What to buy for a night marathon

A night marathon needs more than race numbers and medals. You need enough lighting for the route and finish area, clearly visible signs, drinks at several points, and equipment volunteers can use in the dark. This shopping list covers the practical supplies for registration, the start and finish area, route support, refreshments and communications. Check quantities against your participant count, route length and number of aid stations before ordering.

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What to bring

Grouped the way you'd shop for it, with quantities.

Furniture

Party tentsqty 4
Foldable tablesqty 12
Folding chairsqty 30
Coat racksqty 4
Waste binsqty 12
Crowd barriersqty 40
Start arch

Sports equipment

Directional signsqty 80
Traffic conesqty 120
Bib numbersqty 350
Safety pinsqty 800
Medal ribbonsqty 350
Disposable cupsqty 1200
Thermal labelsqty 350
Coolersqty 12
Water barrelsqty 10
Foldable cratesqty 30

Lighting

LED lampsqty 30
Work lightsqty 12
Extension cordsqty 8
Power stripsqty 10

Equipment

Wireless walkie-talkiesqty 16
Speakersqty 2
Microphone
Music player
Stopwatchesqty 6
Megaphonesqty 3
Mobile chargersqty 8

Tableware

Platesqty 350
Knivesqty 350
Forksqty 350
Serving spoonsqty 12
Thermos flasksqty 10

Kitchen

Cutting boardsqty 6
Chef’s knives and bread knivesqty 8
Scissorsqty 6
Serving plattersqty 20
Pouring jugsqty 12
Measuring cupsqty 4
Ice packsqty 40

First aid

First aid kitsqty 4
High-visibility vests for first respondersqty 12
Disposable glovesqty 6
Stretcher

Cleaning

Broom setsqty 4
Floor squeegeesqty 2
Cleaning bucketsqty 6
Reusable cleaning clothsqty 30
Litter pickersqty 6
Hand sanitizer dispensersqty 12

Catering

Groceries
- Spa Blauw - 600 bottles
- Sparkling mineral water - 120 bottles
- Lemon sports drink - 240 bottles
- Cola - 24 liters
- Cola Zero - 24 liters
- Orange juice - 20 liters
- Apple juice - 12 liters
- Coffee - 4 kilos
- Tea - 300 bags
- Milk - 20 liters
- Oat milk - 8 liters
- Sugar - 3 kilos
- Sweetener - 300 pieces
- Lemon tea - 100 bags
- Bananas - 350 pieces
- Apples - 250 pieces
- Oranges - 150 pieces
- Grapes - 20 kilos
- Dates - 10 kilo
- Muesli bars - 400 pieces
- Energy gels - 500 pieces
- Raisins - 8 kilos
- Plain chips - 12 bags
- Paprika chips - 12 bags
- Salted crackers - 20 packs
- Whole wheat bread - 30 loaves
- White rolls - 350 pieces
- Multigrain rolls - 150 pieces
- Unsalted butter - 4 kilos
- Young cheese - 12 kilos
- Hummus - 6 kilos
- Peanut butter - 5 kilo
- Jam - 5 jars
- Chicken soup - 30 liters
- Vegetable soup - 20 liters
- Tomato soup - 20 liters
- Pasta - 35 kilos
- Tomato sauce - 25 liters
- Vegetarian pasta sauce - 15 liters
- Grated cheese - 6 kilos
- Olive oil - 5 liters
- Salt - 2 kilos
- Black pepper - 500 grams
- Garlic powder - 250 grams
- Basil - 200 grams
- Ketchup - 4 bottles
- Mayonnaise - 4 bottles
- Mustard - 3 bottles
- Paper towels - 24 rolls
- Toilet paper - 48 rolls
- Trash bags - 200 pieces
- Liquid hand soap - 12 bottles
- Hand sanitizer gel - 12 bottles
- Dish soap - 6 bottles
- Sponges - 24 pieces
- Dishcloths - 30 pieces
- Aluminum foil - 6 rolls
- Cling film - 6 rolls
- Coffee cups - 600 pieces
- Stir sticks - 600 pieces
- Napkins - 1000 pieces
- Food containers - 400 pieces

Tips

Plan at least two disposable cups per runner at each water station, plus extra cups for spills and volunteer use. Water barrels and coolers should be ready before runners arrive, not during registration.
Provide one bib number and at least two safety pins per participant, then add roughly 10% spare bibs and pins for replacements, lost numbers and late corrections.
Use illuminated work lights or LED lamps at registration, the start arch, the finish line and medal distribution. Pack extension cords and power strips, and keep chargers available for radios and phones.
Mark every turn with directional signs and traffic cones that can be seen at night. Prepare spare signs and cones in foldable crates so route volunteers can replace or add markers quickly.
Set aside a separate finish-area supply of medal ribbons, thermal labels, drinks, plates and knives. This prevents medal distribution and refreshments from competing for the same tables and volunteers.

Frequently asked questions

How many safety pins do I need for a night marathon?: Allow two safety pins per runner, plus around 10% extra. For 100 runners, buy or prepare at least 220 pins so replacements are available.
How much water should I buy for a night marathon?: Budget about 500 to 750 ml per runner for the event, then add 10% for volunteers, spills and warm weather. For 100 runners, that means roughly 55 to 83 litres.
How many cups are needed at a marathon water station?: Prepare at least two cups per runner per station, with an additional 10% spare. For 100 runners at three stations, that is about 660 disposable cups.
When should I check the lighting and radios?: Test LED lamps, work lights, extension cords, power strips and walkie-talkies at least 24 hours before the start. Check them again during setup, when the route is already dark.

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