Holiday Gift Guide: Runners
Runners like toys. There’s no getting around it. Someone that’s into fitness will love getting some running toys for the holidays. Last year Michael’s mom gave me a gift card to a nearby running store for Christmas. Best present ever! I desperately needed a new pair of running shoes.
If you have a runner in your life, here are a few of my favorite things you might want to get for them:
Buy Here
Nathan Speed 2 Waistpack with Two 10-Ounce Nutrition Flasks–I have one and I love it. It worked great for long training runs. I used it when I ran Hood To Coast. It’s a must have for any runner. I like that it doesn’t slosh around too much either.
Buy Here
GUs–A runner needs fuel. I like GU brand personally. I’ve tried almost everything out there and decided that GUs tasted less like chemical burning than most of the “energy” things out there. Get a case for your runner.
Buy Here
Garmin!–Oh my gosh! If you bought this for the runner in your life they will LOVE YOU. When I was running a lot I desperately wanted a Garmin. I was such a nerd about my stats and really wanted one of these babies to track all of it. I never got a Garmin but that leads me to my next item…
Buy Here
Polar Heart Rate Monitor–I never got a Garmin but I absolutely love my Polar HRM. It absolutely changed the way I worked out, for the better. Being able to properly track my calories made a huge difference in my weight loss. I love my HRM and would never go back to not using one.
Buy Here
Running Shoes–New Runners often make the mistake of buying cheap shoes. Sometimes it’s about commitment, we aren’t sure we’ll stick with it, we don’t have the money, etc. But investing in a GOOD pair of shoes will make a world of difference. Bad shoes = injury. Take the time to get fitted for good shoes. And then buy them for cheaper online. 🙂
Buy Here
Tune Belt Sport Armband for iPhone/Blackberry–A cheap little stocking-stuffer that will make your runner happy. I prefer to have my music when I run or workout and this makes it easy.
Buy Here
Smart Wool Socks–I don’t wear anything else when I workout. I love my SmartWool. They feel great, they never give me blisters, I don’t sweat in them. They are the perfect socks in my opinion. I have thick pairs for snowshoeing or hiking, thin pairs for running. Love!
Buy Here
Compression Tights–Finally, my favorite fitness item I own is my compression tights. Michael got them for me for Christmas last year and I love these. They feel so fantastic. Compression tights are a lifesaver for people training for long distance runs or cycling events. They work great during events and also for recovery afterward.
Lots of fun toys for the runner–or great ideas for you to make your holiday wish-list. Enjoy!
QUESTION: What are your favorite running items?
Mellissa
I love your website, it always has really good tips and ideas! I always read it about 10 in the morning hehe! Congrats on your success!
Lisa Eirene
Thank you Mellissa!
Yum Yucky
a good pair of socks his highly UNDER-rated. Must have good socks. I bought some nice ones as stocking stuffers. Gotta look into these SmartWools. Thanks!
Lisa Eirene
Smart Wool is pretty much all I wear now. LOVE IT!
Lynn @ Learning Curves Blog
I love my Garmin, which was a huge splurge for me. I’ve been using it for hikes as well as running and it has helped the hubby and I when we went night hiking and kinda got turned around. Socks…I love my bamboo ultra thin adidas socks the most but want to try out some smartwool or Swiftwicks (been hearing a lot of good stuff about these). Love the list!
Lisa Eirene
I love my smart wool! It’s almost my entire sock collection.
I don’t have a Garmin. When I was running a lot I really wanted one. But having my heart rate monitor to track calories and iPhone apps to track mileage, I didn’t see the necessity.