Christmas time approacheth! Do you have a runner friend or family member you are thinking of this Christmas? I’ve created a list of great smaller items that work great as stocking stuffers for any runner and/or fitness guru. They fit the budget, and best of all, most of them have been tested by your’s truly!
Neck Warmer
Neck warmers, or gaters as some companies call them, are great for the really cold winter morning and evening runs. You know those mornings where you step outside and can see your breath emit from your own nose! Yeah, those mornings. Help the runner in your life breath a little easier with a neck and face warmer.
My favorite is sold at Road Runner. It’s my favorite because it is SUPER soft and warm; plus, there is an adjustable strap on both ends so that if you want to have it up and around your nose you just simply tie a little knot to keep it there.
Get the Road Runner Neck Warmer
Wool Socks
I just recently discoverd how amazing wool socks are! I used to run in those big fluffy socks/slippers during the winter because even doubling up on my normal running socks was not enough. But with wool socks that is no longer an issue. These suckers are warm! And the best part? I found mine at a great price at Costco 😀
Pace band
I actually don’t have a pace band, I’ve never found them necessary myself…but I know runners that swear by them. A lot of runners make their own out of paper, but I’ve seen those nasty pieces of sticky, sweaty, papers on their wrists after. Believe me, if your runner is big into setting PRs the silicone pace bands are a much better idea than letting them create their own 😉
Like I said, I don’t own one, so this is not a tried and true product from me, but I found a bunch of them on the site below.
A cool water bottle
Runners and fitness junkies alike love new water bottles. I guess it is because we understand the importance of hydrating and having a spill proof water bottle near us at all times helps us remember to drink? I don’t know, but what I do know is that I LOVE the Trimr bottle. I like the big one because it holds like 34 ounces of water! Plus, the lid provides both a tip and drink option and a straw, which I like. Oh, and I guess its a shaker bottle for the fitness guys and gals that like to drink protein drinks.
Nuun
I’ve mentioned Nuun a few times; it’s an awesome electrolyte drink that fizzes into water and gives it a little bit of carbonation that helps my tummy not get mad at me. I like it! And it’s great for a stocking stuffer.
Get Nicole’s Favorite Flavor of Nuun
Jellybeans
What runner doesn’t love jellybeans!? I mean…it’s not just me right? And I don’t mean the special “sport beans” or whatever they are called. I mean straight up jelly beans! I use them as a carb re-louder after super hard workouts/runs and as fuel during my run for anything over about 16 miles. My fav are the kind you can get at Easter time; laffy taffy and sweet tart flavored! Yum!
Waterproof baggies
These are nice if you’re the kind of runner that runs through the rain and you have an ipod or a phone that you don’t want to drown. Also, if you use the flipbelt (which I HIGHLY recommend) these little baggies are great for keeping your phone from getting all sweaty. Especially if you’re like me and wear your phone on the small of your back where the sweat tends to drip. I like the ones loksak makes personally, mostly because I have experience with them and I know they work, AND because they make small ones taht are just big enough for a phone or ipod, which means even with the baggy on they still fit in the flipbelt really well. Just a heads up! Make sure you measure your phone and get the right size, because they sell a lot of different sizes!
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Chap stick
I personally use chapstick before every run, it keeps my lips from getting too dry and on cold mornings from splitting. But I also currently live in Utah where the air is so dry I could simply crack and smile and my lips would split so…there’s that. FYI, my favorite kind of chap stick is EOS
Beanies with a ponytail hole
So it may seem like a small thing, but having that hole in the back of a beanie for your ponytail makes beanies work SO much better on runs! They fit properly, and they don’t try to pop off the top of your head. I personally own a Trailheads brand one and a LuLuLemon brand one. I like them both! But the Trailheads one is a bit cheapers so I’ll give ya the link to that one.
Headbands
Or in Nicole terms…hair keepers. I’ve really been loving the tube kind lately (which I guess is called a “bandana”) because I can not only use them on my runs, I can wear them as everyday hairbands too. Also, they an be used as a neck/face warmer and a bunch of other stuff. Anyway…there are some really cute ones at itFit, so I suggest theirs.
An Inspirational Book or Movie
I personally LOVED the move McFarland, if you or your running buddy hasn’t seen the movie it is a stocking stuffer must! The movie was very inspirational to me as both a runner and a want to be coach.
Compression Socks
Compression socks are awesome in the winter because they cover so much of the leg. They are also great all throughout the year (in my opinion) for post long runs, they help the legs recover so much quicker. ProCompression has some AWESOME colors and patterns, which is important, believe me. Plus, they have some really good sales most of the time. P.S. here is an awesome tip on how to put them on easier! It changed my life…not joking.
KT Tape
So KT Tape is actually something I came to love for the first time this year. I had some tendinitis starting in my leg and was still able to run my marathon thanks to the awesome support of KT Tape. But serious, splurge for the brand name stuff, the other stuff is crap and doesn’t stay on or stretch as well.
Baby Wipes
No brand name stuff needed here! The cheap stuff works great. Although, you might be asking, why baby wipes? Well, everyone travels for a run or race sometimes, and baby wipes are the bomb diggity after a hard run. Sometimes it just feels really good to clean the sweat off your body before you get back in the car to drive home.
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