodstains running down their chest. Not nice to see, not nice to experience!

Now, I dropped the vaseline bomb then, without really explaining. It's another little essential.

Before long runs, you need to put it everywhere your clothes could rub. One thing they don't show you on the tv coverage is the marquees where people get changed, and the hundreds of men smearing vaseline down their shorts. Hadn't done that before, but when in Rome...

Glad I did, as there were a few guys who had blood streaming down their legs, and I hate to think how they felt for the next week or so.

Lessons? Get stuff for running – it doesn't have to be expensive – look on some of the Runners World forums as they often have reviews of stuff from places like Aldi and Lidl that 'll get you through the winter! I've never tried them myself, but they seem to sell out quick, so they must be doing something right!