Race-Day Gear Test: What We Learned Running the London Landmarks Half

Introduction

Race day is where gear claims get tested. We took a full kit of shoes, watches and apparel to the London Landmarks Half, a twisty, turny course through central London with a stubborn headwind in the closing miles. It turned out to be a great stress test: constant corners challenge GPS accuracy, mixed pacing challenges how a shoe handles different efforts, and a long drag into the wind exposes exactly how much a heavy super shoe costs you when your legs are tired.

The Race: A Twisty, Windy Test

The London Landmarks Half takes in many of the best sights of the city, and the course switches direction just as you get bored of running in a straight line. The support is fantastic, with a low-key London Marathon vibe, and the finishing miles along the Embankment past the Houses of Parliament and over Westminster Bridge are hard to beat.

It is not the perfect course for chasing a personal best, but for everything else a race can offer it is a brilliant day out. The balloted event also works well if you run for charity, which is the easiest way in.

Hoka Cielo X1: Bouncy, Big and Let Down by the Laces

The Hoka Cielo X1 has been one of the favourite launches of the year, used for every session over a week of training leading into this race. On the day it felt very good underfoot and impressively bouncy, booming you along nicely with the wind at your back.

The big issue was the laces. They feel terrible, they never inspire confidence, and despite triple knotting them, the right lace came undone twice during the race and stayed undone for the rest of it. The booty-style fit meant the shoe never actually loosened, so it was still raceable, and laces are easily replaceable. But it is strange that such a good shoe ships with such poor ones.

The other trade-off is size and weight. In the final three miles into a headwind, with tired legs, the shoe’s heft counted against it compared with lighter, higher-turnover options. Shuffle-style runners with lower cadence may appreciate the bounce more, but it is worth knowing where this shoe’s limits sit.

Saucony Endorphin Pro 4: The Accessible Carbon Racer

The Saucony Endorphin Pro 4 was chosen deliberately for a mixed-pace race strategy, and that proved correct. On the easy miles it was protective and comfortable with a big stack of foam soaking up road impact, with no harshness at all. When the pace kicked up to around 6:10 per mile, it responded well with good springing energy, delivered in a less aggressive, more subtle way than the punchiest carbon shoes.

That is the character of this shoe: smooth, reliable energy rather than out-and-out electric propulsion. It has your back when things are not going perfectly, with a stable platform and just the right amount of stability late in the run. It is a more accessible, forgiving carbon shoe that should look after a much wider range of runners, paces and levels of form.

If you are running a half or full marathon and are not sure how the day will unfold, or you are not racing all out, this is an easy shoe to recommend. It is a no-nonsense ride with a genuine safety-blanket quality.

GPS Watches: Garmin Clearly Won the City Test

Two watch pairings went long-term testing on the day: the Garmin Epix Pro against the Apple Watch Ultra, and the Garmin Forerunner 965 against a chest strap. GPS accuracy around the twisty city section was the focus, and the Garmin very clearly outperformed the Apple Watch there.

The surprise was that the Apple Watch, which often does well among big buildings thanks to its accelerometer and mapping data, went completely out of whack. It logged paces that were wildly too fast at times, while the Garmin stayed close to the true manual splits and even handled the tunnel near the finish reasonably well. Both are very good GPS watches overall, but on this day the Garmin was the more reliable pacing tool for most of the race.

Polar and Garmin: Heart Rate and Battery Under Scrutiny

The Polar Vantage V3 was tested head to head with a Grit X Pro 2, though full GPS and heart rate conclusions have to wait until the Grit X Pro 2’s final software is released. Battery life and heart rate tracking were also under review for the Garmin Forerunner 965 against a chest strap over the same course.

Tracksmith Turnover Tights: Comfort and Storage Done Right

The Tracksmith Turnover Tights are among the most comfortable half tights available. They do not feel quite as racy as some compression-focused options, but the storage is really well executed, which matters if you are carrying gels in a marathon. If you use a drinks system with bottles, they will not all fit, so that is the one limitation.

They are fairly pricey, and they come with or without a liner to suit your preference, but for marathon day storage and all-round comfort they are one of the top options worth considering.

Buying Advice

If you are choosing between these for your next race, the decision is simple. Pick the Saucony Endorphin Pro 4 if you want a forgiving carbon shoe that copes with mixed paces and imperfect form. Pick the Hoka Cielo X1 if you love a bouncy ride and are happy to swap the laces. For watches, any Garmin in this group handled tough city GPS better than the Apple Watch Ultra on this course, though both are excellent overall. And if gel storage matters for your marathon, the Turnover Tights deserve a serious look.

Conclusion

The London Landmarks Half delivered a proper test: wind, corners, tunnels and tired legs. The Saucony Endorphin Pro 4 came away as the most dependable all-rounder, the Garmin Epix Pro won the GPS battle convincingly, and the Turnover Tights proved their comfort and storage. The Hoka Cielo X1 remains a top-class shoe, held back only by its laces and its weight in the closing miles. Whatever you race in, match the gear to the day you actually expect to have, not the perfect one.