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You may know Matt James for donning a tux and handing out roses to hopeful suitresses, but these days, life looks pretty different from his time on The Bachelor. You’re now more likely to catch James taking a long cheese pull from a hot slice of pizza or ranking his favorite NYC ice cream spots in a hoodie than going on a group date.
Of course, he needs somewhere to exert all those carbs. Since ending his college football career—James played at Wake Forest—he’s become quite the endurance athlete. James has run several marathons, including Boston, London, and New York, and he’s currently gearing up to toe the line at the New York marathon this November. In previous years, he’s run the race alongside legendary American marathoner Shalane Flannagan, and he loves this marathon in particular for it’s constant energy and good vibes. “Race day in New York City is one of the only days in the city where strangers come together and are warm and change the spirit of the city,” he told TQE. He also shared his must-have gear from head to toe when marathon training.
When you’re racking up the miles it takes to train for a marathon, fuel is just as important as getting your sleep and wearing the right shoes. Matt has the same go-to bite before and after a workout: Rx Bars. He says he’s usually not as hungry as you might expect after a long run, but, he adds, “An Rx Protein Bar is one of the few things I can get down after a run that's protein-packed.” He likes that the bars are made with a few simple ingredients and contain enough protein and carbs to give him a great pre-workout boost too. His favorite flavor? James says it's a three-way tie between Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Nut Butter & Oat, Chocolate Sea Salt, and Blueberry.
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James likes to cycle through three pairs of shoes when preparing for a marathon. Each pair in his rotation has a different purpose. The Lululemon Beyondfeels are his favorite sneaks for mid-distance runs because they’re comfortable and versatile. “These are a pair of shoes that I can put a lot of miles on, but also wear to the gym after to stretch and do prehab to make sure that I'm staying ahead of injuries,” he says.
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These sturdier, more supportive trainers from New Balance are better suited for long runs, says James. He’s a tall guy–6’5”–so he definitely needs some support when he pounds the pavement. The FuelCells have thick, dense soles that absorb the shock of each footstrike.
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James is also a fan of the Invincible 3 kicks from Nike, which he says are a great all-purpose workhorse of a running shoe. “That's a shoe that you can run five miles in, or you could run 20 miles in,” he says, “It’s a great everyday runner that you can just beat into the ground.”
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Instead of fancy self-massage tools, James prefers the simplicity of a good old lacrosse ball jammed into the knots that inevitably arise during a training cycle. He especially loves using it on his feet. “My feet carry a lot of tension and pressure,” he says. Aside from rolling with a lacrosse ball, James likes to get a foot massage at least once a week.
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Matt likes to run in a hat, and this lightweight, breathable cap from Lululemon is one of his faves. It has a short brim for sun coverage without limiting your peripheral vision–essential for a safe run. Plus, the fabric is airy and breathable, making it comfortable on a hot day. It’s stretchy and snug, so it hugs your head without bumping around.
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Whether you’ve secured your own bib for the New York marathon or you’re looking for a new running club to hop into, you can trust that any of these Matt James-approved products will set you up for success on the roads. Or, you can always just grab an Rx Bar and your Lululemon hat to watch Matt crush NYC from the sidelines.
