My favorite things!

I know, I know, I've been MIA. Life has been... well, life. Ups, downs, all arounds!

But, regardless, Christmas is approaching faster than a 5K PR. I love reading other people's favorites, gift lists, etc. So I thought I'd share a few of my favorite things- the kind that would ALWAYS make me happy if they made their way under the tree! And, since I'm completely UNAFFILIATED and NOT SPONSORED BY ANYONE, you can trust that these are simply my own opinions.

1. Pro compression socks

 See those socks?

 And these?
Yeah, I almost always wear Pro Compression socks when I run halves and fulls.

I even had then on under these grey tights:

Which lead to the next favorite:

2. Tough Chik clothing! As seen with the sweatshirt above. I love that thing, and have been wearing it the past 2 days during the cold snap. It's in the wash, or I'd be wearing it again!
I'm proud to be a member of Team Tough Chik, too. Go check it out, and be on the look out for next year's sign up in the fall.

3. Sparkly Soul Headbands

I only own one of these (until the mail lady gets here with the 2 I ordered on Black Friday!!!!), but I wear it ALL.THE.TIME. Teaching yoga, or at the outdoor shooting range,

 or on a random trip to the botanical gardens.

I love it. I would own more if there were any stores nearby that carried them! In a perfect world, the complete collection would be waiting for me under the tree. But, since some people might find that excessive, I'm anxiously awaiting the 2 I ordered already.

4. Sparkle skirts!!!

I know there are several brands of sparkly skirts, but Sparkle Athletic is my favorite. My first skirt survived a couple 5ks, a Spartan Sprint, and a Tough Mudder before it had to be retired. This red one helped me sparkle my way to a 5K PR this fall. Sparkle=speed!

5. The mythical perfect running shoes.....

I'd love to have a link to my favorite, but each time I find a favorite, I'll-love-this-brand-forever shoe, they change it and it no longer works for me (I'm talking to you, Saucony Kinvara, and you, Mizuno Ronin, and you, Brooks Pure-everything). I love a minimal/natural shoe but with a little cushion since i run mostly on roads. So, until I find a new "perfect" shoe, I'll leave this one open.

What are your favorite things?

Does a perfect shoe even exist? What's your favorite? I'd love to try Skora or Altra shoes, but without anywhere nearby to try them on, I"m hesitant to order since I wouldn't know what size!