LittleRunnerEm's Gift Guide

Hello everyone! I'm sure most of you, like me, are either at the height of your Christmas shopping or still trying to figure out where to begin. If that's the case, then you've come to the right place! I spent the past week or so rounding up a list of all the things I love that I think most people would love the receive as gifts. I've broken the list up into two sections: for runners and for anyone. I'm always sharing things I love for running so I thought it'd help to compile those into a list for any of the runners in your life (or even yourself!). This list is a mix of specific items and small businesses or companies I love.

For Runners

Any item on this list for running safety. I shared these items on my blog the other day and I highly recommend them for gifts!

FlipBelt. A super comfortable way to carry your phone, fuel, keys, etc. on a run.

Momentum Jewelry. A little dose of motivation in the form of a bracelet.

Run Fast. Eat Slow. or Run Fast. Cook Fast. Eat Slow cookbooks. A recipe book written by Olympian Shalane Flanagan and chef Elyse Kopecky.

Sarah Marie Design Studio. Adorable running themed clothing and accessories. Use the code LITTLERUNNEREM for a discount!

Believe Training Journal. A beautifully bound journal to track your workouts with room to take notes about each one.

Paincakes. An ice pack that sticks to your skin so you can go about your day with it on.

Senita Athletics. Comfortable, cute activewear with POCKETS! If you use the link provided you will get 10% off your first purchase!

Aftershokz. Bone conduction headphones to keep your runner safe.

For Anyone

MudLove. From homemade bracelets in many styles to personalized mugs, you won't be disappointed! Each purchase provides 1 week of safe, clean water to someone in need.  I'll have a discount code later in the week for this weekend so keep an eye on my Instagram!

The HappyHeadband Co. The cutest headbands that come in a few different styles and tons of designs. Each purchase goes towards buying books for classroom libraries across the country! If you use the link provided you will get 10% off your first purchase!

Start Today Journal or Priority Planner from the Start Today Brand. The STJ is a gratitude journal that also helps you start working towards your dream. The Priority Planner is perfect for any of your friends and family who love to plan each day by the hour!

KG Designs. Handmade unique jewelry and ornaments.

Shop This One Life. Embroidered sweatshirts and hats that can be personalized.

Simple Sugars. Amazing sugar scrubs that come in a wide variety of scents.

Cold Brew Coffee Maker. For any iced coffee/cold brew lovers that want to start making their own drinks at home.

Erica Sara Jewelry. Personalized engraved jewelry that will not disappoint!

Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask. The perfect gift to pamper someone who suffers from dry lips. The price may seem steep for such a small jar, but a little goes a long way so it lasts a long time!

Yeti Tumbler. You can choose your tumbler based on the recipients drink of choice! All yeti's keep your drinks hot or cold for hours.

Dr. Teal's Products. If you're looking to put together a self-care gift for someone, I highly recommend any Dr. Teal's products, from their foaming bath to epsom salt soaks. 

Knockaround Sunglasses. Comfortable, affordable sunglasses that came in all sorts of styles, designs, and colors. You can even customize a pair!

Letterfolk. The cutest passports for anything you can think of from running to food to traveling. They also have letter boards, tile mats, and other unique home goods. 

National Running Safety Month

 As you can tell from the title, it is National Running Safety Month! I meant to get this post out earlier in the month but now is better than never, am I right?! With Daylight Savings, we may find ourselves running in the dark more than we would like. Because of this, I'm sharing some products with you that I personally use to keep myself safe while running in the dark, which these days can be right when I get home from work!

NoxGear Tracer360 Vest
I just had to start off with this product because it is by far one of the best purchases I've made! The NoxGear Tracer360 vest is a lightweight, light up vest you can wear over as many layers as you need. This vest makes you visible to anyone out on the road in any conditions. There are 5 multi-color flashing modes and 6 solid colors to choose from. The band that goes around the chest is also reflective for added visibility!

Headlamp
Not only do you want to be seen while running in the dark, but you also want to see the road beneath you and ahead of you! I'm fortunate to live in a very well-lit development where I do any of my in-the-dark runs, but whenever I trek outside of my development, I make sure to wear my headlamp! I can't find the exact headlamp I bought many years ago, but it's Nathan Sports brand so I've linked their online shop in the title. My one little tip for a headlamp is to actually wear it around your waist. This allows you to see beneath you and ahead of you without needing to move your head all around to see.

Go Guarded Self-Defense Ring
This is one of those items I bring with me on my run but hope I never ever have to use it! The Go Guarded ring is a heavy-duty plastic serrated-edge weapon that can be worn on any finger. This is a convenient, comfortable, and effective way to defend yourself if the unthinkable should ever happen out on a run.

I love the shoe ID because then I don't need to think about it before I leave to run!

ROADiD
Just like the Go Guarded ring, this is an item I always have on me on a run but hope I never need it! A ROADiD comes in all different shapes and sizes. You can get a shoe ID which attaches right to your shoelaces or a wrist ID that you can wear. Each ID (no matter which you choose) is able to be personalized. Most people put their name, date of birth, any known allergies or medical conditions, and their emergency contact information. I will promote this brand forever so I was super excited to be chosen as an Ambassador! If you ever go to order from ROADiD, reach out to me because I may have a discount code for you to use!

Question of the Day: How do you keep yourself safe while running in the dark?

Friday Favorites

 Happy Friday, friends! It was another long week here but once again, I have a pretty open weekend ahead of me. The temperatures have really been dropping here in New Jersey so you'll find me bundled up on the couch with some hot chocolate for a majority of this weekend. Before I log on and have my Friday remote session with the kiddos, I'm sharing some things I've been loving this week!

Starbucks Caramel Apple Spice
I used to get this all the time in college and completely forgot about it until recently when my sister was asking for some non-coffee suggestions from Starbucks. Guys, this drink is amazing and so perfect for this time of drink! It's steamed apple juice with cinnamon syrup, whipped cream, and a drizzle of caramel sauce. If you're looking for a delicious seasonal drink but either don't like coffee or aren't in the mood for it, order a caramel apple spice. You won't be disappointed!

Mental Health Remix Podcast
This was a recommendation from an Instagram friend who is a fellow runner and teacher. She shared a post the other day about the stress she has been under with work that was super relatable. Along with the post, she shared that she has been loving the Mental Health Remix Podcast. I started listening to it on the way to work (my true crime podcasts will have to take a back seat for a bit) and wow, is it great! Nicole Symcox, a licensed psychotherapist, is the host and she is just wonderful! So far I've listened to a few of her episodes about self care. I'm looking forward to listening to more!

I don't have a good photo of the whole tank so a stock photo will have to do!

Old Navy Luxe Tank Top
If you're looking for the perfect tank to wear with a cardigan, look no further! I picked up one of these tanks last summer while shopping for our honeymoon at Old Navy. I've been obsessed ever since! Last week I went on a little shopping spree there again (yay sales!) and ended up buying three more. I went with a fun leopard pattern, wine red, and a basic black. They are so soft and perfect for pairing with sweaters or other layers. I go with the high-neck version but they do sell them in a scoop neck style.

Question of the Day: What is something you've been loving this week?

Friday Favorites

 TGIF! I survived my first week back to work after a full week off and I think I'll celebrate with a relaxing weekend! It was a weird weather week up here in New Jersey with warm temps, humidity, and rain. Something about the weather really made me sleepy all week so here's to hoping to catch up on some rest during the weekend since, as of now, we don't have any plans on the agenda. Before I login for our Friday remote session, I'm sharing a few things I've been loving lately!

Yeti Rambler Lowball
I'm not one to spend much on something like this, but after receiving this Yeti free from ROADiD {ambassador perks!}, I think I'd put out the money for one! The Rambler Lowball holds 10 oz of hot or cold liquid and is $20. $20 seems like a lot for a coffee cup but I swear, it keeps my coffee hot for such a long time. The first day I used it I was trying to finish my coffee in my car before heading into work and I couldn't because it was that hot! I'm highly considering perusing the Yeti website and picking out some as gifts for Christmas.

Our Photo Wall
We've lived in our house for over 2 years now and you probably wouldn't even know it by the lack of things up on our wall. It took until about the middle of quaratine for us to finally hang a few wedding picture canvases. We finally took the time last week to hang a collection of frames I had bought last year that has a bunch of different family pictures. We also put a cute sign we received as a gift from John's best friend right above the collage. I absolutely love it! It just adds the perfect touch to our dining room.

Question of the Day: What is something you're loving this week?

{November} Currently

 Hellllo! Yes, I'm still here! I had all of last week off for NJ Teacher Convention Week so I used it as an opportunity to stray away from my phone and computer. Now I'm back and ready to get these blogging fingers moving! I had intended to write a more exciting post for today, but work ended up getting a bit hectic this week so I'm settling with a simple "currently" post. I think I might start posting one of these once a month.

I am currently...

Eating

An early Thanksgiving. I picked up a turkey breast for a good price over the weekend so we've been eating that for lunches. I've been doing turkey sandwiches while John has been making a turkey bowl with stuffing, gravy, and cranberry sauce.

Wearing

My Vans. Our dress code at work has been leaning on the more relaxed side lately so I've been wearing my Vans most days. They're so much more comfortable than flats and still look fairly nice!

Reading

Fewer Things, Better by Angela Watson. My sister sent me this book through Amazon a week or so ago and I'm really loving it. It's a book for teachers on how to lighten your load and focus on what really matters. What perfect timing for this book!

Watching

Gilmore Girls. John and I started binge watching this a few weeks ago and I am hooked! We are in the middle of season 3 right now.

Drinking

Lots of water! Wearing a mask while teaching means I have to talk much louder. That leaves my throat so dry which has me drinking water constantly, especially with a Nuun tab!

Listening To
Podcasts. These have been helping me survive my commute to and from work each day. I got a list of recommendations from a friend (thanks, Maureen!) and I'm slowly working through the true crime podcasts.

Question of the Day: What is something you’re currently eating, wearing, listening to, etc.? Pick one :)