Are there any runners in your life that you still need to buy a Christmas gift for? Here are 6 of my favorite items for runners, cyclists and athletes!
Apple Watch-One thing that I love about the apple watch is the workout apt. There are different categories you can select such as outdoor run, outdoor walk, outdoor cycle, indoor walk, indoor run, indoor cycle, elliptical, rower,stair stepper etc. Being a runner, the category I use most is outdoor run. This tracks the total distances I run, the time I ran it, calories burned, average pace, and heart rate. It downloads it straight to my phone so that I always have a log of what I ran. And the best part is that my phone is directly connected to it, so I can call, receive calls and text messages, and have maps right on my wrist while driving!
Stretchy Headband Band– I LOVE MY HEADBANDS! I get them at walmart in the beauty section. They are super cheap and have been one of my most useful things. I started wearing them in 9th grade and have been hooked ever since. Obviously why I like them is that it keeps my hair out of my face. When you are in the blocks it nice to have your hair out of your face so that you can just be focused on the race and not about wanting to move that strand of hair before you start. Putting on my headband means game time. I’m ready to go and not worry about how messy my hair gets or if my hair is getting sweaty and is starting to stick to my face. I put my headband on and its time to go work hard.
Compression Leg Sleeves– People don’t know what to think about these. They either think they look stupid or that they don’t actually work. Looking stupid or not, this things have saved my life. In high school running everyday I was pounding on my shins. I got shin splints on and off. One thing that helped me when I had them was to wear shin compressions. These helped me some much and made workouts bearable. Also I didn’t have to go in early to practice and get my shins taped everyday but I was able to just slip these on right before practice. These are not going to take away shin splints but they are sure going to help.
Foam Roller– This has also been a lifesaver. Running everyday and doing workouts, you are bound to get sore. Rolling out after practice everyday with a foam roller is going to take away some of the soreness so that you are ready to go hard the next day. It is also sort of cushiony so that it doesn’t hurt your more boney areas. I like to use this mostly for my hamstrings, quads, hip flexor, and back. It also feels good on the back of your calves.
Muscle Roller Stick or Massage Stick– This is one thing that I use A LOT. It is just like the foam roller. You would use this when you are sore or after work outs to prevent soreness. I like this because it is smaller and I can stick it in my backpack or suitcase when I am traveling. I like to use this primarily for my calves. Also I use it for my hamstrings. I like the sticks because I can roll myself out or have a teammate do it.
Arm Sleeves or Arm Warmers for Cold Weather– These are great for cold weather! Coming from Arizona, I never had a need for these before. Going up to Utah and getting these my first year of college was life changing. During the cold whether and when it is snowing you want to layer, layer, layer. Except one thing that happens, is that as you run, you warm up. You start to unzip, take off, and eventually tie your jacket around your waist. These are nice because it is as if you are wearing a long sleeve shirt but as soon as you start to warm up you can just push them down to your wrist and keep running. 
Kylie Jorgensen-Blossom’s Health & Fitness Expert
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