My 3 Favorite Running “Gadgets”

Let me start this post by saying it is absolutely NOT sponsored and I bought everything with my own money. Now that that’s super clear…

I’ve been casually running on and off for years, but never as much as what I’ve been doing the past few months in preparation for my upcoming Team Relay Marathon. The nice thing about running is that you don’t really need a ton of STUFF to get started, unlike trying a new sport like tennis or kayaking.

However, after doing it for a while you find that some things really make running so much easier.

So, whether you’re thinking about taking your first little trek up the road or if you’re a hardcore 5k kinda gal (or guy) you might be interested in some of my absolute favorite running items.

Look, I even made a snazzy little pinnable image with my own darn legs. So yeah, I’m big time now.

MapMyRun + iTunes Playlist
I am one of those people who absolutely must have some good music blaring in my ears if I’m going to go for a run. For a long time, I would create custom playlists, load them on my iPod and listen while I ran. It took me WAY too long to realize I could do the same thing on my iPhone. Instead of syncing all of my music on my phone and taking up a ton of space, I made a “running mix” and just loaded that playlist onto my phone.

I also downloaded the free MayMyRun app off itunes as a way to keep track of the distance that I was running. I wouldn’t say that this is the best app ever because it does freeze up sometimes and drive me nuts, but most of the time it does exactly what I need it to do. It even pulls in my running mix so that it plays as soon as I start my run. I really like how the app will turn my music down and tell me when I’ve reached each mile, as well as how long it took. The best part… it’s totally free!

Fitletic Mini Sport Belt
About 5 years ago I went to one of those running expos before a race and saw a bunch of cool looking fanny packs on a table. They were super slim fitting, made out of wetsuit fabric so that you can’t sweat through them and even have a little credit card spot. I bought one that day and have worn it on almost every run since then. It’s AWESOME! On normal runs I just zip my phone inside (letting the headphone cords hang out the end) and on race days I can fit my credit card, license, phone, contact case and chapstick. You can find the one I have here for just $18.95. I swear I paid more than that, but it is really worth every single penny!

The Panache Exercise Bra
This exercise bra was a total game-changer for me. After years and years of stacking on two bras to keep everything under control, I finally have one that does the job all by itself! I actually own two identical versions of this bra and have worn them exclusively ever since I wrote this post. True&Co doesn’t seem to stock them anymore, but I found them on Amazon here: Panache Women’s Underwire Sports Bra. I have it in the purple/gray version, but have been eying the magenta version and really love the lime color too but they don’t have it in my size. For larger chested ladies, I highly recommend hooking the little clip at the back of the bra to make it a racer back. It offers the prefect amount of support without making you feel like you might die from compression.

Fellow runners, do you have a “gadget” you can’t live without?

Disclosure: I repeat, this is not a sponsored post. The only reason I’m including this disclosure is that the bra link takes you to Amazon and I am part of the Amazon Associates program, which means if you decide to buy anything after clicking through I get a teensy amount of money. That is NOT why I recommend things though. Just a nice perk. Pocketful of Joules is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.