In the spirit of Christmas, I’m going to share with you my top 10 gifts for runners!
 
10. Headbands! Something to keep the hair back and away from the face is always awesome. If you are interested in making some for yourself or your friends, you can follow along with our stocking stuffer blog from last year here. 
 
9. Hair ties. This goes along with the headbands, I personally have to have good quality stuff holding my hair back from my face while I run. These, available at Target are my absolute favorite. My hair is heavy and thick so I need really strong hair ties to hold everything in place.
 
8. Stroller Warriors gear! I admit it, I'm a SW gear junkie. I just love the team feel of our gear and am oh so proud to be a Stroller Warrior! Your local chapter will have gear orders periodically but you can also buy SW gear year-round from our website. Here's a direct link for you so you don't have to search around. We even have Christmas Stroller Warrior gear! 

7. A good bra. I’m sure I don’t need to explain why this one is so important! The moving comfort Juno is one of my favorites. I like that it’s easy to breastfeed in, you can just un-velcro the strap and slide it down. I also like that I can adjust the straps to get a more comfortable fit depending on the day and how full I am at that moment in time.
 
6. GPS watch. I personally own a Suunto and really like it. Other popular brands are Garmin and TomTom to name a few. Do your research and find one with features you like best.
 
5. Good running shoes. If you want to gift someone running shoes you’ll likely have to go with them to pick out a pair or give them a gift card. It’s really important for every runner to know what kind of shoes their feet need. I recommend going to a professional to get fitted. It’s important to know what kind of arches you have as well as how your foot lands when you’re running. If you happen to know what kind of shoes someone wears and you know the brand/style is a good fit for them you can order a second pair online.

​4. Socks (not cotton!). Good socks are oh so important in the prevention of blisters! I recommend avoiding cotton socks as cotton once it gets wet (sweat, rain, puddles) is really good at giving you blisters and hot spots. Balega socks are pricey but are one of my favorites.
 
3. Underarm Deodorant wipes. I recently was gifted these by a fellow warrior and not only were they perfect for my upcoming Ragnar they've become a staple in my car. It's really nice to be able to run into a store after a SW run to do a quick errant and know for a fact I'm not stinky.
 
2. Bracelet with medical information and/or personal information. Heaven forbid you get in a car accident or have a medical emergency while on a run, having a bracelet with the important info readily available is a great idea!
 
1. A self-defense class. You can never be too safe! A self-defense course will give you or your friend even more power and confidence. Check your local area for the options.
 
 
What’s on your list of great gifts for runners?
 
Happy Running!
Kelly

Today we have for you the founding story of Stroller Warriors Pensacola!
 
Stroller Warriors® Pensacola was founded by Mary H. Mary says she was inspired to found a Stroller Warriors chapter after researching our organization and falling in love with our mission. 

​Mary says, “We had just moved to Pensacola and on the spouses pages a lot of people were asking about Stroller Warriors and if there was one here.  They all mentioned how they loved the chapter at their last duty station and wished there was one in the area. I had been a runner for along time and always took my daughter with me, however, I had never been apart of a SW chapter (I had heard of them though). " 

The positive talk from previous SW members and their desire to have a Stroller Warriors chapter in their area got Mary thinking about founding a Stroller Warriors chapter.  "I was 7 months pregnant with my son when I decided that I would take the leap and apply to start a chapter in Pensacola. I knew that running with others would make it better and when I researched the organization I fell in love with their mission, it solidified my desire to try and get a chapter here. I wanted to be able to help out the military community and provide them a way to get together and get active.”

Mary didn’t waste any time trying to get a chapter started and began the application process to found a chapter while she was pregnant with her second child. After gaining approval to found a chapter Mary began the mentoring process with Stroller Warrior Head Quarters.
 
“About 6 weeks after giving birth, I was so ready to get things going and launched.  I actually put some feelers out into the community to see how many would be interested in SW and I was shocked to see the amount of people that were responsive.” 

​Through Founding and then Coordinating Stroller Warriors Pensacola Mary has learned some valuable lessons. She says, “I think one big lesson is to understand that every chapter is different.  From the running locations, weather, community, active members, etc.  We all have our own unique piece that makes us a tad different.  I have learned to adapt to the needs of our community and not to overdo it.”
 
Mary also feels it is important for Coordinators to remember to lean on their members for help. She says, “Also, ask for help =)  The chapter grew so quick and honestly after a point I by myself could not fully keep up so I had to add someone to help out before the year mark.” 

​Mary, your hard work and dedication to Stroller Warriors Pensacola has created an amazing team that is still standing strong after your departure. Thank you for founding SW Pensacola and gifting the Pensacola community with this amazing resource!
 
If you’re interested in founding a chapter and bringing Stroller Warriors to your location, please follow these instructions. If you’re a Chapter Founder and would like your story featured please email me at [email protected]!
 
Thank You and Happy Running!
Kelly