Race day comes down to a small set of tech doing its job. A watch with enough GPS battery for the race, headphones that meet the course rules, and a phone ready for navigation, messaging and photos.

Get those right, and you barely think about them. Then you can focus on running your best race.

Get them wrong, and you could arrive at the start with a flat watch or headphones that do not meet the course rules. The gear only helps if it is charged and allowed under the race rules, which is easy to overlook before race day.

Here is the marathon tech that matters and how to have it ready when the starting gun goes.

Key Takeaways

• The marathon tech shortlist is simple: a GPS sports watch, your phone, optional open-ear headphones, and the chargers and power bank that keep them ready.
• Many current GPS sports watches offer enough stated GPS battery life for a marathon, but actual runtime depends on the model, GPS mode and enabled features.
• At the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON, only open-ear headphones are permitted for use on the course.
• GPS tracking, navigation, frequent screen use, photos and messaging can increase phone battery use across a long race day.
• A multi-port charger can simplify charging several compatible devices the night before, while a power bank provides additional mobile power before and after the race.

What tech essentials do you need for a marathon?

For many runners, the tech shortlist is straightforward: a GPS sports watch, a phone, optional headphones, and the chargers and power bank that keep them ready, with one useful rule tying everything together: charge your devices the night before.

A GPS watch gives you pace, distance and splits on your wrist.

Your phone handles apps, navigation, messaging, photos and race information. Headphones are optional, and at the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON they need to meet the event's open-ear requirement.

Charging gear keeps the rest of your setup ready before and after the race.

You do not need a large pile of accessories, just a few pieces that each do a clear job. The trick is less about buying more and more about arriving with everything ready. If you want to keep the setup compact, our guide to building a minimal travel charging kit covers the same approach for travelling with several devices.

Smartphone: apps, navigation and tracking

Your phone can handle several jobs on race day: navigation to the start, messaging supporters, taking photos and using tracking or event tools.

Many runners also use a run-tracking app such as Strava or a similar service to record the run over GPS, alongside a sports watch rather than necessarily replacing it.

The BMW BERLIN-MARATHON provides digital tracking tools for participants and supporters. Check the current 2026 event information before race weekend for the exact app and tracking features available.

If friends or family are coming to cheer, point them to our Berlin Marathon spectator guide for practical information on tracking, viewing spots and meeting points.

GPS tracking, navigation, frequent screen use, photos and messaging can all increase battery use. How long the phone lasts depends on the model, battery health, signal conditions and how heavily you use it.

A power bank can therefore provide useful backup during the journey to the event and after the finish.

Sports watch and headphones for race day

Many current GPS sports watches provide enough stated GPS battery life for a marathon, while headphones at the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON must meet the event's open-ear requirement. For the watch, the key is checking your model and charging it in advance; for headphones, it is choosing the permitted type.

Take the watch first. Actual battery life depends on the model, GPS settings and enabled features.

For example, the Garmin Forerunner 970 has a manufacturer-stated battery life of up to 21 hours in its All Systems + Multi-Band GPS mode, or up to 12 hours when using that mode with music. The COROS PACE 3 is rated for up to 38 hours in Standard Full GPS mode.

Those figures show why many current running watches can cover marathon distance, but they should not be treated as a rule for every watch. Features such as multi-band positioning, music playback and display settings can reduce runtime.

Charge your watch fully the night before and check the manufacturer's battery specifications for the GPS mode you plan to use.

Now, headphones. Berlin has a clear course rule.

Only music devices with open-ear headphones are permitted for use on the course, and runners must remain alert to their surroundings.

Closed in-ear and over-ear headphones do not meet that course requirement.

Battery life varies by headphone model and usage, so charge your headphones fully the night before and check the manufacturer's stated runtime if needed.

That leaves several devices potentially needing power on the same evening, which brings us to charging.

Battery life and mobile power

The kit only works if it is charged, so the last essential is power: a multi-port charger for preparing compatible devices the night before and a power bank for extra phone battery before and after the race.

The night before can be a multi-device charging job, especially in a hotel room where free sockets may be limited.

A multi-port charger can simplify that setup. The UGREEN Nexode Air Slim Charger (65W, 3-Port, Foldable Plug) provides three charging ports and can be used to charge multiple compatible devices from one socket. Available power depends on the active port combination and the devices connected.

If limited hotel sockets are a familiar problem, our guide to single-port vs multi-port chargers for travel explains when each setup makes sense. You can also compare compact options in the UGREEN travel charger range.

During the journey to the race and in the hours after the finish, a power bank can provide additional battery reserve for your phone when a socket is not nearby.

The UGREEN MagFlow Air Magnetic Slim Power Bank (10000mAh, Qi2 15W) provides magnetic wireless charging for compatible phones in a slim format, while the UGREEN Nexode Power Bank 20000mAh 100W offers more capacity for longer journeys or additional compatible devices.

Which capacity makes sense depends on how much backup power you need and what you plan to charge. Our guide to choosing a power bank size for travelling covers that decision in more detail.

In this guide, the power bank is mainly for travel, pre-race time and the hours after the finish: getting to the event, meeting family, returning to the hotel and travelling home.

UGREEN is the official charging partner of the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON, with charging products designed to help keep everyday devices powered around the race weekend. You can compare additional options across UGREEN chargers, power banks and charging cables.

Pre-race tech checklist

Run through this quick check the night before to reduce the risk of arriving at the start with a flat or incorrectly configured device.

Work down the list the evening before the race:

• Charge your phone, watch and headphones fully, using a multi-port charger where the ports and cables are compatible with your devices.
• Update and open your run-tracking app and check the latest BMW BERLIN-MARATHON digital tools and event information.
• Confirm that your headphones are open-ear and paired correctly.
• Set your watch to the GPS mode you plan to use, and pre-load the course if your model supports it.
• Pack a power bank and a suitable short charging cable for travel and the time after the finish.
• Agree on a meeting point with your supporters and share the information they need to use the available race tracking tools.

Do that, and the tech can fade into the background, which is where it belongs on race day.

The wrap-up

The marathon tech shortlist is small: a watch, a phone and optional open-ear headphones, supported by the charging gear that keeps them ready.

Many current GPS watches offer enough stated battery life for a marathon, headphones need to meet the event's open-ear requirement, and a phone may benefit from additional battery reserve during a long race day.

Charge everything the night before and keep a power bank available for travel and the hours after the finish.

A multi-port charger such as the UGREEN Nexode Air Slim Charger can simplify overnight charging for several compatible devices, while a portable option such as the UGREEN MagFlow Air Magnetic Slim Power Bank can provide additional phone power when you are away from a socket. Together, they support the practical race-weekend charging needs behind UGREEN's role as the official charging partner of the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON.