I may be going off theme today for the  Friday Five 2.0  from Fairytales & Fitness and Rachel @ Running on Happy again — but I hope you’ll bear with me and see if any of these gifts seems right for the runner in your life.

Which just might be you.

Heating Coil
I have had a small heating coil for probably decades. The same one. It comes in handy and it doesn’t take up much room in your luggage.

I don’t like hotel coffee makers, as they usually taste of coffee, and you know I hate coffee. Give me a microwave, and I’m good, but some hotels just don’t have them. Many, in fact.

I always pack my heating coil with me when I travel. You just never know.

Mini Crockpot
This mini crockpot is so versatile. It can cook oatmeal overnight. It can reheat leftovers if you don’t have a microwave. Or warm up some baked goods if, again, you don’t have a microwave.

I have traveled with it by car, train, and plane. Yes, I stuck it in my backpack on our recent trip to NYC. And I used it! No microwave, but I still had my warm chocolate oatmeal muffin and breakfast cookies in the mornings.

Insulated Bag
I have been traveling with this insulated bag back and forth to my parents, and it’s made multiple trips on airplanes with me too. You know I love my food and you know I’m picky about it.

I love the organization — being able to keep some food cold (or hot), some food dry away from the cold or hot items, I can stick in water bottles — it’s a very well thought out design.

Flight 001 Packing Cubes
Traveling on racecations can take a lot of organisation, and I find these packing cubes from Flight oo1 make it easy. There are 2 zippered pockets: one for clean clothes, one for laundry.

I have one that I use for my exercise/race clothes, and the other I use for the rest of my clothes. One for unmentionables (although sometimes they just end up in with the regular clothes). One that allows me to organize my various headphones and chargers.

They have made many trips with me and so far none have needed to be replaced. They have a little handle and I have used them as a gear bag for my support crew, aka Mr. Judy.

Travel Tea Mug
I don’t like coffee. And even if I did, few hotel rooms have actual mugs. I got this particular travel mug from Republic of Tea, for free, along with the purchase of tea. I had two: one did eventually break, after many years of travel.

I can make tea directly in this mug using my heating coil. It’s double walled, so it’s never too hot to hold. It can be used with a tea bag or even loose tea, as essentially it’s a small french press.

Talk to me. Leave a comment or answer a question:

What products make traveling to racecations easier for you?

Is there something that you always pack on a trip?

Are you looking forward to a racecation next year? Where?