Whether or not you understand your loved one’s desire to wake up before sunrise and get in a 5K is irrelevant when it comes to gifting. Athletes, especially runners, are pretty easy to shop for since they can never have too many of the essentials like socks, gloves, foam rollers, trackers and more. There are plenty of things you can get them that will make their runs more enjoyable, or help them recover more efficiently so they can best yesterday’s time today. Here are the best gift ideas for runners for this year’s holiday shopping season.
Quick OverviewMore options
Theragun Mini
$199 at Amazon$199 at Backcountry$200 at TargetSee more options
Rise and Run: Recipes, Rituals and Runs to Fuel Your Day
Roll Recovery R8
$139 at Amazon$128 at Sharper ImageSee more optionsMore options
Spibelt
$23 at Verizon$27 at AmazonSee more options
Bombas Running Socks
Trigger Point Grid Travel Foam Roller
$32 at Amazon$32 at Holabird SportsSee more options
Yoga Toes
TrailHeads Power Stretch Convertible Mittens
Apace Vision LED Safety Lights
Garmin Forerunner 55
$60 at Amazon$205 at Focus CameraSee more optionsMore options
Beats Fit Pro
$180 at Walmart$180 at Amazon$189 at GrouponSee more options
Goodr OG Sunglasses
Theragun Mini
Will Lipman Photography for Engadget
Theragun Mini
Massages are expensive and, let’s face it, most people don’t have the time or funds to go get them regularly. But you can give the runner in your life a way to care for their aching muscles on their own time. The Theragun Mini’s compact size will make it easy for them to keep it by their bedside or even throw it in their gym bag. It has three speeds that allow the user to treat sensitive areas or larger muscle groups appropriately. Plus its ergonomic grip and lightweight design make it comfortable to hold. Whether they use it once a week as part of a bigger recovery routine or after every workout, it’s a tool that every runner will appreciate having at their disposal. – Valentina Palladino, Senior Commerce Editor
$199 at AmazonExplore More Buying Options$199 at Backcountry$200 at Target
Rise and Run: Recipes, Rituals and Runs to Fuel Your Day
Engadget
Rise and Run: Recipes, Rituals and Runs to Fuel Your Day
Gift this to the runner in your life who loves to crank out some morning miles and then carb-load immediately after. Rise and Run is the third and most recent cookbook from Olympian and marathon champion Shalane Flanagan. (She’s perhaps best known for being the first American woman in 40 years to win the New York City Marathon. Either that, or for her colorful language.) Whereas her two earlier books offered a fairly broad sampling, her latest installment instead focuses on everyone’s favorite meal: breakfast. (And also, snacks. Who doesn’t love snacks?)
I own Flanagan’s first cookbook, Run Fast. Eat Slow, and have come back to her wholesome Superhero Muffins repeatedly. (They’re so good, you won’t even taste the shredded zucchini and carrot.) Apparently that recipe stuck with lots of other people too, because Flanagan’s latest cookbook really leans into muffins, with 24 new Superhero recipes all told, including a mix of sweet and savory. Beyond muffins, though, the book also has other breakfast recipes, plus recovery drinks and baked goodies like cookies and bars. As a bonus, it’s also vegetarian friendly, with 107 recipes, 52 that are vegan, and another 26 that could easily be modified to a vegan diet. – Dana Wollman, Editor-in-Chief
Roll Recovery R8
ROLL Recovery
Roll Recovery R8
Imagine a set of rollerblade wheels with handlebars attached and you’ve basically got Roll Recovery’s signature muscle roller. Although I own multiple rolling devices, this is the one I’m most likely to pick up, owing to the fact that I don’t have to lie on the floor to use it. Just clamp the wheels around your quads, hamstrings or calves like it’s some sort of medieval torture device and roll yourself out. It hurts, but in a good way. Besides how effective it is and the fact that I can use it while lying on the couch, I like that you can toss it in the included pouch and tuck the whole thing in a carry-on. Consider this for your sore distance runner friend who likes traveling for races – and could probably do a better job stretching. – D.W.
$139 at AmazonExplore More Buying Options$128 at Sharper Image
Spibelt
SPIbelt
Spibelt
Don’t let the skinny, unassuming design fool you. As discreet as Spibelts look (more so than fanny packs, anyway), their stretchy material can expand to fit various items that runners might be carrying with them, including keys, a credit card and large-screen phones like the iPhone Pro Max. Between its low price and how compact they are, a Spibelt would make a great stocking stuffer for the runner in your life. I would also argue that, even if they already own one, you can’t have too many – you can always use a spare when the other is in the wash. – D.W.
$23 at VerizonExplore More Buying Options$27 at Amazon
Bombas Running Socks
Engadget
Bombas Running Socks
There are few things worse than your sock slipping off into the abyss of your running shoe when you’re just hitting your stride. Bombas’ running socks, specifically the quarter-height versions, virtually eliminate this. They hit about an inch or two above the ankle, giving them enough height to fight unwanted slippage and south-bound movement. The fabric is also great, too, with moisture-wicking properties and good breathability thanks to Bombas’ Hex Tec construction. The last thing any athlete wants, runners included, is for their clothing to get in the way of their progress. – V.P.
Trigger Point Grid Travel Foam Roller
Trigger Point Performance
Trigger Point Grid Travel Foam Roller
Trigger Point makes what I imagine is the most ubiquitous foam roller – you know, the orange cylindrical one you’ve probably seen at your local gym or physical therapist’s office. Chances are your runner friend already owns that, but perhaps they could still use the company’s more compact travel version. At just 10 inches long, 4.4 inches in diameter and less than a pound, the Grid Travel should fit easily into a weekend bag. And, as a bonus, Trigger Point’s signature hollow core design makes the perfect place for stuffing miscellany like socks if you’re trying to pack as efficiently as possible. – D.W.
$32 at AmazonExplore More Buying Options$32 at Holabird Sports
Yoga Toes
Yoga Toes
Yoga Toes
I first heard about Yoga Toes through a friend who’s a running coach, Ultramarathoner and who has worked at a physical therapy practice. They basically look like the things that separate your toes when you get a pedicure. Here, though, they work to stretch out the small muscles in and around your toes, which the company says can both treat and prevent conditions that include hammer toes, plantar fasciitis and bunions. They’re available in sizes meant for men and women, and the design is adjustable in the event the default amount of stretch is a little too intense. – D.W.
TrailHeads Power Stretch Fingerless Gloves
Engadget
TrailHeads Power Stretch Convertible Mittens
I love running in the cold, but my fingers do not. When I first discovered how much I preferred the chill of fall and winter running, it was pretty easy for me to gather the gear I’d need to pursue this and save my butt from freezing in the process. But the piece of the puzzle that eluded me that most was hand protection. After trying numerous gloves and mittens, I found