On November 4, 4,098 business professionals will be at the starting line for the New York City Marathon. That number includes 1,267 analysts, 1,221 bankers, and 288 C.E.O.’s, according to the New York Road Runners Club. It also amounts to a 15 percent jump in corporate runners since 2006. What do they do to get an edge over the other 47,000 entrants? What comes naturally: They invest—in specialized trainers and gear. Nathan Miller, an analyst with SAC Capital, is all set for the 2007 marathon. Here’s what he spent:

Heart-rate monitors
One Polar RS100 and one Timex Ironman watch: $210

Drinks
Gatorade Endurance Formula: $400

Jerseys
Twenty Coolmax Dri-Fit shirts, plus a custom bright-orange team jersey: $500

Shorts
Twelve pairs of Nike Dri-Fit shorts: $480

Socks
Twenty-four pairs of Adidas Dri-Fit socks: $192

Running shoes
Three pairs of Asics 2120 sneakers: $285

Training-site membership
$1,800

Trainers
$2,200

Total cost
$6,067