A complete christmas guide

for the runner in your life

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Content

christmas-sock
Stocking Stuffers
$3-$10
gift

Moderately Priced
$11-20

gifts
High Moderate
$21 – 35
gift (1)
Big Spenders
$50+

stocking stuffers:
$3 - $10

running
bracelet
lipstick
headband
sock
necklace
flashlight
winter-hat
mitten
sneaker
headphone

Fun Colored Shoe Laces

Make those running shoes even more fun with a splash of color. Let the runner in your life express their personality with a new pair of shoelaces.

Hydration/Nutrition Items

​What does your runner like best? Do they eat GU on long runs, or snack on cliff bars before a run? Find out how they like to fuel and get a few for their stocking.

  • A few of our favorites include:
    • Nuun – water hydration tabs
    • Clif Bar (they currently have seasonal flavors) – bars, GUs, and more
    • Sport Beans – jelly bean made for fueling runs/workouts
    • Kind Bars – delicious granola bars

Neck Warmer

Neck warmers, or gaters as some companies call them, are great for the really cold winter morning (or evening) runs. You know those mornings where you step outside and can see your breath emit from your own nose! Yeah, those mornings. Help the runner in your life breath a little easier with a neck and face warmer.

Pace Bands

Pace bands are a silicone bracelet runners can wear that has paces set out into splits. This way a runner who is looking to PR can simply look at their wrist to see if they’re hitting the correct splits for each mile. This silicone bracelet is a much better idea than the homemade paper ones we’ve seen out on the race course.

Waterproof Baggies

These are great for the runner that goes out in any kind of weather! The baggies range in size allowing runners to put anything from a phone to car keys in a waterproof container and then place it in a pocket, backpack, belt, whatever! LokSak makes a good one.

Chapstick

Chapstick is very helpful if your runner lives in a dry climate. A morning run in a dry climate without chapstick could mean a split lip simply from cracking a smile!

Baby Wipes

Everyone travels for a run or race sometimes, and baby wipes are great after a hard run. Sometimes it just feels really good to clean the sweat off your body before you get back in the car to drive home (plus your car won’t stick like sweaty body either).

Moderately Priced:
$11-20

Headbands

Many female (and some male) runners like to wear headbands to keep the fly away hairs out of their face while they run. We love the bands that have a silicone lining on the back to help keep it from sliding off our heads when we run.

An Inspirational Book or Movie

There are many inspirational books and movies for runners that push them to want to become more and try harder next time they get outside. To name just a few of these:

  • Movies:
    • McFarland
    • Prefontaine
    • Chariots of Fire
    • Personal Best
    • Spirit of the Marathon
    • Run for Your Life
    • The Long Green Line
  • Books:
    • Born to Run
    • Eat & Run
    • Let Your Mind Run
    • Running Home
    • 26 Marathons
    • The Rise of the Ultra Runners

Compression Socks

Compression socks are great for post long runs or super intense workouts as they help keep the circulation going in a runner’s legs to increase muscle recovery and decrease soreness the next day. Some runners wear them during their runs while others simply put them on after, either way these are an awesome runner gift.

KT Tape

KT tape is a kinesiology tape that works really well for minor aches pains and strains. Runners like to use a KT tape to help minimise pain during a race or hard workout.

A Cool Waterbottle

Runners and fitness junkies alike love new water bottles. I guess it is because we understand the importance of hydrating and having a spill proof water bottle near us at all times helps us remember to drink? So gift your runner a new water bottle that can hold PLENTY of water since we tend to drink like camels.

Wool Socks

Wool socks are a go-to for many winter runners and trail runners. They are thin, but warm; they dry quickly if they get wet, and they are super soft and comfortable. Best yet, Costco sells a pack of wool socks that work great!

Runner Jewelry

Many companies have started up in the motivational jewelry business making bracelets, shoe charms, and more that tell a runner to “stay strong,” “best mode,” and more. There are also companies that make commemorative jewelry that features a runners time PR or furthest distance. Whichever way you go, running jewelry is a unique gift that any runner would appreciate.

Subscription to a Running/Health Magazine

Give your runner a gift for all year round. Subscriber them to a magazine like Runners World, Running, Running Times, Trail Running, etc. and let them learn and discover new things each month.

Subscription to a Running or Nutrition App

Many smartphone/tablet apps have a free version, but have major upgrades for a simple one time payment or a yearly subscription cost. Find out if there are any apps your runner likes to use and see if they could use the upgrade.

      • Examples: Endomondo, Strava, Nutrino, Calorie Counter Pro

Headlamp

If your runner runs early in the morning or during the evening hours it is really important that they can see and be seen. If they don’t already have a headlamp, or perhaps there’s is getting old and worn, help them out with a new one this Christmas.

Winter Spikes

If your runner lives in an area that gets snowy and icy in the winter, help them continue training all year long with a pair of spikes they can attach to their shoes to help them grip the snow and ice. The most popular brand of these are YakTrax, but there are several inexpensive brands out there as well.

High Moderate:
$21 - 35

Beanies (with a ponytail hole for girls)

Another winter must-have is a proper beanie for running. You want it warm, but not so warm that the runner will overheat during a long trek. Many running-style beanies will be made of the correct material. And if your runner has a ponytail, be sure to get one with a ponytail hole that not only hold the beanie on better, but also allows them to wear the beanie down on their forehead where it should be.

Medal Display

It is fun to showcase your medals; so get the runner in your life something they can hang their medals on instead of shoving them into a drawer somewhere.

Healthy Cookbook

For the racing season it is important to eat healthy! Help your runner find new recipes so that they don’t eat the same thing for dinner each night. There are so many healthy cookbooks out there that are perfect for athletes, including the one written by an athlete, Shalane Flanagan.

Gloves with a Mitten Attachment

Gloves are great for the cold months, but sometimes even just a typical pair of gloves aren’t warm enough to keep the tips of your fingers from freezing. There are really nice running gloves that have an extra pull out that turns them into wind breaker mittens, and it is insane how much it helps keep the tips of your fingers warm on a run.

Foam Roller/Handheld Sticks

Foam rollers and rolling sticks are great for rolling out sore muscles and getting rid of lactic acid, but they tend to be a bit on the pricey side. If you’ve got a serious runner in your life, help them recover faster with a foam roller or rolling stick.

For The Big Spender:
$50+

New Running Shoes

Running shoes can be quite expensive ($75 – $175), but runners tend to wear them out quickly. Once you know which model your runner wears, surprise them with a new pair on Christmas and they’ll be stoked.

GPS Running Watch

GPS watches are super helpful to any runner; it allows them to know how long they’ve been running, how far they’ve gone, their average pace, and for some models, their heart-rate, and even more incredible stats as you get more intense. GPS watches however, are not cheap, especially for a good one, but I can guarantee that any serious runner would absolutely love to own one.

Garmin is the go-to brand for running specific GPS watches, and the great thing is that they have all kinds of models in all the different price ranges so you are sure to find one that fits their needs and your budget.

Gift Card to Nice Running Clothes Store

Sometimes it is nice to have a really good pair of running clothes and feel good, don’t slip, don’t wear out, and are just all around comfortable. But good running clothes just don’t come cheap! Give the runner in your life a gift card to their favorite running company and they will love you forever.

Examples of good quality running clothes brands:

Headphones (aftershokz)

Many runners love to listen to music during their workouts; some even listen to audiobooks while on their long runs to help distract them. But it is SO important for runners to be able to hear what is going on around them; wildlife, bikers, other runners, vehicles, etc. This is why we really like the bone conduction headphones now available to athletes; it allows runners to listen to their music/podcasts/audiobooks while still have their ears open to the world.

Help keep the runner in your life safe with a pair of these aftershokz headphones!

A Running Coach!

Now we may be a little biased on this one …but everyone wants a coach right!? Coaches (whether in person or virtual) can help keep you on pace, on goal, and doing what you need in order to accomplish your athletic goals.

The great news is that our virtual coaching is so inexpensive in comparison with others available online; we are only $25 a month! So if you’ve got a runner in your life planning to hit some goals in 2020, give them the gift of a coach!

Nicole Hillstead-Jones

RRCA Certified Trainer

I am an RRCA Certified running coach, which means not only do I love pinning on a racing bib myself, but I want to help you get there too! Whether you are brand new and hate running, or are a seasoned runner yourself, I enjoy getting to know each of my runners and helping them do their best.

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