Top 150 International Marathons | Running Equipment

The MARATHON is a long-distance running event with an official distance of 42.195 kilometres (26 miles and 385 yards), that is usually run as a road race. The event was instituted in commemoration of the fabled run of the Greek soldier Pheidippides, a messenger from the Battle of Marathon to Athens.

The marathon was one of the original modern Olympic events in 1896, though the distance did not become standardized until 1921. More than 500 marathons are held throughout the world each year, with the vast majority of competitors being recreational athletes. Smaller marathons, such as the Stanley Marathon, can have just dozens of participants, while larger marathons can have tens of thousands of participants.

Marathon & Running News, Reviews & Resources

• 5 Cheap(ish) Things to Get You Started With Trail Running - "Trail running is like stepping into a different world. Here’s the gear to get you there."
• 5 things to remember before jumping up to the marathon - "Debating running a marathon after finishing your half? Here are a few training tips to consider."
• 10 commandments of running etiquette - The Telegraph.
• 10 reasons Yuki Kawauchi, Boston marathon winner, should be your favourite runner - The Guardian.
• 10 things no one tells you before you run an ice marathon - The Telegraph.
• 11 Best Workout Shoes, According to the Experts - "If you’re in the market for a new pair of workout shoes, a great way to sort through the countless styles is to get recs straight from the experts themselves. We tapped instructors, trainers, and marathon-fishers to give us the details on their favorite pairs from tried-and-true classics like Nike and Adidas to more recent standout brands like Hoka and Hilma."
  
• 2023 Best Running Gear - "Running is a refreshingly uncomplicated way to get your heart pumping. You can do it nearly anywhere, and you don’t need much to make it happen (other than the motivation to go). That said, functional gear that speaks to your specific needs can enhance your experience. We’ve spent hundreds of hours researching and testing over the past seven years, enlisting the help of a collegiate track coach (and former podiatrist), a former Runner’s World editor, and several of the most passionate runners on our staff. Here are our recommendations for the best gear to get you up and running." Reviews by Wirecutter.
• 1:59:40! Eliud Kipchoge makes history as he shatters two-hour marathon barrier in Vienna by 20 SECONDS - using LASER guidance, 41 pace-makers and groundbreaking shoes.
• a beginner’s guide to running - "Start slow, wear what you like, watch out for zombies. There’s a replacement to your pre-lockdown workout right outside your door. Experienced runners explain how to get started."
• A beginner's guide to running: 10 quick tips - The Guardian.
• A graphic look at the world's toughest running races - The Telegraph.
• Ahead of the pack: the best books about running - The Guardian.
• Any amount of running reduces risk of early death, study finds - "Any amount of running is good for you, according to research suggesting it is linked to a similar reduction in the risk of early death no matter how many hours you clock up a week or how fast you go."
  
• BEST FITNESS TRACKERS: FROM STEP COUNTING TO TRAIL RUNNING - "What's The Best Fitness Tracker for You?"
• BEST HIGH TECH SOCKS TO TACKLE YOUR NEXT RUN OR WORKOUT - Wired.
• Best running gear 2022: top gadgets to keep you motivated - "From music on the go to GPS watches and apps such as Strava, tech to help you clock up the miles."
• Best Running Gear for Cold, Wet Conditions - "The weather outside is still far from delightful. Wrap yourself up in some of our favorite picks for cold and dreary days."
• Best Running Headphones - The Wirecutter.
• CAN NIKE'S NEW MARATHON SHOES MAKE YOU FASTER? A NIKE-FUNDED STUDY SAYS YES - Wired.
• Canadian Running Magazine - since 2008. "Canadian Running Magazine for running news, nutrition & training tips, gear and race reviews for the Canadian running community."
• Caught the marathon bug? 20 races & running holidays for you to tackle - The Telegraph.
• Compartment syndrome - increased pressure within one of the body's compartments which contains muscles and nerves. Compartment syndrome most commonly occurs in compartments in the leg or arm. Chronic exertional compartment syndrome usually occurs in athletes who participate in repetitive impact sports such as running.
• Coros Pace 2 Sport is an ultralight GPS watch for competitive runners - "Coros claims it's the lightest model on the market."
• Courtney Dauwalter: The fun-fueled ultra-marathon star defying science - "Most people’s idea of fun wouldn’t involve running for hours on end through brutal, undulating terrain - but ultra-marathon sensation Courtney Dauwalter is no ordinary person. While an ultra-marathon is technically defined as any race longer than 26.2 miles, Dauwalter’s exploits tend to take place at distances far greater than that, usually between 100 to 250 miles."
• Does running build muscle? - "Does running build muscle? We dig into the science."
• Don't like running? Then try the slow man's marathon - The Telegraph.
• Eliud Kipchoge smashes world marathon record by 77 seconds in Berlin - The Guardian.
• Eliud Kipchoge takes 30 seconds off his men’s marathon world record in Berlin 2022 - "Kenyan smashes his own record with run of 2:01.09."
• Eliud Kipchoge's record-breaking Nike shoes under scrutiny - "Running is supposed to be one of the purest sports, but a technological arms race in shoes is raising questions about the integrity of competition in athletics."
• Extreme weather kills 21 ultra-marathon runners in China - "Twenty one ultra-marathon runners have died after extreme weather conditions hit a 100-kilometer (62-mile) mountain race in northwest China."
• Figure Running - new sport that encourages you to get creative, go outside and discover new places while running and getting fit. The competition is not about your running speed or distance, it’s all about drawing.
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• Garmin Tracker - "Free mobile app that lets you see your location and your Garmin tracking device's location on a map, making it easy to track and locate it while you're on the go."
• Hellen Obiri is moving thousands of miles from her home in Kenya to pursue her marathon ambitions - "When Hellen Obiri moves 14,000 kilometers from Kenya to Colorado later this year, she already knows she'll miss some of the comforts of home. That includes Kenyan food and the country's staple of ugali - a dense porridge made from maize flour."
• HOW FITBIT STARTED THE WEARABLES CRAZE THAT GOT US ALL MOVING - "10,000 steps has become the standard metric by which we measure daily activity. But it was initially chosen because it sounded neat when you said it in Japanese."
• How long to warm up for a run - "They won’t necessarily save you from injury, but warm-up exercises can improve your performance, says a leading physiotherapist."
• How Running May or May Not Help the Heart - The New York Times.
• How the 1% Runs an Ironman - "Inside the world of Ironman XC, which makes the endurance contest a little more endurable - for executives who can afford to pay."
• How to calibrate an Apple Watch for accurate fitness tracking - "If you're looking to get the most of your Apple Watch fitness tracking features, there's a way to calibrate it for step length and other factors. Here's how to do it."
• How to Choose the Best Running Shoes for You - "Good running shoes can make the difference between a run realized and a run refused. And even though there’s some trial and error involved in finding the right pair for your feet and goals, the payoff is real: You’ll have shoes that lay the groundwork for a comfortable, rewarding, and enduring pursuit - whether you’re running primarily for your health or for personal bests." Wirecutter.
• How to connect your Fitbit app to your Apple Watch - "Use the Strava app as a friendly intermediary."
• how to get in marathon shape - The Guardian.
• How To Look After Running Shoes - "Why it’s important to keep your running shoes dry and clean, and avoid the washing machine. It’s important to keep them clean, from a bacteria perspective, and let the shoe dry out naturally after use. Don’t put it on a radiator because that can damage some of the materials and the cushioning."
• How to make your fitness tracker count steps more accurately - "Step trackers aren’t perfect, but here’s what you can do to get the best readings."
• How to run a marathon - and why London's is the world’s best - The Guardian.
• How to Set Goals You’ll Actually Achieve - "Whether you want to run a marathon, eat more healthfully or just get off the couch a little more, 'for the majority of people, setting a goal is one of the most useful behavior change mechanisms for enhancing performance,' says Frank Smoll, professor of psychology at the University of Washington. 'It’s highly individual,' he says - there’s no one way to achieve a goal. But these goal-setting strategies will help you stay the course."
• How to soothe sore, achy muscles after running a marathon - The Telegraph.
• How to use the Apple Watch Ultra’s Action button - "The Action button adds a third - and much-needed - physical control to Apple’s biggest and baddest watch. And it’s customizable to boot."
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• Hydro Flask - "A little more hydration lets you have a little more fun. From mountain trailheads to morning yoga practice, our 24 oz Standard Mouth bottle is just the right size for staying hydrated before, during, and after activity. Our largest Standard Mouth available uses TempShield double wall vacuum insulation to keep your water refreshingly ice cold for up to 24 hours."
• I tried the infamous record-breaking marathon shoes, but are they worth the price? - "The Nike Air Zoom Alphafly NEXT% 2 will give me the edge on race day."
• I was a marathon runner with killer biceps - long Covid has stopped me in my tracks - "Endurance athletes have been left using wheelchairs or barely able to walk. But the government acts like Covid is beaten."
• Inside Nike’s Quest for the Impossible: a Two-Hour Marathon - Wired.
• Is running the best exercise? - The Guardian.
• It’s Official: Study Confirms Faster Walkers Are Smarter - "Slow strollers, we send you our heartfelt condolences. New research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association has revealed that faster walkers are kind of smarter than slower walkers."
• Jacky Hunt-Broersma: The cancer survivor who ran 104 marathons in 104 days - "A woman who took up running after she lost her left leg to cancer has passed the Guinness World Record for most consecutive marathons."
• Joggers v walkers: the battle for our pathways during the coronavirus crisis "Relations are turning fractious as runners and pedestrians compete for dominance of the nation’s footpaths. Where will it all end?"
• Lululemon - since 1998. "Lululemon makes technical clothing for yoga, running, and most other sweaty pursuits."
• Man runs length of a marathon on his balcony - "A man ran the length of a marathon all from his balcony during France's coronavirus lockdown. Last week, Elisha Nochomovitz, a 32-year-old furloughed restaurant worker, ran the length of a marathon (26.2 miles) -- on his 23-foot long balcony."
• Man vs. Marathon - "One scientist’s quixotic quest to propel a runner past the two-hour barrier."
• MARATHON - Wikipedia.
• Marathon Grand Slam Club
• MARATHON PHOTOS
• Marathons are bad for your health - The Telegraph.
• My pandemic epiphany: running a half marathon alone was incredible - "With forty-four loved ones on the phone, Caitlin Curran realized she didn’t need the crowd for this race to be special."
• Naruto Running - refers to the unique running style of the protagonist Naruto Uzumaki in the Japanese anime series Naruto, where he is often depicted sprinting with his arms stretched behind him.
• Nike stirs the pot with ‘gamechanger’ running shoe in step with new rules - "Just days after World Athletics belatedly introduced regulations to limit running shoe technology, Nike has courted further controversy with one that slips inside the rules and then hailing it as another 'gamechanger'."
  
• PREP FOR YOUR TOUGHEST RACES LIKE A MASTER MARATHONER - Wired.
• psychology of running a marathon - "How to overcome hitting 'the wall'."
• Q. & A.: How to Fuel Your Runs - "What's the real benefit in refueling soon after a run? Can eating mid-run help speed recovery? Your nutrition questions, answered."
• Quest for the Impossible: a Two-Hour Marathon - Wired.
• RUNNER'S WORLD - since 1966. "The online home of Runner's World magazine. Running news, training advice, inspiring stories, running shoe reviews, gear tips, and more."
• Running 104 marathons in 104 days - "'It showed me how strong our bodies can be,' says amputee athlete Jacky Hunt-Broersma after running 104 marathons in 104 days."
• Running After a Heart Attack - The New York Times.
• Running marathon cuts years off 'artery age' - "Training for and completing a marathon improves the health of a new runner's arteries, cutting about four years off their 'vascular age', a study suggests."
• Running May Be Socially Contagious - The New York Times.
• Seven Continents Marathon Club
• Strava - "Connecting the world's athletes. Run and Cycling Tracking on the Social Network for Athletes." If you're active, Strava was made for you. Our mobile app and website enhance the experience of sport and connect millions of athletes from around the world. We're the social network for those who strive. Join us.
• The deadly perils of China's booming marathon industry - "62 miles of pain, 21 killed in freezing rain: How China's deadliest marathon event in recent history exposed lax regulation and weak government oversight."
• the phenomenal rise of the ultramarathon - The Guardian.
• The secrets of endurance athletes - "Running a distance race - like a 246km ultramarathon - takes extraordinary physical fitness. But however hard they have trained, an athlete’s success hinges on their mental endurance."
• UK man runs marathon in every country in the world - "If you've ever wondered who runs the world, it turns out it's a man called Nick Butter."
• ULTRAMARATHON - Wikipedia.
• Vaporfly shoes will help me reach my marathon dream. Should I use them? - "After years of trying to beat the three-hour barrier, new technology could get me there. Or is that cheating?"
• Walkathon - type of community or school fundraiser in which participants raise money by collecting donations or pledges for walking a predetermined distance or course. They are similar in format to other physical activity based fundraising events such as marathons and cycling races, but are usually non-competitive and lower intensity. The low intensity model is ideal for mobilizing broad-based community support, and as a result Walkathons usually target participants from a wide range of ages and economic backgrounds.
• Walking can lower risk of early death, but there’s more to it than number of steps, study finds - "Put on your walking shoes and don’t forget your step counter: You can reduce your risk for cancer, heart disease and early death by getting up to 10,000 steps a day, but any amount of walking helps, according to a new study. Health benefits rose with every step, the study found, but peaked at 10,000 steps - after that the effects faded. Counting steps may be especially important for people who do unstructured, unplanned physical activity such as house work, gardening and dog walks."
• Watch Why It's Almost Impossible to Run 100 Meters In 9 Seconds - Wired.
• What does running do to your brain? - The Guardian.
• What I Wish I’d Known About My Knees - The New York Times.
• What is the healthiest way to walk? We ask an expert - "Annabel Streets, author of 52 Ways to Walk, on how to get the most out of walking – for both your mental and physical health."
• What we write about when we write about running - The Guardian.
• WHEN YOUR ACTIVITY TRACKER BECOMES A PERSONAL MEDICAL DEVICE - Wired.
• Why are middle-aged marathon runners faster than twentysomethings? - "According to new data from the running app Strava, runners in their 40s are streets ahead of younger rivals."
• Why Ashton Kutcher is running his first, and maybe last, marathon - "He has raised more than $1 million for his nonprofit, Thorn, and he also wants to beat Sean Combs’s time."
• Why couples should never go running together - The Guardian.
• Why do people run marathons? - "Ahead of the London marathon this weekend, Anne McCarthy explores what motivates people to take up endurance running."
• Why don’t Kenyans run ultramarathons? - The Guardian.
• Why It's Almost Impossible to Run a Two-Hour Marathon - Wired.
• Why Running May Be Good for Your Back - The New York Times.
• Your pre-marathon checklist - The New York Times.

Marathons & Events

• LIST OF MARATHONS - Wikipedia.
• Registration now open for Monaco Run 2023 - "The Monaco Run will return on Saturday 11 and Sunday, February 12, 2023 on Quai Albert 1er."
• The New York City Marathon’s Happening On Sunday - "Here’s What to Know - And Who We Think Will Win."
• World Marathon Majors - also known as the Big Six, is a championship-style competition for marathon runners that started in 2006. It comprises six annual races (five 2006–2011, four 2012) for the cities of Tokyo (starting in 2013), Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago and New York City (2006–11, 2013–), a biennial race, the IAAF World Championships Marathon, and a quadrennial race, the Olympic Games Marathon. Each WMM series spans two calendar years; the second year of a series overlaps with the first year of the next.

Top 10 Marathon Events

• BERLIN MARATHON - since 1974.
• BOSTON MARATHON - since 1897. The world's oldest annual marathon, and ranks as one of the world's best-known road racing events. It is one of six World Marathon Majors. April 17, 2023.
• CHICAGO MARATHON - since 1977. October 9, 2022.
• 44th COPENHAGEN MARATHON - since 1980. May 14, 2023.
• HONG KONG MARATHON - since 1997.
• LONDON MARATHON - since 1981. October 2, 2022.
• 36th Edition of the Marathon des Sables - since 1986. "This year, the 36th edition of the marathon des sables is all set to take place. The 36th race is a foot race, where runners and walkers will have to cover a distance of over 250 kilometers. The race consists of several stages. Participants are recommended to bring their racing gear, including sleeping material and other necessary items. Most importantly, it is advised that all participants should bring food items that are handy and give them enough energy to endure the deadliest experience."
• NEW YORK CITY MARATHON - since 1970. Annual marathon (42.195 km or 26.219 mi) that courses through the five boroughs of New York City. It is the largest marathon in the world, with 50,304 finishers in 2013. Along with the Boston Marathon and Chicago Marathon, it is among the pre-eminent long-distance annual running events in the United States and is one of the World Marathon Majors. November 6th, 2022.
• NORTH POLE MARATHON - since 2002. "World's Coolest Marathon." Welcome to the running experience of a lifetime. In April 2023, athletes like you can make history as a continuing new breed of Arctic adventurer.
• The Barkley Marathons: the hellish 100-mile race with 15 finishers in 36 years - "Participants in the Tennessee race must negotiate extreme temperatures, wild terrain and more than 50,000 feet of accumulated ascent."
• THE GREAT WALL MARATHON - "5,164 steps into history!" Since its inception in 1999, the Great Wall Marathon has become revered as one of the world's most challenging marathons.
• TOKYO MARATHON - since 2007. Annual marathon sporting event in Tokyo, the capital of Japan. It is an IAAF Gold Label marathon and one of the six World Marathon Majors.

Running Equipment

• 8 best fitness trackers of 2017 - The Telegraph.
• ADIDAS - men's & women's running shoes.
• All The Gear You Need For Trail Running - Wired.
• Apple Watch just took a massive step towards being my favorite running watch - "Finally, the battle with Spotify is over."
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• Apple Watch Ultra - since 2022. "Rugged and capable, with precision dual-frequency GPS, up to 36-hour battery life, and three bands for athletes of all kinds." Meet the most rugged and capable Apple Watch ever. With a robust titanium case, precision dual-frequency GPS, up to 36 hours of battery life the freedom of cellular and three specialized bands made for athletes and adventurers of all kinds. Features a new rugged 49mm Titanium case.
• best fitness trackers you can buy - "Smartwatches aren't your only options."
• Casio announces a cheaper version of its Wear OS watch for hikers - The Verge.
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• Casio ProTrek PRG-240T-7ER
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• District Vision - "Running Sunglasses Made in Japan." Men's & women's.
• ECCO - "It is ECCO's vision to be the most wanted brand within innovation and comfort footwear."
• ENDOMONDO - sports community based on free real-time GPS tracking of running, cycling, etc. Bring your mobile on the track and get a complete training log!
• FITBIT FLEX - "Make fitness a lifestyle with Flex." Wireless activity & sleep wristband. "This slim, stylish device is with you all the time. During the day, it tracks steps, distance, and calories burned. At night, it tracks your sleep cycle and wakes you silently in the morning."
• Fitbit Sense 2 review: it doesn’t make much sense - "The fitness tracker has industry-leading stress tracking, but pour one out for the future of Fitbit smartwatches."
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• Garmin - "Running Smartwatches." It’s no secret - we were in the running watch game long before there were smartwatches. So we know that no two runners are the same, and that’s exactly why we have running watches for everyone. From easy-to-use GPS watches to triathlon-ready powerhouses, we have a running partner designed just for you.
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• Garmin Forerunner 265 - "On March 2, 2023 Garmin released the Forerunner 265 series. For the running world, this GPS watch giant's popular mid-priced running watch just got better and brighter! With the release of the Garmin Forerunner 255 in 2022, this smartwatch became a full-blown multisport watch."
• Garmin Forerunner 265 review: runner’s best friend gets screen upgrade - "Brighter, crisper touchscreen and week-long battery life prove potent combination, but cost increases."
• Garmin Forerunner 245 Music review: a runner’s best friend - "Practically every running stat, great battery life, offline Spotify and comprehensive health-tracking in a small and light sports watch."
• Garmin forerunner 945 - "We made this watch for you - the up-at-dawn runners and the conditioned-for-pain triathletes. While you chase your next victory, make sure you’ve got the right tool for the job."
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• HOKA - since 2009. "Shop HOKA ONE ONE for maximum cushion and minimal weight in our top fitness, trail, hiking, and road running shoes. Time to fly." Men's.
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• HOKA - since 2009. Women's.
• Hoka Is StockX's Fastest Growing Sneaker Brand of 2022 So Far - "For the first half of 2022 compared to 2021, Hoka is the fastest-growing sneaker brand on StockX. Puma and Birkenstock aren't far behind."
• Why these chunky, ugly running shoes are selling like crazy - "Sneakers designed to feel like running barefoot used to be the hottest phenomenon in exercise. Now, the opposite is true. The ugliest, chunkiest sneaker brand is flying off the shelves. Hoka, which started in 2009 in France as a running shoe for hardcore marathoners, is growing rapidly with casual runners, hikers and weightlifters. The brand, which hawks $125-and-up ultra-cushioned shoes, has also become something of a fashion symbol outside of exercise. Hoka is appealing to consumers looking for everyday walking shoes, and it’s been spotted on celebrities, including Gwyneth Paltrow and Emily Ratajkowski."
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• Huawei Watch GT - "Slim. Beautiful. Strong." This watch is resilient to accidents because of its ceramic bezel design, stainless steel shell and DLC coating. Measuring in at a mere 10.6 mm and featuring a double crown 1.39" 454 x 454 AMOLED screen, it's remarkably vibrant and slim. 2-Week Battery Life, Travel without Limits.
• Huawei Watch GT Runner review: The best smartwatch from Huawei yet - "The Huawei Watch GT Runner is the firm’s best sports smartwatch so far, but it still has shortcomings."
• I tried the infamous record-breaking marathon shoes, but are they worth the price? - "The Nike Air Zoom Alphafly NEXT% 2 will give me the edge on race day."
• Inside Fitbit’s Quest to Make Fitness Trackers Invisible - Wired.
• Jaybird Run review - "The perfect truly wireless earbuds for workouts."
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• LEIKR - Danish GPS sports watch features a two-inch color display to read your pace, speed, heart rate, distance, calories consumption and elapsed time. A device that monitors your performance, guides you through your route as well as through your workout.
• MIZUNO
• NIKE+
• NIKE RUNNING
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• Omron Walking style III - "Do more with a simple step counter." Slim and lightweight, you can take it with you anywhere to improve your walking skills. An easy way to monitor your health. Features: calories burned, fat burned, intensity of your walking mode, records how far you have gone, 2D sensor, daily steps, memory, and a 24 hour digital clock is included.
• ON - "Running re-invented."
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• PEBBLE WATCH - "E-Paper Watch for iPhone and Android." E-paper smart watch design that connects to your iPhone or Android-powered smart phone. It can be customized to the nth degree, with different watch faces and apps that are downloaded to the watch. It alerts you to incoming calls, texts and emails, you can play your music from it, and you can even access the GPS on your phone to get information like distance and pace when cycling or running.

• POLAR ELECTRO - "Listens To Your Body." Manufacturer of advanced sports training computers, heart rate monitoring equipment & sports GPS watches since 1977.
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• Polar RC3 GPS Tour de France - "Essential features in one compact package."
• POLAR RS800CX - "The most accurate way to measure your speed and distance as well as plan, monitor and analyze your body's response to your training sessions."
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• SUUNTO - sports precision instruments for diving, training, mountaineering, hiking, skiing and sailing. All models.
• TEVA - sports shoes.
• THE BEST WIRELESS HEADPHONES FOR RUNNING - The Verge.
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• Timex - "Ironman Watch Collection | Sport and Fitness Watchess." All models.
• TOP CHOICES FOR TRAIL RUNNING SHOES - Wired.
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• Vasque - men's trail running shoes.