What's Your Favorite Running Item (Not Counting Shoes)?

OP here, I am glad you like the thread. I am always curious what the prized pieces of gear are for people. Like, if you forgot this item, you might drive back to the house to get it before going out on a run... that kind of thing.

p.s. I love my CEP socks. I got a pair at a triathlon in Germany way back before they were common here and have always had a pair or two in rotation. I love those things!

How does it feel for you to run without a watch? Do you like it?

I did it on Monday and it was kind of nice. That said, I have probably had a watch on my wrist for 995 of my last 1000 runs, which is weird because I know how far most of my routes are and I don't care about my "pace" these days...

Was it called the Chronos? I don't know...

To be honest I always run with a watch unless it is broken or not charged. At first I feel naked not having anything on my wrist and also not knowing what I'm running, but it's nice to be completely disconnected sometimes.

My acrylic lenses from cataract surgery. Nearsightedness always put me at risk of tripping when I ran and glasses were a real pain so when given the choice I chose the farthest focal length for the lense replacement. Have totally enjoyed running without glasses and be able to see really well.

My first ever pair of real running shorts from freshman year of high school are still going strong more than 10 years later. HS, College, and post-collegiate running and they're still my favorite. I have run thousands of miles in them. Best $35 my parents ever spent back in '13

probably my gstring

Obviously, Garmin.

1) My Injinji socks (5-fingers): No blisters in the toes since I started to use them about 7 years ago. Including muddy cross country when I lived in UK
2) Shokz open ear headphones: you can hear your surroundings while you are not a worthy runner cause you listen to podcast/tempo music
3) My Coros Pace 3 watch and Coros HR armband: Certified by Jakob

I own two Tracksmith merino wool tops and two pairs of Janji groundwork tights. I do laundry once a week and these 4 items have gotten me through the last 2 winters.

My Noxgear Tracer2 vest with the lamp attachment. I run before the sun comes up most days and rather than having to wear a headlamp and a bunch of clip on blinking lights, all I need is this easy to wear vest and I'm fully illuminated and good to go. It's a game changer.

I know this is very different but back in the early 80’s, it was so great to see the finish line clock that I bought two or three of them.

The best clocks were those old chronomix clocks that clicked when they turned over with the bright green numbers.

I used to take the clock (s) to middle school and elementary school races and stand in the third lane and let the kids see the clock as they finished. It was great for recruiting high school runners too.

I hated it when the CD light clocks came out. Not near as good as the old chronomix clocks that clicked each second.

One Saturday, I had the clock sitting on top of the 1600 meter pole of a high school meet and it fell off the pole and messed up the works.. I was heartbroken at my negligence. I had to send it back to Chronomix, I think in California for repairs.

I bought 3 of those clocks just because they were so great to see coming into the finish. 47 years of running and racing. A wonderful life.

I shuffle now at 5:15 am. It’s very dark so my headband flashlight is my favorite item since I can see and be seen in the dark. It’s ahead of my cold weather running gear.

Weak and fragile lady posting here: I have been running with headphones since the glorious yellow Sony Walkman. Never once robbed and raped by a thug or illegal! I wear headphones to drown out the sounds of fearmongering.

The bronze age came before the iron age.

I'll nominate my shoe dryer (Dry Guy boot dryer maybe?). For 2-3 months out of the year my shoes are squelching and soaking wet by the time I finish my run. I pop in the shoe dryers, which run at low power with a very weak heating element and fan, and the shoes are dry by the next morning. Amazing!! So much better than the days of stuffing in balled up newspaper pages.

A recent huge winner for me is my running stroller, I have a 6 month old and now I’m able to actually get some good miles with them outside, he likes it more than I do.

This is a cool post. I'm not typically into gear, but I love my Garmin- they didn't exist when I was running my best. I like running clothes much better- tights for winter over sweats and the cold gear tops are great.

I tell younger runners the evolution of watch wearing for me (and my friends).

1. We didn't wear them- our coach timed us or you looked at the clock when you left your house and looked at it again when you got home.

2. We put on a wristwatch and set the hands to midnight.

3. Chronos came out- we could time our runs!!! Eventually it would count laps and take splits if we were doing a workout.

4. GPS but you had to wait 5-10 minutes to get a signal.

5. And here we are today- your GPS picks up a signal immediately and never loses it!