I'm a running tech expert — beginner runners should spend $500 on these 3 things to be set for up to 500 miles of training

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Three essentials to take you from first steps to finish line

I ran the London Marathon with Garmin and Apple Watch
The author before running the London Marathon (Image credit: Future)

I've been reviewing fitness kit for TechRadar for around five years now, and writing about fitness for over a decade. Whether it's the best smartwatches for running or the best bone conduction headphones, I've tried and rated dozens of devices. So I'm well placed to advise beginners on which gear to get.

As with many other pursuits, when you start to take running more seriously you can end up spending an awful lot of money. If you've gone on your first few jogs wearing cheap trainers, and are now deciding to take the hobby seriously, it can be tough to figure out what to spend your money on, and how much you should spend.

That's where I can help — I can recommend three essential items of top-flight running gear to carry you hundreds of miles, possibly over two years of training depending on how quickly you chew up the pavement, for a total cost of less than $500.

The shoes: Saucony Ride 18

Saucony Ride 18

(Image credit: Lily Canter)

While some people who find regular running shoes painful might need specialist shoes that compensate for uneven gaits, most will be happy with a well-reviewed shoe we call an 'all-rounder': shoes that are comfortable for day-to-day training, are hard-wearing (they could last up to 500 miles, depending on the runner) and don't cost too much. Enter the Saucony Ride series, my fave daily trainers. We gave the Saucony Ride 18 4.5 stars in our review, and I loved the follow-up Saucony Ride 19 during testing.

The trick to getting running shoes at deep discounts is to go one or two years back from the latest model, but make sure you buy them first-hand. So to free up some more of our budget, I recommend opting for the Saucony Ride 18 (men's), which are currently reduced from $145 down to $89.94 at Amazon in the retailer's Spring Sale, over the full-price Ride 19. The women's shoe is reduced from $145 to $90.65 at Amazon too, although a smaller range of sizes are available.

Saucony Ride 18 Ride 18 running shoe (women's)
Save 37%
Saucony Ride 18 Ride 18 running shoe (women's): was $145 now $90.65 at Amazon

Save 37% on last year's excellent Saucony Ride 18 running shoe, a great choice for beginner-to-intermediate runners looking for a high-quality daily-wear sneaker that doesn't cost the earth. The men's shoe is available for $89.95.

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The watch: Garmin Forerunner 165

Garmin Forerunner 165

(Image credit: Future)

A running watch is an essential purchase for any aspiring athlete: you can see how fast you're running, how hard you're working, and how well your body recovers thanks to its heart rate monitor, GPS and pedometer functionalities.

The Garmin Forerunner 55 is, strictly speaking, the cheapest Garmin watch you can get, but it's getting old and its replacement — the Garmin Forerunner 165 — is a far better choice for the modern runner. It's cheaper than the Garmin Forerunner 570 and Garmin Forerunner 970, and shares many of their excellent software features. It's a bit plastic-feeling, but it's light, lasts for up to 11 days (take that, Apple Watch) and is engineered for runners.

It's also on offer right now at close to its lowest-ever price: the Garmin Forerunner 165 is reduced from $249.99 to $199.99 at Amazon in either its black or white variations, saving you a cool $50. Added to the shoes, we've spent $290 so far.

Garmin Forerunner 165
Garmin Forerunner 165: was $249.99 now $199.50 at Amazon

The Forerunner 165 boasts 11-day battery life, Garmin's useful Morning Report function, onboard training plans, navigation tools, as well as Garmin's excellent suite of wellness and recovery features. We gave it 4.5 stars in our review.

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The headphones: Shokz OpenRun Pro 2

Shokz OpenRun Pro 2

(Image credit: Future / James Holland)

Bone-conduction headphones are a runner's best friend, as they differ from standard earbuds by sitting away from the ears. This means they allow you to stay aware of the world around them, including traffic, pedestrians and other potential hazards while still listening to your tunes.

We rated the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 as our top pick for runners in our 4.5 star review, and right now you can get the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 for just $139.95 at Amazon, down from $179.95, in the retailer's Spring Sale event.

This brings us up to a total of approximately $430 for the lot — with the remaining $70 earmarked for a nice pair of running shorts or leggings. Nailed it!

Shokz OpenRun Pro 2
Shokz OpenRun Pro 2: was $179.95 now $139.95 at Amazon

Save a cool $40 on these bone conduction headphones. Up to 12 hours of powerful 3D audio, a 'quick charge' function, and they weigh just 29g. We love them.

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Matt Evans
Matt Evans
Senior Fitness & Wearables Editor

Matt is TechRadar's expert on all things fitness, wellness and wearable tech.

A former staffer at Men's Health, he holds a Master's Degree in journalism from Cardiff and has written for brands like Runner's World, Women's Health, Men's Fitness, LiveScience and Fit&Well on everything fitness tech, exercise, nutrition and mental wellbeing.

Matt's a keen runner, ex-kickboxer, not averse to the odd yoga flow, and insists everyone should stretch every morning. When he’s not training or writing about health and fitness, he can be found reading doorstop-thick fantasy books with lots of fictional maps in them.

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