T-Shirt: Your Very Own Irish Craic-O-Meter!

In Ireland, we measure how fun something was by how much Craic we had. For example, “Hey, last night was good craic, we need to do that again!”

There are several levels of Craic, with 90 being the absolute highest craic one can have.

Grab this Craic-O-Meter t-shirt on my Etsy store that lets people know that the Craic is always 90 when you’re around.

Celtic Trinity Knot T-Shirt Available On Etsy!

I have started an Etsy store selling Irish themed t-shirts and other products. One of the new designs available is the Celtic Trinity knot.

This Celtic knot is probably the most well-known. It can be dated back to the 8th century, and was adopted by early christianity in Ireland to symbolize the Holy Trinity. I had fun drawing this one, and you’ll see it feature on a few different products in the store.

The prices include shipping to anywhere in the USA.

Christmas Gifts for the Runner in Your Life

Photo by Bruce Mars

There’s not a better week to snap up all your Christmas gifts — keep a look out for some great deals. If you have a runner in the family, here are some ideas to get you started.

  • GPS WATCH :: Get the Forerunner 935 at BestBuy for $399, or the even the Forerunner 945 for $499. Great prices for these solid running watches.
  • STAY REFLECTIVE :: The Proviz Reflect 360 Running Jacket. Just look at how reflective these are. They look amazing. At the moment, Proviz have it listed at $112 (down from $140).
  • NEW SHOES :: Change their running game by treating them to a pair of Nike Vaporfly Next% shoes. I think every runner secretly wishes to run a race in these. On the high end at $250.
  • GLOVES :: The weather is turning colder. Do they like a good pair of mittens but need their fingers out for those run selfies? Then look no further than Turtle Gloves. Get 15% off with code TURTLEGLOVESBR.
  • BEST ROLLER :: Roll out those muscle kinks with an Addaday Roller. Recover faster for under $50.
  • COACHING :: What about some coaching for an upcoming race? It’s so easy to find a coach over at VDOT02.com. I’ve used this before and loved the app. Coaches set their own prices.
  • RUNNING DYNAMICS :: Switch to running by Power instead of pace, time or distance — get a Stryd power meter. It will work with your sports watch and give you extra data on your run. And bonus — use it with the Zwift platform.
  • GOOD READING :: Introduce them to an inspirational running book, like “Born To Run” by Christopher McDougall.
  • DITCH THE PINS :: Gift a set of custom BibBoards and they’ll never have to fiddle with safety pins again! So good I wrote a song about it.
  • SAFETY FIRST :: Give them and yourself peace of mind with a RoadId Wrist ID and Sidekick ID. There’s a sale on right now!
  • AUDIO :: For the music lover (or audio book, podcast, etc.), the absolute best in running headphones are AfterShokz bone conduction headphones. Check out the special bundles here.
  • SOCKS :: And finally, something I’ve found extremely effective in reducing blisters and other feet issues – Injinji toe socks! No joke, these things are game changers.

Are you a runner? What are you hoping for under the Christmas tree this year? Comment below!

Father’s Day Gifts for Dads that Run!

Image by skeeze from Pixabay

Does your dad like to run? Do you still need to pick up a gift for Father’s Day? You’re in luck! Here are some great gift ideas!

AfterShokz Headphones

These are fast becoming the runner’s choice and this week (until 16th June) you can save up to $30 on some models, during the AfterShokz Dads & Grads sale. I have a pair of Trekz Air Headphones, which I love. Read my review here.

FlipBelt

Hands down, the best way to carry your essentials when out for a run. It’ll carry your phone, car keys, credit cards, gel packs, etc. with no chafing or bouncing. I rarely go for a run without it. Check out their website for more information.

Oofos

The most comfortable footwear on the planet? I think so. I like to wear these lounging around the house, especially after a long run. They are designed to literally take the weight off your feet and accelerate recovery. I reviewed them a while ago — read it here.

BibBoards

I never run a race without these. They keep your race bib attached securely to your shirt or shorts without damage to the fabric. As an added bonus you can get a custom design made. I liked them so much I wrote a song about it.

Race Registration

Sign your dad up for a race, either something local, or splurge on something further afield. Don’t forget to check out the race discount page before you do and save some money!

Garmin

Every dad loves a Garmin. I think I just coined a new tag-line for Garmin’s next campaign. Anyway, I never run without my watch. Does your dad already have one? Then accessorize — add a running dynamics pod, or order a new strap, or just simply upgrade to a new model.

Car License Holder

This is something I recently did myself. I wanted to remove the free dealer advertising license plate holder and replace it with a custom one. I found a seller on Etsy who will put whatever text you like on there. I had one printed with my running club name on it.

Running Coach

I used to think people who used running coaches were maybe taking things a little too seriously, especially if they were not professional runners, or had any aspirations to go professional. Well, how wrong I was.

Running can be like going to the gym and not have any plan or idea how the machines work. You’re not going to get a lot of out it, nor are you likely to improve much and reach your potential.

That’s where a coach comes in. Get your dad a custom training plan, including core exercises to help him become a stronger runner. A training plan keeps us focused and can avoid over-training and injury.

I recently started working with Janell from runcanvas.com and can recommend her services! Janell uses the vdot platform to send through training plans. She is able to adjust them on the fly when my schedule starts to conflict.