It all begins with the socks.

The late John Wooden preached it on the first day of basketball practice for decades at UCLA. Paying attention to the basics is where preparedness starts.

Many of Sunday’s marathoners may wish they had heeded Wooden’s lesson on socks. They also may want to put a pair of Vitalsox on their Christmas wish list.

Made in Italy, the socks are a perfect fit for the serious athlete, the weekend warrior and travelers. Vitalsox has styles geared for court sports, running, multi-purpose, biking, mountain biking and recovery, and come in ghost, ped, crew, quarter and over-the-calf cuts, depending on style.

White and black are the most common colors, but the recovery compression socks are also available in pink, silver and neon. The outdoor socks geared for hiking and trekking come in various weights, from light to heavy, and gray, brown and beige.

Not an athlete? Many have found the compression socks help circulation while on long plane rides or sitting for hours at a desk.

Vitalsox are available for purchase on Amazon.com and soon on vitalsox.com. Locally, they are available today and tomorrow at the Honolulu Marathon Expo at the Convention Center, with the expectation that they will be in retail stores in the future. They cost $14-18.